N.B. From time to time on many of these webcams you may only see a grey screen, don’t worry this isn’t usually a technical fault, just the mist closing in!

Welsh Webcams

Snowdon seen from the web cam on top of Eldir Fach

http://www.fhc.co.uk/cams.htm

Moel Eilio from Elidir Fach
http://www.fhc.co.uk/cams.htm

Here you can see the village of Betws-y-Coed with the mountains of Snowdonia in the backdrop.
http://www.bryn-bella.co.uk/snowdonia-webcam.asp

Scottish Webcams

The Ben Nevis Webcam is located at Tomacharich, Fort William. The camera viewing angle changes every 5 minutes, rotating allowing you to get a good allround view of Ben Nevis.
http://visit-fortwilliam.co.uk/webcam/

Safety advice and general information about hiking up Scotland’s highest mountain can be found on our Ben Nevis Gear Guide.

A great view of Buachaille Etive Mor from the kings house hotel.
http://www.kingy.com/

View from Leac A Ghradain in Torridon.
http://www.visittorridon.co.uk/

A stunning view of Cairngorm, perfect for checking up on the weather.
http://www.cairngormmountain.co.uk/

English Webcams

Scarfell Pike Cam
A great view of Englands highest mountain.
http://www.214fells.com/webcam.html

If you’re thinking of hiking in the Lake District and not sure what equipment to take with you, have a look at our Scafell Pike Gear Guide.

Eskdale green

The view is of Randle How , the Miterdale Valley and Whinrigg and Scafell can be seen in the background on a clear day. http://www.eskdaleweb.co.uk/eskdalewebcam.html

Ullswater
On this camera as well as being able to check out the weather you can watch the steam boats depart as they go for a tour round the lake.

http://www.glenriddingcybercafe.co.uk/ispy.jpg

Peak District webcam
With a view of Stanage,  Millstone Edge, Over Owler Tor, and Mother Cap Rock
http://www.outside.co.uk/knowledge/webcam.html

Monsal Dale
http://www.cressbrook.co.uk/webcam/images.php
This Peak District Webcam shows the view down Monsal Dale, near Cressbrook and not far from Bakewell. The view is looking down the Dale towards Monsal Head. The valley is that of the River Wye.

Murton Pike near Appleby in Cumbria
http://murton-weather.co.uk/webcam.jpg

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What is a Hubba?

The Hubba name is something we (MSR) came up with, based on the tent’s unique hub and pole frame. The “hub” is the circle that connects various tent poles sections together, thus cutting down on the total number of poles needed. In the photo below, you’ll see how the pole branches out into two legs–the sections join together at the hub.

Where the hubbas get their name.

So, for the original Hubba selection of tents, we used Hubba for the single-person tent, Hubba Hubba for the two-person tent and Mutha Hubba for the three-person tent. We were attempting to be clever with those names. 

What about the HP?

In 2008 the Hubba HP tents where released, this isn’t an affiliation between MSR and the manufacturers of the tasty brown sauce, which would be very odd and I’m not quite sure what the result would be!

What do you get if you cross a Hubba with HP Sauce?

The Hubba HP tents are “high performance” versions of the original Hubba tents. These tents are lighter, stronger and warmer, designed for people who need a warmer tent for early spring/late autumn camping, and for camping in sandy areas. They have exactly the same footprint, height and interior volume as the original Hubba series, but feature less mesh and more advanced fabric for increased protection from the elements. These tents are available in single, two-person and three-person versions.

The MSR Hubba range at a glance

Here’s a quick summary of the Hubba range, for more information have a look at our ultralight tent page.

All the Hubbas are 3 season tents although as I mentioned earlier the HP range do preform better in colder conditions.

Do you have any other bits of outdoor that you wonder how they got their name? Let us know and we’ll get in touch with the manufacturer for you and try to find out.

Thermarest neo air mattress

The other main selling point of this mat is it’s size, when deflated the NeoAir takes up the same amount of room as a 1 litre water bottle. The NeoAir has an R-value of 2.5, which is slightly warmer than the ProLite which has an R-value of 2.2, but not quite as warm as the BaseCamp which has an R-Value of 6.2 . This means the mattress should be warm enough for 3 seasons but not quite up to preforming in very cold conditions. (The R Value is a measure of thermal resistance, so the higher the value the warmer you’ll be at night)

The other thing that struck me about Therm-a-Rest NeoAir was the fact unlike most thermarests, it is not self inflating. The good thing is it doesn’t take much effort to inflate and only takes a few minutes. The mattress is easy to deflate by opening the valve and putting weight on it, which forces most of the air out.  Then you fold into thirds length ways and start to roll it up, pressing out any excess air as you go.

