LifeSystems Mountain Leader First Aid Kit

RRP £45

So it’s been a while since I posted anything, I’ve bought a few things lately, but I prefer to field test things before writing a review. However I have recently upgrading my first aid kit.

Having a good first aid kit has always been important to me, especially with the amount of group work I do. Also I hold the REC level 4 first aid qualification and I am going for my REC level 5 and Expedition medic qualifications in August, so having a kit with the tools appropriate to my skills is important to me.



By this definition my previous kit was pretty useless, so I set about researching dedicated expedition kits for multi day expeditions with big groups, and eventually I concluded that the kit I wanted was Lifesystem’s Mountain Leader kit. I managed to track the kit down for £30 with free next day delivery from Amazon of all places! I have now been using the kit for a month or so, and I have to say I am a huge fan of this kit! Although (touch wood) I haven’t had to use anything from it really except for the odd cuts and bumps to kids at work, I have am very impressed with the layout of the kit and ease of use.



What I like most about the kit is the thought that has gone into it. For starters the kit uses the same system trauma kits Army medic use; the kit is compartmentalised into different sections. For example; Bleeding and wounds, Breaks and Fractures etc. This means in an emergency (or in the event someone needs to use the kit) everything is laid out simply and it is very easy to identify the section you need (see pics). In addition to the ease of use the kit comes with several very useful things:

A small roll of duct tape
A small working mat
A 12 hour light stick
Emergency shears for removing clothing
Tweezers

I know that reading this doesn’t sound like much, but to me the extra thought to include such items and also dedicated and labelled slots for them in the kit is just excellent quality.

To finish the kit off I added some bits of equipment I commonly use and would think need to be in a kit of this size:

Small GPS handset
Foil blanket
Spray plaster
Individual plasters
Casualty card and notebook.

I guess the above items are self explanatory, however I should point out the kit does include plasters, however they are those annoying rolls of plaster which you have to mess around cutting to the correct size, personally and in my experience it’s easier to carry both, along with spray plaster. The GPS is easy to keep in the kit and be there when you need it, and it weighs nothing, the unit I use is a Garmin Geko, not one I would use as my primary GPS set however it does the job of an emergency unit very well.

The kit also has plenty of space for expanding with your own items without having to remove anything. Waterproof sealed seam zips also ensure the kit stays dry.

Overall I love everything about this first aid kit, it is ideal for any outdoor professional, mountain leader or outdoor enthusiast looking for a great first aid kit, and what’s more £30 is a great price for everything you get with the kit, so if you are looking for a new kit check this one out on Amazon!

Morocco trip - Toubkal 2010

Well I've put off writing this post until I was sure this was going ahead, and I'm now sure it's going to happen :)

Myself and 5 others are heading off to Africa to climb Toubkal 4200m (13,700ft). It's the largest Peak in the Atlas mountains, and a mountain I've wanted to climb for a while now. I was sat with Atko the other day and we said "lets just do it man". So having rounded up our team for the trip (which we capped at 6 people) we are now in the planning phase.

Now for me that means letting all my current tech take a step up. I've already scanned and Georeferenced a map of Toubkal, which has intergrated fully with my PDA. To do this was a bit fiddly to be honest. I had to install Memory Map navigator (which I discovered was different to memory map OS5). This allowed me to scan in my new Toubkal 1:50k and calibrate it for use with GPS. To do this I tried taking GPS lat/long co-ordinates from Google earth however this was less than effective, and the first prototype of my map informed me it was 200miles to the summit of Toubkal. So I scoured the internet and eventually found a GPS track of the route. I managed to identify various points in the track and put the co-ordinates into memory maps calibration system. Time will tell if it works but I'm optimistic!

All in all watch this space, I've got a few new bits of kit on the way, reviews up soon!

Overall I am so psyched for this trip, back to high altitude with a great group (including my baby bro) on a peak I've wanted to do for months!!

WOOOOOO

BD Ice clipper problems

Well I've read/written quite a bit about these, and I think it's only fair/right that I explain the circumstances under which I have become part of the "Ice clippers broke on me" club.

Today I was climbing at the Roaches, while rigging the belay I heard the depressed clink clink of gear falling. I looked down to see my trusty reverso3 had fallen down to a lower ledge of the climb I had been on (only about 2 metres). Confused I looked down at my Ice clipper (where I always rack my belay plate) only to see the gate had fallen completely off onto the floor. I looked around and eventually found the gate. I am confused as to how this happened, the route had been a techical slab climb, no trutching or scraping involved, so how did it come off?! Luckily in this case I didnt lose anything important, and nothing was damaged. Would I trust these with a full rack of £40+ ice screws....Probably not.

I fixed the ice clipper no problem, and then belayed with an italian hitch, however if I had been climbing something longer and dropped something more important this would have been an issue!


