PTC*

I’m not going to lie here, apart from the occasional softshell or waterproof I’ve used no gear at all since that last trip up the Kilpatricks. That’s a regular July for me though.
But, there’s gear stuff coming up and some info to be noted.

First up is a bit of news that I’m delighted about, and that’s Harvey’s new British Mountain Map of the Southern Highlands. It’s got Ben Lomond, Arrochar Alps, Ben Lui, Ben More etc I’ll have one to show and tell with as soon as it’s printed, which won’t be for a couple of months yet so don’t don’t start demanding one from your local Millets just yet.

Next up is some new kit from regulars of these pages, PHD. Now I love that orange, but apart from that it’s really good to see the range diversifying at a proper technical level at time when so many folk are targeting the casual wallet.
I’ve had a few comms asking about the new kit, but I haven’t seen it yet. I will be seeing it at the start of August though, I’ve got something a little special coming up: a day in the life of PHD.
I’ll be spending a day at the factory, talking to the folks, seeing how the gear is made and fingering lots of kit. I’ll be taking notes, photies and maybe some short film pieces too. Should be a blast.
Now, if you’re wanting to ask them any questions, or find out anything specific, post it here and I’ll take it down with me.

Also, I’ll be visiting Alpkit HQ, I’ve been promised cuppas and a look at some secrets. Same as above, any questions for these guys, flag it up.

Sooner than that will be Haglöfs 2011. I’ll have the usual in-depth look at the guys and gals kit and bring back the news, be it good or frustrating. Questions for the big H? Post them here.

In-between some of the above will be a day in the Lakes with Montane to see 2011’s gear. The new designer’s drawings have now been transformed into kit, and in their own words, they’re psyched for the new collection. Questions? Wire in.

The KORS show is in August, I’ve got meetings with a bunch of folk familiar and new to the blog. August really is going to be gear apocalypse on here.

Lastly, I have in my possesion (have had for some time if I’m honest), the ansewrs to the X-Bionic Wallaby giveaway. Live next week, with a wee look at some new kit.

But after the increasingly painful gap of the last few weeks, the hills are again top of the list. Kintail as soon as the clouds lift, and then somewhere I haven’t been for a wee while, Assynt. Suilven’s the target, but I’ve got business with Cul Mor as well. I cannot bloody wait.

I’ve been trailing some gear around recently one way or another, and I’ve had some mixed results.

On the Wheelie trip I took smocks as I thought that would suit being strapped-in a lot better. The Haglöfs Lizard Top was great until I got right into the murk, it’s ceased to be “different” now, it’s just a killer bit of go-to kit for mixed conditions. The Ozo was the matching top layer and I have to say it is better than the Oz, simply because it’s longer at the tail. The new hood is stolen off the LIM Ultimate and it is a good one, not too heavy or bulky that it flops around, unbalancing an otherwise very light jacket. It kept the snow out of my face, so that’ll do me.
Other new Haglöfs were the new single-colour Mid Flex Pants, which were brilliant, just the right weight to go from the sunny, warm glen to the chilly plateau without falling on their metaphorical arse and upsetting my equilibrium. Nice to have brown legs also.

That neat wee doodah on my back above is an Exped Drypack Pro, dead comfy and plenty big at 25L as pack liner and a daysack. The 15L would be better as a daypack, but too wee as a packliner, so it was a trade-off which one to go for.
The TNF Assailant Mids are proving a great wee set of shoes
Other kit was pretty regular, Neoair mat, Lasercomp tent, GoLite Adrenaline 3 bag, Jetboil Flash stove, Mountain King Trail Blaze Poles, Montane Flux duvet, Chocolate Fish’s Taranaki merino and all the bits and pieces that just get packed without thinking these days.

My Trail piece on the trip is done, I’ve just written the captions for the photies as the last bit, and there’s some more gear stuff in there as well as some thoughts about Wheelie. It looks good, the page layout made me smile, and the words are, well, familiar in tone this time is maybe the best way to put it?

The howff jaunt was a quickie to get some shots for a route I had written, but the cave I was using being out of commission meant a change of plan, so it worked out well as I wasn’t going to be sending Trail readers to a landslip.
It turned out an interesting time, the outcome of which was largely decided upon by the gear I took.

The Macpac Amp Race 40, I like. I didn’t take a bottle on the shoulder strap this time and I was issue free on my collar bone. But, the Tamrac Zipshot tripod I use fits in the bungee so it looks like the Amp is my current standard issue pack.
I wore the Montane Limited Edition Dynamic Stretch Pants, good fabric, easy-wearing and that big leg pocket is brilliant. The looser cut had me wearing mini-gaiters for the bog-trotting, and I wouldn’t like to layer them under shell pants for too long as the extra fabric could fold and bunch up.
I wore Montane’s Meteor DT waterproof. It’s a lovely soft jacket, and as I wore it the whole trip, the center chest pocket was in constant use. Good body and arm length, good freedom of movement and the hood is neat. It really is one of their top end designs, just cut from Entrant DT instead of eVent. Breathability does drop off a little because of that, and the 2.5 layer fabric has the same issues with hiding condensation as Paclite. But it works away at it’s own pace and as it’s a fully featured and still budget friendly lightweight technical jacket, any bitching is out of order.
The TNF Assailant Mids were on my feet again, grippy buggers these, I lost my footing once and that was fannying about with th tripod at the howff. I love that the own-brand waterproofing works well too. Nice shoes, recommended.

Also from TNF was the Zephyrus Pullover, being “slept-in” above. It just works, it’s soft warm and comfy and that’s all we need to know, the bonus I found was that the DWR is very good, faffing around outside saw the rain bead and run off the outer fabric. Nice.
Also being “slept-in” is the Rab Neutrino 200 down bag. Had I known where I would end up, I would have taken something else, the Pertex Quantum fabric never stood a chance. All I can say is that it was great until the wet really got into it, it’s a well-shaped comfy bag, feels warm and the half-length zip suited the bivi very well.
The bivi bag was a Terra Nova Discovery Lite, the older Gore-Tex Flo2 version. It’s wee, there’s no getting around that, so I put the sleep mat outside. Breathability of the top skin is okay, I ended up wearing more clothes than I needed because of the mat issues and that made it a little steamy perhaps, slowing down the escape of my sweat.
The mat was the new Airo 120 from Alpkit, and the poor bastard never stood a chance. Ground against an abrasive rock after a shunt sideways to get away from overhead drips, I tore a hole in it. But, the fact that I immediately felt the wet ground through it when it deflated tells me that it had previously been insulating me quite happily. There will be more from the Airo once glued.
Also from Alpkit is their little Bulb bedside lamp, now updated to “II”.  It’s a handy wee thing and I used to carry it a lot, it would have been great in the cave, but it was magic in the howff too. Totally unnecessary luxury item. Magic.
Also below are my Klean Kanteen bottles, I love these, I’ve taken one to work every day since they arrived too. Not to look at, I put juice in there.
It was nice to be back to a pot and stove combo, my old Optimus Terra Weekend is as good as ever and the Vango Ultralite stove really does do the job. The pot supports stay easily folded after use which surprised me, one of the issues with all the other versions of this burner has been the pot supports jamming after use.
So nice to see that big burner doing it’s work while lying under that rock.

