Quencha MH500 walking boots.

 May 19th 2026.

We have been in North Wales for 2 weeks and just like the rest of the UK the weather has been unusually cold and wet for May. Must be that Global Warming Nonsense to blame as it seems to get the blame for everything that happens on the planet.

I bought these boots approximately 2.5 years ago because I was looking for an inexpensive pair to use on day hikes. I wasn't looking for the best boots or value for money, I just wanted an inexpensive comfy waterproof boot. I was probably asking too much.

As our daughter lives quite close to Decathlon Bolton we called in prior to visiting her. It was my first time in a Decathlon store. I was impressed with what they had on offer and the "hassle free" shopping experience. 

I measured my feet on the in house machine which was size 7.5 and I cannot remember the width now. I tried a few pairs of boots on and settled for these Quencha MH500. I paid £70.

The first outing was very wet and very muddy and I didn't expect to have dry feet as I have never had a lightweight pair of boots that didn't let water in quite quickly. When I changed boots at the car it was a great surprise to find my feet still dry. 

Two years plus later and that is still what is happening here in Wet Wales. I still have dry feet at the end of the day. They are probably the most waterproof boots I've ever had.

They are not perfect but for the price you cannot go wrong with them. I think they are now even less money at £60 and some good offers on small or extra large sizes.

First day out.

Take a quick tour of the boots today.

Tongue and rear of boots still in near perfect condition

Side walls and stitching in perfect condition

A few scuffs on the toe protector but nothing coming apart.

Good depth of rubber on the sole

Very slight wear on the rh side of the heel back tread but tread still very good.

Very slight chipping of the front rubber tread. Expected wear for the time used.

Very strong lace hooks.

Difficult to see on the image but there is very slight wear on the heel cup front edge.

Back of the heel cup shows no sign of wear.

The boots are very comfortable and took no breaking in. The laces show no signs of wear and hold grip excellently. However I personally find them a couple of inches short.But they are quality laces.

The top lace hooks, although they are very strong I find a little small and sometimes a bit of a faff when the lace comes off the hook when initially lacing them up. I have never had a lace come off the hook when out hiking.

The lining and heel sock is very comfy and is 100% polyester. I thought this might cause sweaty feet but they haven't.

The outer sole is 50% EVA and 50% NBR. That's Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, and Nitrile Butadiene Rubber. The sole cleats are 5mm.

The uppers are 70% Polyamide and 30% Split leather.

The mid sole is flexible Eva.

The tongue is sewn in on both sides.

The waterproof inner is PFC free and the specification says they are guaranteed to be waterproof for 6hrs protection in damp environments. Like I said earlier I have been out in the wet for more than 6hrs and still had dry feet.

Weight of my size 8 is 460 grams each.

What don't I like. 

Well not a lot really. I think the sides of the heel cuff could be padded out a bit more. The top lace hooks are too small in my opinion and I would have liked the top of the tongue to have slightly more cushioning.

I also changed the boot insole after the first outing as it was rather thin. I now use a foam insole which has done me well over the two years.

Would I buy another pair?

Absolutely, and that is what I am going to do soon I hope, after I have had a good look at the latest release which is slightly different from my boot. I just hope that they have not done a cost reduction job on them. I will review the differences when or if I buy them.

The grip is excellent in the wet. 

The price is good.

 The materials quality is good.

 They are so comfy especially having now changed the insole. 

The toe protector is worthy of boots twice the price.

Trail Designs Caldera Kit.

 19th June 2024.

I am reluctantly selling my Stove System.

…………..NOW SOLD …………..

It consists of The Trail Designs Caldera Cone, Aluminium,  which is made the suit the Evernew Eca251 600ml UL pot in Titanium, included.

Also there is a brand new unopened 12-10 methylated spirit stove.

Methylated spirit bottle.

Original screw thread fastening container.

Used, except for new burner.

As shown below. All in good condition.

£50 the lot including post and packing., I think this is a reasonable price considering a new pot alone would be £50. All new would be in the region of £120

Any questions, please leave in the comments below. Thanks.

Rab Downpour Eco waterproof jacket review. (First Outing)

 Saturday 1st June.

 Having being totally underwhelmed with my Marmot Pre-Cip I scanned the internet, reading reviews on other jackets and also armed with some knowledgeable info provided by fellow blogger Afoot in the hills, we went to Manchester shopping.

I was disappointed with Cotswold, which is very unusual. I asked the guy, "what is the specification difference between the Eco and the Downpour Light jackets". The answer, "one's heavier than the other".  That was it. I think after 60yrs of hiking I can tell if one jacket is heavier than the other without asking. 