.......Disapointed and confused.....

DMM Alloy Offsets

Well a little later than planned I finally got around to writing my review of these. They have now accompanied me on 4 climbing trips, three times on grit and once on limestone. There really is nothing to say about these except they are pure magic. They fit so well, I find myself wanting to save them for later in the route and refusing to use them! Climbing at the Roaches today on a route called Captain Lethargy, only HVD, but figured it would be a good outting for the Offsets. The route itself is a winding crack in the "into thin air" section at the far right of the lower tier. I used 3 offsets during the route, and the placements were perfect, the unconventional shape of the offset wires meant they slotted perfectly into the cracks. As an experiment I also tried placing standard DMM wallnuts in the same placements, and they were less than convincing!

The offsets are ideal for complimenting an existing set of wires (I carry wallnuts and/or zero G spectrum wires), as they fit into tapered cracks very well. My climbing partner today (Paul) also commented about the excellent placements the Offsets seem to allow for, turning seemingly appalling cracks into bomber placements.

Brilliant piece of kit, 10/10!

DMM Alloy Offset wires- first impressions

RRP: £45
I paid: £20
I had been after a set of these for a while to compliment my DMM wallnuts and Zero G spectrum wires. Finally settling on buying a set I had planned to head over to the new V12 at Awesome Walls in Stoke, however by chance I gave my bro a ring who was at the Outdoors Show, he said they had them on offer at £20 for a full set. At that price how could I say no!!
Will be testing these in the Peak tommorow (Stanage?), so hopefully some details on how they fit then.
However they look and feel cool and well built, so I guess we shall see!

Black Diamond Ice Clipper problems??

Following my review of Black Diamond Blizzard accessories, it has been drawn to my attention that with moderate use the ice clipper experiences a terminal issue whereby the clip malfunctions and stays open outside the clip. (See pic). A number of users have complained about these on UKC, indicating a common problem resulting in the loss of ice screws.

Comments taken direct from UKC:

"The screws were nowhere around and the wire gate on my little plastic Black Diamond ice clipper krab was on the wrong side of the gate. One to watch out for."

"I threw my ice clippers away because of this happening, though I did it before I lost any screws. The petzl caritool is better."

"lost a screw for the very same reason! The worst BD product ever!"

So for those of us who use Ice clippers, just be aware of this issue! I myself still love the ice clippers, but will keep a close eye on them from now on! However I should point out I have been using these for 2 years and had no issues.... Mr Reynolds has similar opinions of the ice clippers, so until one of us has this issue, I'll continue to place my faith in these!

Jetboil PCS – The coolest stove out there?

Of this there is no doubt, but is it any good? I've had one of these for a while now, so I thought I might as well review it!

Now for those are you who aren't familiar with the Jetboil, let me explain;

The Jetboil is an ultra efficient, lightweight, cooking system. The stove is designed to take up as little space as possible in a rucksack by storage for all the components (including the gas canister) being inside the cooking pot. At the moment there are 3 Jetboil systems on the market;

Jetboil PCS (Personal Cooking System)
Jetboil GCS (Group Cooking System)
Jetboil Helios

The PCS and GCS are designed to be modular, by this I mean if you purchase a PCS, you can buy additional components to have a GCS as well. The main difference between the GCS and PCS is the type of pot used for cooking. The PCS uses a 1 litre companion mug, where as the GCS uses a 1.5 litre cooking pot. Both systems uses the same burner self igniting burner system which is compatible with screw top canisters. The GCS also features a stabiliser kit so that the unit can be a standalone stove and will have additional stability on the floor rather than just the base of the gas canister. Essentially though if you buy a Jetboil PCS, you can buy a stabiliser kit and a 1.5 litre pot and have a GCS as an additional option.

On to the review. . .

I bought this stove to use when I am short expeditions. It appealed to me because it was efficient, light and easy to use. My stove combination consists of the Jetboil PCS and the stabiliser set, along with a gas canister this weights in at 670g. The addition of the stabiliser kit means my stove is more "team friendly". Without the stabiliser the Jetboil can only be used the jetboil accessories, by carrying the stabiliser kit I can share cooking with other team members as the kit converts the stove into a more universal setup (see pic)





I did a quick test to check the units specs listed on the website:
The stove should be able to boil water in 2minutes (0.5L), and boil around 12 litres per 100g canister. I bought a new canister and boiled as many 0.5L cups as possible, whilst averaging out the time taken on each. The average time taken to boil 0.5L of water was 1min 53.4secs, and I got 17 Litres of water from a single canister. Personally I think this is excellent for a small canister. All Jetboil pans use Jetboils patented Fluxring technology to increase efficiency, it functions in the same way a radiator works, by providing a larger surface area to heat up while cooking, as a pose to the flat bottom of a pan or mess tin. The same system is used on the 1.5L pot, 1L mug, and Frying pan.

