CheapTents.com Outdoor Gear Blog

What makes the best outdoor gear the best, is the way it performs.  For people serious about their outdoor gear, it’s usually because they are testing it in ways that you would think it is designed for.  Outdoor sports clothing is a specifically designed for it’s purpose ad one of the items of gear that has been so popular this year has been the Gore-Tex Pro Shell waterproof jackets.  You might also want to check out the outdoor clothing advice section.

Gore-Tex have replaced their Gore-Tex XCR technology with the new and improved Gore-Tex Pro Shell technology.  We’ve seen it across a number of jackets so far this year, and the feedback had been very good indeed.

Gore-Tex Pro Shell Makes Excellent Waterproof Clothing

The Gore-Tex Pro Shell looks like this, although there’s more detail in the image and description below…

How it Gore-Tex Pro Shell works

This new, patent-pending technology improves internal abrasion and snag resistance, enhances garment breathability and decreases weight. It also allows the garment to slide easily over mid-layers.

• GORE™ Micro Grid Backer Technology
• GORE™ Comfort Mapping® Technology
• Extreme Wet Weather Construction
• Construction ARMACOR® Product Technology

GORE™ Micro Grid Backer Technology

This new, patent-pending technology improves internal abrasion and snag resistance, enhances garment breathability and decreases weight. It also allows the garment to slide easily over mid-layers.  This is especially important for versatility and freedom of movement, important for a variety of outdoor sports.  Just think of a climber stretch for their next grip or a walker trying to access a side pocket in their rucksack without removing it - this is an easily overlooked feature of a jacket but suprisingly important.

GORE™ Comfort Mapping® Technology

Viewing the human body as a map with several different climatic zones, specific GORE-TEX® Fabrics are uniquely combined to increase breathability, comfort, warmth and/or fit, precisely where needed most.  This makes the jacket great for those outdoro sports athletes that are exerting their energy, causing sweat,

Extreme Wet Weather Construction

Garments engineered to pass our most aggressive rain test. They deliver superior protection against extended wet weather conditions through the use of advanced garment construction techniques.

ARMACOR® Product Technology

Thanks to its patented lattice structure with an integrated Kevlar® core this technology offers extreme tear and abrasion resistance yet lighter weight. Incorporated into a GORE-TEX® Pro Shell motorcycling jacket, it will protect enthusiastic motorcyclists in the event of a fall. This means safety and enhanced comfort – in all weather conditions.

Gore-Tex Pro Shell Construction

• Engineered with the most rugged, tear- and abrasion-resistant fabrics on the market
• 2-layer construction: a specific GORE-TEX® membrane is laminated to the inside of the outer material. The inside of the membrane is protected by a separate lining
• 2-layer insulated construction: the heat-insulation layer is is suspended freely between the 2-layer laminate and inside lining
• 3-layer construction: a specific high-performance GORE-TEX® membrane bonded to a tough outer material and a specially developed robust inner lining
• Special GORE-SEAM® tape technology ensures all seams are 100% waterproof

Here’s how the technology works in a little more detail:

Gore-Tex Pro Shell has some great benefits too:

GORE-TEX® PRO SHELL is the optimum solution for outdoor professionals and serious enthusiasts, who need to face extreme weather and tough conditions.  PRO SHELL is made with the most rugged, most breathable, durably waterproof and windproof fabrics.

• Meets the demands of outdoor professionals and serious enthusiasts
• Engineered to excel in extended and extreme conditions - extreme cold and wet conditions can be punishing conditions on fabric but with clothing technology
• Extremely tough, extremely breathable, durably waterproof and windproof - ideal for a wide range of outdoor sports including use as a mountaineering or climbing jacket.
• The Pro Shell technology is available in 2- and 3-layer constructions: 2 layers are supple and quiet; 3 layers are for extra-rugged use.

One of our most popular technologies

For these reasons, it’s why we’re seeing increasing number of sales made for this highly technical waterproof jacket.  It’s versatility and durability makes it’s very versatile indeed, but that does not mean to say it’s the best choice.  There are other breathable waterproof jackets, including Lowe Alpine’s Triplepoint, Sprayway’s Hydro Dry, Trekmates DRY, and The North Face’s HyVent and Berghaus’ Aquafoil of course.  Don’t forget to check-out the range of women’s waterproof jackets too.

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Cushioning for Feet

Outdoor activities such as fell running, walking, backpacking and mountaineering cause a lot of force to be applied through the knees and onto the feet. Most walking boots and running shoes provide some cushioning against this. Simple insoles can be put inside walking boots and running shoes to provide additional cushioning and absorb impact shock made by feet that are pounding on rocky trails all day.