The material used in this neo air feels very thin but also quite strong and thus shouldn’t have any problem coping with use over the years. My main criticism of the material is that it makes a crinkly noise which could become very annoying especially if you’re a light sleeper. It also has a slightly sticky feel to it which combined with the horizontal baffles prevent you from slipping off in the middle of the night.

Overall the the Thermarest Neo Air is a great, lightweight, small warm and comfortable mattress.

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Pros

• Very Light
• Extremely Compact
• Comfortable

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Cons

• Noise made by material
• Not Self inflating
• More expensive than other Matresses

We’ve got the NeoAir on sale now at our outdoor equipment shop so go ahead and have a look.

Here’s a table with all the figures, so you can easily compare the size and weight of the various models.

The process of producing the raw bamboo does have a low environmental impact. However when it comes to processing the bamboo into a fabric there can be a significant ecological impact. Basically there are 2 ways in which bamboo can be turned into a fabric, mechanically or chemically.

Mechanical Processing of Bamboo

Bamboo Close Up - Source pietroizzo:flickr

Mechanical processing involves crushing the bamboo plant and then using natural enzymes to break down the bamboo into a pulp which can then be combed and spun into yarn. Bamboo fabric produced in this manner has a low impact and is generally known as bamboo linen. However this is not generally used for clothing due to the fact it is more labour intensive and costly.

Chemical Processing of Bamboo

There are a few different chemical processes that bamboo can go through to be transformed into fiber, some of these are more eco-friendly than others.

Hydrolysis alkalization with multi-phase bleaching

The process used for producing bamboo fabric is known as hydrolysis alkalization with multi-phase bleaching. It consists of the following stages;

1. Bamboo leaves and the soft, inner pith from the hard bamboo trunk are extracted and crushed;
2. The crushed bamboo cellulose is soaked in a solution of 15% to 20% sodium hydroxide at a temperature between 20 degrees C to 25 degrees C for one to three hours to form alkali cellulose;
3. The bamboo alkali cellulose is then pressed to remove any excess sodium hydroxide solution. The alkali cellulose is crashed by a grinder and left to dry for 24 hours;
4. Roughly a third as much carbon disulfide is added to the bamboo alkali cellulose to sulfurize the compound causing it to jell;
5. Any remaining carbon disulfide is removed by evaporation due to decompression and cellulose sodium xanthogenate is the result;
6. A diluted solution of sodium hydroxide is added to the cellulose sodium xanthogenate dissolving it to create a viscose solution consisting of about 5% sodium hydroxide and 7% to 15% bamboo fiber cellulose.
7. The viscose bamboo cellulose is forced through spinneret nozzles into a large container of a diluted sulfuric acid solution which hardens the viscose bamboo cellulose sodium xanthogenate and reconverts it to cellulose bamboo fiber threads which are spun into bamboo fiber yarns to be woven into reconstructed and regenerated bamboo fabric.

Source:LotusOrganics.com blog

What are the effects of the chemicals used to process bamboo?

Carbon Disulfide(CS2)
At very high levels, carbon disulfide may be life-threatening as it affects the nervous system, at low levels of carbon disulfide can cause tiredness, headaches and nerve damage. It has a quick affect on wildlife especially aquatic life and has long term effects including; shortened lifespan, reproductive problems, lower fertility, and changes in appearance or behaviour.

sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
Low levels of exposure to sodium hydroxide can cause irritation of the eyes and skin while high levels can chemical burns, scarring, and blindness.

So we can see that the chemicals used in the hydrolysis alkalization, the most common method of producing bamboo fabric definitely can have an impact both on the environment as well as the workforce.

Other methods of chemically processing bamboo

Newer manufacturing facilities have begun using other technologies for processing bamboo which are more eco-friendly. The chemical manufacturing process used to produce lyocell from wood cellulose can be modified to use bamboo cellulose. The lyocell process, also used to uses N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide. This lyocell processing is much safer for workers and more eco-friendly due to the N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide is claimed to be non-toxic to humans and the chemical manufacturing processes are closed-loop so 99.5% of the chemicals used during the processing are collected and recycled to be used again.