My one worry was where to park for this, but I phoned the girls at the Inveruglas Visitor Centre and they said to stick the motor out of sight in the long-stay parking and that’s what I did. It was dinner time, so a BabyBel and a Pepperami were used as leverage against the tide as midges circled and dived while I got my kit together. This is my first bad experience with the wee bastards this year. Oh joy.
I walked by the  Sloy Power Station as the rain pattered down, the cars fleeing by my left ear. Do I drive that fast here? It doesn’t seem right when you’re on the pavement.
It was wet but, as I climbed the hydro road I was definitely overheating, gulping in lungfuls of muggy air to try and cool down. It didn’t work, and felt like I was going to burst until I got into clear air and was distracted by the lambs, now a bit bigger, but still shiny white. I wanted to throw a stick for one that stood looking at me, but I have no idea if lambs fetch sticks. I mean, they’re just like dogs but with horns, so they might. You might scorn me, but you don’t know do you, because you’ve never tried it either.Imagine if proper dogs had horns, how scary would that be.

Ben Vorlich is a marvel, it’s the ugly sister of the Arrochar Alps, less defined in shape than the others from most viewpoints, but when you’re walking it’s flanks it commands both your attention and concentration. It’s a mass of crags, tumbling waters, steep grass and dark jagged shapes all around you. You have to make your own route through it and any sense of it being an accessible wee hill just off the A82 is quickly lost if you lose yourself in the drama-filled eastern corries. Maybe not ugly sister then, Twisted Sister.

The hydro road is a blessing, you gain so much height so quickly using it. When you see how steep and rough the ground is around it any thoughts of cheating are easily beaten down with a broom of smugness, because like a rocket, it launches you into the wilds of Coire nan Each.
I love this place, it looks too rugged to be this close to home, huge faces of rock, some stark, some split and some crumbling at their own feet. A torn blanket of green thrown over it soften just a corner or two here and there. I just stood there watching the clouds chasing each other through the jagged teeth on the skyline. Glorious.
Behind me, the east side of the loch is rugged too, crag and natural woodland, it’s colours surging out from under a blanket of indifferent grey.
I’ve walked these hills uncountable times over the years, but this time I was completely caught unawares, I could see the beauty, I always do, but this time as I just stood there and lost mysself in the scenery I could feel it right inside me too.
After breaking my little reverie I turned back to the coire to search for my home for the night, I knew what I was looking for, but not necessarily where it was. So, I zigzagged my way higher and higher, crossing the coire until I found what looked like the grassy mount that hid a cave inside, formed by rock fall debris from what must be thousands of years ago. The shape looked right, but the front was a mess of freshly moved earth and rock. “Oh crap, where am I going to go now?
As ever, I’m running late with a Trail Route, the cave was the plan, but now there was Plan B making an unexpected appearance. I had bivi gear and it was raining, so unless I wanted misery for supper, at midnight, at 1am, at 2am… I had to get inside or at least under something, I was looking for a howff.
The coire is howff central, there’s plenty of free-standing boulders that I could get under, there were shelters between rocks, big indentations in crags where chunks had fallen out, but nothing had me phoning the estate agents for a schedule. Looking for bits of pure blackness is a good policy, it means depth, and that means cooking out of the rain.

I was in the rain clouds now at around 600m, in every billowy gap that passed I’d hopefully scan the crags, as I’ll be honest, it was getting late and I was hungry and tired. Everything was running with water too, many likely candidates turned out to be a cherub short of a garden water feature and I had an awful feeling I was going to have to scramble up that wet crag to get to that good looking one on the left or, oh what’s that over there, halfway up that wide gully? Big dark cleft, looks nice. I traversed the slopes and climbed the gully. I took my pack off and eyed it, it was big enough, but a little low. There’s some water in the back, but enough room to get all of me and my gear in.
I thought about putting an offer in, but I took some cooling-off time. Leaving the gear (Surely I sign that I already aad one foot inside the door?), I climbed the gully and surveyed the other side, a steeper drop, harsher crags, but with two big boulders at the bottom. I could get under that one at the left, I’ll go back down and see.
I got back to my kit and never left again, enough with the fannying about I said to myself.

After using packs with zipped bottom compartments, I’ve changed the way I pack. The Macpac Amp had the camp gear at the bottom in stuffsacks, bivi bag, mat and sleeping bag. Everything else goes in an Exped liner that I can pull out and it can sit in the rain if it likes while I set up camp. Works well, perfect for this trip in fact and I got everything set-up and inside the howff without getting it wet.
The mat was the new Alpkit Airo 120, and I split the difference at each end with my head on my rucksack, a little gap with my waterproof trousers underneath and my feet only overshot the end when I stretched out. magic. My cooking gear went into the roomy interior, which was a little swampy right inside, but between me and that was a big flat stone which took bottles, stove, and even my lamp. I took that Alpkit hanging lamp which would have been nice in the cave, but in here it was just as good and I never used a headtorch all night.
I got my boots well inside in the dry, slipped into my bag and lay back. Comfy. I was completely out of the weather, it wasn’t claustrophobic at all, everything was to hand and I was cozy. The stove went on. This was the Vango Ultralite’s first trip, and it’s a cracker. Smooth control and a mighty flame to delight seekers of hot beverages.

I stuck my iPod on and cooried in as it got dark. Between songs I could still hear the roar of the water cascading over crags, through rocks and under the ground. Nature’s symphony, not so much of the melody, but a bottom end to frighten any metal band. The rain got heavier and over a couple of hours the roar got louder and a little erratic as the water got heavier and a growing wind tried to blow it back uphill.
My howff wasn’t immune to this and around the edges water began to creep in and drip down, just in a few places at the edge, so not a problem. I just shuffled a little further in and the water was miles away. That rock I can feel won’t annoy me unless I lie right on it. Well no, that rock is what my ship ran aground on, and as I watched the restless natives of Coire nan Each ransacked my cargo hold and escaped with every barrel of joy I had carefully packed for that night.

Why am I cold, I’m uncomfortable too. I rolled over one way, another way, up and then down. Checked the zips and drawcords. After a good deal of faffing about it occurred to me to check the mat, and it was indeed flat, Stupid bugger, I must have left the valve loose. I blew it up (always have the valve where you can get to it from inside your bag), feeling the comfort return beneath me. I tightened the valve properly this time and relaxed back in near darkness.
No, my arse is frozen, what the hell is going on with this thing. I blew it up again, now sans iPod, tttsssssssspppppprrrrrrsssssttttttt… No, no, I switched on my lamp, slid over and peeled the mat back to see the water on the lower skin being bubbled by air escaping through the tear made by the rock I’d moved on top of and had been using as a saw with every body movement. I wasn’t fixing this in the wet, but I was getting cold, and this would make me colder. I was already damp, the hot ascent in humid air had seen me sweaty indeed, the Montane Meteor DT had done its best but I had layered dry clothing onto damp baselayers and lying in my bag hadn’t seen the sweat fly out through all the technical fabrics, everything had just gotten damp now. In fact, the inside face of the bivi bag was wringing and the Quantum fabric of the Rab Neutrino bag was doing just as you’d expect, it was licking condensation off the bivi and chucking it straight into the down. I zipped up my Primaloft pull-on, pulled down my hat and thought warm thoughts. Warm and dry thoughts.

