A Beacon of Hope....

£70,000 worth of damage done by racist thugs

Hi everyone, I'd like to take a minute to talk about a good cause that I am currently supporting (and will continue to support)

Sam Farmer - an outdoor instructor from Cornwall runs a project called "the beacon of hope project" aimed at giving young people from inner city areas and a variety of backgrounds the opportunity to get into the outdoors.

Sadly Sam has been the victim of hideous racial abuse culimating in a second arson attack which destroyed the project buildings and equipment at an estimate of £70,000. Due to the first arson attack Sam was unable to afford the high insurance premium and consequently the damage is not covered over his insurance.
A massive response on UKClimbing.com has given Sam his own beacon of hope, together we have raised over £3000, with donations of gear, support from other companies has also provided a new website, and support from Wild Country has ensured new climbing is available to Sam.

An amazing response but we need more, if you can spare even a £1 it would help Sam get back on his feet, he is a genuine and caring guy who has been the subject of a disgusting campaign of racial abuse. There is no situation that this kind of abuse is acceptable, and I for one will continue to support Sam in any way I can.

For more information please read: http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=4515

To donate follow this link: http://www.thebeaconofhope.co.uk/

Thanks for your time :)

Kit for my weekends away....

As i'm in the lead up to doing my Mountain Leader Assessment at Easter, I'm frantically getting into the hills to practice. These weekends away are brilliant for navigation, ropework and group skills; but they are great for fine tuning the kit you take. Over the past few years my hillwalking kit hasnt changed a whole lot, just different rucksacks and bits and bobs. 

Sleeping Bag

I used to use a Snugpak Chrysalis Autumn as my sleeping bag, it was great and kept me warm even when it was wet and is great to snuggle down in on a crappy night out on the Glyders. But it is massive!!! So a couple of months ago i was in Go Outdoors and saw a Marmot Atom for £69.99......its a £300 down sleeping bag!! (Although it is a summer bag and only goes to around 6celsius) So i bought it, because i had read some reviews earlier that week saying how great it is in Alpine climbing for use as a bivvy bag for nights out because its light but still warm. I knew I wouldnt be using it for winter days, but for summer 

ML, where I would like to keep weight and pack size to a minimum - a sleeping bag that packs super small (in a Podsac Spider) and weighs less than a can of coke.

After using it a couple of times; once for a wild camp and once for a bothy, I can safely say that I love this bag. I always carry a Down or Primaloft Jacket in the colder months anyway, so i just wore that to sleep in as well as my clothes.....which i usually sleep in anyway.....and i wasnt cold at all. Combined with my Mountain Equipment sleeping matt, i didnt wake up all night! Unlike my friends, who's matts deflated overnight and couldnt sleep. Then come morning all I had to do was compress it back down and stick it in my Podsac Alpine 50.

Rucksack

I had an Osprey Mutant 38 a couple of years ago, but i didnt like it because of the tiny fiddly buckles on it and I couldnt fit everythin I wanted in it properly. So I bought a Crux AK47, a fantastic bag (when fully packed). I had never had a bag with a fixed lid, so with smaller loads I thought it looked dead weird. I also found the shape of the straps caused chafing around my arm pits which after a couple of days of walking were agony. So I asked for a Podsac Alpine 50 after my friends gave it a glowing review. And i must say, they werent wrong. This is hands down the best rucksack I have ever owned. Its light, its basic, waterproof, easy to pack and the removable lid with roll top is fantastic. Its so comfy too, the foamy straps and back pannel are great for long days and the gear loops on the hip belt were great when i took it to Scotland. I can fit everything I need in this bag and still have room left. My hat goes off to Podsac.

Food

In the past when I did my Duke of Edinburgh, super noodles were the order of the day. They are light, tasty and filling. However, that was when pot washing wasnt an issue (being on a camp site and all) and nowadays, scraping caked on noodle flavouring off my Jetboil in the pouring rain in the mountains isnt very attractive. Tins of beans, curry, and soup really are a thing of the past; aside from the weight, the empty tins need to be removed! And i dont really want a bag of dirty tins in with my kit. 

It was a simple revalation by my lecturer that has kept everyone I know from my University Outdoor Degree happy in the hills. The "Pour & Store" food bag has been the staple of our adventures for the past 3 years and we never go away without them. Theyre re-usable and they allow you to make your own boil in the bag meals as they fit perfectly in a Jetboil. 

Its this stuff (right) that has been a new venture for me and I dont know why. My friend Tom suggested using Gravy granules and Smash in a bag as you'd only hvae to add boiling water and you've got a tasty filling meal. It really is fantastic, a bag of hot stodgy, gravy flouvoured heaven. And its super light so you dont have to worry about how much you take. 

The theme of powdered foods is the order of the day now. Instant Porridge for breakfast with added cinnamon or choc chips provides those added calories and energy for long days on the hill. The morning Coffee is paramount too, maybe spiked with a drop from my trusty hip flask.

My friend Arran also found one of those tins of treacle pudding that you steam. It contains around 900 calories and when combined with custard, gives you a fantastic winter warming pudding. You just need to empty the tin in a pour and stour and you're good. Its slightly heavier, but worth it. Its stuff like this that makes me love getting out and about; trying new ideas and playing around with food.

DMM's new products for 2012 - part 1

Fresh from its 30th anniversary celebrations in 2011, DMM enters 2012 combining its technical engineering capabilities with an expansive knowledge of all things climbing to showcase an
awesome collection of new products.
 

They have a new range of ice axes, new winter protection, a modern leash system, colour coded screwgate carabiner packs, and a whole new range of camming devices. As always, fulfilling the requirements of climbers throughout the world has been DMM's primary motivation. 

