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13th Jul 2017 Aquapac Waterproof Mirrorless System Camera Case
The first test was to make sure you could get a camera into the Aquapac and shoot with it, and the answer was, yes you can, and it works quite a bit better than you’d expect. I couldn’t get...
12th Jul 2017 Sealline Bulkhead Tapered Dry Bag
I reviewed a Sealline Dry Bag a week or so back and referenced a bag made by the same company which I have had and used for nearly 20 years, and which is still going strong. This one is not...
11th Jul 2017 Alpkit Lampray Light
LEDs are well and truly immersed into the lighting market now so it is no surprise that Alpkit have done what they usually do - take a look at the other stuff out there and design something...
5th Jul 2017 Ruffwear Webmaster Harness
It's a fast learning process having your first dog. I run a lot, so any dog we were going to get was obviously going to have to be a runner. I'd seen one or two dogs out running previously in...
4th Jul 2017 MSR Flex 3 System - Cookware
MSR have a certain genius for designing clever kit. The Flex Systems are essentially nesting sets of cooking pans, plates / bowls, and cups. I'd intended to get the Flex 4 System as we are a...
3rd Jul 2017 Sealline Seal Pak Waterproof Hip Pack
A handy sized waterproof bag for a wide range of sports and activities. The Seal Pak has a 4l capacity so is best used for valuables and stuff that you need quickly - wallet, phone, camera etc....
26th Jun 2017 X-Pan 21 - Sea To Summit
Another well designed bit of kit from Sea To Summit, but it comes at a price. At 21cm (8 inches) this is a pan suitable for cooking, say, a breakfast for 2, or pancakes, or frying up some veg...
22nd Jun 2017 Ruffwear Float Coat
Heading to Scotland on a sea kayaking trip with a dog we'd only had for two weeks was a bold move and required some cool kit! Having taken him down to the river at home and realising that he...
21st Jun 2017 Sea To Summit X-Pot 4l
On our honeymoon in India many years ago my wife and I spent a memorable couple of hours in a hot and dusty market somewhere in Rajasthan buying a set of aluminium cooking pots which we have...
20th Jun 2017 Sealline Boundary Pack 35 Drybag
Over the years I've managed to collect well over a dozen dry bags. Many now have little holes which is understandable given the amount of use they have had. One stands out as the toughest, most...
19th Jun 2017 Ruffwear Quencher Cinch Top
Having recently reviewed a couple of collapsible bits of camping kitchenware it seemed apt to write a few words about an equivalent dog bowl. The Ruffwear Quencher Cinch Top is a bowl designed...
16th Jun 2017 Mashk Portable Camping Sink from Alpkit
On a recent sea kayaking trip to Loch Hourn we took a couple of these sinks with us. They are awesome. Long handles mean that they are easy to carry, even when full of dishes. Having two...
15th Jun 2017 Sea To Summit Folding Bucket 10l
Folding kitchenware has been around for years, but it has come of age more recently with a whole host of materials and designs giving rise to some very useful and helpful products. The Sea To...
14th Jun 2017 Ruffwear Roamer Leash
So we got a dog. It's been a long time in coming, but we finally took the plunge and found an awesome rescue dog a month ago. This is not the place to wax lyrical about it having been a good...
13th Jun 2017 Landar Camping Stove - Alpkit
We headed to Scotland for half term, a large group of is with plans to cook together. Last year's trip had seen a vital component of our main stove forgotten at home so we had to make do with a...
12th Jun 2017 Berghaus Fastpacking Extrem Shell
Part of Berghaus's Extrem lightweight range the Fastpacking Shell retails at £170 and weighs 250g. 250g for a fully waterproof jacket suitable for extreme mountain weather is impressive. It...
17th May 2017 New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v7 Running Shoes
I was signed up to run the London Marathon in April so it was time for some new road shoes. Sadly a week before the event I learned that due to an administrative error my place had not been...