I did sleep, several times in fact. When I looked at my watch I was always surprised by the time, so I was slipping away from time to time. I saw the sun rise as point of red under the rain in the distance and I saw the coire bathed in soft golden light through thinning cloud. When I decided to put the stove on after 7, it was a little greyer, but still dry. Outside.
Everything was wringing inside, the top of the bivi was like a wash basin, the hood of the bag was transparent with moisture, rivulets of condensation ran around looking for something to soak into as I shifted around.

I filled the howff with steam from myself and the pot on the stove and thought about it, maybe less clothes would have kept the moisture down, but the mat had the insulative qualities of wallpaper in that state and I was trying to stay warm. maybe it was all just my breath? If I’d had enough room to put the mat inside the bivi maybe the whole thing could have been avoided? Who knows. It was a bunch of new kit on it’s first trip, something was bound to go a little sideways.
My feet and the socks on them were dry, praise be. I slipped them into my mids, strapped on my mini gaiters and stood up for the first time in ages. A few spits of rain.
I took a few shots and packed up. My sleeping bag gurgled as I compressed it into its stuffsack. That’s wet.
My best pals just now are those Klean Kanteen bottles, they are just so nice to use, big lids, the wide mouth is great to drink from, and I can see that yellow one in the dark. I swigged from it and stowed it in my side pocket as I left.
I contoured around the way I came last night, checking out the other options I’d looked at for diggs, I think I got the best deal. I looked back at the little crack I’d slept in, the context it lay in; high in a mountain landscape the measure of any in Scotland.
What the hell was I moaning about, a damp sleeping bag? Eejit, just learn from it, sleeping in the howff was a great experience. Especially so, as I was looking for somewhere against the clock and found something that was pretty much ideal.

The wander down was a joy, I felt light of foot and of heart. The hills were clearing and the sun was spilling through in ever bigger patches. Summits be damned, wander the corries, they don’t have to be passageways or somewhere we look down into and think “Ooh, that’s nice”. Go and see it up close.

The Sloy pipes are a familiar sight from the road and elsewhere, and I decided to make a detour and visit the other end on my way back. The top station is built like a wartime bunker, well that’s late 40’s utilitarianism for you, and it’s awfy steep looking down those pipes from the side of it. It’s fascinating though, the water comes from Loch Sloy in two huge underground tunnels which er, externalise themselves here from the hillside and go into the building to be channeled into the pipes. It’s interesting stuff, and the whole place is a mix of well maintained and new, and the hasn’t-been-touched-since -1949. Must take a kicking from the weather up there.
The hydro road down was even better than the day before, less rain, better views and the last bit with the little shortcut next to the gorge is lovely.
The visitor centre was open, there was cuppas, rolls on bacon, banter with the girls and tourists milling about looking for refuge from the midges. Nae chance.

Alpkit have launched a comprehensive new range of sleepmats, and just in for test is their lightweight option, the Airo 120.

I’ve been using fat mats for ages, but as I’m bivying any minute I was going back to a full length self-inflator until Alpkit stepped in with this wee bugger.
It’s got a ¾ length at 120cm, decent width at 51cm at the top end and the packed weight was only 3g more than the site’s average of 439g.
The nylon ripstop fabric used on both sides feels robust and it’s sealed at the edge with a nice wide seam. The valve is the standard chunky affair and the mat does assert itself quite well on it’s own when you open it up and leave it. A few lungfuls in there and it’s a surfboard.
It come in a nice wee ripstop bag with a webbing squasher on it to make it slightly smaller at one end…
It looks good, the nice chilli red colour endeared me to it immediately, and going over it, it just doesn’t feel “budget” at all.
I’ll have this on a hill in the next few days, so I”l have more to say in a wee while.

Most brands run training events, coaching trips for journos and shop staff and the like, Alpkit being Alpkit have a do that’s open to everyone, it’s on 1st July, and it’s in their own words below.

What the kit’s doing, random stuff, thoughts on this , that and the next thing.

I kitted out four and a half folk with gear on the recent National Park trip, everyone brought their own kit as well, but it was interesting to see how the guys got on with the unfamiliar, as good a test as any.

My kit’s above, pretty much regular issue, Lasercomp, Neoair, Jetboil Flash, Montane Flux. The sleeping bag was a PHD Minum 300 with the short zip, making it’s first appearance of the year and was a comfy down filled delight. I’ve enjoyed the past couple of nights in a tent using a zipped bag, it’s nice to have a little freedom sometimes.
The pack (better view below) was the Macpac Amp Race 40 which I didn’t manage to fill, it’s definitely bigger than advertised. I carried a water bottle on the bungees on the left shoulder strap and the strap rubbed a bit, so I won’t do that next time to see if that was the cause. Otherwise, it’s a cracker. Good size, flexible but supportive of the load and great storage without cramming. The Montrail Streaks had their last hurrah, the Haglöfs Rugged Mountains Pants vented when required and carried the camera in thigh pocket with ease. Wigwam trail runner socks were good both wet and dry.
I had some new Chocolate Fish merino kit on the go, as did a few of the boys. I’ll do that in more detail soon.

Other tents I supplied were:
Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1. Grant Moir used this, and he pitched it quick without help. It still looked good and tight next morning. He seemed pleased with the weight when carrying it and as a home for the night.
Force Ten Helium 200. Geoff Miles hads this, he pitched it pretty well and found the room in the 200 was fine for hiim, so I’m looking forward to using it now.
Terra Nova Laser Photon Elite. Bobinson had this, and he noticed the size difference right away. His comment that good pitching is vital is a lesson for anyone using one of the Laser family.
MSR Skinny One. Long enough for Craig McQueen, it’s a single-skin oddity but pitched tight it was fine. DSoaked with condensation in the morning though.
From elsewhere:
Big Agnes Copper Spur. Stuart MacInnes slept in this, it’s the same one I tested last year, great tent.
Argos ProAction. Chris Sleight’s tent, looked a bit wrinkly, but it’s orange so it’s a winner!

Sleepmats, I took an Exped Synmat 7 Basic for Geoff,an Exped Airmat for Grant and a Big Agnes AirCore for Craig. There were no complaints, and as it was a warm enough night there were no cold ground woes reported over breakfast.

Sleeping bags I supplied were:
Alpkit Pipedream 600. Geoff has this, I knew he’s be warm enough in whatever happened. No reports of cold and no complaints about the slim cut.
Alpkit Pipedream 400. Grant used this, he was fine, he’s camped in the hills plenty.
I wanted to use the Alpkit bags to contrast some of the top end stuff on show from Phil, Stuart and me (PHD and Big Agnes). Wild camping isn’t about logos, and light doesn’t have to be expensive either.
Marmot Sawtooth. Huge heavy down bag, way too warm, but the only one I had that would fit Craig. Even if he’d said he was cold I wouldn’t have believed him.

