Podsacs, which has attained something of a cult status for its Black Ice backpack, has just introduced a stripped down version with enough ounces shaved to make a difference when the air gets thin. The new Thin Ice is made of Dyneema, a fabric more commonly spotted in slings, tapes and bulletproof jackets because of […]
Top Tips for Buying Cheaper Gear.
Shop During Sales – Doh! It’s so obvious why am I even saying this here. Well, I’ve managed to cut 40% to 50% from the price of most of my gear by waiting for sales to come around. Goods that I’ve bought on sale include top bands like a Marmot Liquid Steel Jacket, Marmot Oracle […]
La Sportiva Makalu Reviewed – One of the Top Winter Mountaineering Boots
There’s a particular feeling you get when you cinch yourself into a pair of four-season winter boots. It’s an electric mix of invincibility and discomfort as you adjust your gait to a ramrod sole that’s meant for kicking snow steps and front pointing all day. Serious boots were built for one thing, and that’s not […]
Patagonia’s Hemp Jackets – Not for Smoking
And, with the new catalogues coming in thick, Patagonia has just put out theirs. Seems the only new clothing they’re introducing this fall is a line of jackets made from a mix of hemp and recycled polyester. The Hi-Wire jackets are definitely on the fashion-end rather than the technical-end of the scale. That said, they […]
Scarpa Manta Comes Top In Trail Magazine Review
Scarpa has just cleaned up the British Trail Magazine’s awards, winning best 4-season winter boot with the Scarpa Manta and best 3-4 season boot with the Scarpa SL. The review, which calls itself “Britain’s toughest test”, is bound to increase the popularity of the already iconic Manta boot.Update 2010: Most of this was written when […]