Foot, Knee, Leg and Back Pain

Podiatry is the field of healthcare devoted to the study and treatment of disorders of the foot and leg. Many instances of foot, knee, leg and back pain can be attributed to the way the feet are oriented and the way someone stands, walks and runs. Orthotics are a technical type of footbed or insole that do far more than provide cushioning. In Podiatry, orthotics are used to support and position the foot, improve gait and provide pain relief. Orthotics are often made for a particular individual by taking a mould or impression of their feet.

Overpronation is a very common problem that orthotics are often used to alleviate. Pronation is when the feet are angled inwards along the length of the foot. The arch of the foot becomes flattened and the knees are closer together than normal position. People whose feet pronate will have shoes that are worn along the inner edge of the sole.

Conversely, supination is when the feet are angled outwards along the length of the foot. People whose feet supinate will have shoes that are worn along the outer edge of the shoe. Feet that supinate form a bowl shape in the space between the feet, as in a bowl of soup. So this provides an easy way to remember what supination is: bowl of soup-ination!

Orthotics, Footbeds and Insoles for Hill Walking

Increasingly, off-the-shelf orthotic products designed for sports and outdoor pursuits use are available and these provide much more than cushioning against impact. Ideally an orthotic or footbed should provide support for the arch of the foot without pushing onto the arch, and it should cup the heel of the foot. A good orthotic footbed will relieve pressure as well as help to improve gait and balance, which is desirable when hill walking or fell running.

The double shock gel insole from Trekmates can help relieve pressure on feet and improve balance.

Footbeds relieve pressure and improve balance

For general advice about choosing hiking footwear please see our walking boot advice page.

For professional advice about treatment of problems of concerning the feet and legs or about the use of orthotics we recommend that a podiatrist is consulted.

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• The reason why you should wear walking boots…
• Brasher hillwalking boots grow in popularity…
• Outdoor and camping advice is our thing…

Not Just Ice Climbing…Crampon Dancing!

If you are lucky this winter, lots of snow will fall on the hills and mountains near where you live. You will be able to get out your crampons and ice axes and go mountaineering. Alternatively you could do the crampon dance…

Advice about choosing winter mountaineering accessories can be found on our ice axe and crampons advice page. Obviously if you do not have any winter accessories, then you can buy crampons and ice axes from us

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Last Christmas we started running Christmas special offers as an advent calendar, where each day a new special offer was put on the CheapTents.com homepage, and then added to a list of discounted outdoor gear here.  It was a massive success, so this year we are doing it all over again!

CheapTents.com | Happy Christmas - Special Offers! CLICK HERE!

Outdoor Gear Christmas Presents Sale!

In just a couple of weeks we will be counting down to the festive season with Christmas specials offers for outdoor sports gear everyday!  So make sure you bookmark us: type ‘Ctrl‘ and ‘D or click on the button to add it to your social bookmarking site:

By now you probably aware that we continually reduce almost all of our outdoor equipment and clothing throughout the year but nothing beats an extra special sale for Christmas!  So keep your eyes peeled…

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• More camping and outdoor gear discounts!
• Christmas Delivery Times…CheapTents.com Outdoor Shop
• REVIEW YOUR OUTDOOR GEAR…and get 10% OFF at CheapTents.com

Nothing beats a special offer, especially when the special offers are permanent!  but we have come up with an extra way you can save money by writing about the gear that you use…

We’re offering an extra 10% OFF anything in the CheapTents.com outdoor gear shop, on top of current discounts! Simply write an outdoor gear review…

So share your views and get money off Christmas Presents…We already discount almost all of our outdoor clothing and equipment so this is a pretty good special offer for those who like to share their opinions!  It’s pretty good timing too, as if you’re shopping for Christmas presents, then this can help you save a load of money - (disclaimer: we’re not saying you’re a cheapskate!!)

Before you write your Outdoor Gear Review

Please make sure it’s a outdoor gear brand that we sell:

• Tents
• Rucksacks
• Sleeping Bags
• Outdoor Clothes
• Walking Boots
• Climbing Equipment
• Camping Accessories
• Dog Walking Gear

12 Tips for writing Outdoor Gear Reviews

To help you put your thoughts and feedback down on to paper, we have devised a few ideas to help structure your review…

1. Product specification (from manufacturers website)
2. The approximate month and year the product was bought
3. General overview or summary of the product
4. What sort of outdoor person is it designed for?
5. Form - opinions on the styling (if appropriate)
6. Testing - how have you used it so far?
7. Functionality - does it do what it’s supposed to?
8. Best thing about it…
9. If you could change one thing…
10. Would you recommend it?  Why?
11. Overall, how many stars would you give it?
12. Finally, please make the outdoor gear review as constructive as possible (not just: I love it, or, I hate it!)