In terms of cooking with the Jetboil a lot of people have said you are fairly limited in what you can cook. You can cook any kind of ration pack style meals. This just involves rolling the meal up and cramming it into the cup! Other than that anything that you would cook on a hob you can cook on the PCS. Which is ideal for short term expeditions.

The Jetboil is very well thought out, after you have finished cooking there is a plastic cover to protect you from burns while you are eating. There is also a sewn handle on the companion cup so you can move around while the stove is cooking.

In additional to being quite stable when fitted with the stabiliser kit, the stove is also fairly windproof, and is fitted with a small piezo electric igniter meaning there is no need to fiddle with matches in poor conditions.

Drawbacks? Well I'm yet to find one, however I have enjoyed shooting down some common Jetboil gripes lately which I thought I'd share....




Moan: "You can't cook big meals like you can with other stoves"
Owning: Purchase the 1.5 Pot, or purchase the stabiliser kit and a mess tin so that you can switch to that when you are out for longer

Moan: "The cartridges are so small"
Owning: Purchase a bigger screw seal canister....Idiot

Moan: "You have to hold it while it's cooking"
Owning: Put it down? Or better still buy the stabiliser kit and put it down


. . . You get the idea, any other gripes feel free to email me for an owning...


In addition to the various components in the GCS and PCS, there are a number of other accessories to customise your Jetboil kit:

Coffee press (£17.50)- turn you Jetboil into a coffee brewer
Frying pan (£44.99)- Fluxring frying pan, for efficient frying of tasty goodness
Hanging kit (£27.50)- a kit for handing your jetboil when big wall climbing, snow holing or whatever other use you could think of!
Jetboil cutlery (£13.50)- Highly temperature resistant nylon cutlery, light and tough, personally I'll stick with my titanium spork!
Additional coloured sleeves for companion mug are also available for further customising of your set (£5.99)


All in all you can't go wrong with a Jetboil, brilliant, customisable, efficient, not overly cheap but consider it an investment! RRP is £85, but browse around and you can get one for around £60! Stabiliser kit around £17.50 is also a must have!

Landrover S1. . . how tough is it really?

Well how tough is it? I've had this phone since december now, and whilst I did some initial testing to check general toughness (throwing in water etc) I'd been wanting to push it a bit further. I was working this weekend, and one of the kids I was working with spotted my phone clipped to my belt. This sparked off a series of "Sir can I smash your phone on the ground" and "Sir can I tip my drink on your phone". Now whilst not keen on letting a group of lads from Stoke boot my phone around part of me was curious to see what would happen. And given it had a 3 year guarantee on it with the tagline "you break it for any reason we replace it" I was tempted. Later on in the day we were up in the high ropes tower doing the "parachute jump" (very cool indeed and worth checking out www.stanleyhead.org.uk, weekend bookings available :) )and one of the kids said "Sir if your phone is that tough then proove it".

Never one to back away from a challenge, I looked over the edge of the tower to check for people below(see pic) then promptly dropped it over the side of the tower. If nothing else this achieved a loud gasp from the group of lads in question. But what was even more impressive was when I got back down to the ground and inspected the phone, not only did it work fine, there was not even a scratch on it! Impressive!

During the weekend I did a number of other tests on the phone, including dropping it out of the bouldering room abseil hatch onto concrete, dunking it into my tea, leaving it in the freezer, and various other horrible things, and it still works perfectly.

The only problem I experienced is that if you drown it in water, water can get into the speaker hole, best way I've found it to leave it upside down for a short period to allow water to drain out. I should add this doesnt damage the phone just water getting stuck in the the hole!

Awesome piece of kit!

Black diamond Blizzard accessories

RRP £5.99 (Clipper) & £8.00 (holster)
I have a black diamond blizzard harness, and I've always loved it for it's comfort, good fit and quality build. Black diamond also do 2 accessories for this harness to aid the budding winter climber. I now have both of these;









Black Diamond Blizzard Holster:
This small webbing holster attaches to the blizzard (or any other harness) and allows the user to holster one or both of their ice tools whilst placing gear etc. I would say its a nifty little accessory, but can be a little bit fiddly holstering 2 tools, however to holster one tool at a time is very easy! Overall, nice addition to my harness and easy to use.











