When it comes to the best fish finders, there are plenty of options that are out there on the market, but how can you know which one is going to serve you best? You can certainly go with a lot of the other products, but Garmin consistently produces some of the best that you will find anywhere, with t...

Vestergaard has been an innovator in the world of safe and effective portable water filtration with their products for personal use, all the way up to filtering enough water for a small village. One of the nicest things about their stuff, is that it seems to stay relatively simple and straightforward...

Best known for climbing shoes and gear, La Sportiva is a brand that really covers the bases when it comes to general mountain sports activities. We were sent a pair of their Trango TRK with Gore-Tex to try out. These kind of suit two categories, mountaineering, and hiking. Although they might be a li...

When looking for a new pair of boots, have you ever considered Teva. A lot of people associate the name with summer footwear, but we got our hands on a new pair of boots from the brand to try out. Teva’s Arrowood Utility Mid shoes are made to offer ample stability and support while you are outside an...

 

Fairly new to European market, Altra has done well in North America for a few years now. Their zero drop designs and different levels of cushioning in their different model types, for both road and trail. Altra sent me their Superior 3.0 trail running shoe to put through its paces, literally, and ...

Summary - The Salomon Speedcross series have an excellent reputation amongst trail runners, for their robustness, comfort and style. This version will absolutely not disappoint as an enhanced newer model. While they still maintain the Speedcross classic features such as the Quicklace System...

Even though running seems like something you could do with any equipment and any type of shoes, this repetitive movement and bouncing creates an impact that affects all of your body. For this reason, instead of running with any pair of shoes that you already own, it is highly recommended that you inv...

Take one Canadian who lives up above the Arctic Circle and hasn’t seen a sunset for several months so is going a little bit stir crazy. Bring them to England, fill them with the finest real ales known to man, and throw them into one of this Coleman tent’s blackout bedrooms, and what do you get? &n...

For the first couple of weeks after this jacket arrived, I wore it as an outer layer and it was perfectly good, keeping off the wind and the cold admirably and letting me crack on with everything from walking the dog on the hill through to doing a spot of house renovation without any problems whatsoe...

Summary: At £50 it seems to be in the right ballpark price wise. Camping stoves are a particularly difficult thing to compare and contrast pricewise because very few feature an identical set of, er, features. If you’re looking for a stove which will give your gas a little bit more bang fo...

It feels nice in the hand, all the main tools work well, and I like it. It's a handy thing and is well made. However - the 'signal' aspect of the tool - the whistle and firelighter are a little silly. I can't really imagine them being very useful, and anyone going somewhere serious with actual surviv...

24 hours after I poured some near-boiling water in to this flask, mixed in a good dribble of blackcurrant cordial and sealed it up, I opened it up again and the drink inside was still warm. Not "hot", but definitely warm enough to give me a glow on an absolutely freezing cold morning. So it do...

Nordic walking or - thanks to a typo in an enthusiastic email from a pole brand many years ago - often referred to as Nordic wa*king at GWA HQ: I’m a bit ashamed to say that the sport was recipient of many a derisory comment. Utterly unfair as not one of us had ever given it a go, but...

A new stop on the Outdoor show trail for the GWA team was Lifesaver - where we were treated to a demo of their collection of microbiological water filters. They have a decade of experience working with the filters in the humanitarian and military sectors and now the general public can also benefit...

It takes a lot to impress me when it comes to device charging out and about. Maybe my expectations are far too high – I want a portable charger which will refill my iPhone 6 a good four or five times without fuss, without bother and without the ‘cable not supported’ rigmarole. ...

I have had a very much love-hate relationship with trekking poles over the years mainly because of mixed feedback – some people swear by them, some people think they are detrimental and some people think they are just for old people. It wasn’t until someone actually showed me how t...

My first thought when the Gregory Maya 32 backpack arrived in the post was ‘It’s very pink’ however the colour was chosen on purpose to stop my husband who is a very keen climber from stealing it! He has managed to steal nearly all my packs, from day packs to expedition, so even tho...

So it’s a rucksack. First impressions were ‘Good, it’s blue... it’ll match my bike!’. Second impression was WHAT THE HELL is that colour inside!?! Inside (apart from the nuclear waste green colour) there are several useful size pouches; one is the perfect size for my Samsung tablet that I use ...

