Testing to see whether Alpaca or Cashmere will outshine standard wool blankets for wild camping? And can they even top synthetics? In my quest to find the best warmth for weight for a plastic free wild camping setup I am testing a variety of materials to get a better understanding of their insulative properties. See […]
Alpaca vs. Cashmere – Which is warmer? Read More »
Having received some bamboo walking socks for Christmas I thought I would test some of the claims for bamboo clothing seen online. Primarily, trying to understand whether it really is a warmer material than wool. There are some pretty wild claims out there, e.g. “three times warmer than wool” (but I won’t name and shame).
Are bamboo socks warmer than wool? – TESTED Read More »
I have been using my Alberg Malham walking boots for a few years now so it’s high time for a review. The Altberg Malham is a 3 season leather boot with a Sympatex lining making it suitable for typical British wet weather hiking and hill walking conditions. It’s a lightweight flexible boot so not suitable
Altberg Malham Boots Review Read More »
I have used a silk sleeping bag liner for many years with the twin aims of adding some extra warmth and protecting the sleeping bag from grime and dirt (it being far easier to wash a liner than a bag, especially a down one). However it’s pretty hard to get a clear view on how
How much warmth does a silk sleeping bag liner add? – TESTED Read More »
For those who haven’t seen the YouTube video or read my previous posts on the subject I am attempting to build a natural fabrics based setup for wild camping in UK upland areas. This differs slightly from classical bushcraft setups, where natural fabric based kit is popular, as bushcraft settings allow us to supplement carried
Wool vs. Synthetic fleece blanket test – Insulation face off Read More »
I am aiming to build a plastic free wild camping setup for use in UK upland areas. So slightly different to most bushcraft use cases which are optimised for wooded areas and use of fires (I do love a bit of bushcraft too!). The broader background to this is covered here. I am taking a
Plastic Free Wild Camping – Building the sleep system for all seasons Read More »
It’s not often you see ten year reviews. For the simple truth that in the modern world most things simply don’t last that long. This review takes a look at how this “design classic” cascading card wallet has stood the test of time, and critically would I replace it with another Secrid when it finally
Secrid Miniwallet – 10 Year Review Read More »
I previously did a review of the #7 Opinel and this is my favourite knife to carry for wild camping, overnight hikes etc. This is a quick comparison between that blade and its little sister the #5. The #5 is something I have chosen as an EDC knife alongside the other useful EDC piece of
Opinel #5 versus #7 – Comparison review of this UK legal carry Read More »
Refilling small gas canisters (perfect for light hiking) with larger ones is a great camping sustainability and cost saving “hack” that has become really popular. With a 100g gas canister often costing around £4 in the UK and a 300g can available as low as £6, it is easy to see why (200% more gas
Refilling Camping Gas Canisters/Cartridges – 5 Dangers to avoid Read More »
Building a sustainable and brilliant clothing system for the UK mountains and wild camping out of natural fibres To complement my ongoing make your own gear (MYOG) project, where am working on a completely plastic free wild camping setup suitable for UK mountain and moorland areas, I am pulling together a clothing system to suit.
Plastic Free Outdoor clothing for hiking & wild camping Read More »
A look at the impact of Covid in interest for Climbing, Cycling and a few more outdoor sports from 2020 when the pandemic began to the end of lockdowns. Have we seen a lasting legacy?? Online search trends are a good approximator of overall subject interest. Covid had a huge impact on the world and
Search trends and outdoor sports – The Covid impact Read More »
Somewhat at odds with our blog title we venture into a space with no skies to give the kids a day out with a difference. A days caving in South Wales. I have tried caving a few times. As a Scout we were lucky to have a district caving expert who would take us on
A caving experience: a caving day in Wales for beginners Read More »
A quick opinion piece on what I like and don’t like about this classic knife. For a video review see below the text review. The classic Opinel knife, for the uninitiated, is a simple folding blade pocket knife in, most commonly, a beech wood handle. They are available in locking and non locking variants and
Opinel Knife Review – the perfect pocket knife? Read More »
First impressions on this heavyweight wool pullover from Arthur Beale, one of the UKs oldest yacht chandlers, outfitting explorers and seafarers for 500 years I’ve been keen to get my hands on one of these jumpers/pullovers for a while. Made of 100% British Wool in a Submariner Rollneck style, it’s not cheap (currently £145 full
Arthur Beale Beerenberg Jumper Review Read More »
As an AI/data specialist by profession I’m lucky enough to spend time thinking about how to apply AI today to solve business problems. However it’s fun to think beyond to what the future might hold. AI will fundamentally change our life experience from entertainment to healthcare. In 20 years the world (barring monumental disaster, thanks
Imagining futures – 5 ways AI will change the world Read More »