Black diamond ice clipper:
This is the best few quid ive ever spent! It is such a great bit of kit. It allows you not only to rack your ice screws easily, but also when trad climbing its very easy to stow gear when seconding, or clip you belay device to avoid fannying around at the top of route finding it. The ice clipper will fit to any harness, however the BD blizzard has custom slots to slide these in, making them even more secure! My friend Matt Reynolds also loves these:

"BD ice clippers. These little plastic 'biners are simply like the most innovative idea ever (not just BD ones, I mean the whole concept). For those that don't know then they are little plastic 'biners that are held sort of poking out from your harness so you can rack screws (or anything you want) on them. I brought 2 initially as I was trying to expand my summer harness with more gear loops (I just brought a DMM Renegade in the end, another quality piece of kit)."

Taken from http://www.lifeattheendofarope.blogspot.com/ (worth a read for some of Matts Crazy Stories!)

Overall Black Diamonds 2 cheap accessories make a good harness even better, and for the few quid involved its very worth investing! I now have a holster for my axes AND an ice clipper on the left and right of my harness for ice screws and anything else!

Mountain Equipment Kongur MRT

RRP: £320

This Christmas my parents wanted to buy me a new jacket to update my Millet Hardshell that I’ve had since I was 18. When thinking of which jacket I wanted the first think that sprung to mind was “Mountain Equipment”. I am in no doubt that Mountain Equipment is one of the (if not THE) best company out there at the moment. I own a number of mountain equipment products, all of which have stood the test of time, and been damn good in the process. But any hardshell I bought would have to be as good as my Millet one (no easy task!). My Millet jacket has been my faithful companion in sub zero temperatures in the depths of Scottish winter, at 18,500ft above sea level in the Himalayas, in dust storms in Iceland glacial plateaus, through my ML training and ML assessment, and through countless crap days in Stoke! So in replacing it I needed a jacket that would fill that gap. I had already tried on the ME Kongur and had liked it. At £280 the Kongur was not cheap. I was also aware of the Kongur MRT a beefed up stronger version of the Kongur. The Kongur itself came highly recommended, it had won Trail’s ultimate waterproof test twice and had ringing endorsements from numerous reviewers. The MRT version was £40 more than the Kongur. However on reading about it I figured I might as well get that one.
The Kongur came on Christmas day and good lord is it good! The jacket uses Gore’s latest Gortex fibre – proshell. It feels very crinkly, I don’t know whether this is just because it is a new jacket! The toughened fibres on the shoulders, arms, and back feel very substantial, almost feels like a canvas material in a way. All the zips are waterproof including the pit zips (for added ventilation), and the cut of the jacket is perfect. What I would also say about the jacket is unlike a number of mountain equipments other jackets, the sizing is slightly larger on this. The XL fits me with plenty of room for extra layers underneath. The mood is the usual level of high quality I’ve come to expect from Mountain Equipment, plenty big enough for a helmet underneath – my salamander has quite lower clearance, however I have tried it with an Elios and Ecrin underneath and they fit just as well. The other added perk to the new Kongur is the reflective stripping added to increase visibility in bad conditions.

All in all the extra £40 is definitely worth it! The toughened fibres are brilliant! The Kongur MRT is on offer on theoutdoorshop.com at £240 at the moment which is a fantastic offer for a fantastic piece of kit. I also like the fact that the colour scheme of red and black is similar to my trademark red and grey Millet hard shell.

FEATURES & BENEFITS (From www.mountain-equipment.co.uk)
• 3 Layer Gore-Tex® Pro Shell Ascendor
• 3 Layer Gore-Tex® Pro Shell Lofoten reinforcements
• 3M® reflective detailing for visibility in poor weather & darkness
• Super longer cut provides exceptional protection
• Award winning helmet compatible Stealth construction hood
• Stealth construction techniques used throughout
• Slim double centre front storm flaps
• 2 large chest pockets can be used whilst wearing a rucksack or harness
• 2 external map pockets allow hidden access to stored items
• Underarm Water resistant pit zips for ventilation

Layering systems – What’s that all about?

Another in the series of things I’ve been wanting to write about lately! This article will cover a little bit about types of layer and what each is suitable for.

A number of different layers exist. When looking to get a layering system, it can be very confusing to understand all these layers and where they would fit into your system. Easiest way to look at layering is to start at the inside layer (closest to your body) and work outward:

Base layer: The base layer is as it says; your base. It is the closest layer to your body. A number of different base layers exist, some designed for summer, some for winter. Some designed to be warm when wet and some designed to dry quick. As such it is impossible to categorise base layers into any sub categories. However as a general rule summer base layers wick sweat away from the body ensuring you stay dry, but also ensuring air circulation so you stay cool. Winter base layers are designed more to keep heat in, usually comprised of wool or synthetic fibres, winter base layers are also slightly thicker.