Miscellaneous Kit:
Optimus Terra Solo and Weekend pots, Snow Peak Twin Wall titanium mug, Lifesystems and Karrimor stainless steel mugs. Optimus folding spork, Light my Fire sporks and Firesteel, torches brought Petzl Tikka XP’s and an Alpkit Gamma.
Craig wore the Rab Super Dru at camp and Geoff was glad of the Haglöfs Oz he didn’t notice in his pack.
I took a bunch of food, Travelunch, Expedition Foods and Mountain House. Success was reasonable, but Stuart found that his needed frying, something to check in the shop folks, I know I didn’t.
I gave the boys a mix of Nalgene and Camelbak bottles. The wide mouth is easier for filling, much as I love my Siggs.
Poles were Mountain King Trail Blaze and Expedition Carbons, and Leki Makalu Carbons.
Stoves were an Optimus Crux Lite, Brunton Flex and Markill Peak Ignition. All impressed with their simplicity and weight.

I printed out and laminated maps which were used, GPS’s were used to tell us what we already knew. Bless ‘em.

Now, the biggest thing here was the complete lack of problems with the kit, the guys just got on and used it quite intuitively. I was super-pleased about this as I wanted the guys to have a good time, or at least have a trouble free time, and that’s what we got.
The kit was pretty basic, and fit for use anywhere I would normally go, more that capable for the time of year in fact. Oh, I feel like shouting at the outdoor establishment again. Damn their outdated dogma, go light people.

I wrote the stuff below while I was at the conference. I sat with the page open and jotted down what struck me most, or what I though was an important point and pressed “update”.
It wasn’t as easy as I thought, and I don’t have any notes to go with it, so I’ve resisted changing the text from memory as more accurate information will be available from the innov_ex site anyway and it wouldn’t be as honest.
So, if it looks like song lyrics or a list of exclamations, that’s just how it came out as I typed.
I’ll be more prepared to blog it live next year next year.
I’ve got some further thoughts about the conference added on at the bottom as well.

The Conference

Phil Reeves

Talks about the impact of the supply chain/product lifecycle.

Every process, or materilas movement is a link in the chain, the lowest number they’ve they’ve found is four (a man making wooden sheds next to a forest!). Most are much greater, outdoor kit could be dozens of links.

Design changes that might make a lighter product will make more emissions as the changes are from raw materials up to delivery/recycling. The impact goes beyond raw materials, manufacturing process and weight for shipping, all of which are environmentally friendly.
Simplicity is good, from product to process.

The embodied energy (and therefore environmental impact) in a kilo of usable material, from being buried in the ground to being a finished item can be calculated. The information is there, but not necessarily available. One supplier (the worlds biggest) will not tell their customer (the worlds biggest), making it impossible for the company to calculate or act.

There is a limit to some of this, but the finishing process can be changed in various ways.
Old-school foundries are actually the most efficient processes, but it’s coupled with energy supply. If you’re burning fossil, then you have to add this on. Plus the national grid just bleeds power, making any gains marginal.

So why build a powerline from Beauly to Denny then?

One manufactured part is only 13% of its source material when machined, after the material been flown from Japan. Not all the surplus is re-used.
That’s just crazy.

Look beyond your own business to see the real impact, up and down the supply chain. That seem to be the way, companies talking to each other, isolation gets nothing done.

Mike Berners-Lee

Looking in depth at the carbon footprint of the industry.

There are guides there, the information is available. It goes beyond product as well.
Carbon generated from tourism, us going to the hills, the food we take and the fuel we burn, it’s all calculable.

I have to say that it makes the task look huge, too huge. I got this impression last year. Baby steps do nothing.

Update.

Toray live from Japan

UNIQLO (fashion brand, nice kit, google them) moved from fashion to outdoor and joined with Toray (Pertex’s arch enemy).

From a business model to #1 position and huge profits in ten years. Direction is different to competitors, value, less “fashion” dependant, usable designs. They sold 35 million fleeces in Japan one year. They used technical design and worked it into the gap between mass market and tech.

They constantly do a development “dance” between what’s needed and what’s possible. They can react quickly, this is important, it’s what we used to have when manufacturing was in the UK. Talking to Peter from Alpkit this morning they reckon they’re reaction time is super fast now.
UNIQLO have joint R&D with Toray, then dedicated production lines by Toray. This was “vertical integration”, but not financial arrangement, the two companies stayed separate but worked very closely. There’s alesson in that.
There are some information gaps in there though, but customer feedback does feedback to design, and again the reaction time brings updates into the market while they’re still relevant.

Where do they get the finances to innovate? Enough cash flow has to be available to make it happen, to take it from nothing to 35 million fleeces. But “lean manufacturing” is a factor, no pissing about, design, manufacture well with good components and sell.
Actual demand versus estimated demand too, get the numbers right and you’re a winner.
This concept could see an end to end of season sales, and some brands are like that now.

UNIQLO receipts have a recycle stamp, you can take them back to the shop for reuse (shipped to areas of global hardship) or recycle. Now moving further into recycling within Japan.
The return scheme in Japan doesn’t need commercial incentives, they do it because it’s “right”. We’d need a money of voucher here I think.

Clothing to create a body micro climate rather than using air-con and heating? That’s a Toray concept. Interesting.

Japanese retailers are clued up, different arrangement to the UK, they pick and chose, not such much we stock “A, B, and C”.

UNIQLO manufacturing is contracted out to Chinese factories, this might be a weak link as it’s passing on the responsibility, a little hands-off?

Jackie Seddon

From an eco innovation programme in NW England.

Turning economics and environmental issues into an opportunity. The next generation of business owners and customers have different views and needs.
The infrastructure is there, and change cold be grown, the old ways could be marginalized. But again, there will always be folk who will happily step in to keep the wheels of existing industry turning.
It’s possible, but it’s a battle.

One genius product she used is a cellulose washing sponge, no packaging at all and natural materials that break down after use. (Photie later)
A local company though it up and has made it, weighs F/A a couple of mm thick when dry. I want one to test…

European Outdoor Group

They admit that the outdoor industry is still young, unsophisticated, and not so communicative. Still a big outdoor activist element within the industry which is a huge bonus.
The image of being closer to nature leads to an expectation that being a reality (and we know not that’s not the case). They know this too.

So why is the industry not “sustainable”? The brands are all at the starting line waiting to see who moves first.
But they’re now talking, “SWG” the sustainability working group has brought brands together.
The ECO index is a scoring system, guidelines and results (they didn’t say who’s winning), but is accessible and easy to use. Get them in and then ramp up the commitment maybe?

Join us he says. Join Us…

Basically it’s a comprehensive top-to-bottom tick-list on how to get it right. In some ways it means there’s no excuse for companies to not to at least dip their toe into environmental waters. 300 companies involved at the moment. No I don’t know what ones.

 Good Q&A session right now. Too fast for me to write it up. There’s no blinkers here, the audience know there’s pie in the sky element and also that change is vital. Good stuff, catch it on the live streaming.

update

Ben Kellard

Works with brands, companies, bodies of all sizes and sorts, not just outdoor with Forum for the Future. They’re an independent charity which lets them say “You should do this” without fear of rocking any boats.