The new DMM axe range is the result of 30 years of technical knowledge combined with valuable feedback from a broad range of climbers. The underlying requirement was to make a set of tools that offer exceptional performance and are built to withstand the rigours of modern climbing by being ‘bombproof’ - sturdy, strong and dependable.
 

They have engineered the light, balanced, and supremely strong ‘T Rated Integrity Construction’ method using full strength, T Rated components throughout, double riveting and high quality materials. We have encased the hot-forged handles with a highly insulated, durable, grippy, fully integrated moulding.
 

The new designs see the classic best-sellers being brought into the present with full strength ergonomic handles, fresh colourways throughout and handrests on the Fly. In addition they have introduced 2 new axes at the top end: The Apex and The Switch - modern tools for modern climbing. The range is an ‘all-mountain’ offering, covering everything from mountain walking and glacier work to Alpinism and modern test pieces. The initial impressions being that they are very similar to Petzl's Nomic and Quark but without getting my hands on them I can't say for sure. They do however look amazing and very smart.

In order to provide more racking options in our active protection range they have combined some of the favourite features from their two existing cams: the tried and trusted 13.75°, single axle head unit of the 4CU, with the justifiably popular stem assembly of the Dragon with its patented thumb press and extendable sling design. The result is a lightweight, versatile, and functional device that caters for climbers who prefer single stem ergonomics, for those who are used to our traditional sizing system, and for those who want to double up their cam racks to offer even more placement options.
 

The range covers placements from 13mm to 100mm in nine colour coded sizes. The colours follow the same sequence as the 4CU, but we’ve reversed the cam lobe colouring to the opposite to the Dragon for easily identification.With the Demon in the DMM range, we offer the worlds premium range of protection, both passive and active, for all climbers and all climbs.

Keep looking for the next parts of this series where I will detail each item.

New DMM ice axes - teaser video

Apex and Switch axes from DMM

Released today was a teaser video from DMM showing glimpses of their new range of ice axes that are due to be released on the 29th at ISPO in Munich.

The video confirms remakes of the DMM fly, raptor, and cirque, and 2 new names to the DMM axes range; the Apex and the Switch. More to come over the next few days but for now just a short video! Stay tuned for more as it appears!



Video and more information here: http://dmmclimbing.com/news/2012/01/showing-at-ispo-munich-2012/

Electronic Mountain Leader - 3rd birthday today!

3 years, 10's of 1000's of views, and over 52,000 words, I'm still here! Whilst I didn't publish my first article until August 2009, I published a series of smaller articles which I deleted, my first ever post on the blog was 20th January 2009 making today the 3rd birthday of Electronic Mountain Leader! These days there is a website, a blog and (launched today) the new DofE blog, not to mention a Copyright on the name, tonnes of web space, and not forgetting a new contributor in Simon.

Thank you to everyone who's visited Electronic Mountain Leader over the last 3 years, and I promise I will continue writing articles as often as I can, once again anyone who wants to contact me with feedback, comments or questions please feel free! Many thanks also to the companies who have supported me by providing products to test!

New Duke of Edinburgh's Award blog and mobile app

You may or may not have noticed the  "DofE" tab that has been sat on the pages bar for the last couple of weeks, it had originally been my plan to integrate what I want to write about DofE on this blog, however it rapidly became clear that a separate blog was needed and so here we are click

There have been 4 major influences in my life which have lead me to become the man I am today; my mum,dad and family, DofE, Air Cadets and my education, all of which have been important to me (family more so than any other). DofE has always been something I have been passionate about, and I been involved in it since the age of 14 - both as a participant and as a leader, the whole idea of the DofE blog is to bring my passion for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award to people who might need some help, the new blog will feature DofE specific articles on all aspects of the expedition section of DofE including kit reviews, video guides and much more. The aim being to try and spread the DofE resources I have spent many hours creating to people who need them! It's still under construction so definitely watch this space and stay tuned!

Scan me (Android only)

I also knocked up a quick Android mobile app using an online app maker, I do have a full app in the works that will hopefully feature a simple GPS feature, as well as articles and exclusive content. The app available through the barcode to the right is just a simple strip down version of the website, the content will update when connected to WiFi or Mobile internet, it's not graphics heavy so it's easy to view the latest posts! It also has Google maps with basic GPS functionality. Any feedback welcome!

Petzl NAO - the future of head torches?

© Petzl

RRP: £135

Petzl's latest headtorch has been announced; the Petzl NAO will be available from July 2012....but what is it?

Petzl's new NAO headtorch features a heads-up sensor at the front that adapts the light output of the headtorch according to what is required. For example scanning the horizon will result in the headtorch adapting to maximum output and maximum concentration, whilst looking at a map will cause the torch to reduce output and increase beam width. From Petzl's website:

"REACTIVE LIGHTING technology is a revolution in hands-free lighting. A built-in light sensor adapts the headlamp's beam pattern and light output instantly and automatically to suit the user's needs. This means the user gets an ideal amount of light with minimal manual adjustment required. This self-adjusting lighting mode also results in longer burn times, due to more efficient use of the rechargeable battery"

The diagram to the left from the Petzl site illustrates how the torch functions. The light sensor on the torch detects what light level is required, close range wide beams where needed and long range concentrated beams where needed. The result? Minimum adjustment needed, and maximum battery life. The torch weighs a respectable 187g - not the lightest but definitely a good power/weight ratio. The Nao also picks up where the Petzl Core left off - with USB charging (2300mAh Lithium Ion battery), however this can be supplemented with AAA batteries if required. The official Petzl press release is below:


The Petzl NAO is a new-generation head torch that represents a genuine step forward in hands-free lighting.