Mid layer: “Mid layers” covers a wide variety of layers, fleeces, jumpers, down jackets and soft shell jackets. The idea of the mid layer is to provide additional warmth depending on the environment. Down jackets that are not waterproof are usually worn in the mid layer position depending on temperature (they are very warm) and weather (they are not usually waterproof). Soft shell jackets is arguably a category on its own, however I have included soft shells in mid layers. Soft shell covers jackets that provide additional warmth, but provide some protection from the elements. Soft shells (sometimes called wind stoppers) are usually windproof, and shower proof, they are however not suitable for heavier rain.

Hard shell: Hard shell jackets provide a complete barrier against water and some protection against wind. They are however not warm, so need to be supported by mid layers which provide the warmth. The hard shell basically protects anything underneath it from getting wet. Hard shells vary in quality, with the best (in my opinion) being Pro shell Gortex. Other waterproof materials include drilite, hyvent, event and paramo.

Other outershells: Synthetic belay jackets, waterproof down jackets. Belay jackets are designed to be thrown on over the top of other layers whilst climbing or in bad conditions. They are usually waterproof or highly water resistant, with either synthetic or pure down for warmth. Jackets like this provide both warmth and protection from bad conditions.

My winter loadout

I’ve been meaning to write about my winter gear and what I take with me winter climbing, so I decided that with photoshop reinstalled I would go through my gear (I’ve always wanted to have a bash at those cut away diagrams!). Below is all the gear I would personally take for the kind of routes I do in winter (I don’t bother with tough mixed climbing, I tend to stick to good condition grade I,II or at a push III and enjoy good mountain days!)

Please note: This is by no means a guide as to what to take, merely my explanation of what I take and why. If you are new to winter climbing or just want some additional reading, I recommend “Winter Skills, Chapter 1 - equipment” by Andy Cunningham and Allen Fyffe, a good read and a good basis for a new climber. Also worth reading “Winterising your rack” by Rob Jarvis (http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=709)

So onto my gear! The cut away diagram (click to enlarge!) shows the various layers I would wear for a winter mountain day.

1. Helmet – essential if winter climbing to protect you from falling ice and rock, especially if you are belaying from belay, your leader will most likely kick ice and snow down onto you so having a comfortable helmet you can wear all day is important. I have a Grivel Salamader, it’s light and very comfortable, the headtorch elastics are excellent also. However at around £60 it’s not a cheap one!

2. Goggles – I picked these north face goggles up at TK Maxx for £20, however they are usually £90 so I got lucky! Good goggles will help you in bad conditions, and also help with the glare of the sun reflecting on the snow. Alternatively glacier goggles are a good idea. If using sunglasses then make sure you get ones with some wrap around on the sides.

3. Hard shell – My beloved mountain equipment kongur. In my opinion the best and most well designed hard shell on the market. A good winter hard shell is essential for protection against the elements whilst out. The Kongur MRT is excellent however you won’t find it cheaper than around £250.

4. Harness – Harness may or may not be needed depending on what route you plan on doing. Always a good idea to carry you harness if you are planning on doing a route you are unsure about. I have a black diamond Blizzard, with 2 ice clippers to allow me to rack gear closer to the front of my harness, given that I climb with my pack on and reaching to the back of my harness with a rucksack on is difficult. The blizzard is excellent, comfortable and easy to adjust. Can be found at around £50.

Picture above: Selection of ice gear is essential

5. Hard shell trousers – Waterproof trousers are my “weapon of choice” when it comes to winter climbing. Some people opt for soft shell trousers for the added breathability, however I use my waterproofs. My trousers are Mountain Equipment Matrix sallopette (no longer on sale), which are a combination of paclite Gortex and XCR Gortex, with toughened knees and crampon kick straps. I use sallopettes as they are more comfy and don’t ride up exposing my back.

6. Boots – I have both Scarpa Vega (B3) and Scarpa Manta (B2). I tend to use my Manta’s when out, as they are more comfy and less bulky. They do well on simple gully and snow climbs, however for anything more serious consider a B3 boot.

7. Crampons – I use Grivel G12 Newmatic fit. The newmatic binding is semi step in binding, allowing me to quickly fit my crampons when needed, the rear clip fits well on my Mantas, and will fit on any B2 boot because of the front plastic bail. These retail at up to £135 in winter and as low as £90 in summer. All depends when and where you buy them! At present the outdoorshop.com is doing them for £109.

8. Gloves – I wear lining gloves and my Millet winter gloves.


9. Ice axe – I used a Grivel Munro walking axe. The axe is excellent except for the lack of grip, however I used a tennis grip and some duck tape to fix this! I also have a set of DMM fly technical axes for use on routes that are steeper.

