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23rd Apr 2012 5 Plus 6 - Fontainebleau Guide by Bart Van Raaij
A few years ago I wrote a glowing review for a new guidebook to the boulders of Fontainebleau. It was a work of art and a labour of love all rolled into one, and the fruits of a talented and...
19th Apr 2012 Llanberis Slate by Ground Up Productions
Ground Up are a North Wales based company who produce North Wales guide books. As such they know their stuff. They also clearly knew that the slate quarries were desperately in need of a new, and...
17th Apr 2012 North Wales Classics by Jack Geldard - Rockfax
What a nice idea. A small pocket sized guidebook to the best routes in Snowdonia. It’s something portable that you can carry on a route with you. It’s a selected guide so saves you the expense...
5th Apr 2012 New Balance MT00 Minimus Running Shoe
I’ve been living in or near the Peak for nearly twenty years now and I’ve done a lot of the climbing on offer in the area. Nearly five years ago I moved into a village crammed full of fell...
4th Apr 2012 The North Face Patrol Glove
So The North Face have come up with a ‘new way’ of sizing gloves according to this video. Sounds reasonable and sensible to make sure that sizes are consistent across their range, but I have a...
3rd Apr 2012 The North Face Diez Down Jacket
I managed for a few years without a down jacket, but the last few winters have encouraged me to see the error of my ways. This little baby from The North Face is a a far cry from my previous one....
2nd Apr 2012 Magicshine MJ880 Bike Light
There’s been something of a revolution taking place over the past few years. If you’ve noticed incredibly bright lights bobbing and weaving towards you on the road at night you’ll know what...
23rd Mar 2012 The North Face Etip Gloves
I’ve had quite a few comments about these gloves, and not all of them complimentary. Not sure why really. I think it’s cool to knock geekiness which is what they really are. Essentially they...
22nd Mar 2012 Fizan Compact Walking Poles
I guess it’s a sign of getting older, but I’m finding that I am using poles more and more often when out in the hills. I’m running a lot which means my knees are taking a hammering so the...
27th Feb 2012 Vango Vitesse Tent
I've had this tent on test now for a while and although it’s not always been my first choice of tent it definitely is my ‘go to’ tent when I need something lightweight. Given the lightweight...
14th Feb 2012 Mountain Hardwear Mesa Pant
A simple, but effective pair of trousers which have stood up to everything I have thrown at them here in the UK, but sound as if they are made for jungle trekking! Comfortable and quick drying,...
24th Jan 2012 The North Face Superlight Sleeping Bag
This is genuinely the most comfortable bag I have ever had the pleasure of sleeping in. For all its clever features, more on them in a minute, the most noticeable thing about it is how it feels on...
15th Dec 2011 Kozikids Softshell
When I was a kid I my folks simply dressed me in jeans and a jumper for the most part. If it rained or was windy I put on a basic waterproof, ran around and ended up wet! I remember my first piece...
26th Nov 2011 Karrimor KSB Trek-Lite II eVent
I wanted boots that would be lightweight but up to the job of uneven terrain, soggy conditions and long days walking and that is what I got from the Karrimor KSB TrekLite II eVent. They provided...
25th Nov 2011 Mountain Hardwear Women's Petra Pant
I have used these versatile trousers for a range of activities but they came into their own on a recent trekking holiday. They looked good enough to wear casually as I travelled, were comfy to...
23rd Nov 2011 France Cote d?Azur by Chris Craggs ? Rockfax
Chris Craggs has been writing guidebooks, many for Rockfax, for a long time now, mainly to interesting foreign destinations so it should come as no surprise that he’s found another. Well, when I...
22nd Nov 2011 France Languedoc-Roussillon by Adrian Berry ? Rockfax
Last summer we went to the Ardeche with some friends for a family camping holiday. It was pre-school age for the kids so we went in September and were blown away by the area. It was stunning....
4th Nov 2011 Bunk Camper Van Rental
An unusual review to write for a change. It was half term last week so we headed off to Ireland. Realising that it would not be nice camping weather we looked into camper van rental and found a...
20th Oct 2011 The North Face Super Zephyrus Hoodie
This is the second hoodie of this ilk that I’ve owned and instantly became my favourite. First off, it fits perfectly. I’m 6 foot 5 and am fairly used to sleeves that ride up my forearms when...
18th Oct 2011 ThermaCell Insect Repellent
We were really excited to be given the opportunity to test this product. Living in Snowdonia, north Wales, we are too often plagued by clouds of midges, necessitating a retreat indoors instead of...
