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There are a few “old favourites” that I have been using everyday this summer. I’d feel lost without them. It would be easy to say that they are all well-used, tried and tested, but thankfully this isn’t the case with the personal locator beacon!
ACR ResQLink Personal Locator Beacon
The places that myself and most other outdoor enthusiasts seek out are often those where there is no phone signal, and frequently we go alone. More and more, we decided to go for the fast and light approach. It’s then that the smallest of hiccups can become a major problem. When I consider the question, “What would I do if I twisted my ankle 20 miles from civilisation, alone, with no phone signal?” I struggle to find an acceptable answer, even more so if I was in charge of a group. My PLB is an addition to my safety system (note addition, not the only part of) which helps me to have an answer to this question. When I was waiting for my device to arrive, the postman came to the door and I held the box in disappointment “oh, it must be something else … it’s far too light to be my PLB”. But it was. It’s so light (130g) and small that it fits in with the fast and light approach. I can’t find an argument for not carrying it. You can read some survivor stories here.
“Worn either as an outer or mid-layer, the Alfar mountain jacket is aimed at fast-paced aerobic activity in cold climates where freedom of movement is crucial.” If I’m not wearing it, it’ll be in my rucksack. I’ve probably just taken it off, or I’m about to put it on. But it’s never far away. I wear it for climbing, walking and ski touring, giving warmth when I need it. The high cosy neck, thumbs loops for warm wrists and hands, and the hood that goes easily over my helmet, make this a firm favourite for whenever I am outside.
This has been with me now for 15 years and is still going strong. I’ll often get it out my rucksack and people will say “oh no, use my binoculars” thinking they will be much better than my monocular. They are frequently impressed when they look through mine at how far they can see and the clarity. It’s easy to handle and tough enough to survive being thrown in and out of an instructors rucksack on a regular basis! It’s an essential piece of kit when supervising DofE groups, but also great to checking out ski and climbing conditions too.
Garmont Dragontail Approach Shoes
Ideal for trekking on Alpine trails and using on approaches to climbs, these shoes seem to grip well to all surfaces; grass, snow, rock and mud. When they eventually wore out, I had been so impressed by them, that I went straight out and bought another pair. The sole has the stiffness of a boot, but they have the comfort of a trainer. The sole is stiff enough that I can happily kick steps across snow in them!
