Grivel Air Tech Classic

The Grivel Air Tech Classic is a 12 point crampon that comes with antibott plates. These crampons are made from chromolly steel which makes them both strong and light weighing in at around 888g. I have been using these crampons for three years now and I can’t fault them they are quick and easy to pop on and are wearing very well considering they occasionally hit off rocks. This crampon retails for around £135 but I have seen them for £90 in sales and on line so keep your eyes peeled and snap up a bargain. The Air Tech is easily sharpened when you lose a point and easily disassembled to aid drying and oiling before popping into storage.  

At the start of this season I bought a pair of Grivel Monta Rosa for my partner and she has been more than happy with them they retail at around £60-£80 and come equipped with antibott plates apart from only having 10 points there are only very subtle differences such as thinner straps and being made from carbon steel. After one season the Monta Rosa crampon seems to be wearing well and my partner has reported that they give good performance.

At half the price of the air tech this might be a consideration if all you intend to do is gentile climbing although if you are like me and look for a little more than traction on gentle slopes the Air Tech is for you and will give years of good performance.

Asolo Sherpa GV

The Asolo Sherpa GV boot a B2 boot with a lot to offer and can be found at very competitive prices when compared to boots of the same standard. The Sherpa comes with Water-resistant Perwanger leather which is between 2.2-2.4mm thick, a Gore-Tex lining and an Asolo/Vibram Ascent sole with PU attachments for semi-automatic crampons. The upper part of this boot is made from one piece of leather that helps to ensure the boot remains waterproof and hard wearing. A double tongue helps with ensuring that this boot gives maximum comfort all day.

T
he Sherpa can be compared with Britain’s favourite winter boot the Scarpa Manta which sports similar features but there are two points that I feel gives the Sherpa the edge over the Manta and they are the presence of a Gore-Tex lining and that the Sherpa can generally be found at a £40 lower price.

The Sherpa’s toe structure is more designed for climbing which some might find makes the boot feel unstable when walking. Personally I have not found this but I have heard others report this feeling.

So to conclude this is another great offering from Asolo for the winter walker that wants a boot to use in winter conditions and a boot I look forward to many years of service from.

Berghaus Freeflow 35+8 rucksack

The Berghaus 35 + 8 Freeflow rucksack is a great all round rucksack I have had this one for 3 years now and it has been used most days I have used this bag mountain biking, walking out in the hills and to carry my climbing rack. This bag comes with the Freeflow system which makes the back section of the bag very breathable by allowing air to flow freely between the bag and the users back.

This rucksack comes equipped with the usual compression straps and wand pockets the newer versions have a slightly different way of attaching walking poles and ice axes which from what I can see will work just as effectively as the Velcro loops used on this bag. This bag also has its own rain cover which is stored in a small pocket above the carry loop. The rain cover gives good performance and is easily attached when needed. I have a tendency to run quite hot when cycling or when out walking so sweat between my back and by rucksack has been a problem with previous and other rucksacks but the freeflow system as used in this rucksack have completely stopped this problem. The freeflow system is not without its problems because of the shape of the bag the transport of long straight objects such as tent poles cannot be carried inside the bag. The way I have gotten around this in the past is to attach them to the outside of the bag either using the walking pole attachments or by threading threw the compression straps and sitting the ends of the poles into a wand pocket. The pocket in the front with the waterproof zip is big enough to carry a OS map which is handy and saves time compared to looking for a map in the main compartment. There is also a hydration pocket on this rucksack which allows a hydration pack to be attached if desired.  

This has to be my favourite rucksack to date and it will be a sad day when I have to retire it but by the looks of things that won’t be for many years.

Tiso Ice Axe

The Tiso Ice axe is a general purpose B (basic) rated walking axe that is available in five different lengths 50, 55, 60, 65 and 70cm. The Tiso axe comes equipped with a Grivel Nepal head which is a carbon-steel head which features a classically inclined pick with teeth along half its length which is hot, drop forged in one piece, then the stamped shovel is welded to it. There is also a rubber grip at the end of the shaft which aids grip and a lengthy leash. The 70cm axe weights in at 475g and comes with rubber point guards. This axe is very similar to the Grivel Nepal S.A. with the only differences that I can see being the different leash and shaft colouring. The Tiso Ice axe retails at £60 which is £15 cheaper than the comparable Grivel Nepal S.A. which retails at £75.