The NAO uses Petzl's innovative Reactive Lighting technology, providing light that automatically adapts to your environment. A sensor constantly monitors reflected light from your direction of vision and adapts the head torch output accordingly. This means there is no need to manually adjust brightness when switching between close or distant objects. The dual benefit is automatic optimisation of battery output, giving extended burn times. The Petzl Nao gives you the right light when you need it – automatically.

One of the big problems with today's head torches is the relationship between high-performance LED power consumption and battery capacity. The choices are limited; either unregulated light, giving rapidly diminishing light output, or regulated output where maximum power is only available for relatively short periods.

Petzl's Reactive Lighting technology allows your battery to optimise its output, only providing the power you need for the environment you are operating in. The result is that battery life can last at least three times longer than it would do under constant full power*.

The Petzl Nao features a front headset with twin LEDS and sensor, linked to the rear-mounted battery by the new Zephyr cord-lock headband. The battery is a 2300 mAh lithium-ion unit, rechargeable via an integrated USB plug. There is a belt kit version for the battery, plus a detachable top strap for additional stability when running.

Lighting is controlled via a large rotating on/off switch, which can be locked in the 'off' position. The switch allows the user to choose between Reactive Lighting or Static modes, with high/low output options in each. Static lighting gives a fixed output (non-reactive).

In Reactive Lighting mode the headset uses a single high-output LED in a wide-angled beam. In Static mode the headset uses both the wide-angled beam and a second high-output LED configured for a focused beam. Maximum power output is 355 lumens. Performance profiles can be customised via Petzl's OS 2.0 on your computer.

For 'emergency use', the battery pack will accept 2 x conventional AAA batteries. UK RSP will be £135.00.

*Required output will of course depend on ambient light and the pattern of your usage, ie how much you switch between near/far objects.

© Petzl

So what do I think? I think this looks really cool, Petzl have produced a new unique system that really does have potential for being a useful addition to a climbers arsenal. A torch that can adapt to reduce output when looking close to the crag placing gear, then increase output as you look up the route, all without fiddling around with dials and buttons, is a genuinely useful idea! However Petzl have included an override function for those people who prefer to be more in control! The Petzl OS 2.0 software can be used to fine tune the unit making it even more efficient, this is another nice little feature included by Petzl. Lets hope that it lives up to expectations! But thumbs up to Petzl for a unique and innovate idea! 




Petzl also released a short video accompanying the press release, (see below) enjoy!

Source: http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/headlamp/nao

or check out the NA) on Tribevine.com http://www.tribevine.com/product/11824/Petzl/NAO%20headtorch

Memory Map Adventurer 2800 - great unit at a great price

GPS technology has rapidly increased over the last 2 years, with the introduction of more and more phones that feature GPS, the outdoor industry has seen massive strides taken in the outdoor GPS handset category. Memory Map have always been at the forefront of electronic mapping, with their software arguably being the most popular and most advanced out there. It is therefore perhaps not surprising that they have ventured into the GPS handset market and produced their own range of handsets that not only integrate with existing maps but also come pre-loaded with 1:50k maps. In this category it is certainly up against some tough competition with units like the Garmin eTrex 30, Dakota and Montana, Satmap Active 10, and other high end sets. So how does the Adventurer 2800 compare?

First things first, straight out of the box this unit feels great. It's solid feeling - the kind of unit you want to take out into the mountains with you. It's also very light (135g with battery), so the unit isn't a huge amount of extra weight to carry. Switching the unit on reveals the vibrant high resolution screen. It displays the maps with beautiful clarity, if you look at other units available it's easy to see why the Adventurer really dwarfs the competition. Below are the stats compared to a couple of other units:

Adventurer: 96,000 pixels, (400 x 240)
Garmin Dakota: 38,400 pixels (240 x 160)
Satmap Active 10: 76,800 (320 x 240)

Looking at the above you can clearly the see the adventurer boasts a far superior screen, and it really does show when looking at maps especially zoomed in. So far so good!

Memory Map software is great for route tracking,
and as a teaching aid.

Onto the technical side of things, the adventurer comes with a couple of options for maps, you can buy the unit with either 1:50k national parks or 1:50k entire UK (for a small price difference). In addition to this if you own memory map and have your own maps you can add them on as well on the MicroSD (various sizes available) expansion card. For me this meant I could have 1:25k detail as well, which is a real bonus. The maps are really clear and detailed and show all the data on a 1:25k map not just vector mapping details that are found on some mapping systems. The GPS antennae is very powerful, gaining a fix quickly and efficiently. It maintains this fix even in thickly wooded areas, and inside. I compared the speed of the fix against my Garmin eTrex 10, and the eTrex was faster, however not by much, and considering the Adventurer is able to acquire the fix and place your position on a 1:25k map, it's worth waiting the extra minute!

The touchscreen is easy to use, but does require a bit more effort if wearing gloves, this could be an issue in colder conditions, however you can buy "e-tip" gloves (various shops and brands that mean operation even with gloves on is easy.

Overall I love this unit, it's great value, it's easy to use, its powerful and quick to get a fix, and worth the money bigtime especially if you have Memory Map already and want to use existing map

Magellan eXplorist - neat little GPS handset

After the OutDoor show 2011 I was keen to get one of these to test. Thanks to my friends at the Outdoors Company I was able to get one of these for a few weeks to test.

The version I got was the GC (geocache) version, however I am going to ignore the geocaching functionality of this unit as it is not something that interests me in a GPS, but I will add that if you are into geocaching (I'm not) there are a lot of features on this GPS that you will enjoy!

Right so the unit; it's well built, and substantial feeling when you hold it. The loop on the bottom I mentioned in my first impression review below, but it is a very useful feature, and I immediately added a cord lanyard onto it to make sure I didn't lose it. But I really like the feel of the unit.

