Outdoor Gear Blog - CheapTents

CheapTents Outdoor Gear Blog

…not just tents…a camping equipment blog too!

Mike Dunne tackles a bouldering problem

Mike Dunne Climber

We always enjoy hearing from you, our readers, about the adventures that you have been having in the great outdoors. Not only that, we like to give you the opportunity to use the CheapTents blog to promote yourselves if you’re looking for sponsorship. Recently we were contacted by Mike Dunne, who loves climbing in the Lake District. We asked him to tell us about his climbing experience, his thoughts on the climbing scene and who he rates as a climber.

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According to the Federation for Sport at Altitude (FSA) , skyrunning is

Running from the sea to the sky, from the plains to the earth’s highest peaks.

Outdoor sports such as running, biking, skiing, duathlons, triathlons which are undertaken at altitudes above 2000 m are collectively known as Skysports. Typical locations for Skysports are The Alps, Tibet, Nepal, Kenya, Colorado, Mexico or

anywhere that the sky and mountains meet.

And there was me thinking that Skysports was about watching football, rugby or cricket on a widescreen LCD TV at home or down the pub.

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At CheapTents we like to help up and coming outdoor athletes by giving them some exposure. We were recently contacted by downhill mountain biker Tim Graham. Tim is an avid downhill racer who is pursuing his dream of a professional MTB racing.

Mountain biker riding singletrack downhill trail

Tim Graham getting some downhill action on his Specialized Big Hit.


It was watching downhill riders on the trails at Fort William that gave Tim the inspiration to take up mountain biking. That was two and half years ago and he has not looked back since…

The excitement and thrill of new trails and meeting new people got me into downhill mountain biking!

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On April 2nd 2008, Ed Stafford an ex-army captain set off on what he thought would would be a year long hike along the Amazon. 859 days later Ed has now completed his epic hike from source to sea, along with his travelling companion Cho. Cho was only meant to be Ed’s guide for 5 days at the beginning, not an inseparable companion over the 2 years.

The Amazon Monkey

Alien or Spiny katydid nymph? Amazon Critter
Source Flikr by ggallice

Far from being a “boys-own adventure” Eds reasoning for his Amazon hike was “I am simply doing it because no-one has done it before.” he told AP.

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Adventure racing is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. The Adidas Terrex Adventure Race will be a 4 day non-stop event held in the Lake District. The race will follow a 400 km linear course across Cumbria, with shortcuts available for novice teams.

Good navigation is essential for the race, and you will be provided with detailed maps to follow. The race will include fell running, mountain biking, kayaking, orienteering and a few surprises taking you to those hidden gems. Attitude is everything, so be prepared for the unexpected!

Since this Adventure Race is being held in the Lake District there could well be some open water swimming.

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Adventure racing is gaining popularity. Worldwide there are more and more events that combine multiple disciplines such as trekking, running off-road, sea kayaking, mountain biking and road cycling.

Scotland Coast to Coast

Taking place on the 18th and 19th of September 2010, the Nokia Coast to Coast journey starts off on the North Sea, crossing Scotland along the sides of Loch Ness, Loch Oich and Loch Lochy before finishing up on the Isle of Glencoe and Ballachulish.

The starting point of the race is Nairn, north east of Inverness. The stages are as follows:

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When it comes to Adventure Racing, Ian Adamson has achieved phenomenal success, winning the World Championships no less than six times! He has achieved fifteen world championship podium finishes and fourteen international adventure race championship titles, including Eco-Challenge and Primal Quest.

Ian Adamson, the worlds most successful Adventure Racer

Ian Adamson: Adventure Racer and Kayaker

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Ironman UK logo

Ironman Triathlon Bolton

Ironman is a name that has become synonymous with the triathlon event:swimming, cycling and running. The first Ironman event took place in Hawaii in 1978. Since then it has become a global phenomena. In 2010 there will be 25 Ironman races held in 16 countries worldwide.

“Swim 2.4 miles! Bike 112 miles! Run 26.2 miles! Brag for the rest of your life” Ironman registered trademark.

Top athletes can compete the course in just over 8 hours, however to finish the race, participants must complete all three sections within 15 hours. All finishers are entitled to call themselves an Ironman!

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Mountaineering Ethics will help protect the Mountain Environment.

Mountaineering Ethics will help protect the Mountain Environment. Source: Flickr by dino_olivieri.

To coincide with International Mountain Day 2009, the UIAA International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation released their new code of Mountaineering and Climbing Ethics.

The UIAA’s bold summary encompasses the thinking behind the declaration:

Stretch Your Limits, Lift Your Spirits, Aim for the Top!

The mountaineering and climbing ethics code encompasses the following twelve points, which I have summarised below:

  1. Individual Responsibility – Be responsible for yourself, for others and for the environment.
  2. Team Spirit – Support and encourage your climbing team members.
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Bike and Ski at the same time!

The winter sport of skibiking, or skibobbing as it is also known, has been around since the 1950′s. A skibike is quite literally a bike with skis instead of wheels. Most of the other normal features of a bike have also been removed, such as the pedals, chain and brakes. Skibikes tend to be ridden down hill only and let’s face it, only a wuss uses brakes! Skibikes do have suspension however!

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