I have used this axe for two seasons now and have found it to be more than adequate for most hill walkers the only problems I have had are related to the leach. For me the leach is slightly too short for my liking and the buckle what attaches the leach to the head of the axe has released itself on a few occasions due to the shortness of the webbing going through the buckle.

Casio SGW-300HB-3AVER thermometer, altimeter & barometer watch

This watch packs lots of interesting features as listed below:

Altimeter - A pressure sensor detects changes in the air pressure and converts the result into an altitude up to 10,000 m.

Thermometer - A sensor measures the ambient temperature around the watch and displays it in °C (-10°C /+60°C)

LED Light - A Light-emitting diode (LED) is used to illuminate the watch face.

5 Daily Alarms - The daily alarm reminds you about recurring events with an acoustic signal at the time you have set. You can also activate hourly time signals (each hour). This model has 5 independent alarms.

Barometer - A built-in pressure sensor measures barometric pressure, which is shown on the display.

Countdown Timer - A stopwatch that counts backwards: When 0 minutes, 0 seconds is reached, the timer emits a 10-second signal tone.

Low Temperature Resistant - The timekeeping module is designed for operation at very low temperatures. The value indicates the lowest temperature at which the module will operate.

Stopwatch - Accurate measurement of elapsed time with a touch of a button, 1/100th Sec stopwatch

Water Resistant - 100 Metre / 10 Bar, 10 Bar Water Resistant means that the module is also suitable for swimming or snorkelling

World Time - Displays the current time in major cities and specific areas around the world.

Unfortunately I have found the data from the Altimeter to be less than accurate for instance while standing on a bridge over a river which one mile downstream opens out into an estuary the watch shows  -120m above sea level, at my house where I know to be around 60m above sea level the watch reads 5m and today as I sit at my desk it reads  -45m which shows inconsistency in the readings. Unless my house is unknowingly sinking into the ground these readings are wrong. I have zeroed the watch while standing at sea level but this makes no difference to the accuracy of the readings. The thermometer seems to be reasonably accurate if you take readings without the watch being on your wrist and having been left to cool down for 20 – 30 min as described in the owner’s manual.  I have no way to test the accuracy of the barometer but I fear this setting may suffer from the same inaccuracy problems. The other settings such as the stopwatch and five individual alarms are easy to use. The display is clearly visible from all angles and in all light conditions even when using the LED light. To conclude this is a good watch if you need a waterproof watch that looks impressive but the poor accuracy and impracticality of having to remove the watch and wait up to 30 min for it to cool down before taking temperature readings makes this watch less than ideal for practical use out in the hills.

RAB Latok Alpine Jacket

The Rab Latok Alpine Jacket is a mid weight breathable waterproof jacket. This jacket is a no nonsense waterproof aimed at alpine climbers and mountaineers although is equally at home on a wet and windy Munro.

This jacket is made from three layer event fabric which is extremely breathable and water proof. I have used gore tex based jackets for many years before purchasing this jacket and I find the event fabric to be far more breathable. I have heard reports of some people having leaking problems with event fabric but to date I have had no problems. As with all almost all Rab jackets the hood rolls away and is held in place with a Velcro strap. The whole jacket weighs in at 520g and retails at around £200. From My experience of this jacket I find it to be a good fit and very comfortable to wear the only problem I had with it was one of the small plastic toggles from the elastic hood pinged off and was lost somewhere in the hills which may have been my fault but Rab customer services popped two new ones in the post to me which arrived within two days free of charge (great customer service guys).