When you switch it on you are met by a nice looking menu screen that, (in contrast to the etrex 10) is in full colour. The unit is easy to understand, I like to gauge ease of use based on what I can pick up instantly without having to consult the manual, and in this case I was able to pick up everything I wanted from the set without needing the manual at all.

The unit acquired a fix quickly, and maintained this fix both in dense wooded areas and also inside buildings which is unusual for a GPS.

However when looking at this unit I had to compare it to the eTrex 10 that I was testing at the same time. The eTrex 10 uses both GLONASS and GPS - something that the Magellan does not do (the SiRFstarIII antenna in the GC isn't able to receive GLONASS, Magellan's GNSS receiver is their only current antennae that does this). Because of this the eTrex is quicker to get a fix, and maintains the fix to a higher accuracy for longer than the Magellan. Aside from this both units function in the same way, accept that the Magellan has a colour screen and the eTrex is monochrome.

To get back to the Magellan, I like it, it's a nice GPS unit and definitely worth considering if you are looking for a basic GPS that doesn't have OS mapping. The eTrex 10 is also worth looking at, but the Magellan has a few features including the geocaching functionality for which it was designed that might make it better than the eTrex 10.

Jetboil Flash - update of a great piece of kit

Jetboil have had a lot of success with their Jetboil stoves, and now with several on the market and selling well they are looking for ways to improve designs, and lower the weight. The jetboil flash does 50% of that! 

First off in terms of weight it's no different to the original Jetboil PCS (now called Jetboil Classic). It's exactly the same weight, with exactly the same power output, and boil time. For those of you who aren't familiar with Jetboil, the concept of the system is a small, lightweight, efficient stove unit. It can boil water very efficiently and quickly (under 2 minutes). The stove unit attaches to the cup (called the companion mug), and makes a very stable unit. A number of accessories are available for the system including a hanging kit (which isn't brilliant), a coffee press, and a stabiliser set (included with the Jetboil Flash). The stabiliser consists of a small tripod type affair that attaches to the bottom of the gas canister to stop the stove from over balancing, the set also includes a metal attachment for the top of the stove that turns the Jetboil into a more traditional stove that can have a pan or mess tin on instead of the companion mug. 

Jetboil Flash (left) Vs PCS (right)

After you finish cooking you can pack everything away inside the companion mug which saves space, and means you aren't scrambling around for everything when you want to make a brew! 

So whats new with the Flash? The Flash has a couple of new features which I feel are a real improvement on the original PCS. The first change is the gas regulator valve on the side. On the PCS this was a small knob that could be really fiddly, especially in gloves. This has been changed to larger wire frame, glove friendly adjuster - a significant improvement on the original. The second (albiet minor) change is the lid and bottom cover - these have been adjusted to an opaque plastic, this is a useful change as you can look into the stove and see how you cooking is progressing. The third change is a good one - the igniter on the previous unit was quite far away from the burner, this meant that in wind you often had to result to the backup lighter to get it working, on the Flash the piezo igniter is closer to the burner which seems to provide a much more consistent ignition! The final change is the sleeve of the unit. The sleeve now features a heat indicator that turns yellow when the contents of the stove are hot, in practice this means you can keep the lid on the stove until the sleeve turns yellow, removing the lid then will reveal the boiling water, and because you had the lid on the whole time the efficiency is maximised. 

Jetboil Flash with stabiliser

Overall I'm happy with the Flash and glad I got one when my PCS needed replacing, don't go out and buy one if you have a working PCS, as the new features are that significant, but if you want a jetboil, definitely get this one over the Jetboil Classic! 

Jetboil really is one of my favorite pieces of kit, it's lightweight, it's efficient, and it does the job I want it to do quickly, no messing around! The flash is an improvement on the original and comes with the stabiliser (previously £15 with the PCS) so that's an extra bonus! Worth shopping around for too it can be found at prices between £60-£112 so a big difference between retailers! 

Blacks: How a phoenix could rise from the ashes?

"Now is the winter of our discount tent" UKC 2012


I have made no secret of the fact that I have never been that impressed with Blacks, why? My main gripe is that the choice of brands present in the store is reflective of fashion rather than function. In addition the staff are varied; some are excellent, and really know their subject, and some are woeful and couldn’t tell the difference between their arse and their elbow never mind a softshell and a hardshell.

It is therefore not entirely surprising that Blacks have ended up at deaths door, bargaining for a last minute reprieve. If we take Stoke on Trent as an example; Blacks in Stoke is middle of the park as far as I’m concerned. Some of the staff there are great and know their stuff, but the brands sold there are what I would consider ‘form over function’. But non the less Blacks in Stoke has had somewhat of a monopoly in recent years, with the minor outdoor shops (Mountain Fever and Hi Peak leisure) closing down, one through lack of business, one through the owner emigrating. However a recent GoOutdoors store opening, meant that Blacks was always going to struggle, introduction of a price promise, and various offers failed to achieve the required sales (nationwide also) and Blacks finds itself in administration. But why?

Price matching is great....if you sell things that people want to match. The fact is that when the high street fashion trend of having outdoor jackets went away, Blacks continued to stock items that qualified as neither fashionable (by current trends) or functional (by outdoor standards). It would be unfair of course to accuse Blacks of stocking brands that nobody liked. The range of rucksacks was always quite good, featuring top brands like Osprey, Deuter and Lowe Alpine. However I always found that the choice of brands for technical garments was found wanting. North Face and Berghaus were the 2 main options available. In my opinion they are both brands that suffered from a drop in popularity during the “outdoor fashion boom”; by this I mean that as a community we outdoorsy types are quite protective of our image, it’s our thing, and when it becomes fashionable to plod around town in Berghaus and North Face, we don’t want it. Partly because we want to be different, and partly because these brands had a noticeable refocus in purpose from function to fashion, meaning a drop in the quality of the kit; something that they are both only now recovering from. Fact is, nobody wants to go wearing the same kit on the hill, as a 15 year old chav stood smoking by the corner of the local shop, with their Burberry scarf up over their face. Even though this trend has long since passed, there is still a perception that this is the case, and that North Face and Berghaus (to a lesser extent) are too high street.