Again, the scale is overwhelming.

The chat at lunch was interesting. One manufacturer made a range of kit that was “sustainable” and it got buried on price. So, with fingers burned when will they do it again? When everyone else does.

Finding a balance between the minutiae and the whole thing in one go. Make sustainability manageable, and bring the customers in, it’s us that they’re making the product for, so fair enough I think.
I like the notion that getting the job done will draw on people as well as factories, talent, process, materials , they’re are all part of it.

“Define what good looks like”. If you (the brand) don’t define it for yourself, then someone else will and you’ll have to conform to their idea. Is that a call to get off your arse Mr Outdoor Industry?

We’re now doing a questionnaire on how sustainable we are. I’m doing my engineering for a contrast to the UK manufacturer in the next seat…

Fantastic discussion after the questionnaires.   

**the point above about clothes going to needy areas has an extra effect, local manufacturing is affected.
Everything has an effect.

Now live from Canada, Mountain Equipment Coop

10% of the Canadian population are members, you have to be a member to shop.
Their goals…
Get Canadians outdoors.
Then they’ll understand environmental concerns (and spend their money).
Support parks, access, participation.

They have ambition, they want the market, all of it, and are happy to say that, but they’re trying to do it ethically/sustainably.
They stuck solar panels in a new store which sells electricity to the national grid.  Genius.

He’s turned in a dalek. Satellite problems.

They “tax” themselves and spend the money on environmental issues. I get a refreshing impression of realism here, they see the environmental stuff as good and right, but also a way to profit.

They see the market as day trippers using technical kit. I wasn’t expecting that. You think Canadians are all in the wilderness at the weekend, no more it seems?

MEC’s “own brand” is doing well. Good fabrics and design at budget prices, I can see why it would. It’s not making many folk in this room very happy…

“eco” will sell, but it is overpriced, he said it.
The slight economic upturn is causing problems in China as they try to cope with the higher volume manufacturing.

“Folk want to collect stuff” Yes, thanks that what I said last year. It’s a huge factor on buying choices and habits.

“Know your customer, understand”.
I like that, don’t just give them what you think they should have. Are you listening UK?

They’ll take their biggest seller and work as many eco elements in as they can. But, he says “There is no such thing as a completely environmentally sustainable product”.

I think we’re getting the uncomfortable truth here.

The dalek bit was about packaging…

Roll up clothes up and pack them in a box rather than put them in individual poly bags. They’ve knocked out millions of poly bags from their supply chain.
In store some are displayed rolled and some are put on hangers.
I wonder what folk here would say about that in their local stores?

How do they talk to folk that shop on price and have to brand allegiance?

That was good stuff.

Answer to DavidG’s question…
“In an ideal world that would be what we’d do, it would make my life simpler”.

Innovation award incoming. It was a diverse group of ideas, but were unanimous after some discussion.

Last years winner Peter Dollman is speaking about his genius indoor ice tools which Alpkit took on board (now available).

And the winner is…

Veronica Legg for her genius womans winter climbing trousers with the She Wee compatible zip-fly.
Well done misses.

Closing remarks from Mary and Mike.

Oot.

Thoughts from home, the day after

The speakers all conveyed vital information, just as they did last year, some of it presented for digestion, but this year there seemed to be more of an opportunity to react, giving the industry an invitation as it were.

The split within the manufacturers as to where to go (and in some cases, who to blame) seems as wide as the one I can see between some of the industry and it’s customers.
I can see from listening and talking to folk that some are still punters at heart, some are mad professors (oh, how we need these guys), and some see gear purchasers like they’re food.
I think the industry is indeed fragmented, as mentioned above, partly because the companies are so different in their outlook as to make a common approach unworkable unless it was imposed by government, international regulation or extreme circumstance.

The reaction to MEC was fascinating to watch, some folk merely had raised eyebrows, others were horrified.
One question directed to Canada was regarding the differing business types, that their co-op status allowed them to do what ever they wanted as they had no shareholders to satisfy. The reply was that no, they had to make the same profit as anyone else to make their business viable and allow growth, which they were doing quite happily.
There was no come-back to that.
I could see a can-do attitude coupled with free thinking that’s letting MEC eat up their home market.
To me they looked like Alpkit gone wild…

There is a frustration there from some companies, their desire for change is strong, but they’re all trying different methods to bring “eco” in and finding trouble.
One brand is now doing it under the wire, and expect see in a few years a Patagonia style environmentally watermark throughout the brand. Subtle, but in the fabric and without shouting about it on the way there.
I think that might be the future. Like MEC said, do what you can when you can, right now there’s no such thing as a 100% sustainable product, make the best of it. That’s the real world right there.

There was a closed-door discussion where the guests talked to each other as well as the chair. Some of the ideas thown up would horrify and amaze in equal measure, but it does show that they’re thinking. They aren’t fingers-in-ears, but the path isn’t clear enough for decisive action.

Prize

The winning design of womand winter climbing trousers with a She-Wee compatible zip-fly was a worthy winner, Veronica Legg brought a problem and a solution together. When you see something and think “Why didn’t someone do that before?”, that’s innovation. It doesn’t have to be an abstract concept pulled out of the air.
All the entries had a certain something and we (Graham Thompson from Trail, Chris Townsend from TGO and I were the judges with head judge and boffin Mark Pedley keeping us right) came down to three contenders, but the trousers were simple and the most complete as an idea and product.
After the success Peter Dollman has had with Alpkit, it’s good to know that more sharp people are around to join the industry and keep it moving in the years to come.

People

I felt less of an fifth columnist this year, I knew some folk this time, and funnily folk I didn’t know knew me too. I enjoyed meeting and greeting and chatting about the day’s topics and beyond, there’s a lot of clever and enthusiastic people in the trade. Not them all, I’m no’ daft.
Dinner the night before was a fine affair in good company, it was nice to get to know some familiar but as yet unkent faces, even a little contact forever changes your impression of someone. This is a good thing, the printed or pixellated page is never the whole story.

Regular listeners might remember I was at the innov_ex conference at Lancaster University a few months ago. It was a real education, there was an amazing insight into all the factors that shape the outdoor industry far beyond what we get to see in the stores.
I meant to write all this up ages ago, but for a few weeks after the conference all I did was melt peoples heads with facts and information learned on the day, so I thought I’d give it a little distance and read through my notes fresh, and hopefully keep the word-count to something I can read through without abandoning all hope.
Clicking the link on the first line above gives access to news and video coverage of the whole day. It was a long day but it flew by, there were no gap-fillers in the line-up and all the speakers had something worth hearing.
This is my personal persepective and interpretation of the day.

I had dinner with the speakers and various other guests, including Mary Rose and Mike Parsons the organisers, the night before, and that gave me a different perspective that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I got to hear about peoples lives as well as their work: children, holidays, home, plans were discussed, and opinions were also freely expressed in good humour. People are never one-dimensional, it’s easy to forget that when listening to or reading information. Anyone who spends time on online forums will know how easily things can go awry when blanks words are interpreted in ways other than intended. What I’m saying is that it was nice to know some of the people beforehand, I think it made me more receptive on the conference day, not to believe what they were saying, but to at least listen without preconceptions.

