VAUDE
Uphill 9L
RRP: £65 Target price: £55 Weight: 334g
By the same token, walkers might balk at the idea of looking at a cycling pack, but again – don’t discount it on semantics alone. The key trait of a bike pack is its V-shape design, narrowing at the bottom. This helps to make the cyclist more streamlined, but it can also take pressure off your lumbar area if you suffer from lower back problems. The Uphill is blissfully light, with ripstop fabric, a luxuriously padded back panel and space for all the basics you’d want in a small daypack, across two sensible compartments. There’s handy bungee cord for an extra layer, two good bottle pockets and thin, well-ventilated hip fins. A great little pack for bright and breezy days. Also comes in 12L and 16L versions. vaude.com
VERDICT:
WALKING POLES
Look for Z-folding poles (often called ‘vario’) with carbon shafts – some will fold so compactly that they can sit in the bungee cord of a waistpack. Good examples: Komperdell Trailstick Carbon C4 Vario (232g, £160/pair, firstascent. co.uk); Leki Micro Stick Carbon (191g, £135/pair, leki. com/uk).
SLEEPING BAG
Be careful when it comes to sleeping bags: if you’re planning a wild camp, it can be bitterly cold in UK hills even in July, so there’s a balance to be struck between warmth and weight. Lightweight but well-insulated options include the Alpkit Pipedream 200 Hydrophobic (545g, £160, alpkit.com) and Sea to Summit Spark SPI (340g, £260, seatosummit.co.uk)
AIRMAT
Lightweight and luxury rarely go hand in hand, but one or two brands make airmats that offer enough firmness and grip to give you a peaceful and stable night out. Try the Sea to Summit Ultralight SI (550g, £75, seatosummit. co.uk) or Vango Aotrom (410g, £55, vango.co.uk).
COUNTRY WALKING