We left on Friday afternoon after work and arrived in the evening around 8ish. Not a bad time considering the slow moving traffic over the Severn Bridge and beyond. We had driven in a car and a bongo van, the car driven by speedy Lavelle Gonzalez arrived early at Glyncorrwg Ponds Camp Site to set up the tents while the bongo van slowly meandered it’s way up the valley only to come to a halt at Afan Lodge where we were to dine for the evening and await the arrival of the rest of the troops from the camp site.

At around 8.30 we sat down to eat supper and chat about the adventure that was unfolding in front of us. The main topic of conversation was to do with the weather because when we left North Dorset it was pretty fair however as soon as we arrived in Wales the clouds rolled up the valley and the rain set in. It didn’t stop raining at all until we hopped back over to England so you can imagine what cycling up a Welsh mountain was going to be like.

In the morning we woke to a grey and wet Welsh welcome so we warmed up with a cup of tea and croissants before shooting off down the valley to pick up some hire bikes and helmets. The hire bikes were great and my goodness we put them through their paces. The bikes definitely took a bit of a battering with some of the guys making friends with trees, toppling off the board walks and landing upside down after rather a steep drop coupled with a sharp bend. We are still here to tell the tail but with less skin and more bruises.

The bad weather did nothing but accelerate our enthusiasm for getting on with the ascent and at first I think we were all, except Keith and Jon Stock our North Face rep, a little taken aback at how technical it was. We soon found our rhythm and with a few tips from the more experienced riders we all made our way up through the twists and turns of the densely forested Afan mountain. It took around 2.5 hours to arrive at the top and then the descent kicked in. An hour and a half of navigating narrow tracks, sharp U turns and board walks. Amazing fun but most amazing of all was that none of us got a puncture, one guy we passed on the trail was fixing his 5th in two days. All 9 of us made it to the bottom covered head to toe in scratches, bruises and mud but all with huge smiles plastered on our muddy faces.

Next stop was to the cafe at the foot of the mountain where Sue, Kuma and a welcome warm cup of tea and some good honest Welsh Rarebit were waiting for us. We all tucked in and shared our favourite and most scary sections with each other and had a laugh, all the while still looking like a team of rugby players after a tough match. Next it was to the showers which were, well, warmish to say the most but a shower non the less. After the showers packing up was the name of the game and all clubbing together to take 6 tents down doesn’t take long, even in the wet.

There are reports coming in from the passengers on board the bongo van that to keep Mike on his toes they were all singing along to the Paul Simon Greatest Hits album to pass the time, I’m not sure how many businesses there are on the planet where the employees are that comfortable with each other that they can perform a full rendition of ‘You can call me Al’ in front of each other? It’s a Webtogs thing I guess.

Another boost for moral on the journey home was the appearance of the sun, who decided to arrive just as we hopped back into England. It honestly felt like we hadn’t seen it for weeks so it was a welcome sight along with another cup of tea when we arrived back at home. A great weekend had by all and I can say that I now have the mountain biking bug along with a few others no doubt.

I thought we’d add a few quotes from the guys to sum up their weekend below so enjoy reading them.

Charlie – “Never had so much fun in the mud.”

Gareth – “Can’t stop the bruising, but I can’t stop grinning either!”

Lucy – “I cant think of anything better to do on a rainy Saturday than to play in the mud in Wales. Cant wait to go again!”

Jon – “Flying squirrels have nothing on the Webtogs crew!”

Ross – “Proud recipient of the Webtogs stabiliser award for falling off every 5 minutes”

Mike -”That’s my idea of a dirty weekend away”

Lee – ” What a roller-coaster of emotion, weather conditions and hardcore welsh terrain – loved it, epic adventure”

Sue – “smelly wet dog is nothing compared to 9 wet and muddy mountain bike riders”

Now, Webtogs, as an official retailer of Outdoor Clothing, Equipment and Footwear, are obviously pro-outdoors and I to be honest have never had much experience of camping or hiking, mainly because I love the snow. I have previously focused most of my energy on disappearing off to the Alps on that eternal quest for virgin powder and have on occasion found it. As far as I am concerned it’s worth every penny, believe you me. I’ve completed a couple of ski seasons in Italy and Switzerland and the passion still burns from within, but now it has to fit in with work holidays so no bumming off for a season here and a season there anymore – work beckons and this has opened new doors to the adrenaline fuelled outdoor entertainments.