16th May 2017 Montane Featherlite 30 Rucksack
I own a very snazzy backpack and also a bum bag for racing and can't really fault them. However I was after something a little bigger that is still designed for running with. Enter the...
9th May 2017 Salomon XA Enduro Running Shoes
It's been a while since I've tested a pair of shoes with a genuinely (and obviously) new feature, so I was interested in the Enduro. The new feature is effectively an elasticated upper...
5th May 2017 VauDe Men's Larice Jacket
Weighing in at just 270g this isn’t the lightest fully waterproof jacket on the market, but it's a decent contender. It has been designed for ski touring, but obviously will work for any...
12th Apr 2017 Wild Swimming Walks - Dartmoor & South Devon
Following hot on the heels of my review a few days ago of the equivalent book on wild swimming walks in and around London this guide is a little more in keeping with the ethos of wild swimming....
6th Apr 2017 Wild Swimming Walks - London
The full title of this book is: Wild Swimming Walks - 28 lake, river and seaside days out by train from London Wild Things Publishing have released a series of very good and very...
5th Apr 2017 Mammut Tatlow GTX Approach Shoes
Smart and stylish and a long way from the gaudy colours of many other approach shoes, the Tatlow GTX have a leather outer shell with a decent Goretex lining meaning that for the time being at...
4th Apr 2017 Lightweight Folding Chair - Mountain Warehouse
I love the fact that a piece of kit seems to have run its development course, and arrived at something that can't really be bettered, and then some bright spark has an idea. Sometimes these...
23rd Mar 2017 Komperdell Explorer Contour Walking Pole
I've had a few walking poles over the years, but this one stands out as different thanks to the locking mechanisms. All my previous poles have featured the standard twist-to-lock which are...
7th Mar 2017 Sports Cloak - Charlie McCleod
Pretty pleased with this bit of kit. Essentially it's a glorified dressing gown with some very neat features designed for swimming outdoors. The idea is that you wear this when getting changed...
1st Mar 2017 The Bond - Simon McCartney
I've avoided reading any books about mountaineering for a while. Impressive though the feats are I began to find them following a pattern. It's no fault of the authors, but there are only so...
22nd Feb 2017 The Scottish Bothy Bible by Geoff Allan
Another gem from Wild Things Publishing, this is the second book on bothy's to have been released in the last year. Whilst the former, The Book Of The Bothy, featured a selection of bothies all...
20th Feb 2017 Wild Garden Weekends - Guidebook
I has been a pleasure to delve into this beautifully illustrated book and leaf through the beguiling examples of what has to be described as ‘Secret Britain’. Obviously, when reviewing...
9th Dec 2016 Polaris Pack Me Jacket & Torsion Shirt
All of this week I've been reviewing Polaris Bikewear suitable for the winter (Monday - Cadence Bob Tights, Tue - RBS Overshoes, Wed - Blitz Gloves, Thu - Windsheer Windproof Jersey). As it's...
8th Dec 2016 Polaris Windsheer Windproof Jersey
Almost completing the set of reviews this week of Polaris Bikewear kit - Cadence Bib Tights (Monday), RBS Overshoes (Tuesday), Blitz Windproof Gloves (Wednesday) - is the Windshear Windproof...
7th Dec 2016 Polaris Blitz Gloves
Wednesday's Polaris Bikewear reviews comes on the heels of the Cadence Bib Tights (Monday) and the RBS Overshoe (Tue). Today it’s the turn of the Tornado Blitz Winter Cycling Gloves. ...
6th Dec 2016 Polaris RBS Overshoes
Yesterday's winter bike kit review was the Cadence Bib Tights. Today's is the RBS Overshoes. I mentioned yesterday that any reflective material on the lower legs is more visible than anywhere...
5th Dec 2016 Polaris Cadence Bib Tights
I've been a while in getting this kit reviewed as it was simply too warm to wear and use until recently. I'd been aware of the Polaris brand for many years, having never quite got around to doing...
