Gear reviews

Welcome to the reviews page

From travel gear, novels, travel blogs, guidebooks, podcasts to films and even YouTube channels that are informative, you will find it all here.  The good, the bad and the ugly. 

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Enjoy!

BEST AND WORST GEAR OF 2021

THE BEST AND WORST BACKPACKING GEAR OF 2021

As the year comes to an end I thought it would be a good idea to reflect on the backpacking gear that I both loved and regretted buying during 2021. I was looking back on my first backpacking trip in 2016 and my gear choices have completely changed since those days. Nowadays I’m more of…

salomon cross hike shoes

Salomon Cross Hikes Shoes and Boots – The Good The Bad and the Ugly

Are these the best hiking shoes / boots for UK walking? I purchased my first pair of Salomon Cross Hike Mid GTX boots over 12 months ago, and since then I have gone through two pairs of boots and one pair of Cross Hike Shoes – but are they any good? What attracted me to…

Screenshot 2021-04-15 at 16.18.14

GSI INFINITY MUG & CASCADE WILD TABLE WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

This week I have two products to show you, I have the GSI infinity mug and the Cascade Wild Table. GSI MUG I purchased this mug as I was getting fed up with my Sea to Summit Collapsible Mug. The S2S mug has no lid, and it is also rather unstable. I have lost count…

Gossamer Gear Thinpad UK alternative

THE UK EQUIVALENT TO THE GOSSAMER GEAR THINLIGHT 1/8” PAD – WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

I am planning for my Thruhike of the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) and am now becoming very “weight” conscious. If I can find gear that is lightweight and multi-purpose then I’m up for that! Back in November, Darwin on the Trail (backpacking influencer) mentioned that he had decided to get rid of his “sit mat”…

do not buy these camp shoes

DO NOT BUY THESE NATUREHIKE CAMP SHOES OR THE NEW ULTRAPOD PRO – WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

Each week I put together a video of new items that have arrived in the post that feeds my backpacking and hiking habits! My Amazon addiction has sparked some strange purchases. Most items are rather cool and I will get a lot of use out of them, however, this week’s video showcases two recent purchases…

IMG_6054

How to Sleep Warm When Wild Camping in the UK

With all the recent snow, it was a perfect opportunity to test my new winter gear set up. I sleep cold…. VERY cold. I suffer from Raynaud’s and therefore I have poor circulation. It’s important to keep warm when sleeping, so I hope you enjoy this video as I test my new winter gear set…

The best backpacking coffee

AWESOME BACKPACKERS FILTER COFFEE – SOMETHING DIFFERENT

When on a backpacking trip there is nothing better than brewing fresh coffee and watching the sun rise from the comfort of your tent. For me, there is a fine line between good tasting coffee and convenience. I have tried the Jetboil coffee press and other filters that are made for backpackers, but it is…

Hiking tripods

THE BEST VLOGGING MINI TRIPOD FOR HIKERS

I am a geek at heart and love gadgets for hiking but also for technology. I’ve experimented with all sorts of ways to produce good videos for YouTube (still working on that one!), but I have finally found a tripod that works for me. I have used gadgets such as a StickPic (a mount that…

Pimp your walking poles. Make them stand out from the crowd.

Pimp Your Poles Like A Pro!

If you have walked the Camino then you will recognise the familiar sight of lots of rather similar looking walking poles all clumped together in a bucket at the front of the Albergue. I have known other pilgrims walk off with the wrong poles (and the wrong walking boots!) by accident, so it’s important to…

Geocaching in Northamptonshire

A Geocaching Hike in Northamptonshire

On a very foggy and misty Sunday morning in December I drove a short distance to a small village in Northamptonshire, not far from my home to have a mini-adventure. Every now and then it is good to just get outside on your own on the hunt for treasure. Or, in my case, little plastic…

Naturehike Rock 60L pack review

First Impressions of the Naturehike 60l Rock Series Backpack

I absolutely LOVE my Salomon 38L Outweek backpack. The Outweek was so much lighter than my Osprey Aura and I fell in love with the shoulder pockets and the way it opened up like a suitcase, but there was one niggle – I couldn’t fit all of the winter gear into the pack. With my…

Walkie talkie app Voxer

Hikers Essential Gadget – Turn Your Smartphone Into A Walkie Talkie!

If you have a busy walking club, then you will appreciate the need for good communication. Our club walks at least three times a week, and due to Covid restrictions, we no longer walk in large groups. We now meet at the start and then one group will head off in a clockwise direction, while…