I play hockey for our local team a few times a week and have a friend who teaches at King’s Bruton, where I used to attend. They are paying for him to get all his Mountain Leader Safety courses and complete all the necessary exams needed so he can take the pupils off to train for the Ten Tors and Duke of Edinburgh awards. So I suggested that he take me with him whenever he decides to go off to remote parts of our glorious countryside. We only decided this last week and this blog is going to give you guys, if anybody reads this, the chance to see my progress in grabbing a foothold in the hiking world.

Just to give you the heads up on where I stand at the moment I don’t even own a backpack or walking boots so it’s going to be an epic journey I think. Oh, and I had an email through from the dude I play hockey with, we’ll call him ‘Bob’ for now as I haven’t asked him if he’d mind being plastered over the interweb yet, I probably won’t either so Bob will stick, anywho, the email It said… drum roll please……”I am also seriously considering climbing Mt Blanc next year in the summer so that would be something to maybe work towards. I think that you would love it and it would be a chance for you to try the kit out first hand.”

Oh dear, so now I’ve literally been roped into climbing a mountain? Instead of skiing down mountains I’m going to be climbing them – I have one ace up my sleeve though, Webtogs do happen to stock some pretty gnarly gear which means I’ll be well stocked up for the tasks in hand wherever they may be! There is one thing I do know, It’s going to be a bloody steep learning curve.

Have fun reading about my progress and I’m sure there will be some photos arriving soon of my first baby steps into the Great Unknown that is the British Countryside.

Thanks, bye. C

I’m a little bit in love with these gorgeous Keen Auburn boots – they somehow manage to be both pretty, functional, warm and durable, which doesn’t happen a lot in the world of women’s outdoor gear. They are perfect for country pubs now and they’ll still be going strong in the summer as brilliant festival footwear.

The fair isle print is really current and will brighten up jeans and a woolly jumper (which, to be honest, is pretty much my uniform when it’s cold). You might want to invest in some suede-saving spray though, given that we don’t live in the sunniest climate in the world. Sigh.

The Girl Outdoors

It’s been incredible to watch just how quickly it has gone up, it has literally been two weeks for them to get to the stage above us in the photgraph. We can’t wait for the new warehouse to come online, especially our warehouse manager Sue, as things are a tad tight in the current one.

We’ll keep you posted as we progress……

Where the Charmoz really excels is on true mixed ground, with constant switches between snow, rock and ice proving no problem. When you’ve got a snow slope followed by a rocky scramble then an ice pitch or two you need something that gives support, grip and traction reliably throughout, and inspires confidence. The waterproof breathable Gore-Tex membrane somehow managed to keep my feet dry even when post holing to knee deep on the ascent of Mont Blanc. Long hard walking on rocky paths felt comfortable which I attributed to the ¾-length shanks, and when it came to steeper icy routes it was simple to fit a pair of Newmatic crampons. The rigid soles and flexible uppers gave excellent support and the shape and fit gave all the precision needed for grade 5 ice and hard mixed climbing. I believe if you want one boot that does it all – or at least Alpine summer or Scottish winter, then look no further. When the mountain terrain changes every few hundred feet, take it all on with the versatile Charmoz GTX Mountaineering Boots.

Nick Parks – Mountain Guide

CREDIT: “John Muir, full-length portrait, facing right, seated on rock with lake and trees in background.” c1902. The Evolution of the Conservation Movement, 1850-1920, Library of Congress.

When I first heard the line I just dismissed the term “pray” as coming from the steotypical religious mix of Scottish heritage and American tradition and substituted it with “think” in my mind, but experience slowly changed this view. It’s no coincidence that we bestow religious terminology to the finest mountain wilderness, and how early descriptions were full of the sense of awe and wonder usually reserved for religious sights. For millenia people have held nature in awe, from early beginings when deity was bestowed on nature itself to the use of natural amphitheatres in the Peak District used for banned religious meetings.