I used my phone and scanned the card attached to the jackets. Easy.

Anyway cutting my buying story short I plucked up the courage, walked through the minefield and bought the Rab Downpour Eco at £125. I could have got it from Go Outdoors for £112.50 or Taunton for £100, but I didn't realise until the deal had been done, or I had been done.

So what is the Downpour Eco.

It is a lightweight, packable, no frills jacket for everyday use and day hiking. Manufactured in good old Bangladesh.

I say day hiking rather than backpacking as the material would not stand the rigours of long days carrying a heavy rucksack. Day sack, ok.

Mine is size large and it weighs in at 362grams.

Size L is a std UK sizing. Fits well.

Material. 100% re-cycled face fabric. Fluorocarbons are only present in the zips. Total recyclable content of the whole jacket 77%.

Material is Pertex revolve fabric. 2.5 layer. 50 denier.

Membrane is polyester.

Waterproof rating----20,000mm/MVTR

Breathability----20,000g/m2/24hr.

The hood is not helmet compatible. Applause all round, we have a hiking jacket with a hood made for walkers. And its a good one, fits well and adjustable front and back. It moves with the head so vision is not obstructed. In the photo below I am wearing a peaked cap under the hood, which I always do as it supports the jacket peak which although it does have a polymer support is not good enough to actually be useful. This point goes for many jackets not just this one.

Length of the jacket is excellent and has a slightly lower tail.

All the zips, 5 in total, made by YKK are water resistant and are all covered with rain guards. The main zip has a press stud top and bottom. I really wished that they had put another press stud just where the colour change happens in the top picture. Simply because I don't always have the zip fully closed and this then allows the guard to blow open. Cost wise --would be negligible. Considering the cost saving made by not having fully waterproof zips.

Pockets. Only 2 zipped waist pockets. No chest pocket, no internal pocket. The actual pocket is not mesh which surprised me but is the same material as the rest of the jacket.  Do I think this is a good idea? I am swaying towards no as there is no means for water both condensation and rain to escape.

I like the fact that an OS map will fit inside the pockets but make sure it is in a waterproof bag just in case.

Pit zips are included as is waist hem tensioner.

Sleeves. I liked the sleeve length as the bottom of the sleeve covers to the end of my fingers. Closure is by hook and loop as std. Sleeve width at the cuff is a little tighter than I would like but it's ok as long as you don't want to get a thick pair of winter insulated gloves under the cuff.

DWR is fluorocarbon free.

The jacket is easily packable into its own pocket.

That's the jacket then, so how do the first testing go:-

I didn't have to wait long for a rainy day and I decided to do the exact same route as I did wearing the Marmot Pre-Cip so that I had a direct comparison.

The ambient temp was 13C today so 5 degrees warmer than previous test. Humidy was high at 88% and barometric pressure was 1007.

It rained most of the walk which was 2.5 hours in time and I purposely kept all the zips closed. 

The problem with waterproof and breathable jackets is that they don't work together very well. If the jacket is dry then breathability will be good but as the jacket wets then breathability reduces. This is science and goes for all jackets whatever the price, name or material.

The inside of the jacket creates its own micro climate, it warms up as body heat increases and the membrane allows moisture vapour (not moisture) to escape. But as said above, this only happens until the jacket face fabric wets out. DWR what ever it is made from will eventually allow wet out to happen.

Also, the warm air between your clothes and the jacket membrane will condensate as soon as you start to vent the jacket. The internal cooling air is no longer water vapour. It is now moisture and cannot evacuate the jacket. This now causes the inside of the jacket to become damp. And where does that damp go? Of course onto your immediate layer of clothing. 

Is there a way around this problem? I don't think so. You have to choose the correct layering system which will allow your first layer to wick sweat away and another layer on top which is not moisture absorbent even when damp.

When I completed the walk I took off the jacket to find my polyester fleece was damp just around the top of the shoulders and a little around my back bones. My capilene base layer was totally dry.

The jacket had wetted out in just a couple of small areas. See attached photo's below. And also there was visible condensation too. However there was no comparison to the Marmot pre-cip which wetted me right though, and considering the Marmot test was 5C lower temperature.

The photos below can be clicked on for a larger view.

The water beading was good but you can see some patches of wetting out.

Patches of condensation on the sleeve top.

Condensation on the area of the shoulder blades. I wasn't sporting a rucksack.

2 photos where there was slight wetting through on the sleeves.

So that is my first outing review of the Downpour Eco. 

