Following research into the therapeutic benefits of beetroot juice in reducing high blood pressure, scientists then looked at the advantages of nitrates as a sports supplement. The William Harvey Institute has conducted research in the area to find out the effects of vascular contraction and dilation, while Exeter University Sports Science have been testing athletes changes to their their oxygen efficiency and stamina levels when taking the shot itself. Find out more about this research on the Beet It Research Page.

Convinced by Polar’s reputation as a leading manufacturer of sports instruments, I invested in a CS300 during the 2006 season to track my cycling training. Five years later, I now swear by the product, taking it out on rides on the mountain and on the road. It took three years and hundreds of hours of usage before my CS300 battery ran out, and Polar just three days to find and mail fresh replacement. As a example of how simple tech can enhance and simplify the training process, my experiences with the CS300 are almost entirely positive.

I’m moving towards the core with this review, away from the shell garments discussed in the earlier ‘old favourites’ blogs. The Helly Hansen Lifa Stripe Crew is my favourite baselayer and in twenty years of running, mountaineering, climbing and cycling I’ve tried many alternatives, but none do everything a baselayer needs to do as well as the humble Lifa.

Aware of a growing trail running trend in adventure sports, Arc’teryx have diversified their collection of high quality performance products by expanding an established alpine collection to include active wear. … Read more

As an advancement from the 2010 release of the Ravenous, the Drainmaker adds a unique and specific shoe to Columbia’s footwear collection. Check out the video below to see a demo of the product.

Despite its wide availability in supermarkets across the country Soreen malt loaf benefits for sportsmen and women shouldn’t be overlooked. Each loaf is packed with carbohdyrate goodness and, with the newly released banana flavour, now offers something new for active lifestyles and performance athletes.

Any runner has got to love a brand that goes by the slogan of ‘Human Propulsion Laboratories’. Nathan Performance Gear, aware of the growth of running and multi-sports activities, design gear to aid … Read more

Weighing in a just 415 grammes, the Cierzo 25 Litre backpack from Arc’teryx builds upon the brand’s performance focus in an ultra minimalist design that takes lightweight to a new level. Despite … Read more

Over the week we aimed to explore this remote group of islands whilst fly fishing, hiking and camping along the way. At 60 degrees North the Shetland Islands lie closer to Norway than mainland Scotland and consist of approximately 100 islands of which only 16 are inhabited. The largest island is called Mainland and is where the capital Lerwick is located.

Cascade Designs rose to prominence with the now ubiquitous Therm-a-Rest in 1971.  Their initial success with Therm-a-Rest prompted the development of further brands including MSR, Platypus and SealLine – a growth … Read more

If you are looking for a pure adventure in the outdoors this summer then look no further than Arctic Norway. The Vesterålen National Park can be found within the Arctic circle, an unspoilt and little known area outside of Norway, recently coined as “Norway’s most beautiful natural attraction” in 2009 by the Norwegian outdoor magazine UTE. The Vesterålen archipelago neighbours Lofoten and at just a 30 minute boat trip from mainland Norway, an untouched mountain range, remoteness and exposure of exploring at 69 degrees North make up one of Europe’s local wildernesses.

There are no major towns on the peninsula, only little villages with basic amenities. If you were to make a basecamp or look for accommodation I would recommend Salen, Acharacle or Kilchoan where you can stay in relative comfort and nearby to local shops for food and supplies. There is also the potential to pitch a tent in Acharacle and Kilchoan. If you would prefer to stay somewhere more remote Sanna and Portuik are the perfect places.

The Montane Slipstream GL Jacket shares a common thread with the first ‘old favourite’ review in that this too is a pertex garment. As you may have gathered in the previous blog I’m quite a fan of this brilliant windproof material. Essentially the Slipstream jacket is an ultra-light, single-layer windshirt made with the very lightest pertex available: Pertex Quantum Gossamer-Light. Montane, like Rab, are a British company which designs in the UK but manufacturers abroad. They have an established reputation with outdoor professionals and their products are deservingly popular with mountain rescue teams, the emergency services and the military. Montane specialises in windshells, softshells, hard-shells and pertex and pile garments.

If you’re looking to stay warm and dry warm and dry on the bike throughout the season, Nikwax must be the best bang-for-buck purchase. The Nikwax waterproofing system is trialled; cleaning, … Read more

I recently went to the quiet Scottish island, Isle of Mull for a restful weekend with my girlfriend. Lying off the west coast of Scotland, the island offers a raw … Read more

Patagonia has been manufacturing high quality apparel for nearly 40 years and as one of the founding members of the 1% For the Planet, they have gained a reputation as pioneers within ethical adventure retail. Over the years the brand has developed to market its products to skiers, mountaineers, hikers, climbers, and more recently, surfers. As a product that matches the demands of all of these sports, the Patagonia Down Sweater is a prime example of a neat interaction between design innovation and ethical manufacturing.

In 2010, Columbia released their first trail running line that included the Ravenous trail shoe, a range of technical apparel and the robust Mobex back. The Mobex soon won acclaim … Read more

For those wanting to upgrade an ageing D-SLR, or even make the jump from a compact digital, the Nikon D5000 is an ideal choice for the aspiring amateur photographer. With … Read more

Floating off Norway’s northern coast, Sørøya is one of Norway’s hidden wilderness regions. It’s location is unique; 400km north of the Arctic Circle in the Finnmark region yet within spitting … Read more

Aware of the amount of cyclo-tourists taking to the roads,Wild Country developed the Duolite Tourer specifically designed to match the demands of this pursuit. Even with a large porch space and roomy interior, the tent collapses into a bundle that can be fitted inside a pannier-sized package weighing 2.95kg. Although other bicycle touring tents are lighter and bigger, few come at the amazingly cheap price of £175.