Credited and Published Author

And of course you will become a published author!  We will credit your writing with your details, so you can build your name to become a super-star outdoor gear tester!  You’re review will be published on the blog homepage and be categorised into the outdoor gear review section to provide advice to others!

Your Discount Coupon

Once you have written the content we will email you a personalised discount coupon for you to use in the CheapTents.com shop.  This discount will then be applied by a member of staff after you have placed the order.

The Special Offer expires Christmas (ish) and terms…

This special offer will expire just after Christmas, but depending on the success of people’s feedback we may well extend it.  Although if you do wish to repeat the offer again and again in the mean time, then by all means you can…

We naturally have the right to change / remove this special offer as and when, but we really hope you enjoy making the most of it!  And the special offer does not include sale items or tents as these are heavily discounted already!  Contact us with any specific queries…

What you need to do next

Either email us using the 12 tips above or write your comments/queries in the box below and we will happily reply…

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• Christmas Presents and Special Offers from CheapTents.com!
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• Christmas and New Year Opening Times

We all know that Brasher make some of the best hillwalking boots available, and now they can prove it.  The increasingly popular brand of walking boots announced record sales for September, making their sales count an exceptional 87% up on the same time last year…quite popular indeed, especially considering the prevailing economic conditions!

Working for an outdoor shop, I can see that Brasher are certainly amongst our best selling hiking boots, quite a tribute to the brand we feel as there are so many excellent walking boots out there!
Increasing investment in product development and marketing are behind the growth, according to Brasher’s Managing Director Andy Loeber who adds:

“In the testing economic climate, it is rewarding to see that we are driving the brasher brand to a broader consumer base. Our objective is to excel in all areas of product development, marketing and customer service, and our dedication to supply solutions to the specific UK consumer needs is gaining Brasher a significant edge.”

About Brasher Walking Boots & Footwear

Did you know that Chris Brasher, the Gold Medal winning 300m steeple chase runner, founded Brasher, after struggling to answer why walking boots aren’t as comfortable as running shoes.  50 years on, many feel that they are!

Chris Brasher’s career has followed various avenues, from master-minding the London Flora marathon in 1980, to BBC sports correspondent and even a racehorse owner.  And of course his very successful growth of Brasher walking boots.

From the brasher website:

At brasher, the great outdoors is our driving passion. We’ve come a long way since Chris Brasher had his flash of inspiration on the Roof of Wales and yet we still remain true to the very same lightweight comfort philosophy.

With an authentic, grass roots heritage and unrivaled history in technical innovation we are able to be who we are today – market leaders in outdoor leisure footwear, creating the ultimate walking performance – anywhere.

Best Walking Boots, Simple

What we’ve found is that hiking in the best walking boots is the best thing you can ever, ever do!  It makes the whole day (and following day!) much more enjoyable and more enticing to go again and again.  And just look how beautiful Britain’s most popular walking boots are…

Britain's Best Selling Walking Boots

Walking Boots Advice

If your looking for advice on walking or hiking boots you can read our advice pages or alternatively there’s more outdoor footwear tips here.

And by all means, feel free to contact us, as we’re happy to help you choose a lovely pair of walking boots or even provide help on maintaining them.  Or leave your comments below…

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• The reason why you should wear walking boots…
• Walking Boots - Orthotics, Footbeds and Insoles
• Outdoor and camping advice is our thing…

You may remember, a while ago we wrote this fun quiz asking whether you are serious about reducing the weight of your backpack, when out running, walking, climbing or riding, asking: are you a lightweight?

Ultralight Specialists

Years and years of working in the outdoor industry, has led us into our very own niche…one that we proudly can say that we are probably the biggest and best and doing what we do: selling the lightest gear at reduced prices, throughout the year. No seasonal discounting for us - low prices all year!

One of the best things about working here is that I am exposed to so much outdoor gear, that all you outdoor junkies out there would be drooling over!!  Better yet, is that all the ultralight and lightweight gear around me is by some of the best and most trusted brands in the industry.  It’s quite a privilege, I must say!