I think it went well, I wasn't wet through but just a little damp. I definitely like the design of the jacket itself and the feel of it too. I'm not sure about the pockets and the front zip protector. As I have mentioned earlier, I think a lower press stud would be beneficial.

All in all I'm much happier than I was with the Pre-Cip.

Also, have a look at jackets made with Gore Infinium if you are looking for this type of waterproof.

PS. Waterproof jackets are a minefield. Ignore marketing bumf.

Update:- November 2025. The comments I made about this jacket I stand by. What I have come to the conclusion of is that a 2 layer waterproof is not fit for backpacking purposes. It is ok for day walks when it might be showery. If prolonged rain, then forget it as you will be wet through in no time. The coating inside wears quite quickly in the areas of rucksack rub and when it wets out, which doesn't take too much time, you get wet.

I would recommend sticking to a 3 layer jacket for backpacking and forgetting all the lightweight rubbish that fills the internet.

Marmot Pre-Cip 2024 waterproof jacket review.

16th May 2024

For years and years I've wanted a Marmot Pre-Cip but could never justify getting one as I have a wardrobe full of jackets. But, in time jackets wear out and so when three of mine went to the re-cycle bin I bought a Marmot Pre-Cip with my own money after good recommendations from my wife. 

She has had an original Pre-Cip for some years and raves about it. I have read many reviews about it as over the years it became a bit of an iconic jacket. I recall Chris Townsend giving it a good review in TGO Magazine many years ago.

It isn't used for backpacking because it simply isn't strong enough around the shoulders to take all the abrasion a backpack creates, no matter what the ultra lightweights say. But for day walks and as a general waterproof then it's been perfect for her and I wanted a lightweight waterproof so it was a no brainer really, considering the price of £60.

It's a simple waterproof, no frills and very lightweight. Packable into it's own pocket. The hood can be rolled away into the collar. Sleeves have the usual velcro adjusters at the cuff, the hem has draw cord tighteners, a zip rain shield, 2 mesh hip pockets, pit zips and not much else. It does feel very nice, tactile I suppose.

Size wise it is slightly larger than "normal" sizing due to being designed for layering with an insulated jacket. There is plenty of room for layering and also the sleeves are a little longer than std which I don't mind at all and your arms stay protected when reaching high. I find the sleeves a little too narrow if I want to pull the sleeves over a thicker pair of gloves. I hate narrow sleeves.

The weight of my Large is 322gr. The jacket is made in Myanmar, the original Pre-Cip was made in China.

With 2.5 layer 100% nylon material and NanoPro Eco coating, whatever that is, it is said to be very breathable and absolutely wind and waterproof. That's the marketing bumf anyway. 

All excited and ready to try the jacket out I waited for a rainy day and then went for a short walk, about 2 1/2 hrs. It wasn't lashing down or fine horizontal stuff and not torrential, just typical Manchester summer weather.

I walked about 12km with only a few up's and downs. Temperature was 8 degrees C, I din't take a daypack and I was in no rush. I wore a capilene base layer and a polyester fleece and then the jacket.

First time I cinched the hood the tensioning cord pulled out from its secure seam completely. Not a good start, now I will have to find a way to fix it back in.

I din't stop during my walk and never checked the inside of the jacket. When I got home and unzipped the jacket the inside was wet through and my fleece was wet as well. So it doesn't breath very well if at all and I can only suggest that it isn't waterproof to any degree enough for a days hiking.

The next time I went out in the rain Sheila came with me with her Pre-Cip and guess what! My jacket and top were wet through and Sheilas was dry as a bone. 

So what is the difference. The country of manufacture has changed from China to Myanmar. I guess the spec. hasn't changed but where abouts in the spec. does the new jacket lie? Is it at the top end or the lower end? I can only guess it has been a cost cutting exercise and now we have a lower spec jacket. I am not privy to this sort of information but its obviously not as good as the original Pre-Cip. Or the DWR isn't up to the job.

I'm a bit disappointed to say the least as I will now have to find another "Waterproof Breathable" lightweight jacket that will keep me dry for longer.

Can I recommend it? Absolutely not. 

Any suggestions at all for an alternative jacket? as marketing bumf is no indication of how good a jacket is in reality. Thanks. 

MSC Expedition 15W CIGS ETFE Lightweight Folding Solar Charger

Last year when we spent holidays in Greece we suffered from a hurricane. The result of this was 5 days with no water and no electricity. Fortunately I had taken a water filter so we didn't run short of drinking water as we filtered rain. Electricity though was another thing, we really struggled. So when I got home I bought a mobile solar charger. 