This can’t be put down to a simple case of the outdoor retailers having a hard time in general, Cotswolds, GoOutdoors even to some extents the smaller and less well known Mountain Warehouse all seem to be doing well.

Bidding is ongoing for a takeover of blacks in a pre-pack deal after going into administration this morning (6^th Jan). So when a new owner emerges how will they get Blacks back on it’s feet? Here’s what I think:

1)   Get Blacks back to selling the TOP outdoor brands, I don’t want to walk into Blacks and have North Face thrust in my face from every angle, by all means sell North Face and Berghaus kit, but give you consumers a range of choice. Get Mountain Equipment, Mammut, Rab, and other top outdoor brands in there, and Blacks will once again begin to appeal to the outdoor enthusiasts. As a consumer I want a choice of the best, if you stock only a couple of brands in a given category, I will go elsewhere.

2)   Climbing hardware, Blacks had a brief flirt with climbing gear last year and did a crap job of it, why? Because they stocked only CAMP gear, and at shockingly high prices, with staff who didn’t have a clue.  They were uncompetitive, and the staff knowing nothing about the kit is unforgiveable, If they were to stock DMM, Wild Country, Black Diamond and other top notch hardware brands, and get the staff some training on how to use them, the store would appeal to climbers and mountaineers, as well as walkers and hikers.

3)   Staff training, get the staff trained on their product. If I ask a sales assistant about a jacket, I want to know their opinion, their thoughts based on their experiences, I’m not interested in hearing a pre learned speech about how gortex work – I know already, I want an enthusiasts opinion of the kit.

4)   Ditch the surfware, Animal, O’Neil etc, let Republic and other high street shops stock that kind of stuff, fact is, it’s not in fashion, and no outdoorsy types want it, it’s just dead weight.

5)   Loyalty scheme, get a loyalty scheme, similar to GoOutdoors card perhaps, or even Cotswolds Explore More card. Make Blacks feel like an outdoor shop, get some good offers, deals, and rewards for shopping there.

Start stocking better gear, with more knowledgeable staff, and the fact is people will flock to Blacks. It’s the most well known and widespread brand in the UK for outdoor kit, it’s about time it started acting like it.

A phoenix from the ashes.....we can only hope.

Brits to attempt Snow Leopard...

In July 2012 British mountaineers Jon Gupta &; Nick Valentine will attempted to complete the world’s hardest high altitude mountaineering challenge: The Snow Leopard Award – 5 x 7000m peaks. Not only this but they are planning to climb the 5 peaks back to back in Alpine Style in just 40 days!!

This will be a British First completion of the award and should we climb them in 40 days...a world fastest - which currently belongs to legendary climber Denis Ububko

Their aim is to inspire and motivate people, young people in particular, to believe that anything is possible and that they too can achieve their wildest dreams.

My friend Nick and his friend Jon are both incredibly passionate about the outdoors and both live and breathe climbing and mountaineering for fun and for work. They are both working towards becoming IFMGA Guides. This expedition is so exciting and will give both Nick and Jon the chance to climb together to their full potential and hopefully achieve something great for British Mountaineering and inspire young mountaineers to get out there and keep climbing!

What is the Snow Leopard Award?

The Snow Leopard award was a Soviet mountaineering award, given to very experienced climbers, knower days It is still recognised in the Commonwealth of Independent States. To receive this award, a climber must summit all 5 peaks of 7000m and above located in the former Soviet Union.

In Tajikistan's Pamir Mountains there are 3 Snow Leopard peaks, Communism Peak 7,495 m (24,590 ft), Peak Korzhenevskaya 7,105 m (23,310 ft), and Lenin Peak 7,134 m (23,406 ft) on the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border. In the Tian Shan there are 2 Snow Leopard peaks, Peak Pobeda 7,439 metres (24,406 ft) in Kyrgyzstan (divided by the border with China), and Khan Tengri 7,010 m (22,998 ft) on the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan border.

In order of difficulty, Peak Pobeda is by far the most difficult and dangerous, followed by Khan Tengri, Ismail Samani Peak, Peak Korzhenevskaya, and Lenin (Ibn Sina) Peak

So as you can see they have quite a task ahead of them, I look forward to seeing this trip progress!

To follow Nick and Jon's progress visit:

ESL12 Twitter

ESL12 Facebook 

Macpherson Mountaineering - brilliant customer service

Just a quick bit of praise for Macpherson Mountaineering for excellent customer service. My mum ordered a pair of Paramo salopettes for Simon for christmas in size XXL. The gentleman from Macpherson Mountaineering took the time to ring my mum to discuss the sizing of the salopettes, he measured the XL to give my mum an idea of the sizes available, and allowed my mum to make an informed decision about the size to get.

An example of an independent shop going the extra mile for customers, and definitely worth considering if you are looking at buying some kit for winter! Well done guys!