4th Oct 2011 Cold Wars Andy Kirkpatrick
I finished Cold Wars last night at 11.30. It was a thoroughly good book Im somewhat surprised to say. I read Psychovertical (his first book) and was a little disappointed. Ive seen Andy on stage...
27th Sep 2011 The Good Mountain Biking Guide
Somebody had to do it. The UK has been crying out for a guide like this for quite some time. I remember back in the late 80s getting my first mountain bike and riding it up Snowdon from Llanberis...
26th Sep 2011 Micro Regulator Stove
A lovely little compact, lightweight stove for screw-in gas canisters. I have a cheaper stove of a similar weight that screws to the same style canisters, but this beats it hands down for...
20th Sep 2011 Font A Bloc - Jacky Godoffe
Yet another guide to Font you groan? Well bear with me for just a minute as this one’s not half bad and offers a slightly different approach. First of all let’s get the cover photo out of the...
8th Sep 2011 Climbing On Lundy - Climbers Club
Having climbed on the magical Isle of Lundy, in the Bristol Channel, three times before (in 1993, 1994 and 2003) I was excited about a my fourth trip with a group of friends in August this year....
7th Sep 2011 West Country Climbs - Rockfax
Published in July 2010 West Country Climbs has to be a contender for Rockfax’s biggest guidebook to date (425 pages). I remember when I worked at the BMC, realising just how big an area the...
5th Sep 2011 Craft Flex Hood Full Zip
Love it love it love it. Ever since getting this hoody I’ve been a big fan. It’s not super technical. It isn’t waterproof. It may not be incredibly durable. But it feels awesome, looks...
2nd Sep 2011 Scarpa Force Velcro Rock Shoe
It’s been a while since I climbed in Scarpas. The last pair I had were a pair of very stiff lace-ups suited to hard, steep sport climbing which I don’t do much of so I guess I’d gone off the...
30th Aug 2011 Osprey Farpoint 70 Rucksack
Back in 2003 I did a round-the-world trip and saw a number of bags along the lines of the Farpoint. Essentially it is a bag for travelling. Lightweight, plenty of pockets and a removable day-pack....
25th Aug 2011 Teva P2 Wetsuit Boots
The first thing you notice about the Teva wetsuit boot is that it is a split toe design. The split toe design is commonly found in surfing wetsuit boots as it helps prevent the foot from rolling...
23rd Aug 2011 Petzl Grigri 2 Belay Device
Over the past decade or so the original Petzl Grigri has arguably been the most popular belay device for sport climbers throughout the world. But, whilst the rest of the climbing manufacturing...
22nd Aug 2011 Vango Helium Superlite Tent
Price: £245.00 Helium Superlite 100 Once I had a bivvi bag which weighed as much as this tent does, and I could guarantee that even if it didn’t rain, I’d wake up damp. Now, though, for less...
22nd Jul 2011 Lofoten Rock ? Rockfax
Quite some time ago my Dad bought me a guidebook which had piqued his interest. It was Ed Websters celebrated guide to ‘Climbing in the Magic Isles’. The Magic Isles being the Lofoten Islands...
21st Jul 2011 Guidebook: Peak District Bouldering
This is the first of a series of guidebook reviews to come over the next few weeks. Peak District Bouldering is the second edition of the popular Vertebrate Publishing Guide. VP are based in...
31st May 2011 The North Face Plasma Thermal Jacket
For years I thought that down jackets were the only way to keep warm when out and about. Problem was, unless you forked out a lot of money for a decent jacket with a waterproof shell, you'd never...
27th May 2011 Moon Cypher Pant
Retailing at £55 (I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that this is what you need to pay for trousers these days) these are a favourite among climbers. Freedom of movement they do offer,...
19th May 2011 Yorkshire Gritstone Bouldering Vol 1 & 2
The first of these books to land on my desk was Vol 2. I was a little surprised to see so many crags I'd never even heard of, with so many classics omitted. Fortunately I spotted the 'Vol 2' and...
16th May 2011 Troll Wall - Tony Howard
Last week my Dad found an old diary of his, written aged 14 (in 1954) detailing a solo cycle trip from Nottingham to North Wales. He typed it up and sent it to me to read. I was so impressed that...
18th Apr 2011 Book: Wild Vision: In Celebration Of The Natural World
I've known John Beatty for a number of years and I knew that he was pretty handy with his cameras. However I had never had the pleasure of dipping into any of his books before now. He lives...