I am no expert on solar anything so I asked around and finally bought the 10W panel. It was the same as the above photo but with smaller panels. Unfortunately it didn't work properly with my iPhone, I kept getting a message that this accessory was not compatible.

I contacted MSC, explained the problem and they sent me the 3 panel 15W panel at no extra cost. Now that I am more familiar with the panels I found the problem, which I will explain later.

The specification of the 3 panel charger is:-

• Copper Indium Gallium Selenide cells (CIGS) Lightweight folding solar charger
• The CIGS cells are protected by an ETFE plastic coating.
• Very flexible, compact and robust for Expedition power on the move.
• Ideal to hang from a rucksack, charging directly into one of the available power banks
• Works very well with the Qi 10Ah & PD30W Power Banks
• It has robust sealed seams, ultra-light 320g and very compact for travel
• The 15W has 6 attachment points for hanging from a rucksack or tent
• Free power each and every day.
• 2-year warranty
• Weight 10w, 210gr. and the 15W 320gr.
• Easily fits inside a rucksack.

(spec courtesy of MSC website)

This year on our holidays in Greece I used the charger almost every day for a month. Obviously in Greece the sun shines dependably, so if we had problems in Greece then the issue would be worse in UK.

Charging power banks with the solar panels is trouble free and certainly the best piece of kit to use to recharge your phone and other gear.

Charging phones directly, I have tried 2 brands, Apple and Samsung. If like in Greece the sun is constant then charging the iPhone is no problem but if the sky is sunny and cloudy then the output voltage from the charger to the phone will be variable. It seems that the iPhone has very tight parameters regarding charger voltage variance and this can make the phone reject the solar charger as incompatible.

The Samsung seems to accept the voltage variance better than the Apple.

Putting a power bank between the charger and accessory acts as a voltage regulator and that is why I say  the best setup is to use a power bank in UK.

Now that I have used it regularly I am glad I bought it, however if there is a panel available with a built in voltage regulator, I would get that one.

Costs. 10W £80, 15W £109.

New Waterproofs - APT Fabrics, Acclimatise.

During May many folk will be undertaking the TGO Challenge and so reading what’s new in the gear stakes could well be overlooked. So i am posting this now so that you can keep a reminder somewhere so when you get back you can check out a new set of waterproofs that is being launched in the month of May.

The “Merlin” (no pre-launch photograph as yet), will be a smock with a breast pocket. The smock will have Riri zips.
Colours Red with blue zips.
Black with orange zips.

I’m told that the RRP will be £150 which is a fair price for a good waterproof with Riri zips but a launch price of £120 including delivery is fantastic.

Keep your eye on the website. www.aclimatise.co.uk

Also coming soon will be a climbing smock with double breast pockets and over trousers.

I’m hoping to try one of these soon and report back on progress.

I was impressed.

Yesterday i had my monthly walk around the outdoor shops in Manchester, having a chat with “The Experts” and seeing whats new or whats on Sale.
I was looking for a pair of size 8.5 Brooks Ravenna 4 at a cheap price as they have now been replaced by the 5’s but unfortunately nowhere had this size left. I have a couple of leads to try so i am not giving up yet. If anyone knows where i may lay my hands on a cheap pair then by all means let me know.

Lots of new items are out for spring but i will just show here 2 items that caught my eye and having tried them on are now on my wish list.

First is the Rab Vapour Rise Lite Alpine jacket.

Vapor rise tops have been going for quite a few years and available in various guises. I was very fond of the 2011 or 2012 version and i almost thought Rab had blown it by changing it. However, i stand corrected, i was impressed with this latest offering. When my TNF Zephyrus starts to tire this will replace it. The staff in Ellis Brighams were very helpful.

Next may come as a bit of a shock to some because i saw these Nevica Nevis shoes in Sports Direct. Yes i know lots of people like to have a dig about Mike Ashley bla bla bla and how he’s ruining Karrimor etc etc. But i disagree. Karrimor were down and out and most of what was on offer was rubbish. But i find the new gear is ok and sometimes you can find some of the Japanese Karrimor which btw is highly regarded over there.

But onwards, I was really impressed with these trail shoes from Skiing gear company Nevica. Having tried them on, very comfy and the sole unit looks excellent. I cannot say further than that because i obviously i havn’t tried them in the field. But i put them up here because they are only £20 and i think a bargain worthy of consideration.

I would also like to say the staff in SD were also very helpful. Is Nevica now part of the Ashley brand? I guess they must be.

 Nevica Nevis

Nevica Nevis excellent sole unit design.