Mountain Equipment Lightline Down Jacket

The ME Lightline down jacket is aimed at those looking for a down jacket for general mountain use, Alpine climbing and ski touring. This jacket is filled with 316g (size L) of 90/10 pure down offering a fill power of 675+ (EU rating). The hood is attached with poppers so can be easily removed, the hoot also has a wire reinforced peak. The jacket comes equipped with its own stuff sac and has a pack weight of around 770g. There are two hand warmer pockets with zip entry and cuffs are equipped with elastic and one handed Velcro closure adjustment. DriLite loft keeps this jacket wind proof and water resistant (light shower proof).

I have had this jacket since August and have worn it in various conditions (suitable for a down Jacket) and temperatures while walking in high altitude (5,895 meters) and while out doing night photography and have found it to be a very warm jacket. I would say this is an ideal jacket for walking in cold dry conditions or as a backup jacket in your pack to pull out when you reach the summits of hills to keep warm while you take in the views. I purchased this jacket for £100 which in my opinion was £100 well spent.

Mountain Equipment Guide Gloves

The ME Guide gloves are designed to be a general mountain and ski glove. The come equipped with Drilite extreme waterproof lining, a tough nylon outer shell, cowhide leather palm, soft nose wipe, elastic wrist leash, single handed drawcord closure and a fiber pile and fleece lining.

I have used these gloves in various conditions and have found them to be not especially warm this is not helped by the fact that I have been finding that my hands get wet inside the gloves. I have not managed to establish whether this is caused by poor breathability or waterproofing of the Drilite membrane or rain water is entering the glove from another location. These gloves are comfy to wear due to their pre curved design and soft lining I feel these gloves would be ideal for autumn and spring hill walking but something a little warmer would be needed for winter months.

Rab Photon Primaloft jacket

The Rab Photon Jacket is as Rab say “a Rab classic” this jacket is constructed from Pertex Microlight 30D which is durable, wind and water resistant. The body of the jacket is filled with 133g Primaloft® Eco and the sleeves have 100g of Primaloft Eco. This jacket also comes with a hood with 60g of Primaloft® Eco filling and a wire reinforced peak. There are Velcro adjustable cuffs and an elastic draw string around the base of the jacket to help to keep out drafts. Large chest pockets which are high enough to not to be effected by climbing harnesses and ideal for warming hands.

A clever feature of this jacket is its ability to be packed into its own inside pocket this is useful when packing this jacket into a day pack.  Because this jacket is filled with Primaloft even when wet it retains 80% of its thermal properties which makes it a ideal jacket for throwing over your other layers when you are standing on belay or stopping for a break while out for a day in the hills.

I have used this jacket both up in the Scottish hills and on the summit of Kilimanjaro and found it to be extremely warm and light. As of yet I have not found any faults with this jacket and would rate it a worthy investment. This jacket normally retails at £120 but I have seen it for as little as £80.

ASOLO Imperial GV boots

The Imperial GV is the latest walking boot to be released by the Italian boot company Asolo retailing at £149.99. The boot is constructed from water resistant full grain leather which as a minimum thickness of 2.5mm, a Gore-Tex lining and Asolo/Vibram’s new Radiant Sole.  A pair of size 10 tips the scales at 1526g which makes them a light full leather option when compared with other full leather boots in this price range.

The Imperial has a slightly narrower construction around the heel when compared to boots such as the Mammut MT Trail. This gives good support and helps to prevent those dreaded blisters from making a guest appearance on a day out in the hills

The Radiant sole has been developed by Asolo and Vibram to give outstanding performance and grip. The Radiant sole comes equipped with aggressive heel cleats and Asolo’s Aso-brake system which enhances grip on steep descents. 

The only thing that let’s this boot down is the absence of a rubber rand which would give the boot more protection on rocky ground. The Imperial feels extremely comfortable straight out of the box and does not suffer from areas that require time soften like we have seen in previous Asolo boots such as the Powermatic 500. The Asolo Imperial GV is a good general all rounder 3 season boot for those two enjoy valley, hill and mountain walking. The the only limiting factor is the lack of a rand means that it might not stand up to hard walking in rocky environments as well as some other options. Undoubtedly this is another excellent boot from Asolo and will give many years of pleasurable walking.