10. Winter rack – again this is my personal choice for the routes I do. However you rack should be as broad as possible when packing to go to an area. Make sure to read “winterising your rack” on UKClimbing.com. Myself (and my partner between us) carry:


60 metre dry treated rope x 2 (Beal Iceline)
6-8 Runners depending on the route (Slingdraw)
Hexes (BD Hexcentrics)
Wires (DMM Wallnuts)
Slings (120cm x 2 and 240cm)
Ice screws x 3
Various screwgates
Belay plate (reverso3)
Prussik loops x 2

Picture above: Winter rack as described, minus 1 ice screw and sling draws

This is based on a generised rack, however I customise depending on what I am doing and where I am going.

The second half of my cut away diagram (once again very cool!) Shows what I have underneath my hardshell.

1. Softshell – I wear my softshell underneath, I use an ME Astron, an excellent and comfy softshell, however not ideal for wearing on its own in winter as it provides very little warm. The windproofness of it is fantastic however. Often I wear another mid layer underneath this, along with a base layer underneath that.

2. Leggings – I don’t bother with trousers under my waterproofs, just thermal leggings! I find it keeps me at a good temperature!

3. Gaiters – I wear my XCR gaiters underneath my waterproof trousers to provide a good seal against snow.

4. Socks x 2 pairs. I usually wear my Seal Skinz socks and a pair underneath. Seal Skinz socks and gloves are brilliant and definitely worth a buy!



Picture to the left: Layers that can be used, note the down jacket is underneath the hardshell and the belay jacket is above. This is because the down jacket is NOT waterproof



In additional to all this gear I carry a 38 litre rucksack (Osprey mutant) with the following additional gear in:

First aid kit – Stripped down version of my Mountain Leader First Aid Kit
Penknife – multi blade
Ground shelter bothy bag – 2-3 man
GPS – my Airo A25
Phone – my new Landrover S1
Insulated jacket – my Mountain Equipment Fitzroy OR my North Face Nupste Jacket
Spare gloves – Seal Skinz
Spare shoe laces
Headtorch – Petzl Myo 3

This is an indication of the gear I would take, however this gear is highly customisable depending on what I’m going to do. As I said at the start, do not take this as gospel and I would encourage you to do some background reading if at all unsure. I am not a winter qualified mountain leader (yet!) so what I write here I write as an unqualified winter mountaineer with some experience!

Happy climbing!

GPS on the hill? Necessity or a hazard?

I enjoy taking part in debates on GPS and how it is becoming a bigger part of mountaineering and hill walking, and to what end the increasing GPS trend represents a positive or a negative impact for what I do.

So there is no confusion I’ll briefly explain the types of GPS available out there at the moment:

1) GPS sets with no mapping data – these handsets such as the Garmin etrex provide an accurate readout of location in a variety of formats (including OS grid ref), they also provide a track of where you have walked that day (provided you have had the set on all day) meaning that in the event of an emergency you can back track to where you came from. However they do not show a map with features, so setting a grid reference where you want to go to, will not take into account cliffs, steep ground and other hazards.
2) GPS sets with “vector mapping” – these handsets are the same as the above however they have vector maps which provide basic details like landmarks, rivers, roads and paths. Some sets have contours but not all. The advantage to vector maps is that as you zoom out details are removed meaning the map doesn’t become cluttered. These maps can be useful, but are not 100% accurate in many cases.
3) GPS sets with full OS maps – increasingly popular with new handsets, these GPS sets have full ordnance survey mapping in 1:25k or 1:50k. Although this has been available on PDA’s for some time via memory map, the short battery life and lack of ruggedness meant they were unsuitable for use on the hill. Some PDA’s like the Airo A25 (see review) are ideal for hill use. Newer sets like the memory map navigator set and the Satmap Active 10 are rugged units with built in mapping which mean that accurate positions are displayed on a map, allowing you to double check the outdoor with your surroundings using normal map and compass techniques. Even some phones now have OS GPS capability via ViewRanger software.

The benefits of having a GPS are obvious; in the event of an emergency you simply switch it on and allow to provide an accurate read out of you location. This is essential to any walking group and could save valuable time should the worst happen. In the event of poor weather a GPS set can help you navigate your way to safer ground.

Now recently on UKC I suggested that a GPS with OS mapping was the safest and best option as you can double check the readout using your own skills. However one forum user replied “Your're way too soft. there's no adventure there.” Now besides the obvious mis-spelling of “you’re”. The same user then proceeded to wreck the thread by calling another guy putting forward a good opinion a twat but nevermind.

Personally I think that new GPS sets are tough enough, accurate enough, and last long enough to be the most effective way of navigating on the hill. The accurate location shows on a map, allowing you to cross check it with your own skills. However this gets into the debate of ethics and loss of adventure etc. Personally I am ok with using a GPS, I learned to navigate the hard way, through practice and training and doing my ML. However I understand that others may feel that something is lost by using a GPS. I get my thrills from the adventure of what I’m doing. However despite that all DofE gold groups I work with are trained on the use of GPS, however it is left in a sealed envelope which is checked daily, and the group told only to use it in emergencies.