Macpherson Mountaineering can be found at http://macmountaineering.co.uk/

Do the letters G, P, and S make you too confident? A simple how-to of GPS

These days the acronym GPS has become synonymous with the simplification of navigation, sadly it has also been the cause of a number of incidents where people have wrongly assumed that carrying a phone that has a GPS built in will miraculously come to their aid should problems arise. People start to believe that because they have a GPS they are suddenly immune to the problems associated with bad weather, poor conditions etc

For me this whole issue was illustrated on a recent trip to Snowdon. "On our approach to the summit the weather had taken a turn for the worse, cloud had come in, wind speed had increased dramatically, and on top of that it had started to rain. While descending the ranger path with the group I met a couple coming up towards us. This couple were both dressed in ¾ length jeans, t shirt and jumper, wearing trainers with trainer liners. Not knowing what else to say I asked one of them “you guys ok there?”. I was met with the following reply “yeah we’re find, do you know where the train station is? We were just going to take the train down”. When I explained they were nowhere near the train station and that the weather further up was worse than where we were, the guy I was talking to replied “it’s ok mate I got Google maps on my phone”. At this stage I said they should come with me back to the car park, a suggestion to which the freezing cold girl of the pair was most agreeable too. After giving both of them a spare jacket from my kit we descended to the car park.”

First of all let me assure you that the above story is completely 100% true, and no detail has been made up, it does however neatly illustrate my point; GPS has become a false safety net for many novices who want to get out. The purpose of this short article is to offer some simple advice to those people who are new to the GPS, and perhaps believe that their smartphone, iPhone etc will save them in an emergency. This is also the time of the year where novice walkers (or even more highly experienced) may have bought themselves a shiny new GPS unit, and, instead of learning to use it, stash it neatly on their belt for an emergency. I really do not mean this to be offensive to anyone, and by no means is the tone of this condescending, I really just want to offer simple advice to help keep people safe J

Part 1: Smartphones

The fact is that a smartphone could possibly help in an emergency on the hill, the GPS antennae’s on modern phones are often highly advanced and can offer detailed fixes. However in order to this you need to understand a few things about GPS on your phone.

Firstly the GPS is only any use to you if there is software (an app) on the phone that can use the GPS antennae to give you a fix on your position in a Latitude and Longitude format, this is the standard GPS output format and can be given over the phone to Mountain Rescue who will be able to quickly locate you based on this information. Some pieces of software will be able to use the GPS to find out where you are, and display this on a map. Whilst this may be useful in a town or city because you will be able to relate your position to other roads and buildings, in the mountains this is not the case, and programs like Google maps that do not have topographical maps will not show anything around your location.

On this basis the first thing you need to do is check that the software on your phone shows Lat/Long fixes. If it doesn’t then download an app that does, many of these are free for example; GPS essentials on Android. Once you have your app, practice using it, make sure it functions without a mobile internet connection, since many times in the mountains this type of signal will not be available. If you have software on your phone, that can display Lat/Long, without an internet connection, then you have a useful feature on your phone, provided it has battery enough to use it, and you are aware of how to do so. When you get the software on and working you are looking for a figure that looks like:53^o34.544N 13^o54.1346W this is the full Lat/long reference and you will need to provide the whole set of numbers in order for people to find you.

Part 2: GPS handsets

Many would be walkers buy a GPS handset but have no idea how to use it. It’s often one of those gadgets that people buy because it seems like a piece of gear they need. The fact is (cliché I know) GPS is not a substitute for good map skills. So do not go out into the mountains without a good knowledge of map and compass, and the appropriate equipment.

That said, if you do have a GPS it is a piece of gear that can really help in an emergency, and the good news is that regardless of the brand of GPS you have the approach to finding your location is very similar, and the below is a general overview of how to get that information.

Step 1: Turn the GPS on and wait for it to get a fix. This will be quicker if the GPS has already had a fix during the day, you can find your progress towards a fix on a screen that will be called “satellites” (or something similar). This will display a bar graph of signal strengths, and will usually indicate if you have a fix by saying “4 metre fix” or something similar.

Step 2: Once you have a fix, you need to find the location data. On some GPS sets for example the newest Garmin eTrex 10, this information is found on the satellites page so there is no need to scroll around trying to find it. On other models this may be found on a dashboard screen or home screen. You are looking for a figure that looks like: 53^o34.544N 13^o54.1346W this is the full Lat/long reference and you will need to provide the whole set of numbers in order for people to find you. You may also find the data is provided as a grid reference and will look like this: SJ 04566 78534 and you will need to provide the whole number including the letters at the start.

Above: Examples of GPS position screens, the red arrow marks the where you can find location. In the first screen it is shown as a grid reference, whilst in the other 2 it is shown as Lat/Long.

I close with a quote from Brecon Mountain Rescue team's Mark Jones, regarding a couple who were rescued by a smartphone when they were directed to download an app to the phone in order to be able to provide the team with an accurate location:


“Technology saved us all a night on the mountain, but it can never take the place of a traditional map and compass and being properly prepared.”

So there are the basics; if you want to know anything about your GPS, feel free to email me directly, I’m always happy to help.

Chris@electronicmountainleader.co.uk

Christmas Crackers!!!!

So, this year for christmas I only asked for two things; a Podsac Alpine 50 and a pair of Paramo Aspira Salopettes. I had been worrying about the Salopettes sizing as I have rather long legs; I had heard the salopettes are rather short, but the XXL has a slightly longer leg by an Inch or so. A few weeks of wondering went by and then that lovely crisp white winters day came around - oh wait, the weather was warm and wet.....awkward.

But under the tree were two large parcels mith my name on.....a Podsac Alpine 50 in Blue (the colour i wanted) and a pair of Paramo Aspira Salopettes. Happy days!!! I havent had chance to use either in action but I have packed the rucksack with everything for a Winter day and it looks superb. First impressions are everything and this really does look and feel amazing. It is very comfy and I can actually look up whilst wearing it, a big plus for climbing. I have paraded around the house sporting my salopettes somewhat like "a fisherman" as my sister put it. But first impressions again show these to have superb build quality and they are fantastically comfortable.