There is something spiritual in nature, and like religion an introduction to wilderness can change lives in the same way as a religious epiphany – read Andy Cave’s book Learning to Breathe to see just what a difference it can make. Like a religion experiencing the outdoors is a personal experience, but one that can benefit at times from being shared with others, and there’s no-one more enthusiastic than a new convert. The great outdoors draws us at weekends, replacing for many the traditional Sunday church attendance as our feel good factor and inspiration, and when we find the perfect mountain view we even refer to it as a cathedral.

Almost un-noticed, science has entered the spiritual world of the outdoors, but rather than destroying the religious analogies it merely reinforced them. The key to religion, no matter which religion, is surely faith – and that’s precisely what science tries to grow in us. Take a look in at any piece of outdoor kit nowadays and examine the label – you’ll be confronted with more science and technical terminology than the average A level student, but what does it really mean? Take some of the most popular fabrics used for outdoor clothing: There’s Pertex Endurance, Pertex Quantum, Pertex Shield, Pertex MicroLight and Pertex Classic for a start………..now Classic is obviously an original form but how much should you read into the others? Pertex Shield you’d expect to be some sort of shield so probably good for abrasion resistance, and Pertex MicroLight seems pretty self explanatory. Pertex Endurance doesn’t seem too difficult to work out where its strength lies but Pertex Quantum??? Is it some weird option based on advanced physics? The only way, of course, of finding out is to check out the labels and tags that adorn every product, and that’s where faith comes in.

Read a garment tag, skipping the washing instructions, and you’ll find wonderful descriptions of how oilophobic membranes with XYZ ions and silicone dioxide beads combine with silver fabrics and microfilament yarns to produce ……what, really? something you can wear and not something you expect to find in a government laboratory? Seriously now, how many peopple really follow all the scientific or pseudo-scientific geekspeak? You’re expected to put your faith in it just because it’s got a paragraph or three of jargon behind it that makes it look like it’s come straight from NASA. Personally I’m not bothered if it says it an intelligent, semi-permeable micropore membrane with hydrophyllic and hydrophobic lares laminated together – I want to know if it’s going to keep me dry when it rains, and shift perspiration when I get warm…end of! Faith may be defined by a belief in something you can’t see, but surely that doesn’t mean in something you can’t understand either? That’s why I’ve been happy this week to go through all the outdoor clothing on the site, noting their core technology and coming up with a real world description of what they are and what they do. Don’t let the science baffle you or demand a faith it may or may not deserve, save that for the wilderness itself and the faith that it will always be there when we need its spiritual qualities.

Weather and clothing

Alpine weather is often extreme and can change very rapidly; in summer you can have snowfalls, dramatic thunderstorms and sweltering temperatures all in the same day even at moderate heights. This means you have to be well equipped to cope with all eventualities not only with the skills but also with the right kit. In recent years there have been significant advances in outdoor clothing technology and my recommended solution to coping with Alpine weather is to use a layering system.

Starry skies as you leave the hut often belie the afternoon realities of alpine climbing, take climbing Mont Blanc du Tacul for instance. Absorbed in the colossal North facing glacial approach you don’t see the thunderheads rolling in from Italy until it’s too late. The early start means you may have to cope with a bone chilling wind, your efforts in the mid-morning sun have you sweating and then bang you have to try to out-race the showers. So lightweight layering is the only way to cope with the absurdity of it all.

It’s a three-hour uphill grind to the summit so you need effective base layers to evaporate your sweat the whole way. When the wind kicks up your Wind Jacket’s hanging mesh liner adds warmth and facilitates wicking, while its shell blocks wind and sheds moisture. The entire time, light, hard-working Simple Guide Pants breathe, protect, and dry in a snap. When the afternoon storm hits you find shelter, that’s when the down jacket becomes a reassuring heater. If afternoon showers catch you a back-up hard shell stashed in your rucksack keeps you dry.

Summary

Certainly for climbers it is a jump up in lots of ways and there’s a learning curve everyone must follow. A sense of urgency is vital and at all times you must remain alert and aware of the potential pitfalls. For most of us alpine trips have a tendency to throw up the odd hiccup, mercifully not too serious, and dealing with hardships; caught out in a storm; benighted high up; sun burn; dehydration and exhaustion are weirdly in retrospect all part of why we do it. Remember the Alps are daunting and rightly so but they are awesome too and worth taking those steps for.