There are pros and cons with this walking shoe/sandal, so I’m not sure where to start really. Are GearWeAre readers the sort of people who want the good news first or the bad news? If I start with the positives and end with the negatives you’ll be left with a bad taste in your mouth… but if I star...

   

Summary: Mammut sent us their Misaun Jacket to put to the test. In short, this one was a bit of a dark horse, hiding a few surprises. The overall performance was actually more than what we had expected.

This year I’m praying for snow. Just so I can send the little man (18 months) out in this Kozi Kidz Snow Suit. To start on a positive, these folks have read my mind and sent a unisex but still cool looking design, which I’m happy to zip him into. Gone are the dull days of outdoor wear being ‘blue ...

The last time GWA let me loose with a bottle review, I revelled in the part it would play in my Zombie Apocalypse Survival Pack (ZASP).  This time, you'll be glad to know, is no different! The Ohyo (originally launched as Aquatina) collapsable water bottles are moulded, BPA-free, dishw...

I am sincerely conflicted about Craghoppers Madigan Long Jacket, from the very fact that to me a long jacket is by its very nature a coat? Anyway, I’m going to try and avoid being pedantic and present you with the facts about what is largely a decent jacket, particularly for the price bracket its ...

Afraid of the dark? If you are, that’s a particularly tricky situation if you want to keep up running through a UK winter. Silva’s Trail Runner II headlamp could definitely come in handy for those darker months. The gizmo – a winner of a Scandinavian Outdoor Award – see...

The folk over at Boreas (sister company of Alite) have come up with, what we think is, a rather nifty suspension system for their backpacks. They've called it the Super-Tramp and with a simple pull of a strap the back panel converts from a high-ventilation trampoline suspension to a convention...

According to the packaging and website this is ‘the original drinking bottle, reinvented’ and to be honest with such a grandiose statement I expected something a bit more revolutionary. Not to knock it completely as there are some definite plusses for this bottle such as being BPA free (those nasty c...

Platypus make some rather nifty hydration bladders for replacement or addition to your backpack, and the Big Zip LP 2-Litre has been on test here recently. Firstly, I like the Platypus bite-valve, which is nice and chunky and easy to twist to an off-position so you don't end up with a dribble ...

Searching for a heavy duty bottle for the hills, long treks, or just plain old camping? Sigg has made their name with quality bottles that can take a beating and still not let you down. You might be thinking, It's just a bottle, why the big deal? Every piece of gear you pack is a big deal. Check out ...

Summary: At a bit of a steeper price, this is an expensive investment, but dependent on your need it may be a good one. I've managed to flatten my car battery using an inverter, and have had a laptop jerry-rigged to run off a jump-starter pack before now, which filled me with dread. The Powergor...

Summary: Paramo's Halcon Traveller is flattering and functional with a multitude of pockets which can be filled to your hearts desire and not leave you looking like a survivalist who carries the world with them. Comfortable and fashionable. We love it.

Summary: Putting these to the test, my feet didn’t get too hot at any point and the few puddles I kicked through did nothing but wet my jeans and make Mrs Muz tut. Shallow puddles at the beach didn’t give me brown socks either and there was absolutely no sign of rubbing on my Achille...

Now, I do like a rucksack. In fact I have quite a few, so when I brought home the Platypus Sprinter XT 25.0 for reviewing my other half rolled his eyes and asked if I really needed yet another one. But I find each of my bags have a specific role in my life, and the Sprinter XT, marketed as &l...

Summary: For this one, Berghaus seems to be targeting the novice to intermediate outdoorsman really aggressively. Their choice to eschew expensive membranes from GORE or EVENT has resulted in a really functional and stylish boot at a pretty competitive price. So far, so good for this boot test with n...

SUMMARY: It's a flask. It's silver and made from steel. It keeps drinks warm. Really, what more do you want to know?  

My initial thoughts on unwrapping this was ooh that looks rather cool, but is there really a need for it alongside the plethora of ‘tupperware’ containers on the market? It’s basically a chunky round container with a smaller semi-circle insert, finished off with a reassuringly sized handle for carry...

If you are or know any 2-wheeled aficionados, ask them if they are singers. I've noticed that we tend to fall into two very distinct camps; those that like a good warble as we are pootling along and those that like to... well I don’t what they do as I'm definitely a singer. ...

