i have recently rediscovered the joy that is Berghaus Yeti Gaiters, this occured on a Deer stalking course in the West Highlands where snow, bog, streams (raging, wild torrents of peaty drowning…) defeated the previous, more standard gaiter, but stood no chance against the all-enclosedness of the Yeti. the revelation was confirmed on a two day walk (swim?) through mid-Wales in the last week or so…
the issue lightweight MTP waterproof trousers (the paclite clone with full length zip) have continued to repain unsurpassed by all comers - not only have they remained steadfastly Scottish mountain winter-proof, but their breathability has equalled anything that Berghaus, Mammut, ME etc… have so far provided.
Sealskinz ultra-grip gloves have endlessly proven their worth in both Scottish and Welsh winter mountain conditions this year - no different to last year or many years before that - the only slight issue is that touchscreen phones don’t respond to them, so a pen thing is required…
the one failure is a random purchace - a ‘Highlander’ version of the Lowe Alpine Mountain cap. its certainly warm, waterproof and pretty breathable, but i’ve just not been able to get it to sit right on my head so i’m always fiddling with it, and if i pull my hood over it the thing just won’t sit still. binned in favour of a rather less sophisticated Meraklon wooly hat that just sits there with no input required.
a buff - cheaper versions that do exactly the same things are available - has been an absolute godsend in the endless wind we’ve had this year. i was wearing it as a facemask in September…
i’m off to play on the Rhinogs tommorow - Christmas Eve - should get some snow on the tops in the afternoon.
i think they do, however i’m unsure if sticking a £40 pair of gloves on my xmas list - with the explanation ‘its so i can play on my phone’ - will wash with someone who believes that i have far to much stuff anyway.
thank you for your welcome - my name is Angus, and i’ve got 6 pairs of waterproof trousers.
i had a rather unpleasant experience last sunday - had a great day exploring in wintery Snowdonia, my Yeti’s again proved their worth in the bog and snow, but a perhaps slightly ambitious route choice earlier in the day saw me decide to come off the hill in the immediately on-coming darkness and hit the minor road back to the car park, rather than the original choice of ascending, and then decending, a spur of the mountain.
almost all of my walking gear is low viz, greys, greens etc… so i was a bit concerned about walking on the road at night with random snow showers a million miles from a streetlight, so i whipped a spare headtorch onto my daysack and cracked on.
i got the yellow one, it fits a 35ltr sac perfectly, and its very well constructed. it will go in the bottom of my sac for the next time i employ big hand, small map theory…
I recently upgraded my old Petzl zoom to LED with success. Improved battery life and still good light.
There is a good way of avoiding the hassle of changing headtorch batteries in the field…take a spare headtorch!!
I now take a spare as well as batteries etc buried in the depths of the rucksack, just in case.
One lesson I learn’t many years ago when ski touring in Scotland is to take a spare map and compass!! Both of us in the party assumed that the other had a map and compass…v sloppy of us and a long walk/ ski to a road ensued, combined with an unexpected taxi fare back to the car!!! Lesson well learned!!!
A rather nice Helikon Windrunner windproof shirt came though the letterbox at chez Angus yesterday, and today’s bright, blustery conditions allowed a quick test…
It’s a pertex type thing with a hood, half zip, two small chest pockets and a larger, side-to-side pouch at waist level.
I wore it while on the ATV at between 300 and 500 metres in the Shropshire/Powys border for about 3 hours, and with a bit of walking - a km or so - in breezy conditions with a short, light shower. Temp started at about 8c with a bit of wind-chill and went to about 12c.
It wasn’t quite as breathable as the simplest, thinnest pertex top (the Arktis one for example), but it’s comparable with the Paramo feura, but lighter and packs up smaller and has more pockets.
It stood up to showers well, but it is brand new with a DWR, and it dry with a minute of the shower ending.
And from the stuff you didn’t know existed but now can’t live without pile…
Joe Brown, a very famous climbing shop in Llanberis, do the little cord lock things - what’s this you ask, every one does them, but no - Joe Brown does cord locks with a little LED light on them.
You’re walking along, the lights not fantastic and perhaps its raining: you stop, open up your rucksack to get to your secret chocolate supply - but wait! it’s so dark inside your sack that you can’t find your secret chocolate fix, you rummage in panic, you wonder if one of the little thieving yobs we call cadets has somehow pinched it. Then it strikes you - panic over, you grab the little cord lock thing on the drawstring, pop the button and instantly light floods the inside of your sack revealing the chocolate, haribo, valium, bottle of scotch and 20 Benson and Hedge’s that you’ve sensibly brought instead of all that first aid, group shelter, spare clothing and other rubbish the ACO naively thinks you need to survive a weekend with cadets!
It’s genius, absolute genius - ok, its possible that if it’s dark enough that you can’t see inside your rucksack then it’s dark enough that you’ll be wearing a head torch, but that’s not the point - this is gadgetry, new things, shiny, Gucci even…
£9 each from Joe Browns in Llanberis. 3 on the way to the gullible and the feature obsessed…
I’m doing paperwork, so obviously I’m looking for any excuse to do something else.
An update to my previous review of the Helikon Windrunner windshirt.
It’s pants, don’t buy it.
I mentioned in my initial review that it’s not as breathable as the Arktis type shirts - this is, sadly, the understatement of the millennium and gets worse each time your put it on. The fabric also gets alarmingly warm to the touch in sunlight - mine in the slate grey colour, and it becomes physically uncomfortable in direct sunlight above 14c or so when there’s not much breeze.
It’s also incredibly fragile - all the zips are now broken, and it is covered in tiny holes and small tears.
I’d forgotten about this thread, but just put an Eagle X01 drive train with a Hope oval chainring on my MTB. The cassette is a marvel of engineering really, being so light for what it is and the oval ring really does seem to make a difference.
70l Arborist bag from Rescued from Landfill for moving my paddling gear around. 90% recycled, loads of pockets for organisation and bits to clip stuff too.
Cracking bit of kit, thanks for the suggestion @Batfink !
(we’re not on Number 4 due to their fragility - they are pretty much bombproof! It’s just that they are simply brilliant for moving bulky kit and equipment around!)
I “needed” a new tent because the cat peed in my Vango.
I also had plans to turn the flysheet on said Vango into a canoe sail.
And there was the Berghaus tent sale…
I most recently had a Berghaus tent and have to say that the quality was disappointing for such a big name. The first toggle came off just on its first use!
I liked that fact that I could have it up and ready in just a few minutes though.