25th Mar 2011 Approach Shoes - TNF Vindicators GTX
Another well engineered shoe from The North Face range, this extremely robust shoe feels like it should last several years of use and abuse. It isn’t super lightweight but, for its weight, it...
22nd Mar 2011 Guidebook: Mallorca Rockfax
Mallorca is probably the foreign climbing destination I have been to most. Actually, that accolade has to go to Fontainebleau, but Font is so familiar now that it almost doesn't feel like a...
21st Mar 2011 Jacket: Men's Prism Optimus (Summit Series 700)
The North Face The Prism Optimus seems a well made, hard wearing, durable jacket which should keep you warm in most situations - and is likely to stand out from the ever increasing crowds of...
18th Mar 2011 Guidebook: Bouldering In Ireland
What a lovely guidebook! Can't really fault it. Personally I'm not a big fan of the landscape format, but I appreciate that it lends itself better to pictures, and at the end of the day, one of my...
17th Mar 2011 Nite Ize Bike Lights
I've reviwed a few high-end torches lately which have been useful for winter-biking, but these two products come in at the other end of the market. They are not designed to enable you to see, but...
14th Mar 2011 Approach Shoes: Scarpa Vortex GTX
Retailing at £99.99 these are the priciest approach shoes I've tried to date. My last pair of Scarpa's were the trusty Zen's, reviewed nearly 2 years ago. Given that these shoes are still on my...
23rd Feb 2011 Headtorch: Silva X-Trail Plus
A few weeks ago I reviewed the LED Lenser P7 hand-held torch. I then blogged about it when I took delivery of this lovely new headtorch from Silva. I've since managed a number of night runs...
25th Jan 2011 Moon Skink Jean
Retailing at £55 this is slightly more than I would normally pay for a pair of jeans. However I would not normally expect to be able to climb in a pair of jeans. Made with stretch denim I've...
18th Jan 2011 Torch: LED Lenser P7
Retailing at around £56 (but available for £39.94 on Amazon) the P7 from LED Lenser is my current favourite torch. It arrived in a very well presented box complete with a heavy duty pouch and a...
16th Dec 2010 Kit Bag - Vango Shuttle 80l
The Shuttle is a well thought out kit bag with a decent set of features. At 80l it's big enough for most trips, save a full-on expedition with yaks and porters! However, unlike many bags it weighs...
14th Dec 2010 Review: Petzl Pichu Helmet
It's a difficult enough adjustment to make as it is, having kids. Spending 'proper' money on their kit is a difficult choice. You want the best for them and you obviously want them to be as safe...
23rd Nov 2010 Guidebook: Cuba Climbing
A number of years ago we seriously considered a trip to Cuba. Not sure why it didn't happen really, but it didn't. We discovered an amazing website as part of our...
22nd Nov 2010 Guidebook: Montserrat Rock Climbs
Many years ago I was in Barcelona for a few days and we decided to take a trip up to Montserrat as it's only a few minutes away by train. We were on a cycle-touring trip at the time so didn't...
19th Nov 2010 Sleeping Mats: Alpkit Dozer & Little Kippa
I remember the days of carry-mats. Cheap, thin foam that, once you'd slept in it for a few nights, would compress to the thickness of a pound coin and offer very little in the way of comfort or...
17th Nov 2010 Guidebook: UAE Rock Climbing
A friend of mine has spent a lot of time in the Egyptian Sinai developing routes, I've been to Wadi Rum in Jordan a couple of times, and I know that Tony Howard has done a lot of desert...
16th Nov 2010 Guidebook: Supertopo - Yosemite Sport Climbs And Top Ropes
I've got to get this off my chest first and foremost. Aside from Southern Sandstone where the rock is so soft that lead climbing is prohibited, I can't think of a single instance in the UK where...
15th Nov 2010 Power Traveller Solar Charger: Power Monkey Explorer
I'd hankered after a solar charger for my various gadgets for some time, but always put off actually getting one on the belief that the technology would get better and better. After a couple of...
21st Oct 2010 Sandals: Teva Itunda
The Itundra have a strange name and also an unusual take on the traditional sport sandal. What makes these a bit different is the closed toe design. They are still a sandal though and one that is...
19th Oct 2010 Sandals: Teva Women's Tirra
Teva Women's Tirra sport sandals – colour: Grape Shake I have owned my Tirra sandals for approximately 4 months and have interspersed wearing them with other brands of sport sandals...
18th Oct 2010 Jumper: Alpkit Outside Jumper
At £20 (actually listed at £16 on their website at the moment) value for money has to be the first thing to mention about this jumper. Marketed as the 'Outside Jumper' this is a vague play on...