Bamboo growing - Source shenxy:flickr

Summary

The commercial growing of bamboo is quite an eco-friendly process, however the way in which it is processed and turned into fabric currently is not, as well as having health consequences for the workers involved.

I do however believe bamboo does have a future as an environmentally friendly fabric. The bamboo should be easily sustainable, the material has fantastic properties all that is needed is for manufacturing processes to become more eco friendly, which seems to be starting to happen. So in my opinion there definitely is a future for truly “green” bamboo fabric.

Before I finish I have to thank Graham for commenting and providing the impoteus to write this article. “Question everything people!”

Pitching the Taurus Ultralight is an easy task, it has two main poles that slip into the guide channels very easily along with 2 very short poles built into the tent at the feet end, these poles widen the bottom of the tent for more leg room. You can pitch the inner and outer at the same time – an essential feature when its the end of a long day and the rain is coming down hard.

Vaude Taurus Ultralight

The groundsheet is rather thin (not too thin when compared to other ultralight tents) and although it is rugged, I’d still recommend using a groundsheet protector with it when you can.  The porch area is surprisingly spacious, with plenty of room for cooking and you can just squeeze 2 rucksacks in at although there isn’t enough room to do both at once. Inside the tent is again rather roomy for a tent of this class with enough room for 2 people to sit upright, which definitely makes sitting out through a storm a lot more comfortable.

The tent is classed as 3 season and stands up well to the weather,  preforming well even in very strong winds. There is however no vent in the rear of the tent, which makes ventilation hard to control and can lead to waking up in the morning drowning in condensation.

To sum up the Vaude taurus ultralight is a great all round tent. It might not be the, strongest, biggest or lightest two-man tent, but it does balance all of these aspects at a great price.

Pros: Price, Weight, Ease of pitching.

Cons: lack of ventilation control.

Vaude Taurus Ultralight Specifications

Laminated floor resistant against formic acid from ants (see my previous article on groundsheet protectors to find out why this may be important)
Weight 1720g min, 1900g max
Fly/wp 400 Polyamid Ripstop 240T both sides siliconized 3mm
Innertent 30D Polyester Ripstop 285T
Floor/wp 40D Polyamid Ripstop 240T PU laminated 10mm
Stuff sack 53cm x 19cm
Poles AI 7001 T6; 9mm

Have you got a Vaude Taurus Ultralight? leave a comment and share your views with everyone else.

The North Face Cats Meow

The North Face Cats Meow is a synthetic filled, multi-purpose, 3 season sleeping bag. With a rating of -7°C and weighing in at a respectable 1.2kg, or 2lb 10 oz in old money, this bag is definitely a good all round performer at a great price.  It comes with a stuff sack along with a mesh sack for long-term storage so you don’t damage the loft.

The North Face Cats Meow Sleeping Bag

The North Face Cats Meow Highlights

• I really liked the chest-level watch pocket which allows you to stash away your alarm clock near your head so you can get woken up and get started on your next days walking nice and early.
• Glow-in-the-dark zip pull which should stop you having to fumble about in the middle of the night when you need to get in or out.
• The stiffener in the zip column is designed prevent annoying snags which in a moment of frustration can all to easily lead to a ripped bag.
• Being synthetic, the sleeping bag still keeps much of its insulating properties when wet, but dried super quick.
• The lining of the Cats Meow has a comfortable “silky” feel to it as well as being effective in wicking away sweat.
• The overlapping shingle construction eliminates cold spots by evenly distributing the insulation.

My only criticisms would be that it doesn’t come with a compression sack and I did find the foot box a bit small, although I do have size 13 feet!

Overall I really like this bag, it’s durable, reasonably lightweight and preforms well.  The low price tag makes the cats meow an ideal piece of kit for someone starting out or indeed anyone looking for a good quality sleeping bag without breaking the bank.

Click here to view the our range of sleeping bags, including the cat’s meow.

I’ve put the rest of the technical details I haven’t mentioned in the post below, for all you gearheads looking to know the exact specs.

Technical Details for The North Face Cats Meow

• Bag length 213cm
• Bag width – foot 51cm, shoulder 79cm
• Pack width 20cm
• Pack length 43cm
• Min Comfort Rating -7 °C
• Weight 1200g
• Climashield™ Prism synthetic insulation
• Overlapping shingle construction
• Firestorm™ top shell fabric
• Full-length draft tube
• Head-level zipper garage with welded reinforced Velcro® flap
• One-hand pull cord for easy hood adjustments with flat cordlock and Neoprene cover

Tent Weight

Normally with tents you want the lightest possible. With a family tent this is not really an issue as you will most likely be able to drive right up to the campsite and simply lift the tent out.  It might be worth considering the weight if you know that you might have to carry the tent for short distances, but it’s definitely not a major consideration.