2nd Nov 2016 Wild Swimming - Italy
They keep on coming. I've previously reviewed Wild Swimming books on the UK, France, Spain, Australia and now comes Italy. I've not been to Italy for a long time, but this book looks set to...
13th Oct 2016 1,001 Climbing Tips - Andy Kirkpatrick
1,001 tips on anything has to be a pretty tall order. 1,001 tips on a niche activity like climbing must be virtually impossible. Not so if you have the mind of Andy Kirkpatrick. I checked out...
11th Oct 2016 Thermarest - NeoAir Dream
Probably the best testament to the comfort of this mattress came on the day it arrived. We had some friends visiting and the subject of sleep came up. I'd pumped up the mattress when it...
5th Oct 2016 LED Lenser XEO19R Head Torch & Bike Light
The LED XEO19R is a beast of a torch. Boasting up to 2,000 lumens and a throw distance of 300m it’s the most powerful light I've yet owned. Not only that, but it comes with more accessories...
4th Oct 2016 Wild Guide - Devon, Cornwall & The South West
I'm loving the fact that Wild Things Publishing are producing a series of these Wild Guides. Having started off with wild swimming guides they have broadened their horizons and begun this...
30th Sep 2016 In The Shadow Of Ben Nevis - Ian Sykes
Ian Sykes is a guy you have probably never heard of. He's not climbed big grades or big mountains so he's never really featured in any of our magazines or websites. But he's now in his...
29th Sep 2016 Sea To Summit UltraLight Mattress
Sleeping mattresses seem to be getting smaller and smaller. This one from Sea To Summit is a teeny 7.5cm by 17cm when rolled up and weighs in at just 395g. That's seriously small and...
26th Jul 2016 Wild Swimming - Hidden Beaches
If you follow my reviews at all then you will know that I am a big fan of the Wild Swim series of books. I find them thoroughly inspirational, especially in light of yesterday's Blog post about...
14th Jul 2016 Wild Guide - Scandinavia
I've reviewed one Wild Guide already, to the South of England. This is a whole different world of a book. I suspect I have yet to find a guide book with this many inspiring photographs in it. A...
13th Jul 2016 Punk In The Gym - Andy Pollitt
Andy Pollitt’s book was given to me by Vertebrate Publishing, the Sheffield-based business responsible for the majority of the recent climbing biographies, with a twinkle of the eye and a...
12th Jul 2016 Salewa Fusion Hybrid -8 Sleeping Bag
I was after a sleeping bag for comfortable nights in the UK that packs down small, doesn’t weigh much, and is warm. The Fusion Hybrid concept is basically a 50 / 50 mix of down and synthetic...
4th Jul 2016 Polaris - Mini Adventure Cycle Kit
Now I’d driven past the Polaris offices in Dronfield numerous times over the years, but never owned any of their kit. Thankfully this has now been rectified, but this review will be focused...
30th Jun 2016 Wild Swimming - Spain
After France, Spain is probabyt eh country outside the UK that I have travelled to most. As kids our summer holidays were often based there, and summer in Spain being hot, we seem to spend the...
20th Jun 2016 Berghaus Expedition Light 80 Rucksack
I remember the days as a teenager, hefting stuff around on overnight camping trips in Scotland, Wales, Spain and even Greenland. There was a fair amount of stuff to carry - sleeping bag, foam...
21st Jun 2016 Wild Swimming - Sydney
I’m an avid fan of wild swimming, and love the ever-growing series of Wild Swimming guidebooks published by ~Wild Things Publishing. Wild swimming by its vey nature tends to take you off the...
15th Jun 2016 Spain: Mallorca Guidebook Rockfax
I lose track of whether this is the third or fourth edition of Rockfax’s Mallorca guide (actually, I just looked it up and discovered that it’s no less than the 7th!) such is the popularity of...