SUMMARY: The Osprey Atmos 35 has been flawless in terms of usability, comfort and robustness after months of being dragged through woodland, thrown in Land Rovers and generally not really cared for. It is a very, very lightweight pack for its size, but doesn't compromise on performance or support. ...

Summary: The Brasher Supalite GTX is a fully waterproof, breathable, and very lightweight leather boot. The quality of manufacture is great, and if you need a boot which is a companion for leisurely long walks on decent paths, and don't plan to divert up mountains then take a look.

SUMMARY: The Huntsman is one of the classic Swiss Army Knives and contains pretty much everything you'll need to live life, save for those debatable devices that have crept into larger knives, like compasses, pens and USB sticks. The engineering and original idea are superb, but for me the finish wit...

Summary: The Harmony-Mid WP is a waterproof, lightweight boot for well-made trails and very gentle off-roading. It offers more support than a shoe, but isn't designed to cope with anything too gnarly. The styling is pleasant and the boot is super-comfy. The price, for a waterproof boot, is pretty goo...

Contemplating which mattress you're taking on holiday is a serious business. I've found in that past that more than a few nights on the trot with a thin self-inflating mattress can be a pain in the back-side (literally) and because I tend to sleep on my side, can lead to waking up with dead arms more...

We've put a few solar chargers through their paces at GearWeAre, but we've never been completely convinced about their practicality versus their cost. Until now. The Goal Zero Guide 10+ Adventure Kit is actually a conglomeration of their Nomad 7 Solar Panel and a Guide 10+ battery pack, and we've bee...

SUMMARY: The Kento Jacket is beautifully designed and made, and at 365g is certainly a great jacket to stuff away until you need it. It's very waterproof and protective from wind, and seems very breathable too. On those days when it's been just cool enough to wear it, it's never seemed particularly s...

I've been reading this week about a Mountain Rescue team who have had four consecutive callouts to people lost in the hills when their smartphone navigation devices have let them down. I use my iPhone for navigation and am well familiar with that sinking feeling of hitting "10% Charge" and being left...

Phut. The last dying breath of a gas canister as it struggles to raise the temperature of your morning cuppa from icy to tepid. If only you'd packed another canister, your Jetboil with all its fancy heat sinks could have stood a fighting chance. But no, so it sits there gasping for breath as all arou...

SUMMARY: Osprey's Talon 8 is a large capacity waistpack which works best worn high up on the pelvis. It has good weight distribution and padding around the lumbar region. Build quality is excellent and it's been very waterproof indeed. The only snags are that when it's very heavy, the thin webbing wa...

Whilst some outdoor gear is minimalist, functional and practical and you have to make certain concessions because of it, at the other end of the scale lies a type of gear that is as good as taking your home kitchen with you. And the Campingaz Fold N Go stove falls in to the latter category. In fact, ...

The Coffee Brewer from Growers Cup was an unusual proposition to start with. It looked like an odd shaped brown bag, about the size of a paperback book only thinner and I wasn’t quite sure what it was all about. The 3 step instructions on the back showed that was a self contained coffee percola...

I wouldn’t say I’m a creature of habit, but it is true enough that I don’t tend to change my outdoor kit very often unless there’s a very good reason to do so. If it ain’t broke and all that... For example, the thing I like about my tried-and-tested standard-size Thermar...

SUMMARY: The Mountain Vent Pull-On is a very adaptable alternative to base and mid-layers for winter, where the temperature can vary between -5 and 10C in a day. Partnered with a close-fitting jacket it is very warm, and worn on its own can be great when the going gets sweaty. Minor annoyance is the ...

SUMMARY: Hi-Tec's St. Moritz boot is very, very warm and snug, and a comfortable all-day wear. They provide moderate support for well-made trails and look the part everywhere from the high-street to the field. They're sold as waterproof, but don't have a membrane, so could saturate in really bad weat...

I've had an Aerobed single mattress for a few years now and it's a firm favourite, most often used at home and dragged out when we have visitors. It's so quick to put up and down, and tough enough to last after many nights being shoe-horned into a corner between bookcases. So when they offered me a c...

It's not just tourists who need to know exactly how much things weigh in order to avoid fines. I donated these luggage scales last week to GearWeAre's 2012 charity, Surrey Search & Rescue, who needed to weigh all the essential kit that lives in their response trailer. With a maximum weight capaci...

