There wasn’t much new on the Fisherfield trip, after my down time I think I needed familiar stuff so I didn’t really have to think or worry about anything at all given the miles I was covering. Mountain King sent up a new set of their brilliant Trail Blaze poles, now in a coppery-orange colour, and taking [...]
Posted on June 20th, 2011 by PTC*
Filed under: Gear Diary, Kit Reviews | 11 Comments »
I missed the press day at Peebles where various trade and media folk were getting the proper presentation about Gore-Tex’s coming-soon waterproof and breathable Active Shell fabric before being issued with their test jacket for a test on the trails on foot and mtb. So for better or worse, my test jacket came through the post [...]
Posted on January 23rd, 2011 by PTC*
Filed under: Gear Diary, Kit Reviews | 13 Comments »
In for test is a another take on the lightweight ice axe, the Haute Route from Grivel. It’s billed as ski-touring axe, and normally I’d take that labelling as manufacturer arse-covering, hoping folk won’t take their lightweight axe mountaineering. But the features on the Haute Route do make sense of the designation, the pick is [...]
Posted on January 15th, 2011 by PTC*
Filed under: Gear Diary, Kit Reviews | 2 Comments »
“Madness in a shoe box” has already been said, but I am very glad indeed that the swing towards barefoot running means nothing to some people who are still steering their own course in footwear design. So, it’s with a big grin that I took Hoka’s Mafate WP’s on test. The looks are somewhat striking, and [...]
Posted on January 15th, 2011 by PTC*
Filed under: Gear Diary, Kit Reviews | 13 Comments »
I saw samples of the Exhales a while back and it’s the sort of thing that just makes you grin and want a pair regardess of any actual practical application. But, I got a pair in for test, and they aren’t a novelty item after all. I wear Sole insoles most days, they make rubbish steel [...]
Posted on January 15th, 2011 by PTC*
Filed under: Gear Diary, Kit Reviews | 4 Comments »
Lightweight axes are all you need, they can happily take digging through frozen verges to save your mothers motor… Elsewhere, Berghaus insulation is really proving it’s worth, Phil packed the synthetic Ignite Belay Parka (proper look imminent) and I took the Extrem Down Duvet. They’re both belay jackets and sized to go over other layers which they do perfectly, [...]
Posted on January 12th, 2011 by PTC*
Filed under: Gear Diary, Kit Reviews | 8 Comments »
Gear wasn’t on the agenda as such, but a couple of things are worthy of note. Joycee’s bimbling along with her Kimmlite (that’s pre-OMM) 22SSL (I think?), great wee pack make in mental pink Pertex fabric. It’s dead light but with all the spot-on features you’d expect like bottle & hipfin p0ckets, low-profile harness and one oddball, and MSC [...]
Posted on January 8th, 2011 by PTC*
Filed under: Gear Diary, Kit Reviews | 4 Comments »
I haven’t got a hope in hell of getting any more test kit up this side of Christmas. Which is a shame as there’s a bunch of good stuff to come, including the Edelrid Opilio remote canister stove and Edelrid gas, Petzl’s Core and Ultra Belt, Grivel’s Haute Route lightweight axe, Outdoor Research’s sub-200g Helium [...]
Posted on December 22nd, 2010 by PTC*
Filed under: Gear Diary, Items Various | 11 Comments »
Lost in a wilderness of colour, it can only be the Haglöfs showroom. No longer a shed, but the same faces and huge array of kit as usual. There’s a bunch of new stuff as well as updates, some personal highlights are the new merino base layers, the new Paclite killing (I’m not supposed to [...]
Posted on December 18th, 2010 by PTC*
Filed under: Gear Diary, Kit Reviews | 68 Comments »
Time was when TNF was seen as the absolute top-end, the kit was iconic, bold looking and as technical as you could get. The Point Five Jacket in for test takes me right back to those days. Now relax there at the back, the Point Five is part of the Summit Series, so I haven’t [...]
Posted on December 16th, 2010 by PTC*
Filed under: Gear Diary, Kit Reviews | 3 Comments »
I got the X-Talon 240′s in for test, what, a year ago? And it’s high time I spoke about them. The Gore-Tex lined Roclite 288′s earned the nickname of Suicide Socks, but the X-Talons are the rightful owner of that title. The upper is softer, and does feel more like a sock than a boot. [...]
Posted on December 16th, 2010 by PTC*
Filed under: Gear Diary, Kit Reviews | 11 Comments »
When the High5 package came in for test, it felt like I’d come home, I used to fire this stuff down my neck on a regular basis. But as I slowed a bit and carried a tent more I drifted away from it. Now that everyone is trying to be “real food” with their sports [...]
Posted on December 16th, 2010 by PTC*
Filed under: Gear Diary, Kit Reviews | 5 Comments »
It’s definitely getting a bit alpine on here, in for test Garmont’s Tower GTX. The model on the website is different to the one I’ve got here, don’t know why, but I will say that the version I’ve got feels and looks like a proper alpine boot, where the website one looks a little self-consciously [...]
Posted on December 3rd, 2010 by PTC*
Filed under: Gear Diary, Kit Reviews | 16 Comments »