Nick Parks is a leading British Ski and Mountain Guide who has been guiding parties for 25 years in mountain ranges across the globe. Particularly well known in the ski industry Nick is also a highly regarded safety expert to the adventure film industry. A keen photographer he contributes regularly to outdoor magazines and professional publications.

In this short series of articles we explore the differences between the UK mountain experience and the Alpine one and show you how these barriers can be surmounted safely to allow you to enjoy even more rewarding mountain adventures.

Its never been easier to access the Alps, with low cost flights and fast trains its as quick to get from London to Chamonix as it is to Capel Curig. They have beauty and wilderness in common but that’s where the differences between Tryfan and the Triolet end. First off is quite simply the huge difference in scale. Add altitude acclimatization difficulties to overcome and the glacial environment to safely negotiate and it’s easy to appreciate why tackling the Alps can be so daunting.

Tryfan….impressive but not Triolet

Scale What are we talking about and how to adapt?

In the UK 300-400 metre long routes are rare, in contrast many Alpine routes can be 1500 or even 2000 metres long. Four times the size means that successful climbing in the Alps requires you to plan thoroughly, work to a timetable and use every part of your day productively, thereby avoiding epics like night-time descents. Gaining information, be it online, or from guidebooks is essential in helping you make correct route choices so that you don’t take on more than you can tackle. Seeking up to date information is critical too as the Alps are constantly changing, especially in these times of accelerating climate change. Glacial recession and rockfall can create drastic change even over the course of one season.

Top tip: Start off on alpine routes that are similar in length to those you are used to in Britain.

Preparation

Many of the skills necessary for safe success in the Alps are the same as those needed in the British hills; sound navigation; rock climbing; scrambling and in winter snow and ice techniques. All of these are directly transferable from our crags and mountains. Learning to move safely together on alpine ground is a key skill. Many alpine routes, like the Hornli ridge on the Matterhorn, although exposed are technically straightforward. However their length is such that climbing it in pitches aka British rock climbing style you would need a week to climb the route. Moving together using running belay techniques, gives a sufficient measure of protection whilst allowing you to get down in time to celebrate.

The Matterhorn – an Alpine icon

Top tip: Practice moving together techniques like short ropeing, on long scrambling routes in the British hills e.g North ridge of Tryfan

Nick Parks is a leading British Ski and Mountain Guide who has been guiding parties for 25 years in mountain ranges across the globe. Particularly well known in the ski industry Nick is also a highly regarded safety expert to the adventure film industry. A keen photographer he contributes regularly to outdoor magazines and professional publications.

Nick Parks – Ski and Mountain Guide

Outside it’s that most perfect of walking days; that combination of cool blue, cloudless skies, a chill in the air and an inviting crispness to the ground. It’s a day just made for your favourite down jacket and a camera, but you just can’t avoid the fact that this is Britain and no matter what it looks like now, chances are the rain will find you and down and rain don’t get on well.
The alternative to down is Primaloft, a synthetic fibre that keeps working even when wet. Being synthetic it doesn’t quite match up to down for pack size and weight, and isn’t quite as warm ounce for ounce as a filling, but it’s got definite advantages when it comes to the British climate. Primaloft is water resistant, and even when it does get wet it retains the majority of its insulating properties and dries quickly. It’s often overlooked, but Primaloft garments are usually machine washable, whilst down means a trip to a specialist cleaner.

With autumn already upon us and winter creeping up we thought we’d give you the low down on four of our top name Primaloft jackets, all under £150.

Mountain Equipment Fitzroy Jacket
Price: £134.99
Weight: 620g/22oz
Features: Turn-with-you adjustable hood, 3 external pockets, Primaloft 100/60g combination for weight saving.

The Fitzroy’s been with us for a couple of years now, and picked up the “Best in Test” from Trail recently with its combination of Primaloft and Drilite Loft. The main body is filled with 100g Primaloft One – the highest grade Primaloft, with 60g filling in the arms to give your core warmth but keep that extra flexibility in the arms, and keep weight to a minimum. A double layer of Primaloft in the hood completes the insulation, with windproof, water resistant Drilite Loft covering the critical areas and a more breathable UltraSoft face fabric everywhere else.
The Mountain Equipment hood is legendary, and justifiably so with a good volume adjuster that’s truly helmet friendly and a stiffened peak that stays stiffened in the wind. The same attention to detail has gone into the draw cords for the hem which now have “capture points” to prevent snagging, and Velcro cuff fasteners you can manipulate with gloves on. You get four pockets, 3 on the outside and an internal zipped map pocket. The lower pockets are set a bit higher and a bit further in from the sides than on the other jackets making them easily accessible with a rucksack on.
Our View:
Value for money water resistant synthetic insulation that keeps working even when wet. Well positioned pockets and excellent hood from a name you can trust.