17th May 2016 5 + 6 - Western & Northern Fontainebleau (Part 2)
I’ve been a long-time fan of Bart Van Raaij, the Fontainebleau fanatic who has singlehandedly reinvented the guidebook to what is probably the world’s most complicated climbing area. Bart’s...
12th May 2016 Salewa Alpine Hut III + III Family Tent
Our beloved Vango Equinox family tent has finally given up the ghost so we needed to replace it. Sadly Vango have discontinued the Equinox so I began to look around. An hour spent perusing the...
11th May 2016 Montane Minimus Hybrid Jacket
I sadly left my last winter jacket at a service station and it has not been since. My requirements in a winter jacket are as follows: first and foremost it needs to be warm and waterproof; it...
6th May 2016 Berghaus Hypershell Waterproof Jacket
Weighing in at 100g this is now one of my lightest bits of kit. It’s waterproof, though I wouldn’t choose to wear it for full day out in the hills, and windproof, and very, very packable. It...
5th May 2016 Inov-8 Race Elite Racepant
If you’ve ever done a fell race that requires full waterproofs then you’ll know that those waterproofs need to be fully taped along the seams. I have a few pairs of very lightweight waterproof...
26th Apr 2016 Salomon Speedcross Pro
I’ve reviewed most iterations of the Speedcross range over the past three or four years, almost always opting for them as my favoured shoe for training and longer racing. The Pro is no...
20th Apr 2016 Prana Avril Pants (Trousers!)
My PrAna Avril pants are awesome. The choice of colours are great, I went for sunwashed red and really like the contrast patches, reminiscent of climbing rope patterns, that make them look a bit...
14th Oct 2015 Berghaus Vapour Claw Running Shoes
The Berghaus Vapour Light Claw is a running shoe aimed at trail and long distance runners. I have worked them hard by running in all weathers and over some distances, used them as approach shoes...
18th Apr 2016 Salomon Fast Wing Hoodie
I recently arrived at my folks house after a long bike ride. My Dad asked where my waterproof was so I tossed him the little tennis ball sized stuff-sack that contained the Salomon Fast Wing...
11th Apr 2016 VauDe Aqua Deluxe Box (Handlebar Bag)
I took this box out on its first outing over the weekend. I was headed on a long ride from the Pea District to Snowdonia and wanted a means of transporting more than I could fit in my pockets,...
18th Mar 2016 Ultimate Performance Runner’s Glove
Retailing at around a tenner these get a thumbs up from me on the simple basis that I tend to lose at least one pair of running gloves a year! They are very thin, elasticated gloves that fire...
16th Mar 2016 Prana Continuum Trousers
I’ve not owned a pair of specifically-bouldering trousers for a few years. The Continuum are a comfortable and stylish pair of trousers with some nice micro features. Made from organic cotton...
10th Feb 2016 Rock Queen – by Catherine Destivelle
Rock Queen – by Catherine Destivelle Review by Sam Schofield Catherine Destivelle was at the pinnacle of climbing during the 1980s and 90s, achieving sporting firsts, winning competitions and...
26th Jan 2016 Rab 4-6 Person Bothy Bag
At the moment I’m really not the target audience for a bothy bag. They are basically needed by those people who are going to be out in the elements for long enough to require a warm(ish) and...
26th Jan 2016 lED Lenser H14.2 Headtorch
I have friends who have lots of running shoes, ones for the road, one’s for the trails, off-road shoes for when it’s dry or when it’s wet… I generally have one pair of running shoes which...
19th Jan 2016 VauDe Maribor Hoody
Having recently reviewed some Prana clothing for the first time I'm now doing the same for VauDe. The Maribor hoody (pullover) is made with organic cotton and recycled polyester and fits very...
13th Jan 2016 Prana Bridger Jean
Prana have long been high in my estimation of climbing clothing, but I;ve never had the pleasure of actually testing any of it before. The Bridger Jean - sorry, I can't but help calling them...