The Titanium Myth? Outdoor Gear.

 Outdoor gear in Titanium, a must have, because it’s lighter. I've read it, bought it and worn the tee shirt. My wallets empty.

But just a minute, is it true or have we been duped by the outdoors know alls. Did i need to spend all that cash on pots,pans,cups and cutlery. Well the answer is simple - NO. So all you folk starting out buying gear or doing the D of E this year, don’t be fooled into parting with your cash.

Here are a few examples to be going on with.

Cutlery.

 The expensive Tibetan Titanium Spork. 17 grams. £13.50

 The not so expensive spoon from Expedition foods. 14 grams and now £1.50

My very very cheap homemade bamboo spoon. 10 grams. £0.65p

Bamboo wins comfortably on both weight and cost.

Next up cups.

Titanium Lifeventure mug. Cost £20 from Cotswold shop. 60 grams

 The well known and well used and seen everywhere in the outdoors, plastic mug. Cost £1.75 and weighs 58 grams

The Asaklitt mug from Clas Ohlson. 36 grams and cost £1.39

The Asaklitt mug wins hands down and in my opinion plastic is far better to drink from than Titanium which can burn your lips if not careful.

Pans next.

I have a couple of Titanium pans which i use depending if i am solo or with Sheila. For this comparison i have used a pan of similar capacity. i.e. 600ml.

 The Evernew 600ml pan. Less lid weighs 68 grams and costs a whopping £37.00

My stainless steel pan 600ml cost £0 and weighs 66 grams but i do have a separate lifting handle that weighs 10 grams.

This seamless Stainless Steel “pan" is a throw away item and that’s why i have costed it as £0. It came to Sheila as part of a set of Vaseline lip care (Shown below). The lid which i haven’t shown above also makes a good sized frying pan. The whole lot including the 3 lip salve cost £3.35.

So the titanium pan just scrapes in on weight but certainly not on price. The weight benefit is not worth the cost imo.

Where titanium does win and i have no problems with it at all is on windshields and gas stoves. A titanium windshield will last you a lifetime and will work perfectly after years of rolling up and abuse. Aluminium although cheap and easy to replace just doesn’t have the longevity and so titanium should be considered.

Gas stoves however just cannot compete with titanium on weight and although alloy/steel stoves are cheaper, the difference in price is not so far out that titanium is beyond our reach.

A good backpacking stove can be found now at Alpkit in titanium for £25 and weighs 45 grams. How progress has been made. You can see it here.

So, is fantastic titanium backpacking gear a bit of a myth. Well the answer has to be yes and no. Just check out those alternatives before spending all that cash.

Insulated food warmer

 Readers will know that i love to make my own gear and i get a great deal of satisfaction from doing that. It stems from my working background in engineering that things can always be improved upon, that there is a better, cheaper, more practical way of making it. I know there are quite a few of you think similar.

So progressing from my last post, once you have heated up which ever type of outdoor grub you prefer you need to place it in a food warmer.

Well i am pleased to release here for the first time a fantastic new product that in no way i can improve upon. It's manufacture and specification is as good as i have seen and i don't think any other manufacturer is offering a product quite like it.

I am also pleased to say that it's from Brenig, the small British outdoor gear manufacturer from whom i reviewed their Aran smock a little while ago. Here

It's an insulated food warmer. Designed to accept dehydrated/freeze dried food pouches that need to stand for a number of minutes to allow the food to re-hydrate once you have added the boiling water.

My old pouch is made from silver roofing insulation. I know that like me, many of you use it for pot cosy's. It has served me well. But this new insulated warmer leaves it standing.

The warmer's heart is Thinsulate covered inside and out with a material which is for all intensive purposes the same as Pertex. It's soft, warm to the touch, in fact it feels just like your own insulated jacket. It packs down really small and it only weighs 65 grams.

Where it excels is it's temperature specification. It has been successfully tested down to -50C. Yes -50C. (-58F). So for even the hardiest souls who build igloo's in the Cairngorm in winter, traverse the Munro's in the harshest of weather or plan Arctic adventures, having one of these with you will ensure your food stays hot because it retains the heat longer. For the mere mortal backpacker it's a luxury worth having.

With it being so soft and warm you can also put an item of clothing inside it, a down Gilet for instance and use it as a pillow. We like our backpacking gear to be multi functional don't we.
I'm sure you will think up numerous other uses for it. eg. Protecting a Kindle or in my case a Nexus 7 for one.

Another nice surprise is the cost! It can be purchased for the very reasonable price of £12.50 plus postage and packing. Here.
And when it needs it, it can be washed at low temperature.

