Hiking, Scrambling, Mountaineering, and Climbing

Anyone else signed up for Kendal Festival online this year? Shows started yesterday and there's quite a few decent films in there to be watching. Not sure how I'm going to watch everything I want to before the end of Dec though.

Are you involved? I'll share it with my partner. (Although I doubt she'll be interested, and not sure how highly skilled this actually means).

Nothing to do with me but I do know they are legit and have used cyclists a few times over the years

Exactly this. Merino LJs and some army surplus lightweights will sort you right out.

Yes, could do I guess. I hadn't though of that even though I have been giving the merino gear a wash in preparation for use this week. :/

@Stonehedge Thanks, I'll have a look at those.

I saw Jenny Tough was giving a talk which I thought would be good but haven't got around to it yet.

"Highly skilled" eh? It's for a 'beauty product commercial", so I'm imagining it being a bit more like this...

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My wife has the book and has listened to the talk already. She’s says it’s worth a listen! They’ve got a few of the women from Jenny’s book on stage.

@Stonehedge Thanks, I'll have a look at those.

Also consider these @ £25 or so

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/men-s-mountain-walking-modular-trousers-mh550/_/R-p-192400?mc=8493709&c=GREY

You prob won't want to use the zip offs in the winter but can vouch for the fabric and quality of construction. Quick drying, light and will be fine with a base layer.

I've got three pairs of them on the go. One of which I've had for about ten years and they just won't wear out. They're my go to for summer climbing as well as hiking and will def do a job in the winter with a base. Think I even commuted daily in my oldest pair in shorts mode for a few years and they didn't even wear out on the arse.

Ah cool. I enjoyed the book so I'll have look and see who else is on there.

Cheers. I had seen those already so good to know.

Any recommendations for a good breathable waterproof please? It needs to be light as I hope to be carrying it more that wearing it.

My daughter is doing some climbing/abseiling at a set of old quarries above Bolton. It's owned by BMC but also doubles up as a shooting range. Interesting place.

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Cool! Hope she doesn't get shot at while climbing though! :)

There was only one confirmed casualty.

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Any recommendations for a good breathable waterproof please? It needs to be light as I hope to be carrying it more that wearing it.

I've heard very good things about the Rab Zenith GORE-TEX Light. Supposed to be very breathable and packs down small

Cheers. Seems £200+ is standard for a gore tex jacket.

That’s the sort of cash I was prepared to spend on boots, but thought I might get away with a bit less on a jacket.

I’ll keep an eye on Sport Pursuit to see if anything pops up in a reasonable size.

Any recommendations for a good breathable waterproof please? It needs to be light as I hope to be carrying it more that wearing it.

The lightest shell I have is a Mammut Convey. Its about £200 and waterproof as duck's ball sack. If you really do need to watch the grams I don't think you can do better. They say it is designed for hiking but in reality its cut to a good technical shape.

https://www.mammut.com/uk/en/p/1010-27840-0001/convey-tour-hs-hooded-jacket-men/

My favourite rain shell is a Decathlon/Simond that costs about £99. Its harder wearing so not as light. I love how easy the zips are to use with gloves on. Its what I tend to pack when doing stuff high up in the Alps in winter.The hood is excellent also.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/men-s-mountaineering-light-jacket-blue-aniseed/_/R-p-161091?mc=8544950&c=ORANGE

Alpkit do good cheaper stuff too. I got one of their softshell jackets for Mrs EB recently, and I'm very impressed with it

Thanks. Mammut are doing 15% off when you sign up to their newsletter so that makes the jacket a palatable price.

I’ve had a Simond jacket for dog walking which has been decent, but I’d rather layer up under a thin shell for hiking.

The Mammut is excellent. Worth a shot. My only criticism is that I don't feel comfortable wearing it in rocky or thorny environments as the price you pay for being that light is tear resistance.

If waterproof and light are your main criteria, go for it.

One more suggestion. I've got a Sherpa Makalu that I love. I've had it for about 7 years now.

Its somewhere between the simond and the mammut in weight. £280.

Very well made.

https://www.sherpaadventuregear.co.uk/item/sherpa-adventure-gear/makalu-jacket/17UL

There's also a crazy Klattermussen sale on at the moment. May be style over function in some instances but some very good deals on what will be high quality items

Fwiw they always have stuff on sale and it doesn't seem to be cheaper right now than normal. Most of the stuff on sale is still expensive for what it is. Imagine paying rrp on that stuff... I wouldn't

I've bought a few Klattermusen things in sales and it's very good and will last for years. Not much in the range that I could conceive of buying full price though