9th Dec 2015 Wild Guide - Southern & Eastern England
I've been a fan of the publishers of the Wild Guides since they hit the ground running with the first edition of wild Swimming. This latest incarnation is a delight to behold. It's the same...
27th Nov 2015 Alpkit Numo Sleeping Mattress
Retailing at £35 this inflatable sleeping mattress from Alpkit epitomizes the company's approach to outdoor kit. It weighs 454g and at 180cm is long enough for most adults. It's the last of four...
25th Nov 2015 Inov-8 X-Talon 200 Running Shoes
Just like 5.10 are my favourite rock climbing shoes because they have the stickiest rubber, Inov-8 are my go-to running shoes for the same reason. Perhaps it says something about my climbing and...
24th Nov 2015 One Man’s Everest - Kenton Cool
One Man’s Everest Kenton Cool Review by Sam Schofield One Man’s Everest is a book of adventures woven into a bright, entertaining and inspiring tapestry of a mountaineering career. The...
19th Nov 2015 Petzl Scorpio Vertigo Via Ferratta Lanyard Set
Some time in the dim and distant past I remember tackling what was a petty serious Via Ferrata in the Italian Dolomites. It was a rest day activity on a proper old-school climbing trip. I remember...
13th Nov 2015 Magicshine Eagle 600 USB Bicycle Light
59.I've had a couple of Magicshine lights in the past (MJ880 | MJ886 Headtorch)so had high expectations of this one too. Whereas the previous ones have been real work-horse models to illuminate a...
13th Oct 2015 Alpkit Brukit Stove & Billy System
Alpkit Brukit Review I already own a number of stoves so felt a little indulgent getting this one, but a) it's inexpensive, and b) it fills a very useful gap. Retailing at £35 for both the...
12th Oct 2015 Montrail Bajada II #UTMB Limited Edition
Montrail are a new brand to me. Accelerate in Sheffield are now stocking this particular model which I understand is the only one available in the UK at present. It's come about thanks to Columbia...
5th Oct 2015 Edelrid Eagle Light 9.5mm Climbing Rope
The Edelrid Eagle Light is a 9.5mm single rope that is light enough to use in pairs for trad climbing as well as singly whilst sport climbing. The 60m model (comes available as 50m, 60m, 70m and...
29th Sep 2015 Nikwax Tent & Gear Solarproof
A couple of months ago I too our old Quasar tent out of storage and used it for a night as we needed an extra tent. Nostalgic soon turned to frustration though as the twenty year old material did...
23rd Sep 2015 VauDe Power Lizard Lightweight Tent
VauDe Power Lizard Review Before starting on the review I have to say that I love the name. Power Lizard! Tents seem to have a long history of cool names. Perhaps it's a factor of them having...
29th Jul 2015 Petzl Kids Macchu and Body Harness
I've written a few reviews recently on kids kit and the importance of putting them in the right sized stuff. Arguably it's never more important than clmbing harnesses as there's a genuine safety...
23rd Jul 2015 Osprey Jet 18 Kids Rucksack
There comes a time in a kids' life when he or she needs to start carrying their own kit when out walking and camping. Personally I've been keen not to start this too early, preferring instead, to...
22nd Jul 2015 Rapha Pro Climbing Team Set
I only really started cycling a couple of years ago and have managed until now with fairly low spec kit from the likes of Lidl and Aldi. It was with a great deal of interest then that I rode the...
21st Jul 2015 Five Ten Tennie Approach Shoe
I was 13 in 1985. It was a formative time for me. Lots of fairly major things in my life happened around that time, but sadly my parents didn't buy me a pair of the world's first approach shoes,...
20th Jul 2015 Edelrid Kids Sheild II Helmet
Getting kids to wear helmets when climbing is clearly super-important. It surprises me that there is not a broad range of helmets out there vying for the attention of younger generation climbers....