I will endeavour to use both items as quick as I can, but that may not be till the end of January, so keep your eyes peeled. I will however put up some product information on here and on my favourite gear review site Tribevine. See earlier posts for info on it, but it is the one place you can go to find info on nearly every bit of outdoor gear before you go "splashing the cash".

Visit Tribevine here

Podsac Alpine 50

Its a lightweight pack that has been specifically designed to be at home in the alpine environment. Its functional, fairly water resistant and it can be stripped down to suit your needs i.e. take off the lid, straps, frame etc...

Fabric: 210D Cordura Ripstop, 420D Ballistic Cordura. Roll top closure provides weather resistance and gives secure closure when the lid is stripped. Tapered profile allows good freedom of movement and easy packing. Extendable/quick release lid with internal and external pockets. Thermoformed back panel with closed cell foam shed snow and does not absorb water. Removable internal framesheet and alloy stave for support. Removable load bearing hip belt with gear loops for racking. Internal light grey PU coating increases weather resistance and aids viewing of contents. Ice axe/walking pole/ski pole carrying system. External wand pockets constructed from ultra-tough leno mesh. Rope carrying loop. Front and rear haul loops. Internal pocket and hose outlet for hydration system. Seams triple stitched and bound. Internally bar tracked stress points. Size A - Designed to fit females and small males. Size B - Designed to fit medium/large male

Paramo Aspira Salopettes

 

Designed to fulfil the needs of the mountaineer and outdoor professional, the Men's Aspira Salopettes can be worn continually throughout the day and night! With unbeatable temperature control, you can comfortably walk, climb and even bivi in them without taking them off!

Storage from two increased volume chest pockets. Increased abrasion resistance and security through new stronger reversed zips. Easy to operate venting and access via zip on bib. Temperature control and improved fit from integral belt. ‘Access all areas’, even during harness use, via drop seat and zip fly. Unrestricted leg movement due to increased knee articulation and diamond gusset. Added protection and insulation via our unique slimline removable knee foam inserts. Increased abrasion resistance to the seat, knee and ankle area through re-inforced fabric. Rapid temperature adjustment via full length reversed side zips with new internal single storm flaps. Maximum articulation and minimal risk of ‘crampon tripping’ through calf adjust cords. Easily zipped on or off without removing boots, poppered ankle adjustment secures hem. Secure but unobtrusive tape loops for optional underboot elastication. In extreme low temperatures, Stretch Pants can be worn underneath for extra comfort. Now made without snow gaiters for use with modern leather boot/gaiter combinations.

Soto Micro Regulator Stove - UKClimbing freebie

Luck shined on me in the recent round of UKClimbing.com competitions and I won a £75 Soto stove - a good early Christmas present! The stove was couriered over to me and arrived on the 22nd December.

The Soto Micro Regulator stove comes highly recommended from a number of companies, websites and bloggers, so I was happy to get my hands on one for free!

So what is so special about it? Well the Micro Regulator Stove (here on MRS) is designed to provide a constant output regardless of the internal pressure of the fuel. What this means is that the stove will provide a constant output in the cold (or hot), making it ideal for alpine climbing or expeditions. Sounding good so far huh? At 73g the stove is very light indeed, and comes with a small duffle bag to carry it in. The stove uses

standard screw fix gas canisters, which come in various sizes allowing you to carry as little as you need. On to the stove itself; the arms of the stove fold away to make it slim for storage, I found these a little fiddly initially and they could come undone, however I would put this more down me not being used to it as I don't have these problems any more. The MRS has a stealth igniter making it easy to light. The output is controlled by the small adjuster (also folds away) on the side. It is a very powerful little stove, quickly and efficiently boiling water, ensuring that making brews and boil in the bag meals is a simple and quick affair. At £75 the MRS is not cheap, but so far I have been very impressed with, and the ability of the stove to perform at a consistent level regardless of temperature is something that interests me a great deal.

...but overall, great stove, little on the expensive side, but worth it if you want an uber lightweight, consistent and powerful stove that won't let you down!

Mountain Equipment Titan 850 - don't let it be said I don't take my own advice!

A little while back I reviewed Mountain Equipment winter sleeping bags (here). Recently decided that my life was lacking a warm sleeping bag, especially when I lay frozen in a tent in the backside of beyond assessing a DofE group. So I took my own advice and opted for the ME Titan 850. I will only be providing a short first impressions review today, but will give a more in depth analysis when I have used it for a bit longer!

First impression; wow. The feel of the bag is great, the lining is soft, making it comfortable to lay in, the outside feels tough, and it is light for a -12 comfort sleeping bag. The sleeping bag comes in a standard and long length which is ideal for me since I often find that at 6ft2 I'm slightly too tall for some bags, so nice to see that there is a longer bag out there! The sleeping bag includes both a stuff sack and a mesh storage bag so you can keep it uncompressed when it's not in use.

The Titan 850 was featured at the OutDoor show, as it is the first sleeping bag to adopt the "down codex" a system of ensuring that down used in equipment was sourced ethically, ensuring high standards of animal welfare, and environmental friendly production.

The titan is a 4 season sleeping bag, rated down to a comfort temperature of -12, with an extreme temperature of -31. Coupled with the water repellant finish to the sleeping bag , this makes the bag ideal for winter camping, mountaineering and bivying. It comes in at a reasonable 1.5kg, giving it a good warmth to weight ratio.

I will post a more in depth review when I have had this bag out in the field for a bit longer!

Overall nothing more to say about this bag other than it is an excellent bag, at a great price, and definitely worth considering if you are looking for a 4 season bag!