SUMMARY: A very warm, waterproof and simple hat. Great for cold, wet days when you need to avoid drowned-rat hair and losing all your body heat through your head. Note: Trekmates do make plenty of brimmed hats for better rain protection.

SUMMARY: Very alluring and cheap to run heat source which could save you from chilly fingers. Burns a long time with only a moderate amount of fuel. Inability to extinguish it could be a potential problem, but still it's preferable to chemical hand warmers for the longevity of use.

SUMMARY: At a bit of a steeper price this is towards the top end of baseplate compasses, but is pretty much all you will ever need. It is feature packed and easy to use in day or night. The lanyard is a little chafing, and the compass scratches easily, but otherwise it's a top piece of gear.

SUMMARY: The Leatherman Sidekick is a well-priced and well-made tool. It features enough tools to be useful on the trail and for camping, and each of them works well. The only drawback is the fact that it's a locking blade and thus not legal to be carried in all circumstances in the UK.

SUMMARY: The Hillmaster GTX is a 15-year-old design, with over a million pairs sold to date. Crap products don't sell in those numbers, so take that as a testament to their appeal. They're not for mountain or trekking use, but for the vast majority of walkers, they would be superb boots. As ever, try...

You've got to be careful with the Geigerrig Rig 1600 pack. It's so manly that, if you were to turn your back on it, it could well steal your wife, pee on your dog's bed and fertilise your morning eggs. It's the Chuck Norris of the daypack world and make no mistake. Built from a very heavy weig...

Being British, you’d expect me to say there’s nothing better than a nice hot cuppa. And it’s true, I tell you. Our American chums have their coffee, the Spanish have their Sangria, the Belgians their hot chocolate... Mis-informed stereotypes aside, the point is I like to get the day off to a good ...

  SUMMARY: The Hi-Tec Infinity HPI is a very lightweight, extremely breathable running shoe with a fairly thin sole that allows you to feel the terrain under foot. They're comfortable and secure in use, and offer a little (but not too much) in the way of support. The spacer-foam construction ...

SUMMARY: Works brilliantly at keeping the OO in your Typhoo for well over 3 hours. Good size for a single cup of tea, and small enough to stash in a side-pocket of most backpacks. Looks great, feels rugged and seals itself brilliantly. Just cool your tea before leaving home if you'll be in a rush lat...

Summary: Functional rather than pretty (and stored in its own carrying bag), the Campingaz Camping Chef is there for a purpose rather than to be admired. The two gas rings do a good job and the whole unit can accommodate a couple of pans or pots without fuss, but the grill is definitely the weak...

SUMMARY: Brilliant. The huge sealed porch, massive windows and flyscreen door make a few niggly issues entirely forgivable, and I'm pretty confident the baggy bit at the back wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't so windy when we first put it up. The Outwell Birdland is now our tent of choice.

The husband might be happy disappearing up a trail with a Mars Bar sandwich sweating in cling film in his pocket, but I’m a bit more sophisticated and thus am slightly more demanding when it comes to storing my lunch. Over the years I’ve owned various brands and styles of plastic storage device an...

A little while ago I reviewed the MiSuny solar iPhone charger, and after a few weeks I gave up after failing to make two different units work properly. Now read the sentence above again, replacing ‘MiSuny’ with ‘Freeloader Classic’. The Freeloader Classic has loads of potential - but it’s a blood...

There aren't many places scarier in the world than a public toilet in a small Bolivian village at the dead of night. With no light, no water and a smell which turns a Gringo's stomach (even more than it already is) at 20 paces, only flies, rats and tourists who have drunk dirty water dare to enter. ...

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Well, actually I've no idea... it's too far away to tell. We've recently become more interested in bird-spotting when we go out with the dog. There's an impressive number of Skylarks twittering away in the field above our house as I type this and we spotted a Red Kite ...

The Berghaus Freeflow system has been around for well over a decade now and is established as one of the best ways to avoid those curled-up noses when you end a day's hike at the bar, emblazoned with a stripe of sweat down your back as some bizarre medal of honour. Simply put, Freeflow is a system th...

Gelert's Strider hydration pack (Hydro Pac, as they call it) has been with us now for a couple of months and whilst it's designed for some strenuous outdoor activities like mountain biking and trail-running it has been just as useful on dog-walks and whilst camping. Hydration packs have been a fav...