In the end its down to individuals to decide their own ethics and comfort zone. For me carrying a GPS and using it to navigate with is perfectly ok to me, and I don’t think it would dull my enjoyment of the hills. By ensuring I have a backup map and compass (and knowing how to use it) plus a spare battery I feel totally at home. However I frequently use map and compass only (with GPS in bag) to make sure my purist map reading skills are still up to scratch!

I will be posting a “how to” of different GPS sets and types on here in the next couple of weeks, which will helpfully help anyone wanting to use a GPS but who is not sure of how they work.

Mountain Equipment Kongur MRT - Initial thoughts

RRP £300

Well I must have been good this year as my gift from Santa (or more accurately my loving parents) was a Mountain Equipment Kongur MRT jacket. Undoubtabley one of the best hard shell jackets on the market.

Having only worn this in the comfort of my home, I can't yet say anything about the performance of the jacket. However what I can say is that this jacket is truly incredible, it feels amazing, it fits great, the cut is perfect, the fabrics used feel tough, it has high reflective strips for bad visibility, and best of all the colour scheme looks awesome.

I will be getting out on the hill in this in the next couple of weeks, where I will post a full review!

Landrover S1 Rugged Mobile

RRP £299.99

Before reading this review take a couple of minutes to watch these 2 videos. . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uYjoybi4ts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65ND2zj6JyE

Done? Excellent. I bought one of these last week (I say bought, it actually was available as a free upgrade on my contract). However the phone boasts a number of features that caught my interest from the start.



The landrover X1 also branded as the Sonim XP3 has the following features:

- 2MP Camera with Flash
- Built-in GPS with SIRF
- Torch Light
- FM Radio
- Sonim Applications
- MSD Card Slot (up to 2 GB)

Nothing special right? Not really. However it’s the phones ultra tough and rugged build that makes the phone the perfect phone for outdoor workers. The phone boasts the following rugged features:

1. Dust proof – due to its non porous casing, meaning even micro dust particles cannot work their way into the phone over long periods.

2. Ultra long battery life – 1500 hours (yes 1,500 hours) of standby time and 18 hours of talk time

3. Built in GPS

4. Submersible in water up to 1 metre

5. Impact proof – withstands repeated drops from 2 metres high on to concrete

6. Works in extremes of temperature (-20oC to + 60 oC)

7. The camera works under water (that’s just cool!)

8. And best of all the phone has an unconditional 3 year guarantee




The phone itself its very substantial. When holding it, it just feels tough. If you are one of the many people like me who can’t stand small buttons on phones when texting, fear not, the S1 is big finger friendly! Now I should make the point now that if you are one of these people who like your phone to have the latest blinged up to date menutouchscreenslicklookingshiny interface. . . you will be very disappointed with this phone. Comparing it to cars this phone is more like a tank. . . however going into war I would rather be in a tank than a Ferrari. The interface is easy to use, texts are easy to send, calls are easy to make and the selection of ringtones is suitably crap.

The phone comes in a small land rover tool box with a belt clip, charger, software and PC cable. It’s quick to charge, and very easy to use (I had this one up and ready to use, with all my contacts copied across from my old phone in about 30mins). Overall I will sum this phone up with a quote from the telegraph newspaper dated Jul 2009.
“The staff at the sun newspaper managed to break one of these phones. . . under the weight of a 3 tonne fork lift truck. Prior to that it survived being baked in an oven at 150 degrees, being left in a pint of beer for an hour, being put in a washing machine, and being thrown out of a second floor building window”

Landrover S1 Rugged Mobile - initial thoughts

My Sony Ericsson has been giving me some trouble lately so I decided that it was time I upgraded my mobile. My main problem with phones is I seem to break them in one way or another, which is why I went for C702. However this time I thought I would go all out for the toughest phone money could buy. In this case my quest lead me to the Landrover X1. At an RRP of £299.99 this phone is not cheap and I have to say had I not been offered it on a free upgrade on my contract I would not have bothered buying it! However I am very glad I did! I will be getting a full review up on this in the next couple of days. In the meantime pics;






The phone boasts being waterproof and submersible to 1m for 30minutes, operation in extreme temperatures both high and low, GPS, 1000 hours battery life and many other cool features which will make it ideal for any outdoor enthusiast. Initial thoughts are that this is a well built chunk of a phone, that I am going to love!







Review coming in the next couple of days!