Detlef Fischer, Bluesign Technologies

Detlef Fischer opened up the show in grand style, with a great presentation and also by talking some sense.
Bluesign is becoming increasingly familiar as brands sign up to it, Patagonia, Vaude and recently Haglofs are among the most familiar outdoor names.
Bluesign study a manufacturers whole operation from the raw materials coming in the door to the boxed product going out of the door. They advise a course of action on how to clean up the process, how to save energy, minimise waste and cut pollution. The detached nature of production means that the factories seem to just carry on regardless, in the west we have chemicals and processes that are a no-go, but in the east there is an element of don’t know, or don’t want to know.
It’s a long involved process, but once in place the manufacturer can say that they’ve reached the standard required and can use the Bluesign stamp, which as time goes on I can see becoming increasingly high profile.
What makes it work for me is the real-world thinking, making the best of a situation, it’s workable. What makes it work for the manufacturers is that once in place the Bluesign regime saves them money. The same factory, producing the same product for less money and waste?
The waste and recycling element was the focus of innov-ex, some figures such as using 700L of water to make 1kilo of textiles were frightening. Now that the manufacturing is half way across the world, the effects are unseen, filthy rivers, toxic air, poisoned soil. It sounds like a Dickens novel, but it’s only a flight away of we want to see it, and the poor sods that have to live in it.

Robert Lomax, Baxenden

Robert Lomax carried on with what was basically synthetic versus cotton, and the information fired out during that was very enlightening.
Synthetic is evil, a product of dirty factories, cotton is lovely, grown naturally in field where birds sing and mice scurry between the plants. No, not even close.
Both poly and cotton are both as much trouble as each other, but the fact that polyester isn’t any more evil than cotton, the notion that organic cotton will save the planet is nonsense and fact that polyester can be easily recycled changes things in my mind.
GM cotton is improving the crop, less waste and better yield, but those two letters “GM” raise as many questions as answers. Cotton is huge business, in carries a lot of muscle in the US. It’s funny how we all accept cotton as being natural, environmentally friendly. It’s a triumph of marketing and myth perpetuation.
They are trying to source polyester from biomass, this will eventually replace the need for crude oil (poly fibres take only 0.6% of crude oil production, if we had hydrogen powered cars the crude would give is fleece ’til the end of time), so it’s good to see research is forging ahead.
Incidentally, Sympatex, the much maligned waterproof membrane fabric is made of three layers of polyester, Gore-Tex is made of three layers of different fabrics. This means that Sympatex can be easily recycled and Gore Tex is easier to stick in landfill. That’ll have to change in the future.
The bottles into clothing label is quite common now, and that whole thing is growing with Teijin taking old fabrics and the like back east from us and making them into new to send back. Much better than sending empty ships I think? Every action has a knock-on effect. Is this the start of a closed loop of resource use, a process where very little new material is used, maybe one day no new content?

Mike Redwood, Leather Futures Research Group

Mike Redwood stuck a pin in another generally accepted “fact”, that leather boots are good and synthetic trail shoes are bad. Turns out that’s rubbish. All the arguments about me encouraging folk to wear trail shoes as being environmentally unsound are without substance. Leather is evil.
Leather has so much treatment in it, chemicals, heavy metals, that it can’t be disposed of properly. Mike had a leather sample that was dug out of the ground where a Tannery was over 100 years ago and it was still supple and well, usable looking. They used to grind up leather and use it on running tracks, but the chromium present meant that this wasn’t such a good idea, and even using “natural” tanning is as bad. There’s so much toxic by-product from any tanning process as well. So you have waste from production and a product that when worn out can’t be used for anything but landfill.
I put natural in inverted commas above as it occurred to me that everything is natural, every chemical or material used has come from this planet, maybe we;ve worked with it, but it,s all natural. Maybe if we viewed science as folk working with nature rather that mentalists creating doom from scratch in a laboratory, we could bridge a gap of understanding, and therefore acceptance, even support of attempts to make advances?
Mike endorses the concept of “Cradle to Cradle”, This basically means taking raw materials, making the product, using it, wearing it out, then breaking it back down into it’s raw materials to start again.
I love the idea of this, but it’s a bit utopian I think. To do anything you need energy, and as it stands we have to consume something to make that energy. Maybe in the future we will have impact-free energy production that will allow the lengthy processes to make Cradle to Cradle work, but until then I can’t see it making as much impact as Bluesign’s real-world approach. Doesn’t mean we can’t plan and theorise of course, and some statements from Mike stuck out: “Instead of being less bad, be more good” an interesting glass half full/ half empty concept, and “Don’t just change small things, reinvent everything”. That sums up the the ideal-world aspect, my first thought was “Aye, but you have to get someone to pay for that”.

Panel Discussion

The panel discussion was interesting (check it out on the website), there was some mild and polite disagreement where concepts diverged and opinions clashed. Some questions came in which had reactions from the audience and panel alike, most memorable when Paramo were described as socially rather than environmentally friendly. Paramo and Nikwax were sitting behind me and nearly stood and turned in unison. I chipped in about Montane’s use of recycled fabrics in the current range which seemed to have escaped common knowledge. That’s another point, if you’re playing your part you have to shout louder.
My question was deliberately obscure. Boffins and the like appear to be so focused in the issue, the dilemma and the solution that they completely forget the human link in the chain. There was much discussion about recycling old gear, or trading in for a discount. I know that there’s gear I’ll never part with, and that I’ll never use either. Folk keep (even hoard) kit for sentimental reasons, or “just in case” , you’ll never get folk to recycle everything, you’ll always need raw materials. I got a very blank look from the panel.
Like I said above, realistic and workable solutions are what we need, not ideal-world solutions that rely on everyone playing ball. But, if it was all in place for folk to play along, it was accessible and trouble-free, folk would no doubt get into the notion of putting their old jacket in a bin in their local outdoor shop to be made into one in next years colours. But the industry would have to invest in the infrastructure and advertising to make it work, as indeed Patagonia already have.
I can’t see any of this keeping prices down though, folk are baulking now at the price increases. Will it mean manufacturing shift away from China to cut costs and the whole thing would have to start again from scratch?

Video Conference
Alan Knight OBE & Chris Sherwin

The video conference worked very well, and the interplay was very good, and probably because of that I took hardly any notes!
But Alan Knight and  Chris Sherwin know their stuff, being very involved industry so know what’s happening and why, as well as trying to change what’s coming next.
A few things stuck out, saying that “Capitalism is still the only way” was bold, but the case was strong. Money flowing around the world has power, it’s how it’s wielded is what makes it good or bad, not the concept itself. the recession hasn’t halted research and innovation, it’s concentrated minds and galvanises efforts.
Seeing the big picture. That statement made me happy, sit up and have a look around, see your place in the general hubub before you think you’ve solved the problem.
One statement stuck with me, real-world thinking “Join the new into the existing rather than replace”. That’s workable, no scaremongering, no thoughts of huge expenditure, just a notion of bringing in some newness.

