Gore Bike Wear Cross Glove

, March 5, 2011

After a wet and cold winter season over 2009/2010, I decided to go big for this winter. I’ve been riding the Cross Glove from Gore Bike Wear. These gloves are Gore’s most substantial offering and are packed with features; A fully waterproof GORE-TEX® lining, adjustable elasticated cuffs and a soft thumb, ideal for winter snot-mopping. They are much bulkier that the Endura glove with a noticeable reduction in control over the bike, making them unsuitable for mountain bike duty. On a recent 5-hour training ride in the Scottish highlands these gloves coped with wind, snow and rain. My fingers remained tepid during the long decent from the Cairngorm ski centre, with past experience telling me my hands should be freezing. From now on these gloves will be my first choice for cold, wet days. However if I think I can get away with a lighter weight glove then I will switch out for the Endura Strike.

Armada JJ (2011) Powder Ski

, February 2, 2011

Although relative newcomers to the snow scene, Armada have quickly risen to become market leaders in freeride skiing and boarding equipment. Their focused product range and professional technology puts their skis are at the top of their class. The JJ is their flagship all mountain powder ski. With all the aspects that a modern powder ski should have – tip and tail freeride rocker, AR50 sidewalls, a 50/50 Base and a hybrid ultra core – I thought a testing was in order.

Giro Atmos

, January 22, 2011

Five years ago, there were a number of superficial reasons to purchase the Giro Atmos. As the brand’s top offering, it represented the protection of choice for a number of Pro … Read more

SmartWool PhD Ski Sock

, January 13, 2011

The Smartwool PhD light sock is manufactured from Merino wool and uses SmartWool’s 4-Degree Fit System, which puts more cushioning where it’s needed for skiing and ski mountaineering. While any pair … Read more

Norrøna Narvik GTX Pant

, January 13, 2011

The Norrona Narvik shell pant is a versatile piece of ski outerwear.  It has a  3-layer Gore-Tex construction with reinforced inner leg panels to prevent sharp edges tearing the fabric. … Read more

Biosafe Solutions

, January 10, 2011

Biosafe Solutions is a Scottish business which supplies alternative, non-toxic cleaning products. The company provide an environmentally safe solution that functions in the same way as a conventional cleaning product,  … Read more

Garmin Edge 500 GPS

, December 29, 2010

First of all, the basics: the Edge 500 is the successor to the Edge 305, though could perhaps be best seen as a stripped-down, smaller, lighter version of the 705. It really is a remarkable package: light and compact, yet offering 41 options to choose from displayed on up to eight customisable fields per ‘page’, of which there are three available for full customisation.The main point of departure is the lack of GPS mapping; though for me this was of little importance and if this is something you consider essential then you are well-catered for by the new, touch-screen successor to the 705, the Edge 800.

MSR Evo Ascent 22 Snowshoe

, December 22, 2010

MSR Evo AscentThe MSR Evo Ascent 22 is a US-manufactured all-terrain snowshoe. It has a modular construction with the option of attaching a 6 inch tailpiece when carrying extra weight or walking in deep powder.

Gore Running Wear Air Lady Jacket

, November 27, 2010

Since 1997, Gore Running Wear has sought to combine the best possible materials and technologies in high-tech apparel for runners.  The Gore Air Lady jacket combines Windstopper® technology with mesh vents … Read more