Outdoor Sports

Outdoor sports across the board can benefit from lightweight and ultralight equipment.  Many of whom need their gear with them in case the weather changes, or, because they are en route to their next camping site.  However few people consider the weight of the gear they are going to be putting into their backpack and carrying with them.  If you’re into any of the following outdoor activities / sports, maybe you should consider lightweight gear as your next replacement:

• Mountain Biking / Cross Country Cycling / Commuting
• Mountain Marathons / Adventure Running / Trail Running / Fell Running
• Walking / Hiking / Backpacking / Travel
• Climbing / Mountaineering / Orienteering / Expeditions

Not just tents!

Our specialist area has always tents, it’s even in our title.  I must say though, that we are certainly no longer just tents, and are well beyond being so, with a range of outdoor sports gear to make a life-times worth of Christmas wishlists!

But if you are looking for a lightweight tent, maybe you should be looking at the ultralight tents too.

Lighter than lightweight gear

Lightweight camping, travel and outdoor sports need the same capabilities that you would expect from ‘normal’ weight gear but trimmed down / cut down / hack-sawed down, to be that perfect weight.  No excess, no extras, no frills, no cosmetics, just pure functionality.  For this reason we’ve provided a range of ultralight gear advice for those seeking to reduce the weight of their rucksack or backpack.

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• Outdoor and camping advice is our thing…
• Which is the best tent for you?
• Review of Terra Nova Voyager Superlite Tent

We love discounting gear and providing excellent customer service - that’s why people come back!  Here’s a few more for you to take a look at…

Needing winter gear? Getting wet?  Wanting a bargain?

Check out the camping gear sale and discounts on clothing and gear…along with extra discounts on waterproof clothing!

There’s nothing better than getting a bargain!

Want to hear about special offers?

If you like hearing about special offers, outdoor industry news and getting interviews with some of the most inspiring outdoor athletes around, why not subscribe to our RSS feed for daily updates or bookmark the site by pressing Ctrl and D on your keyboard.

Feedback and Ideas

We love to hear from our visitors, whether it’s a review of some gear you’ve just bought, a subject you think we should be covering or simply hearing your views via the comments box of each blog post.  Always feel free to contact us which will help us to continue to provide the great service we think you guys deserve!

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• FREE! Expedition & Outdoor Sports Desktop Wallpapers

CheapTents.com

We don’t like to brag (too much!), but as we were one of the first outdoor shops online, we have built-up a lot of friends, supporters and customers that keep on coming back.  We like to think it’s because of our great service, our superb advice and perfectly selected range of outdoor gear, but all in all it take a huge amount of returning customers that value these traits, and we thank you all!

Word of Mouth

We’ve been lucky enough to receive very positive word-of-mouth recommendations on the online forums, blogs and other websites, all of which we are very grateful for!  As we are an independent camping and outdoor gear store, nothing works better than word-of-mouth, as we don’t exactly have the big marketing budgets of other larger networks of outdoor stores, so please keep on spreading the word!  Thank you from all at CheapTents.com.

…as seen in…

...and many, many more! Thanks for the support!

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Outdoor People

Outdoor gear, sports and camping are definitely our thing.  Each of the team at CheapTents.com, enjoys their own range of outdoor sports and activities from leisurely walking to travel and triathalons, or from climbing to mountain biking and bivouacking.  For this reason, we take a great interest in a wide range of outdoor gear and how it performs for it’s designated purpose.  So for this matter we thought we would plant this knowledge down into a library of outdoor resources for others to share…

Outdoor Resources Galore

In addition to the resources available on our outdoor blog, we also provide extra helpful tips and advice on a wide range of camping and outdoor topics, including:

• Tent Advice
  • Mountain Tent Advice
  • Lightweight / Ultralight Tent Advice
  • Bothy Bag Advice
• Sleeping Bag Advice
• Outdoor Clothing Advice
• Walking Boots and Footwear Advice
• Camping Advice
• Camping Equipment Advice
• Ultralight Backpacking Tips
• Travel and Gap year Advice
• Glossary of Outdoor Terms
• Scout Info and Discounts
• Climbing Gear Advice
• Camping Stoves Advice
• Ice and Walking Axes & Crampons
• Head Torch Help and Advice
• Festival Gear Advice

…and that’s in addition too all the great products we have available in the outdoor shops of outdoor shops!  We continue to discount year round in order for you to be reassured that you’re getting a great price, always!

And for those seriously into lightweight gear and who consider themselves to be an ultralight backpacker, runner or mountain biker, take the ultralight quiz to find out!

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• Are you a heavyweight, lightweight or ultralight?
• Which is the best tent for you?
• Where’s my nearest indoor climbing wall?