Garmin eTrex 10 - old yella'

"Out with the old in with the new". When I saw Garmin's new range of GPS sets at the OutDoor show, I was in 2 minds; happy that Garmin were looking to improve on the already excellent eTrex systems, but worried that nothing could measure up in terms of simplicity, value and function. However from what I saw at the show I was impressed enough to get one.

At around £100 the etrex is cheaper than it's Magellan equivalent, and with a similar level of functionality. The box comes with a USB cable, and manual in the box, along with the unit. First things first, the unit is light, and comfortable to hold, the buttons on the sides are simple and labelled, the small joystick on the front is a new addition from the old etrex. The unit feels rugged, solid feel, rubberised sides, just the kind of feel you want in an outdoor unit. The batteries are easily inserted by means of a small D ring on the rear of the unit, rotating it pops the battery compartment open. 2 AA batteries later the unit was on, and acquiring satellites.

The unit acquired a 4m fix very quickly, and after a couple of minutes updated this to a 2m fix. On the previous etrex I always found it seemed to take an eternity to get a fix from cold, but with this unit it was quick and efficient. The menu system is simple and easy to navigate, the buttons on the side can be used to scroll up and down if needed, however the joystick on the front can be used to scroll through the menu, and by pressing it you can select the highlighted option. There are a number of options that I personally won't use, fishing, moon and sun etc. However after 5minutes I had the unit configured to British National Grid, the datum's are selected automatically which is useful if you are new to GPS sets. The Map screen is initially blank and only begins to be useful when you are moving, as you move your track is recorded, you can then add waypoints along the route, zoom in or out with the side keys, or move around with the joystick.

In addition the unit has a backlight, which is activated by holding the power button, a pack including a case and belt clip can also be purchased for those who are looking for a more stylish way to carry the unit. The etrex 10 is completely waterproof and dustproof to IPX7 standards.

One new feature of the etrex 10,20 and 30, is that it boasts the fact that it is the only GPS set on the market that can connect to GLONASS and GPS at the same time, decreasing the time it takes to get a fix. For those who don't know, GLONASS is the Russian Federations answer to GPS, which will provide a collection of satellites that can be used by the Russians in a time of war (when GPS is restricted to US use only). Garmin states that by using both systems simultaneously the speed of a fix is increased by 20%.

The only down side about this unit is that it is not capable of accepting expansion maps, however this is not something I care about - if I did I would have bought the etrex 20 or 30...The Garmin 10 can however have waypoints from Memory map or other mapping software uploaded to it, as well as GPX files for Geocaching.

Great unit, great price, great addition to Garmin's range of GPS, and an ideal unit for anyone wanting a cheap, functional, and up to date GPS unit, at a cheap price.

The shivering mountain - 1st route of the season

So I arrived back at home for Christmas break festooned with kit for rock and winter climbing with the hope of getting out. Having eagerly been watching Baggy's blog and other similar, I was disappointed with conditions; I had hoped they would be like last years. None the less, there is no use crying about it, you have to make the most of a bad situation....

So when I received a text from Matt on Friday, my spirits picked up - "there's snow in the peak district, let's do something". Having confirmed there was indeed snow, I excitedly gathered my kit and packed...We decided on Mam Tor Gully (below), much revered for its poor climbing, but as it was the only decent route in.....we gave it a bash.

The first thing I grabbed being my Crux AK47 rucksack; a fantastic pack, a little over priced for me, but having only paid a small amount 2nd hand, I'm chuffed about its performance. It's a Kevlar reinforced bag that is supremely waterproof in driving rain or snow and is spacious enough to hold a full winter pack including rope. However, when climbing with it, it is hard to look up! Not exactly a selling point. But, you can change this by removing the titanium frame from inside. Yes, this doesn't give you as much support, but I find it slightly more comfy and much easier to climb with.

Into the crux went my first aid kit, harness, slings, nuts, hexes, nalgene and all the other assorted items needed. But clothing wise, I had a decision; hardshell, softshell or paramo. Each has its own advantages. Hardshell is more waterproof than the others, but I overheat in it too quickly especially if the weather is wet but not too cold and the Gore-Tex reaches saturation point mighty quickly. So then you could choose softshell, not as waterproof, but if it's not going to rain and is just snow then it would be great, but we all know that the weather craps out on us when we don't want it to. So I opted for my new favourite - the paramo. It's warm, breathable, light, quick drying and fairly waterproof. I get a lot of stick from my mates about this, but if they could afford it, I'm sure they'd buy it...because it aint cheap. I've got the Velez Adventure Light Smock, and at around 180, it's the cheapest smock they do! Worth every penny. More on paramo to come.

Setting off from home at around 6am we were climbing by 7.30. The conditions were good, plenty of snow and just cold enough while we were climbing to keep everything together. The climbing was tricky...not technically but mentally. It's like something out of a nightmare, the whole mountain peeling off as you climb, each footstep sliding down a bit more. But with perseverance and brute strength we made it to the top at around 11am.

 

Major bonus points to my Rab Powerstretch balaclava, which kept my head and face warm all morning. My DMM Xeno axes which played their part well. But most of all, my Mountain Equipment DJ. My Lightline jacket is amazing, so comfy, cozy, cuddly, warm.....comfy (oh wait i said that). I use it just about every day now and it's awesome on the hill and off the hill. I stuck it on for the walk in then took it off to climb and put it on again at the summit and even the driving snow didnt wet this baby out. The Dri-Lite outer shunning of all the weather could throw, whilst keeping me toasty warm. Another fantastic day out on the hill with Matt, and I enjoyed 

wearing the amazing hat his girlfriend knitted for me (right).