Berghaus is marketing a limited edition of of it’s Challenge 8000 jacket, a hard shell Gore-Tex XCR jacket designed by British Mountaineer Alan Hinkes.Hinkes reached the summit of Kangchenjunga on 30th May 2005 becoming the first Briton to climb all the world’s fourteen 8000 metre summits.It’s taken 18 years and 28 expeditions and Alan describes […]
Climbing Aconcagua – Trip report
Climbing Aconcagua is a duanting undertaking. Posted here is a trip report by John Black, an equipment buyer for Cape Union Mart, a chain of South African hiking and outdoor gear stores that provide reasonably priced gear under the K-Way brand. I own and use some of their gear, which may not be the lightest […]
Hurricane Survival Kit
Hurricane Katrina and the devestation of New Orleans is a useful reminder of just how horribly wrong things can go when the complex network of communications, supplies and social relations of modern cities break down. Luckily, if you’re a climber, hiker or camper, you already know about fending for yourself, sheltering from the elements in […]
Blue wolf – the big mama of expedition bags
Blue Wolf Vital Stats: Weight: 2 kg Down fill: 1.2 kg Temp rating: -25C Price: 249 pounds (2,895 Rand, excluding shipping) Strong points: Very warm, lots of bag for your money Weak points: A tad heavier than some higher-priced competitors and it’s a hassle buying from South Africa. I hate sleeping cold, those shivers that […]
Sleeping naked
A common theme that pops up around the campfire is whether it’s warmer to sleep naked in a sleeping bag than to add whatever cloths you’ve got. The debate has just resurfaced on the discussion forums of U.K. climbing, where it started as a question as to whether adding a silk liner to a bag […]