Berghaus Combust Jacket
Price: £143.99
Weight: 775g/27oz
Features: Highly tear resistant outer, close fitting baffles, Primaloft PL1 filling, Raptor hood.

The Combust jacket is from Berghaus’ Extreme range and features Primaloft PL1 filling and a coated nylon outer. Instantly recognisable the Combust’s outer shell uses a DWR and PU coating to keep the water out, with a unique combination of 15 denier nylon and 50 denier yarn making it highly tear resistant. The innovations don’t stop there, though, with a DWR coating applied to the lining and unlike the other jackets on test a storm flap over the main zip.
The Combust features an enormous, but fully adjustable hood that will happily take a helmet and still close up tight against the elements, and an elasticated internal pocket ideal for keeping your drink above freezing perched on a Scottish winter ledge. The two hand warmer pockets benefit from a soft-touch lining and the cord zips are just long enough to use gloved, though lack any form of toggle on the end. Once on you can’t fail to notice the sleeping bag style baffles in the main body which pull the jacket into you for a closer fit. The close fit also applies overall, and if you’re planning on using it as a traditional belay jacket to be thrown on over everything else when you stop then removed for setting off again, then you’ll probably need to step up a size.
Our View:
Innovative tear resistant construction combined with top quality insulation and a close fit give a very warm product. Not the lightest jacket on test, but it is cut a little longer and the generous hood will take a helmet with ease.

Rab Generator Alpine Jacket
Price: £139.99
Weight: 520g/18oz
Features: Technical version of classic Generator, Pertex Endurance shell, Roll down hood, Extra length.

The Rab Generator jacket is a legend in its own lifetime, renowned for its versatility in typical British conditions. The Alpine takes the best of the Generator’s features and adds to them. Like the Mountain Equipment Fitzroy the Generator Alpine uses 100g Primaloft One in the main body and 60g in the arms, but the outer shell is made from hard wearing Pertex Endurance.
Unlike the other jackets on test the Generator Alpine features a helmet compatible hood that you can roll down and secure when not needed. You only get two external pockets and one zipped pocket on the inside, but the back is slightly longer than the standard jacket and zips are water resistant. The Pertex Endurance fabric gives a more heavyweight feel to the Generator Alpine on the outside, but on the inside Rab have chosen to stick with Quantum for a softer feel.
Our View:
The roll down hood makes this an ideal jacket for winter belays or sitting around the camp fire in the colder months. A stronger, more hard wearing, version of a classic jacket with excellent warmth per gram.

The North Face Redpoint Optimus Jacket
Price: £118.99
Weight: 600g/21oz
Features: Seamless shoulder yoke, packs into internal pocket, Primaloft PL1 filling, Alpine Fit.

The Redpoint Optimus was developed for the North Face athletes team and became their favourite product with its Primaloft One filling and ripstop nylon shell. The 100g PL1 filling gives plenty of insulation and the shell is DWR coated giving all round security. A new design for winter 2009 is a snag-free, seamless, shoulder yoke that gives better flexibility for arms and shoulders.
The hood on the Redpoint Optimus is fully adjustable, and you get the traditional complement of two hand warmer and one breast pocket on the outside. The inside, zippered pocket doubles up as storage for your jacket when not in use, saving carrying an extra stuff sack. Unlike the other jackets on test the Redpoint uses softshell fabric for the cuffs, using elastic rather than adjustable Velcro fastenings. The Alpine fit is a little shorter than the Berghaus Combust and Rab Generator Alpine but the overall fit is a little less tight.
Our View:
The Redpoint Optimus offers great value for money, coming in cheaper than the other jackets on test. Rolling into its own pocket for storage it’s ideal for cold winter days when you can’t afford to worry about rain.