I must see if i can get one for my cooking pot too. Now there's a thought.

Gear round up from Lammermuir's trip.

Here is the gear I used on our Herring Road trip.

Tent.

Tarptent Moment.

This is my only 1 person tent. I really like it now the door has been modified. My only wish is that I would like the inner door to be 2/3 solid 1/3 mesh and the outer door have a 2 way zip. Currently the inner is all mesh. I realise that the weight would rise slightly, but it would be better for UK conditions.

 Other than that, it's an excellent shelter, fast to erect and under 1kilo.

Sleeping Bag.

PHD Minim 500. in drishell. (Bought in the "make your own" sale last year. So i can’t include a link for it.)

Rated at -9 degrees C.

I took this bag simply because of the overnight temperatures we have had of late. I am not a backpacker that takes a lighter bag and uses additional clothing to boost the warmth. I don't like sleeping in clothing and therefore the bag has to do the job.

We had temperatures down to -7 degrees C and the cold woke me, admittedly it was around the shoulder area i felt it. I did put on my North Face belay jacket and then I dropped off to sleep again. So I would say the -9 rating is the absolute limit for me. We certainly didn't expect such a low temperature as we had, so i was pleased i brought this bag along. I wish i had ordered it with a shoulder baffle now. I wonder if i can get one retro fitted over the summer? Mmm. email to PHD pending.

Sleeping Mat.

Exped Synmat UL 7. With pump bag.

 Superb kit. I have the medium length mat, weight 460gr. The pump bag is very light and it fully inflates the mat in 3 fills of the bag. 

I also use a sheet of 3 mm foam. The type I use is manufactured for use under laminated flooring. 2m x 0.5m, weighs 85 grams. The additional warmth and insulation it provides is worth every gram. Unfortunately you can only buy this insulation in large pack sizes. costs £20. But there again it will last you ages and you can make all sorts of kit with it.

Rucksack.

Mammut Creon light 45.

My full pack weight including food for 4 days was 11 kilo.

I found the shoulder straps very uncomfortable. I compared the straps on Judith's Osprey Exos and the Osprey is far better at spreading the load across the shoulders. The Exos straps stayed solid and flat whereas the Creon buckled. I tried altering the back height but it didn’t make any difference to the straps. I will have to make some changes to them or otherwise the pack will not get used.

The Creon only has 1 hip belt pocket. I would have liked 2.

The sack size, shape, design and quality is good and I had no problems fitting all my gear in and the pockets are near perfect.

The biggest problem I had was with the spring steel rod that creates the air gap between the sack and your back. It kept springing out of position and was uncomfortable. It would wear your outer shell if left unspotted.
I have emailed photographs to Mammut to see if it can be resolved.

Stove.

Primus Express Spider.

 I have numerous stoves, gas, meths, solid. I chose the Spider, again because of the expected low temperatures and with the Spider having a pre-heat tube it would be reliable. 

It was a good choice. The Spider is not by any means the lightest stove but with it also being a remote canister stove it makes it ideal to use in the tent porch if necessary.

Gas, I took Primus 4 season and in total I used 66 grams of gas, i also kept the canister in my sleeping bag at night.

Pan used. Evernew ca-251 ti.
To light the stove I use a fire steel. It is completely reliable.

Insulation

I took 2 insulation jackets. TNF Zephyrus and PHD Minimus.

I didn't' need to take the Minimus in all honesty. The Zephyrus was good enough especially when used in conjunction with my outer shell.

Outer shell.

I had a new shell jacket I was reviewing for a company. It won't be on the market until Autumn. I will do a separate post on this, once I have the ok off the company to release it.

It's a shame that it won't be available for this years TGO challenge.

Overtrousers. (Note, it’s over -trousers not over-pants.!)
Rab Bergan’s. Not the best waterproof overtrousers considering the price of them. They do leak a little around the knee seams but i can live with them. I have re-proofed them a number of times but nothing resolves the ingress. They are not damaged in any way and show no signs of wear.

If i was to buy a new pair they would probably be the Berghaus Paclites.

Trousers. (Not pants).

Columbia Silver Ridge convertibles.

I just enjoy wearing these. For me they are perfect for the temperatures just now. I have numerous other pairs of walking trousers including Montane and Rohan to name a couple, good trousers in there own right, but I always seem to come back to these. They can get a bit sweaty in summer but then they do convert to shorts.
The belt loops are wide and the pockets large and secure.

Base layers.

I wore 2 base layers rather than 1 base and 1 mid. I get too warm if i wear a conventional mid layer.