Mike Berners-Lee, Small World Consulting

Mike Berners-Lee’s engaging presentation was about carbon footprinting, not as the photie above would suggest, Inov-8’s new 10kg trail shoe. 10kg is how much carbon the shoes produce during manufacture and getting to the shops.
Going back to earlier, it turns out that polyster has half the carbon footprint of cotton. That shows you that it’s not always the visible or easy to understand consequences, there’s always something else, nothing can be seen as a stand-alone problem.
The carbon footprint wasn’t held up as the answer as to what was good or bad, just as an element, again some real-world thinking. So many “environmentalists” harp on about one thing and they’re missing the point as much as those who’re trying to ignore them.
Some interesting fast were that paper towels in public lavvies half the carbon imprint of the electric hand driers (except the high pressure cold-air ones, which incidentally don’t wake up the germs just in time to stick to your hands like the heated ones do…).
Transport is the killer, until we ground aircraft it looks like it’s pointless trying to shave the carbon off elsewhere. Stick all freight and people back on ships and we;ll be better off, and from a personal point of view, maybe it would help to ease the pace of life back from the current frenetic setting. I don’t care if mail order takes longer than 24hrs. We really did used to allow 28 days for delivery.

Innov-ex Prize

The innov-ex prize is an important part of the conference. The winners have gone onto bigger and better things. Jan-Fahrenheit Betros, the 2007 winner spoke about growing Röjk his own brand of performance wear in Sweden. He now has a range of clothing and accessories, sponsored athletes and is in talk for distribution here in the UK.
Lisa Alberti won the prize last years for her female-specific performance baselayer, something I know is very important to a lot of you out there.
This year there was a female-specific flotation device up for the prize, so it’s encouraging to see that there are designs out there for women in outdoor sports, we just aren’t seeing the manufacturers getting off their chairs readily enough.
The 2009 winner though was Peter Dollman with his indoor technical ice axes. They’re have the now familiar ultra-shaped designs that are used without leashes for sport climbing, but Peter had replaced the head with a fabric wrapped cable loop which can be used on any indoor wall with causing any damage.
The prototype was a lovely bit of kit and they’ll now go into production with Alpkit.
Peter’s there above accepting his prize from Sam Fountain of Sheewee (who’s wearing a Röjk hoody incidentally).

Phil Reeves, Econolyst & Jason Jones, De Montford University

There’s no other way to say this, but the last part of the day saw us taken into the realms of science fiction. All I could think of was a replicator from Star Trek, or Jeff Bridges getting rebuilt bit by bit at the end of Tron.
At the top of the page you’ll se a locking carabiner, and just above are a pair of lace locks for people who have difficulty with their fingers, such as arthritis sufferers.
The white plastic locking mechanism and the laces locks were printed. The simplest way to put it is it’s an inkjet printer, but rather than ink it uses plastic or metal grains and passes backwards and forwards creating a three dimensional object.
It started as Rapid Prototyping, making a single item to use as a mold, and now we have rapid manufacturing where you can make as many as you want.
The implications for this are huge, no more injection molding, no material waste, no design constraints as you can make something as intricate as you like and as hollow as you need. Phil Reeves and Jason Jones presentations were fascinating, and the scope of what is possible now and will be possible in the future. Below is a helmet, the inside of which was “printed” from a scan of the wearers head. Take this to a related area, making prosthetics that accurately match the wearer (A mate of mine who has a prosthetic limb has had unending issues with the fit).
The applications are potentially infinite, and once strength can be further engineered into the product, such as for use in load bearing/stressed components there will be sweeping changes in manufacturing. As it is, you can download a programme, design your item and email it to someone has a machine and they’ll make it for you (for a price). Will this then free up creativity?
It was a good note to end on, very positive and thought provoking.

Aftermath

There was a lot to take in, a lot I understood, some that amazed and some that frustrated. I’m not blinded by science, and I didn’t believe everything that was said, but I do believe that there are folk out there working on the problems, and we never get to hear about it. That’s why innov_ex is vital, so we can see what’s going on, the possibilities, the realities without advertising or hype. Sure there’s opinions at work, that’s because we’re people. It’s not science, environment, industry, it’s people doing what they do, and innov_ex was connecting the people, and that’s what smooths the passage of the ideas.

I’d like that thank Mary Rose and Mike Parsons (below) for inviting me to innov_ex and for looking after me so well. It was fascinating and very enjoyable.
I’ll be back next year and looks like I might be a little more involved as a competition judge. I know some of the points regarding environmental impact discussed at the conference will be applied to next years conference, so it’s evolving which keeps it relevant. I’ll be watching the build-up with interest.

The Haglöfs LIM 45 was back in action. The hipbelt is a marvel, but the shoulder straps were out of adjustment because a pal had been using it. Velcro is very hard to put back where it was before, but I’m just about there now. My version 3.0 OMM chest pouch (more of that later) doesn’t match it so well with its revamped attachments, so a couple of D-rings might have to fired on there next time. The LIM carries so well and looks so untidy… Still, it feels like an old friend.
My Big Agnes Three Wire Bivy saw action for the first time this year, and again it felt like an old friend. No condensation, no hassle, and I can still get all my gear in there with me. I ditched the pegs and took some Vargo nails and I even remembered how to put the pole assembly in right. Crivvens. The Three Wire is a great bit of kit.
What has become clear though is that the Big Agnes designer is five foot one. All the shelter entrances are low, now that I’ve tested a few and had a look at others it all makes sense. Ach, maybe five foot eight. Or nine. Still, it’s no deal breaker.

I took the Markill Peak Ignition stove which works fine and it’s nicely small-packing, but after using the Optimus Crux almost exclusively for a year I was surprised at how fuel-thirsty the Peak was and also that it took a little longer to boil my standard 600ml. It’s not exactly a disaster, but it’s good to have an update from the trip so I know what amount of fuel I’ll have to carry next time. It’s a very stable stove, the pot just sticks to it and the valve works smoothly which made me happy after my recent jet engine shenanigans.

I slept in the buff (not a buff) in my PHD Minim Ultra 900. It’s 345g and it was warm. At one point the wind was strong enough the flatten the bivy and consequently the bag flat against my “flanges” when I was on my side and I could feel that a bit, but in a tent I’d have been fine, if not finer.
Underneath me was the still trouble-free Neoair. Long may this continue.

