Gear Guide
We put the latest outdoor clothing and equipment to the test
1. Sherpa Kharani Tingri Vest Fleece, £60
SHERPA is a small brand making quality outdoor gear, with much of it produced in Nepal, providing employment for many people. I tested this excellent Kharani Fleece, named after a town in Southern Tibet, on a short but bitterly cold day that led me on to Scald Law in the Pentland Hills. The freezing temperatures, and the fact that the fleece isn’t too bulky, meant I used the jacket as a mid layer and it really did the job. Furthermore, when out of the wind, I removed my down jacket and the fleece still kept me cosy. You can tell the jacket has been made to the highest standards and I get the feeling it will be keeping me warm for many years to come.
2. Primus Trailbreak EX Vacuum Bottle, £35
NATURE writers spend a lot of time sitting still, outside, in a Scottish winter. We need a good vacuum flask. You would expect Primus to know all about keeping things hot, given their pre-eminence in the evolution of the camping stove, and this is simply the best flask I have encountered. It keeps 0.75 litres of very hot water very hot all day, and a clever double-stopper lets you pour and reseal and drink straight from the flask without unscrewing (not such a good idea with scalding hot fluid). A robust and removable silicon sleeve protects the inner flask and gives a reassuring grip, and the cup is user-friendly, too. Nature writers of the world rejoice: the perfect flask!
3. Columbia CSC Fleece Gaiter, £27
I’M not a huge fan of big scarves or neck gaiters around my face – even in the cold. A light fabric buff under the high collar on my waterproof tend to do me fine for walking in winter, but when you’re sitting still having something to eat – that’s when the cold gets you. My usual habit is to stick on an extra fleece as soon as I stop, but this gaiter has proved an invaluable replacement, negating the need to take off precious waterproofs in order to layer up. It’s a good length, tucking well under your collar to keep the chest and upper back warm, and the silver dots on the inside reflect body heat back at you, too, keeping you surprisingly toasty in any temperature. One downside: those silver dots do not fare well in the washing machine.
4. Montane Icarus Flight Insulated Jacket, £160
ILOVE a cosy down jacket but they’ve no place in the Scottish winter. Once wet, they’re useless – and getting wet is one thing guaranteed in Scotland. This jacket is filled with Primaloft Thermoplume, which manufacturers say is the best performing synthetic loose fill yet. It packs down almost as tight as down – better yet, it stays warm even when soaked. And believe me it has been drenched this winter. It’s too warm for me while moving hard but comes into its own on high ridges or the flat. Inner arms and sides are stretchy fleece with no fill, so I got cold when not moving, especially in a breeze. Hood fits under a helmet. A potential midlayer for those who really feel the cold or in proper perishing conditions.