Compass Caddy first look

There are many products out there that promise to make life better. Mostly they fail or cause more problems than they solve, but just occasionally you find one that really does what it promises. The Compass Caddy is one of those.

Windoo 3 review

I like gadgets, I always have. It’s a weakness and I often carry  many. A device that measures windspeed, temperature, pressure and humidity serves little real purpose on the trail yet I often take one. I justify it by telling myself that I need to know just how wind resistant my latest shelter is, or how low that new bag can be pushed and still keep me warm, but actually I’m just a sucker for gadgets.

Windoo 3, small and very light

InReach Original Review

As a lover of wild places I’m sometimes told I’m mad, or even irresponsible, going into these places alone. In the risk adverse society that we live in perhaps that is true. I like the challenge, space and freedom that I find in the wilderness but I don’t consider myself irresponsible, and I do way-up all the risks. One of the things I’ve done is to carry a tracking device, and when linked to sites like Social Hiking (more on that later) it allows people to follow your hike in near real-time. I find this gives friends and family peace of mind and if the worst should happen then many of these devices have a SOS button connected to a rescue co-ordination centre. It’s important to realise that these devices are a last resort for getting help and you shouldn't press the SOS button lightly. Used right they can be a very useful piece of safety kit, and not just for solo hikers.

InReach Original

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite Longterm Test

After a not too favourable longterm review of the original Therm-a-Rest NeoAir I was reluctant to waste anymore money on something that could potentially have such a short life. Thing is, comfort is important to me on a long hike and foam, or even self-inflating, mats just don’t provide enough so when the NeoAir XLite was released in 2012 I gave it a go. Well… wow! This one actually works!

Therm-a-Rest XLite Small

Trail Designs 600ml Titanium Pot & Sidewinder Stove Review

Trail Designs have been the masters of lightweight hiking stoves for some time. They combine great performance, in all conditions, but remain very light, tough, and pack small. There are of course lighter stoves out there but they often involve too much compromise. Trail Designs always seems to find that sweet spot and I’m a huge fan.

The 600ml Titanium Pot & Sidewinder package is no different. For the solo hiker I would say it’s near perfect. Light, efficient, burns 3 fuel types and packs very small, what more could you ask for?

600ml Sidewinder stove with supplied foil lid

Revelate Bike Bags Review

For years the normal way to carry luggage on a cycling tour has been panniers mounted to a rack. That would normally consist of 4 panniers and 2 racks and actually it’s a very good way to carry an average sized touring load. The load is carried low down, around axle height, and can be spread between the panniers so bike balance is not affected. Capacity can be around 70 ltr which is enough for even the most comfort loving tourist. The problem for me with this system is that I rarely carry enough gear, or supplies, to need 4 panniers.  I soon ditched the front 2, and its rack, and carried everything in the rear panniers. I still have ample space but now all that weight is concentrated on the rear of the bike. That can make the front feel very loose, and light, when cycling off-road or on unsealed surfaces. Surely there is a better way of carrying lightweight loads?

Thorn Raven fully loaded with Revelate Designs Bags

MLD Cricket Review

If there has been one most requested kit review from me then it has to be the Mountain Laurel Designs Cricket. There appears to be a lack of reviews for this shelter for some reason and I wasn't prepared to rush out my review on a piece of kit that hadn't been thoroughly tested. That wasn't because of lack of use. I originally used the Cricket back in 2011 for my Colorado Trail thru-hike, but I chose not to review it then because the weather had always been reasonably good. I think you can't comment on a shelters performance properly until it has survived at least one serious storm... Fortunately, I had a number of storms on my recent Tasmania trip, so finally here it is.

Z-Packs 20 Deg Down Sleeping Bag/Quilt Review

Note - I am a colder sleeper. This means that I need a bag rated at a cooler temperature than some to keep warm at any  given temperature. I know from many miserable, cold nights that I need to add 6 Celsius to an otherwise accurately rated bag. To be clear - If I want a bag to keep me warm at 0 Celsius then I need to be looking at bags rated around -6 Celsius. Bare that in mind when reading the review and particularly anything to do with temperature ratings. Unfortunately finding out if you are a cold or warm sleeper can be an expensive and sometimes cold experience! Quilts generally don’t have hoods and you will need additional head protection at cooler temperatures. I usually wear a light down hat when it's below 10 Celsius. When comparing quilts to hooded bags take that additional weight into consideration.

Commercial quilts have never really worked for me. My first experience was with a Nunatak Arc Ghost and while this is a fine example, as a side sleeper, I didn’t find it wide enough which made it a cold and draughty experience for me. I soon sold it on. Undeterred I started making my own and converted one of my PHD “design your own” bags into a wearable, hooded quilt. As this was a bag in its pervious life the width was far greater than is normal for commercial quilts. I found it worked so well that I converted my other 2 PHD bags into wearable quilts also. I was sold on the principle.

Black Diamond Ultra Distance Trekking Z-Poles

I like hiking poles and find them useful on all but perfectly smooth trail. They offer much, they provide additional balance which can increase confidence over rough terrain, they reduce shock and load on the lower body, you can fend off aggressive animals, test the depth of that man-eating bog or stream, hold back stinging or spiky undergrowth and much more. Even on good trail they help pacing after a long tiring hike. As a further bonus, with the right shelter, they can be used as the supports. Hiking poles are the perfect example of multi-use gear and I rarely travel without them.

There are many types of hiking poles but most are 3 section, height adjustable, and made from aluminium. These  can last a lifetime and are relatively cheap but perhaps a little heavy at 4-600g/pr. Some hiking poles have springs to reduce shocks but I see no need for them. Over the last few years lighter poles made from carbon fibre have become more common and these can weigh as little as 200g/pr, but they will not be suitable for all.

MLD Monk Tarp Review

The Mountain Laurel Designs Monk Tarp is about as simple as a shelter can be. In silnylon you get a single 9*5ft flat piece of material or a smaller 4*9ft piece should you chose cuben fibre. Cuben fibre is only available in smaller width rolls hence the foot difference between the tarps. My review is for the silnylon version and that extra foot of space is very useful for some of the configurations I use.

Terra Nova Ultra 1 review (2011)

In May 2011 I was lucky enough to get my hands on the most exciting tent from a mainstream kit producer for many years. Read my review over on Andy Howell's blog.

Ultra 1 review

MLD Trailstar review (2010)

Early 2010 few had heard of the Mountain Laurel Designs Trailstar so I posted a review for Andy Howell over on his site.

Trailstar review

Two years later the Trailstar is now widely regarded as one of the greatest lightweight, but stormproof, shelters ever made. Still my favourite bad weather shelter and a true classic.

TGO gear review (2008)

After my second TGO Challenge in 2008 I was interviewed by Andy Howell about the lightweight kit I used.

TGO Challenge Gear Review 2008