gear guide
How to prevent and treat blisters when hiking
Don’t let blisters ruin your time in the outdoors. Our guide on how to prevent blisters and treat them will keep your feet trail happy Whether you’re an experienced trekker or a newcomer to the trails, you will invariably suffer from one of the most common hiking injuries. Therefore, we’ve put together a simple guide on how to prevent and treat blisters when hiking. How to prevent blisters When it comes to blisters, prevention is always better than a cure. Knowing how to prevent blisters will save you from those painful footsteps later on. What causes blisters? Blisters are actually part of the body’s healing process and develop to protect damaged skin and help it recover. They can be caused by allergies, skin conditions, burns or even insect stings and spider bites. But the most common ca...
How to choose a sleeping bag: a buying guide
Our comprehensive guide on how to choose a sleeping bag will ensure a cosy night’s sleep whatever the temperature Whether you’re a weekend warrior making a dash for the hills or preparing for a multi-day trek through the Himalayas, choosing the right sleeping bag can make or break a camping trip. It could be the difference between waking up fully recharged and ready for another day on the trail, or utterly exhausted and set to pack it in and head home to the comfort of your own bed. With this in mind, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide on how to choose a sleeping bag. How to choose a sleeping bag We’ve broken down our guide into the following subsections. Where will you use your sleeping bag? The first question to ask is ‘where will I use my sleeping bag?’ I have two sleeping bags. O...
How to choose a down jacket
A beginner’s guide on how to choose a down jacket that will keep you warm and toasty in the great outdoors A high-quality down jacket is no longer the preserve of the outdoorsy. Politicians, pop stars and even princesses have been pictured in a ‘puffa’. Of course, a down jacket truly comes into its own when used and tested in the great outdoors. Understanding what to consider before you choose a down jacket can be confusing. To make the decision easy, we’ve put together a simple guide to choosing the jacket that’s best for you. What is down? Down is the natural insulating layer found on geese and ducks that helps keep their bodies warm in nearly freezing temperatures. It is usually white or grey and looks like small clusters of fluff. These clusters create millions of tiny air ...
20 best hiking apps to download in 2021
We take a look at the best hiking apps currently available and which ones best meet your needs be they trip planning, navigation or first aid. Hiking apps never used to feature in my outdoor adventures, but times have changed. Now, every Ordnance Survey map comes with a digital version available to download onto my smartphone or tablet. When planning an adventure in the wild, my preparations still begin with spreading out my paper maps across the floor and marking out possible trailheads, routes and campsites. However, now that I have more consistent access to reliable phone reception and wifi, along with a host of battery packs and solar chargers, I also make use of an array of hiking apps. Best hiking apps Below, I take a look at some of the best apps for hiking available for outdoo...
The layering system: how to layer clothing for the outdoors
Now that spring is finally on the horizon, we’ve updated our guide to the layering system and how best to adapt your clothing to suit any outdoor condition Springtime is almost upon us and with it come the capricious weather conditions that define the season. Mark Twain once said, “In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.” Here in the UK, spring weather so often described as “mixed” or “unpredictable” essentially includes anything from perfect hillwalking conditions with blue skies, sunshine and a cooling breeze to treacherous conditions laden with mud, stormy skies and gale-force winds. As I prepare for my first expeditions of the year, I’ll be using the following layering system, a tried-and-tested method fo...
How to choose a tent: a buying guide
Our comprehensive guide on how to choose a tent will ensure dry and comfortable nights whatever the weather If you ask me, time in a tent is time well spent. I’m usually at my most content when under canvas. With the distractions of modern life left behind, I find that camping has a detoxifying effect on me. At the end of a day on the trail, I pitch my tent, eat, drink, sleep. In the morning I strike my tent and then repeat. It’s a simple but good life. Of course, knowing how to choose a tent is not so simple. There is a slew of options available with a glossary of bewildering jargon to match. It can be a confusing affair and potentially an expensive one if you get it wrong. If you get it right, however, you will enjoy comfort, reliability and some of the best views money can’t buy night a...
Highlander Velebit gear list: what’s in my pack
Our Highlander Velebit gear list includes everything you’ll need for five days of hiking across Croatia’s highest mountain range I recently completed the Highlander Velebit, a 104km 5-day trek across the Northern Velebit and Paklenica national parks in Croatia. The Velebit is one of Highlander Adventure’s collection of organised treks and therefore requires a slightly different mix of gear than what I’d pack for an independent trek. To help future trekkers get the balance right, I’ve put together my usual post-trip gear list of everything I packed. Where possible, I’ve included links to the gear I carried for reference. [embedded content] Highlander Velebit gear list As the trek is only five days long with four nights of camping, I encourage trekkers to go as light as possible. I kept...
- 1
- 2