New on this trip were the Powerstretch gloves and jumper just in from Marmot. The gloves are a great fit and did the job when I was cooking ouside the bivy in the early hours when it was a bit chilly. They’ve got some small finger-tip and thumb grips so they’re dextrous, but don’t bind and twist around your hand on trekking poles as they would with an all-over gripping surface.
The Half-Zip Pullover got pulled-over my head when I was sitting up to make my morning cuppa and it stayed there until I was back on the track below for my midmorning cuppa some hours later. The fit is great for me, slim and long with a nice high collar which can be zipped right up without impairing brain function or breathing. The cuffs have reversed fabric. That is, the furry side is outside so you can wipe your nose on it, and I did. The Powerstretch they’re using is a very soft version, but still takes the sting out of the wind and I found myself wearing just the pullover without a windshirt and was completely comfy reaching the summit at exactly 0700 in blowy conditions. Out of the wind I can feel its warmth too, Powerstretch is great stuff.
I kinda like the looks of the pullover, the black stitching gives it a sci-fi quality, and the bizarre shade of red make it a bit 70’s. So my maxim of “dressing up to go out and play” applies here in spades as it’s hitting so many personal markers.
More to come on the Marmot kit, but I like when stuff just fits-in like that

I took the Haglöfs Jura shirt on it’s first proper hill trip, and you know something, a front that opens up completely, a collar that stays up, wide cuffs and a fabric that isn’t really warm but keeps some wind out are just exactly what I needed on the day. It was a joy to wear and I only stuck a windshirt over it when I was at 900m at 2200hrs. I’m glad I didn’t have to sleep in it though, I’m sure buttons and sleep would have had consequences of some sort.
The windshirt was an old Rab Quantum, just for a change. Great ftting, nice long arms and completely unnoticed when worn. Good stuff.

Quick Kit List

• Pack, Haglöfs LIM 45
• Shelter, Big Agnes Three Wire Bivy
• Sleeping Bag, PHD Minim Ultra 900
• Sleep Mat, Thermarest Neoair Standard
• Stove, Markill Peak Ignition
• Fuel, Rekri8 125g canister
• Pot, Optimus Terra Solo
• Shell, Haglöfs Oz Pullover, OMM Kamleika Pants
• Insulation, Haglöfs LIM Barrier, Marmot Powerstretch Half-Zip
• Worn, Chocolate Fish merino boxers, Haglöfs Rugged Mountain pants, Haglöfs Jurs L/S shirt, Montrail Streak’s, Wigwan socks out and Smartwool socks back, H&M denim hat, Rab Quantum windshirt.
• Other, Alpkit Gamma headtorch, Petzl e+Lite, compass &map, plastic spoon, sunblock, shades, Camelbak 750ml Better Bottle, Nalgene Oasis Canteen, AMK DIY-ed medical kit, iPod, Snow Peak titanium mug, camera and tripod, Marmot Powerstretch Gloves, Summer Buff, Haglöfs beanie, Coghlans trowel and toiler paper.
• Food, main meal & breakfast freeze-dried bags, 2 porridge bars, 1 beef jerky, 2 Cup-a-Soups, Lyon’s coffee bags, Cadbury’s hot chocolate, tube of Nuun (lemon and lime), a yumyum, Honey Stinger chews*, some chocolate and trail-mix stuff.

I think that’s it?

*Honey Stinger seems to have disappeared from the stores round my way, but the UK distributor’s got an online store now.

First off, there’s a huge picture (if you click on it) of my arse right here on LFTO. Claire’s done a wee feature on Alpkit’s Genius jeans which I’ve been bumming around in the past few months, good kit too.

My column this month is about the US versus UK aspect, I totally ran out of space and it reads like a list of US gear, but there’s a few important UK mentions at the end. I originally intended it to say that the US was wrong for the UK, but as I wrote and drew on my experiences of the last couple of years, I realised that the gear is right, you just have to use your head to get the best out of it in our weather.
The photie accompanying the column is of a prototype pack with a very familiar logo on it…

Here’s one taken at the same time. Jeans and trainers on the hill? What the hell does he think he’s playing at?

Had a wander in the Kilpatricks with Bobinson, 14K of torchlit tracks and open hillside. Fun as always, even though the plot was to test some kit, that soon got forgotten and we just got on with the simple joy of one foot in front of the other on a deserted hill.

I was supposed to take some kit pictures, but that never happened either. Instead I was messing with long exposures to try and get something to turn out in the darkness. Wearing the Alpkit Gamma with the red and green bulbs led to some fannying about at 300m…

That’s the metal style over the fence at Loch Humphrey by torchlight and a 15 second exposure, just looks like Silent Hill to me.

Yes, we’re holding our breath, whispering…”Is that fifteen seconds yet?”

No fancy shit above either, I changed the colour on the torch and looked a bit to the left.

The lights of Dumbarton add a little distant fire to our spooky picnic spot.

Back to normality at Overtoun House.

Magic!

I’ve had these on test for a few months now. The Bulb has been on every ovenighter since it arrived, and the Gamma has been a regular pack essential, getting just the occasional chance to shine. But isn’t that a headtorch’s function? Sitting there until you need it and then has to work like a charm.
The detail is well covered on the Alpkit website, as ever all I want to know is what it’s like on the hill.

The bulb is a chunky wee thing, it looks a bit like an old miners lamp. It has a button on the side with a tiny dull green LED, which as advertised does indeed make it easier to find in the dark. The button is quite sensitive so pack it carefully or you’ll think that your rucksack is like your fridge and the light comes on when you open the door. Except your battery will be getting flat.
It’s nice and bright, it makes the tent cheery when it’s dismal outside. It’s good to have ordinary light, rather than a headtorch beam as well as you can use your peripheral vision and find stuff quicker. When going on night excursions it lights up the tent like a beacon and you can see it from a huge distance on a dark mountain.

It’s a bit heavy, but I don’t give a shit, it’s a cracking wee thing.

The Gamma is another bargain wonder with some differences to the standard. The various high/low/flashing settings mean it cover all the usual bases, but the addition of the small colourd LED’s make it something different. The red LED is great for maintaining night vision and is ideal for camp, nipping out for a pee and the like withouit bedazzling yourself. The green LED is more usuable on the tral as it’s brighter and defines the terrain better, you can even see some of the detail on a map. Walking through pitch dark woodland with the green LED is brilliant fun. Yes, yes, it’s a piece of functional safety equipment, but it’s also fun to go out and play with it. It’s nice and stable on the napper, so much so that I took the centre strap off as you don’t need it unless you’re running with it.

In these days of marketing placing the prospective purchaser in various extreme scenarios and then kitting them out for this imaginary world, it’s nice to get some kit sent in that makes me smile as well doing its job.

Left to right we have the Camcleat Y-pegs, titanium V pegs & aluminium stakes from Alpkit and Terra Nova’s skinny doodahs as bundled with the current Lasercompetition.
All but the ones on the left are survivors from last Friday night, and I think you’ll agree it’s not pretty. Looking at the damage it looks like the constant buffeting and vibration turned the V’s and the skinny skewers round and then bent them. The V would never have bent had it been still facing the right way.
The big stake has been bent before (by my foot) and it just went on the weak point where I’d straightened it out. The wee skewers are great for reasonable weather and flat pitches, but that’s them retired from active service.

I’m making no criticism of any of the pegs here as they’re all been used many times and maybe I’ve just worn them down. It’s something you expect to replace.
What is on my mind is more secure pegging. Big Agnes use X-pegs, that’s a huge surface area and therefore a lot of friction in the ground, and less chance of been swivelled around by vibration? The new Y-pegs are bigger than Big Agnes’s X’s and give more surace area, they’re nicely tall too. They’re light enough and just look at the colour.
I shall report back.