Lightweight Outdoor Gear

Lightweight or even Ultralight Outdoor Gear.

Am I foolish, traditional or a fantasist?

Foolish because most of my outdoor gear errs on the heavy side? Am I traditional because I want rugged gear, three layer Gore Tex waterproof jackets, leather boots, backpacks with lots of buckles and clips? Or a fantasist because I buy rugged gear so it will last me a season mountaineering in the alps or at the very least a couple of years of walking and scrambling every weekend in Snowdonia or the Lake District National Park?

The reality is, I go walking a few times each month, mostly local, mostly on the South Downs. Now rugged they me be in their own hilly way, it's not quite as demanding as a mountain. I get to the mountains a few times each year, and as for the Alps - perhaps once every two years and likely that is for skiing.

My kit consists of a Berghaus three layer Gare Tex jacket, Han Wag Lima Gore full grain leather walking boots, Vaude Triset 35+8 daypack, Craghopper Kiwi Cargo walking trousers, Source Widepack 3 litre and arious other items of outdoor paraphernalia, almost forgot to mention my nod towards lightweight items, Berghaus Paclite over trousers and my new walking boots - see previous blogs. Pretty much all of this is available in a pared down version. I can get a paclite jacket, a Vaude Triset Ultralight daypack, lightweight walking boots - if I was really going for it, I could get carbon fibre trekking poles.

As I age gracefully on the hills (37 is graceful), I feel my knees aching and I see 70 year olds striding off into the distance, I want to be like them. I need to start getting serious about lightweight gear, just to allow to keep aging gracefully on the hills and not end up retiring to walking around the Lake District Villages and Lakes. It is time to embrace the lightweight way.

The lightweight way has becoming much much stronger over the last ten years or so, quality gear, not too bad prices and even an element of style (though some would argue if this is needed on the hills - traditionalists?). A moment I feel started by Ray Jardin and his company Go Lite. So, more lightweight outdoor gear is a must, Walk and Travel are stocking more and more each season. I'll keep those knees in shape and not load them too much.

What am I then? Fool, Traditionalist or Fantasist? A little bit of all I think. Time to move on. Embrace the new lightweight outdoor gear culture.

New Boots - part two.

The Meindle Softline GTX so far have proved a success. The toe box became more comfy and there is a good feeling of room around the boot, especially in the heel cup, though not too much. Next week will be the main warm up event for them. I'm walking a section of the Sussex Border Path, from Shoreham to Wivelsfield Green.

We're doing the walk to raise fund for the Scout Group, in order to buy a replace our old rattly LDV minibus. Arguably the most important piece of kit that the Scout Group owns. Without it the Scouting activities that we can offer the young people of Roffey would be severely limited. I hope the boots hold up and give me comfortable, blister free miles on this walk. Will let you know how it goes.

Walking Boots

Have decided to plump for a pair of lightweight walking boots - well lighter than my old ones anyway, as a nod towards old age and achy knees.

Have gone for the Meindl Softline Goretex Ultra, felt very comfortable straight out the box, perhaps a little narrow on the toe box on the right foot for me, which was a surprise as they are supposed to be a wide - ish fit my feet I always thought were narrow - ish.

Scout training today, (core modules 1 and 3), exciting stuff, but necessary (?). So it is a gentle break in for the boots. No walking them out, but may try and sneak them in for St Georges day parade tomorrow. Will let you know how I get on with them. First thoughts are comfort, lightweight and to be honest, for a walking boot, I think they look pretty good. As if that is important? Yes.

Walking in the Lake District

Lake District Easter 2009

Why don’t I live closer to this beautiful place? I always have to battle through the M25, M6 (the M40 isn’t usually too bad) event at midnight. It’s ridiculous - we live in a country full of people wanting to go places. Hmmm…. I was one of them. Shouldn’t complain really.

We are staying at Ennerdale YHA Barn, basic, rustic, but lovely. I sometimes wish I could live with such simple pleasures. Why do I need a plasma TV? Paved driveway? Ensuite bathroom and fitted kitchen? Lots of questions, but that it what beautiful places do to you. Get you thinking about life.

Today’s walk was wet. It was bound to be it’s the Lake District. Wettest part of the country. Out the barn down the track and up, up, up. So steep, past the lowing black cattle that looked like labradoodles and were subsequently named cowadoodles. Hard work up the steep hill and out onto the ridge along to Haycock. The wind was howling around us as the clouds closed in, bringing the cold and rain in as we followed the undulating ridge across Scoat Fell towards the high point of Pillar at 892m.

Summit was gained and we split into two teams one fitter than the other who went on to tackle Kirk Fell, skirt around the Gables and up to Haystacks. Me being a rather unfit walker who suffers with knee ache decided to drop down with the old folk to the Ennerdale Plantations, past Black Sail Hut for the long slow slog on the metalled track back to the barn for a much needed cup of tea and seaweed crackers. Seaweed crackers? Don’t ask.

The next day saw the sun breaking in through the windows, past the cracks in the towels that were masquerading as curtains. Porridge and tea down us we were ready to head out for a glorious day in the hills. Rucksack packed and off we went, back up the metalled track, only to come back down it again later. Not a great start to the day.

Off to the east of the track and straight up, up , up to the ridge line. Now this was a way to get the lungs working first thing in the morning and stretch out the un-exercised legs after yesterdays six hours. A 600 meter climb to the top of Red Pike. Then a rest. Well deserved and well needed to allow my heart rate to return to normal. The views, as ever, in the Lake District on a sunny day, were tremendous, one way down into Buttermere, (which I think is the most beautiful view in the Lake District), the other way the view was showing us the wet and windy ridge of yesterdays walk.

Our ridge was to the South, towards the towering cliff face of Great Gable, the summit glowing in the sunshine, waiting for us to tread it’s flanks and peak. The route to the summit was up and down much more than we anticipated, across High Stile to High Crag and down to rugged tops of Haystacks, past Innominate Tarn, the final resting place of Alfred Wainwright, perhaps the most famous of the Lake District writers and fell walkers.

With the sun still beaming down on us, we skirted under the peaks of Brandreth and Green Gable and took the path up to Windy Gap on the eastern flank of Great Gable. Another fifteen minutes and we topped out on goal of the walk, as the sun was slowly dipping toward the west. Dropping off the North West flank, back down into the valley, following the streams that lead into the River Liza, we took a very leisurely stroll under the watchful eye of the two ridge lines we just walked. Back past the Black Sail Hut, back down the metalled track, back to the single shower on the barn at Ennerdale, closely followed by a well deserved curry in Cockermouth.

The Lakes in the rain, the Lakes in the sun, the Lakes at Easter. Where is there a more beautiful place in England?