15th Jul 2015 Rab 406 Person Bothy (Group Shelter)
Rab Goup Shelter (Bothy) 4-6 Writing a review for a bothy was always going to be a bit of a weird one, as generally it's a piece of kit that you'll hopefully rarely use. However, whilst this is...
7th Jul 2015 Camaro Uto Pulsor Swim Run Wetsuit
It's an interesting moment when a development of equipment opens up an entire new sport. Of course there's nothing new about combining running and swimming - in fact on a trip to Denmark last...
30th Jun 2015 LED Lenser NEO Headtorch
This isn't a torch to run or cycle with, but it's one I often take running and cycling, as well as camping, and most other occasions when I know a torch is going to come in handy. Why? Because...
23rd Jun 2015 Sealskinz Socks
I'd heard mixed reviews about Sealskinz socks. Some said they work, some said they don't. Essentially the are waterproof socks. They keep the water out by means of a Goretex-like membrane which (,...
11th May 2015 XSories Stuffler 8l Dry Bag
Xsories are a new brand to me, but I've reviewed a couple of their bits of kit recently and have been impressed by both. The oddly named Stuffler is billed as an 'Extremely Water-Resistant Duffle...
8th May 2015 Ocun WeBee Kids Climbing Harness
Our eldest boy is 8 and recently took part in a climbing competition for the first time. We arrived on the day with his full body harness that he'd been wearing whenever he climbed for the past 5...
7th May 2015 Edelrid Crocy Oasis Kids Climbing Shoes
It's all too common to see young kids climbing in a pair of trainers. The common thinking seems to be that kids feet grow so quickly that it's not cost effective to buy specialist shoes as they...
5th May 2015 Xsories Sneaker Bank
It's clearly becoming ever more important to have a power source with us as a back up charger for your phone, camera, watch or any one of dozens of other electronic devices that accompany us in...
29th Apr 2015 Berghaus Ilam Down Jacket
The Berghaus Ilam jacket is probably the fourth or fifth down jacket I've owned over the years, but is my favourite. It's not a big fat one for hanging around base camp in, but a more...
28th Apr 2015 Zamberlan Lady Lite GTX RR Walkng Boots
I’ve only ever owned one pair of walking boots prior to these (I was late to the game) and they lasted for 15 years and gave me everything I asked of them, so my next pair had a lot to live up...
28th Apr 2015 Terra Nova Ultralight Bothy 4
Essentially an emergency shelter this bothy is one of those bits of kit that you may well never use, and you certainly won't want to, but it's useful to have one in your pack if you are out in...
27th Apr 2015 Peak District Trail Running - Vertebrate Publishing
I've long held the view that there aren't enough fell running guide books out there. We are inundated with cycling guides and climbing guides, but running is arguably more popular, but there are...
22nd Apr 2015 Aquasphere Kaimen Exo Goggles
To my mind there are really only two things that matter with a pair of goggles: do they keep the water out, and do they stay mist free. The Kaimen Exo does both with bells on. I swim once a week...
21st Apr 2015 Salomon Bonatti WP Jacket
I got the Bonatti to replace a well-aged Mountain Hardware Quark jacket. The Quark jacket had some good features, but its durability had let it down a little, it currently has no material between...
21st Apr 2015 Scarpa Zen Pro Approach Shoes
Almost my favourite Approach Shoes ever. But not quite. I don't usually start a review with a summary, but they are that good that I thought they deserved it. In essence they have everything an...
20th Apr 2015 Alpkit Factory Visit & Head Torch Product Testing
A month or so back I popped into the Alpkit offices and warehouse which is based just outside of Nottingham. Despite having a good working relationship with the guys who run Alpkit - they started...
20th Apr 2015 Sealskinz All Season Gloves
Introduction Sealskinz have been one of those brands that I've (not deliberately) somehow avoided over the years so I thought I'd best try them out. A month or so back I took part in an overnight...