Tent Size

In this case size does matter, ideally you want plenty of room to store all your gear as well as having plenty of room to sleep. Tents are rated according to how many people they can sleep eg 4 man. Its also worth considering the height when choosing a family tent as more head room makes it much easy to move around and helps with getting dressed.

Packed Tent Size

This is how big the tent is when packed up, again not too big a consideration for  family tents but useful to take note of, especially if you have a small car.

Tent Season Rating

The season rating reflects what sort of performance that can be expected from a tent of item of outdoor gear. For example, a 4 Season Rating indicates a high enough specification for the tent to be used all year round, while a 1 Season Rating indicates that it will perform best during the summer only. This is of course subjective and with family tents most likely being used on a lowland campsite a 3 season would probably preform adequately all year round.

Ease of Setup / Pitching Your Tent

Obviously the easier to set up the better, the last thing you want is to have to spend an hour trying to work out which guy line to tie where, when you are trying to relax and enjoy your holiday.  Fewer poles allow faster setups / tent pitching. It’s also easier to attach poles to clips than it is to thread them through “continuous” pole sleeves. However this shouldn’t be a problem as most modern tents are extremely simple to erect and do come with good instructions in the event you do get confused.

Privacy

Family tent - The north face trailhead 6

This comes down to personal preference and how much you and your family value their privacy.  If it is an important factor then look for tents like the north face trailhead 6  which have  separate rooms. It may also be worth considering a separate smaller tent, especially if you have teenagers.

Ease of Access

How many doors does the tent have? What shape are they? How easy are they to open? Its important to consider all these things when choosing a family tent as there will be lots of people looking to get in and out (probably in a hurry if it starts to rain).

Tent Porch / Vestibule

In my mind this can be one of the most important features to look for when choosing a family tent. A large porch or vestibule can be used to store gear (especially useful for wet and dirty gear),  as well as providing a separate living area.

Groundsheet Protector

A groundsheet protector is a polyurethane or nylon sheet that goes under the base of your tent. A tent footprint costs less to replace than the tent itself so for a family tent that gets lots of use and abuse this is especially useful.

See my recent article on groundsheet protectors for more information.

I hope this will help you all get out this summer and get camping with your families. Remember a good family tent is an investment and will last you for years if you look after it properly.

Personal Gear

Top Baselayer
A good quality top, with either long or short sleeves is all that is needed. Make sure that the top is made of a high quality material with good wicking properties. If you’re running hard you’re not likely to be cold, but will get sweaty.

Trousers/Shorts
Many people prefer to run in shorts rather than trousers but the things to look for are the same in both, they should be ultralight and dry quickly, otherwise just choose what you feel comfortable in.

Sleeping Bag
When choosing a sleeping bag for a mountain marathon there are 2 main considerations weight and size. For this a good quality down sleeping bag is probably the best option. I’d recommend the Cumulus Quantum 200 Sleeping Bag weighing in at 495g and packing down to a tiny 11 x 11 x 25 cm.

Sleeping Mat
This is something that while not required I strongly advise bringing, the amount of difference a carry mat can make to getting a great nights sleep is unbelievable.  Go for the cheapest and lightest you can find, the problem here will likely be bulk and not weight.

Rucksack
The size of the rucksack you need really depends on how much ultralight gear you have, the more bulky gear you have the bigger a bag you need.  If you’ve got a compact tent and sleeping bag 25L should be roomy,  if on the other hand your using less specialised gear you’ll need something closer to 30L.

Waterproof Jacket
When looking for a lightweight jacket for a endurance running I’m not too concerned about fancy features, all I want is something light that will keep the rain out and be easy to run in.

Waterproof Trousers
Many events require you to carry a pair of waterproof trousers in your kit.  although I’m not sure how many people actually use them. I’d recommend going for a cheap light pair that are comfortable to run in.

Torches
Most of the time you won’t need to do any night navigation so all you want is a nice lightweight torch for getting around camp and cooking.  I’d recommend the Petzl Tikka Plus or the Petzl Zipka Head Torch. However you might want to consider carrying one more powerful torch in your team in case you need to do some night navigation.