Vodafone mobile broadband dongle

RRP £35 including 1gb of data

I've been fancying one of these for a while. The idea of being able to have broadband while I'm out in the field for long periods of time seems like a good prospect. Pay as you go broadband has been around for a while now, and it seems to me that Vodafone is ahead of the game, their broadband pay as you go dongle is £35 (cheaper than others) comes with 1gb of data in the price (more than others) and unlike every other mobile broadband, your data does not expire, so you can top it up and just leave it there and use it as and when you need it. Very easy to use, you simply plug it in, it installs the software automatically. In the next few weeks I will attempt to get out and test this in Snowdonia and the Peak and let everyone know the outcome of how effective this is as a tool for outdoor instructors. I see this as being particularly useful for going abroad, and for instructors who are in the field for long periods of time and need to get access to email and internet without having to go to a webcafe etc.

More to follow....

Sony Ericsson C702i Mobile

RRP £200

Every outdoor instructor or hill goer should carry a mobile phone, if nothing else for emergencies. Recently there have been a number of so called "tough phones" that feature ruggedness, water resistance, etc. Recently the C702i caught my eye, and as I needed a new phone I invested. The promising set of features gave me hope for a good outdoorsmen phone. The phone says it is water resistant and dust proof, it also boasts a GPS reciever and google maps.




The phone itself is simple and easy to use, texting, calling, saving numbers etc are all easy. The phone also has a sony cybershot 3.2meg camera built in which is very good, and very easy to use. The images produced are brilliant for a mobile phone.







Now onto the main features that would interest someone who was into the outdoors. Water resistant? Yes. In fact I would go so far as to say reasonably water PROOF - I dropped mine in the sink while trying to answer a phone call while shaving, and was able to pick it out of the water, answer the call, and replace it on the side with no problems what so ever. Dust proof? Yes, no problems what so ever, dropped this in the sand at Newborough Warren and there has been no issues as a result of this. GPS, yes, and accurate. The readout is in standard WSG84 lat/long, which is no real use as a navigational tool. However in the event of an emergency it would provide an accurate location for MRT or rescuers. I tested the readout in my local park and checked the readout against an OS map of the area, the readout was accurate on 10/10 occasions. Googlemaps however is crap, the location it gives you is very out on every occasion from my experience of it, and this should ever be relied upon!!

Overall this phone is excellent, tough (I have dropped it so many times), water resistant, dust proof, and has a decent GPS unit. All these features are ideal for a small phone that looks and functions like a phone. Ideal for any outdoor instructor looking for a functional phone that is tougher than the rest.

Satmap Active 10 - first impressions

RRP £379.99 inc maps

Got my hands on one of these units today for the first time. Been wanting to test one for a while! First impressions where the unit seems very good indeed. The screen is big and very useable, the buttons on the side are very ergonomic when you are holding the unit. I also like the fact that unlike the Airo A25 the unit orientates the map as you move, so that the ground around you always makes sense. This is in stark contrast to the A25 that doesn't do this at all and is (I feel a big drawback of the A25). The satmap has its drawbacks however, firstly it doesnt interface with memory map as well as the A25. Also you have to spend upwards of £90 on maps for the unit, where as with the A25 you purchase memory map and get it on your computer and GPS unit. So if I wanted to use the satmap to plan a route on memory map then upload the waypoints and use it navigate through the route I would have to buy the satmap, then buy the maps for the satmap then buy memory map. However despite that I think the satmap fills a gap in the market, for a rugged unit that displays an OS map along with a high quality GPS readout. The unit does not feel as tough and rugged as the Airo (and I doubt it is for that matter), it is however waterproof and dustproof. I will be trying to get hold of one of these for a proper test in the next couple of weeks, where by I will do a few review and comparison against the A25! Watch this space....

Suunto Vector

RRP £170

Every outdoorsman needs a good watch, in my case I ended up with a suunto vector. The watch has a number of features which have been useful. The watch has an altimeter, a compass, a barometer, and a thermometer. The altimeter (once calibrated) is decent, and can be a useful aid to navigation. The altimeter also has a "logbook" which will tell u the height climbed, height descended, and maximum height of the day. The compass too is useful and reasonably accurate. The compass works by alligning the small bubble in the level in the centre, and the direction you poin the watch in, is displayed in degrees. The barometer is good, but a reading in millabars isn't really that useful if you don't know what the number means. More useful is the pressure trend graph which indicates whether the current pressure trend is dropping, rising or staying constant. This can help predict weather if you understand the mechanics of weather enough. The thermometer is utterly useless, it is effected by your body heat and is yet to give me an accurate reading on which I would rely.

In addition the watch is waterproof, has a stopwatch, countdown timer, alarm and various other standard watch features, and comes in a choice of yellow, black and olive green (for military types). It can be fitted with 3 different strap types; neoprene, rubber, and material.

All in all the watch is good, little steep at £170 but if you look around you can get it sub £120.

Useful video on youtube about the function of the watch may help you understand the features;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtFhVm-wyCc