Rohan long sleeved ultra silver tee. At 95 grams. I enjoy wearing it, you hardly know you have it on.

On top of this I wore a Trekmates Merino zip top.

I have a number of merino tops from Icebreaker, Katmandu, Aldi and the Trekmates is the best. It's not the thickest top but it seems to be the warmest and the most comfortable. Don’t ask me why because i can’t work it out. Great value for money in comparison with the Icebreaker.

Socks

Bridgedale Trekkers. I have tried others but always come back to these. (I havn’t tried Teko socks as yet though.) I am also not overly keen on Merino socks i find that they give/stretch a little too much.

Boots

Meindl Softline.

Lighting.
Petzl e-lite.
Very lightweight and does a good job.

GPS
I took my Satmap Active 10+.
I didn’t have a route mapped on it because i had no idea of the route, apart from the Start point and the end point. I used it a couple of times just to see exactly where we were but Mike was keeping the way close to his chest. Well that was where his map case was anyway.
It was useful to get grid references of camping spots.

That’s about it. except for the small items of kit which are pretty insignificant. 

Wales trip

 Tomorrow morning i am off to Mid Wales for a backpacking trip with Mike Knipe and Dawn Linney.
I think i will need all the help i can get from the Babbel fish as Mike is from Durham and Dawn from London. We are going in the area of Cadair Idris but thats about as much as i can tell you here.

 I packed my sack and then unpacked it as you do. Then i thought goodness that seems to be a lot of stuff. Having decided that i wasn’t taking anything out, here is my kit.

Top row right to left.
Waterproofs, Cloudveil Koven jacket and Rab overtrousers.
Kit in drybag containing stove windshield, trowel, hand sanitizer, lighter, StrikeForce fire starter reserve waterproof matches.
Super Delios water filter in blue cover,
Tent pole.
2L water bottle
Tarptent Moment tent,
Tent pegs,
Pump bag for sleeping mat.
Satmap active 10+ in drybag.
Glasses.
Mozi spray and sponge in plastic bag.
Sunglasses. (Probably won’t use them)
Spare string.
Small camera tripod.

Just under top row. Left to right.
Mozi net.
Rucksack cover
Spare drybag. (Will be used for barm cakes)
Tent footprint.

Centre Row Right to Left.
Toiletry bag
3 dehydrated meals
Sleeping mat Exped UL7 long.
Pan Evernew 600ml with stove inside, Primus Express spider.
Below pan, Plastic mug and plastic bowl.
Repair kit for tent/bed and other gear and First Aid kit in red drybag.
Breakfasts, tea, coffee. in yellow drybag.
1 x C250 gas.
O1M camp/tent shoes.

Bottom row. Right to Left.
Camera and Case.
Spare clothes. Trousers, top, undies and socks.
Down jacket in Orange drybag
Sleeping bag. PHD Minimus 500  -10 spec with dryshell outer in yellow drybag.
Gloves, Berghaus stretch fleece and Outdoor research waterproof mitts, OR waterproof hat and balaclava in red drybag.
Lunch x3 and chocy bars in container with a bag of mixed nuts and fruit.

All this will be packed into Mammut Creon Light rucksack that has my multi tool and spoon attached.
And i will be taking my GoLite brolley which isn’t in the photo and a map/compass too. Very handy to have a map and compass.

It all adds up doesn’t it. I didn’t think i was taking much until i started to write it down. Yes i have a list.
I hope i don’t think of anything else.

I will do a report on the trip on return.

A Touch of Nostalgia

I had been reading a post recently and saw that a chap was still using his Karrimor Totem Senior rucksack to this day. What a superb piece of kit it was with a very strong, lightweight aluminium frame.

The pack itself was only coated nylon but again it was strong and durable.

Great pockets and ease of access. 

Lots of extra’s that we used to carry could be strapped to the frame when the sack had been filled.

Like 1/2 gallon of paraffin. Or a box stove. 

I used mine for a long time and was sad to see it go, but it went to a good home.

No measuring weights in those day. Ha 

It had me digging out my old photo’s to see if i still had one showing myself with the KTS bag.
Well here it is and that’s me on the left BTW.
Red was obviously the colour of the 6o’s and 70’s.
Anyone guess the mountain in the background?
No prizes unfortunately.