Footwear
A good pair of lightweight running shoes is vital to help protect your feet and ankles as well as giving good grip. There are plenty of good shoes to go for and a lot of it comes down to personal preference but I like Inov8 Mudclaw “O” 330 Fell Running Shoes. The other important thing to consider is a good pair of socks, ideally you want a thin and light pair which keep you warm.

Hydration
Drinking plenty of liquids is always important especially during an endurance race but water is heavy so consider all your options carefully. Some people like to use a hydration system, and while these allow constant access to your water they can be slow to fill as well as leading you to carrying more water than you need. remember 1 litre of water weighs 1kg. The other option is to go with a smaller bottle and either run holding it or stash it away somewhere that you can have quick access to it.

Team Gear

Tents
Again being lightweight is the key and tents are one place a team can save a lot of weight.  I personally feel that it’s worth the small bit of extra weight to get a tent with 2 layers as there is nothing worse than having to compete the next day after a bad nights sleep.  One of the best lightweight tents is the Terra Nova Laser Competition a single hoop design with a weight of 0.94 kg.

Cooking Equipment
Going with a cheap light gas stove is probably the best bet here the MSR Pocket Rocket Stove is great value for money and incredibly lightweight. When it comes to pans I tend not bother with a “proper” pan and just use a tinfoil Chinese takeaway container folded up as its only for one night and only going to be used to boil water.

Other Essentials

Whistle
What else can I say, worth carrying in case you get into trouble.

Pencil and Paper
Just bring a small cut down pencil along with a sheet of paper folded up, this can be useful if the electronic markers fail and you need to record the numbers for waypoints manually, a few competitions require you to bring one.

Compass
This again comes down to personal preference but something small and lightweight like the Field 7 (Silva) is ideal.

Survival Bag
A cheap light bivvy bag is all you really need here.

First Aid Kit
Most competitions will stipulate what you need to have in your kit so I just bring what’s required all sealed inside a plastic bag, you may however want to add some blister plasters to the kit if you’re worried about your feet.

The main thing to remember is to keep things lightweight. Don’t be afraid to modify gear either. For example with a carry mat cut off any excess and bring only what you need.

We are still offering 10% off you’re next purchase if you send in a review of an item of gear we stock so why not tell us how you’ve got on with gear in marathons in the past and you can save some money off your next bit of ultralight gear.

Train with a friend
Its definitely much easier to get out onto the hills for a walk or a run if you have a friend harassing you to come out with  you or someone you don’t want to disappoint.

Ignore the weather
A little bit of rain never hurt anyone so don’t let that be an excuse just make sure you dress appropriately and have the right gear.

Make a routine and stick to it
Make a training plan and try your best to stick to it, being organised here really does help.  Its very easy to skip 3 or 4 training sessions after missing just one to start.

Be organised
Make it easy to find all your outdoor gear and make sure it is clean. Not being able to find a clean pair of socks could eat up 15 minutes of your training session so have “a place for everything and everything in its place!”

Mix things up
Doing the same route week in and week out can get boring so try them other way around or plan something different. If you’re feeling too sore to train then why not focus on something else like navigation while your body gets a chance to recover.

Good gear
Being comfortable and having the right gear for the event helps massively and getting a new pair of running shoes or a fancy hydration system will make you want to get out and test them out.

Have a goal
Make sure you have a goal to aim for whether this be training for a mountain marathon or training for specific route or time.

Have fun
For me this is the most important factor, there is no point putting yourself through rigorous training if you don’t enjoy at least some of it. Think about ways to make your training more enjoyable, this will help you keep up the training and make it seem like less of a chore.

Thats all for now, hopefully it will help some of you get out and get training unfortunately you still have all the hard work yourselves.  Just be sure to enjoy yourself.

2009 is bigger and it’s better than ever before. Why?Without a shadow of doubt the best line up of adventure films and climbing speakers ever put together over a single weekend, anywhere, ever! Well that’s what we think…

The event takes place in the biggest independent cinema in the UK outside of London, and is packed full of great films.

Featuring lots of films packed full of adrenaline-inducing adventure sports, climbing and bouldering as well as some slower pace, thought provoking cultural and environmental films.

Perhaps one of the most talked about events happening is the Great British Grade Debate with the BMC in which a panel of the UK’s best climbers will discuss the grading system.

I’m going to keep my own opinions on grading quiet for now, but what does everyone else here think?