Backpacking spoons. MYOG

I had to post a parcel today so i decided to walk into town rather than use the car. Due to the closures of village Post Offices this is now a 6 mile hike for us.
While i was there it gave me the chance to have a look round some of the shops. On my mind had been the idea of buying a Bamboo spoon for backpacking. Bamboo is the ideal material, it’s strong, relatively light weight, food doesn’t stain Bamboo so i am led to believe, and therefore it should be ok for those packet curries and spagbols we tend to take with us.
Also, i wanted a spoon with a longer handle to get down to the bottom of the packets without getting food all over my fingers.
Over the years i had tried many spoons, from the cheap and cheerful to the expensive folding titanium but had never been happy with any really. Although i did receive a freebie from Expedition foods which was quite good. Below is a few of our collection.

Then in one of the less expensive shops in town i spotted these tongs. (Sorry the photo contrast is too similar.)

They were only £0.59p and as you can see they are basically 2 spoons glued together. They are just the right length at 24 cm (9.5”) So i thought it wouldn’t take a genius to make something of these to suit my requirements.
Getting back home i set about them. First splitting the tongs and then sanding them down until smooth.
I decided just for cosmetic reasons to drill some holes in the handle and then tie in a length of Dyneema cord.

So here we have the finished spoon. Weight 0.5 oz or 14 grams. Only 3 grams heavier than my Expedition foods poly spoon, so that’s pleasing.
It looks good, and it will make a good companion for any Kupilka.
For £0.59p, a bargain i think.

The weekends Gear test.

During our couple of days getting to know the Scarp 2, i also took along some other bits and bobs to try out.
The first one was a 1.5 metre length of Thermawrap.
This is manufactured as loft insulation and comes in rolls 600mm wide by 7.5m long and costs £18.74 at B and Q.
It is supposed to give the same insulating properties as would 55mm of polystyrene. So that sounded good. Worth a trial run.

You can cut it to what ever length or shape you want and you can make pot cosy’s and such like from it.
For transporting you can roll it or fold it and its not bulky.
This piece weighs 200gr.

Underneath this and covering the tent floor i laid a AMK heatsheet emergency blacket, the strong, quiet type, (that’s the blanket not me) which i purchased from Ultralight outdoors.
I also put the same blanket underneath the groundsheet.  They measure 213cm X 142cm and weigh 68gr each.
I then had my Small ThermArest Neo Air,  and Sheila had her Trango World foam mat. weighing 370 gr. Sheila is so impressed with the TrangoWorld mat she has decided to part company with her Neo-Air.


This set up worked for us and at temperature down to -7 we didn’t feel the cold from the ground and we don’t have to go and buy another set of Mats.


Cooking.
I took with me 2 cook sets, the Optimus Crux and my homemade Alky stove.
I took 2 gas cylinders both GoSystem Powersource winter mix of Butane- Isobutane and Propane.
The 125gr cylinder was half full and the 220gr cylinder was new.
The cylinders were kept in a Merino wool sock cosy.
 The first time i came to use the gas set up i fitted the part used cylinder to the burner. The temperature was -3. It lit ok but died after about 5 seconds. I tried again only this time turning it up full. It lasted about 30 seconds and died again.
Letting it cool down i swapped cylinders for the new one and repeated the operation. The burner would only stay alight as long as it was on full blast. Anything less and it died.
I was not impressed that this stove wouldn’t work properly with a half full cylinder using winter mix fuel.
So i don’t think i would take the Crux on a backpacking trip in the winter months.

On the other hand the Alky stove worked well and i din’t have a problem. I kept the meths in a cozy made from the Thermawrap material and my gas lighter in bubble wrap.

Meths and Lighter protected from the cold temperature.

 Meths bottle, Bic lighter and Spark arrester.

Lighter with Spark Arrester in situ.

I like these Bic lighters, they are good for Meths and Esbit cooking. They are also cheap at £2.49. and last quite a while. (price now £3.49. 18th December 2010)
I use a spark arrester just in case the trigger gets accidentally depressed when it’s in the rucksack. With this in place it cannot light.

As it happens i didn’t get to use the Esbits.

Foot Warmers
Sheila feels the cold more than i do and she fancied getting a pair of down booties, but they are such an expensive item.
Looking around the outdoor shops in Manchester she came upon these Blue Mountain Thinsulate slippers in the Cotswold Shop (other places sold them too). They were buy one pair get one 1/2 price.
So she did.
I admit to being a bit sceptical when i saw them but i hold my hands up now and say they were wonderful. Well worth the price and when the extremities are warm you cope better. I wore them all night.
You can use them in your sleeping bag and on the groundsheet without compromising either.
They are a great piece of kit and weigh 88gr each size 42/8

So apart from the Crux it had been an interesting weekend and a few more bits of gear tested.