Will Renwick gives his verdict on these tough trekking boots from Bavarian bootmakers, Hanwag Sturdy, supportive, solid at the toe and with a bit of heft, the Hanwag Makra Trek GTX is a proper boot made for tough terrain. From my experience, it’s fine-tuned for rocky trails, boulder-hopping and scree slopes, and yet, despite that robustness, Hanwag has also managed to make it something that’s comfortable to walk in over big mileage. It’s got a cushioned midsole, a fit and feel that was fine to wear right out of the box and a toe volume and design that strikes the right balance between precisio ..read more

Our testers have been impressed by this pair of lightweight, durable poles At 190g per pole, these are some very light trekking poles. In fact, they’re lighter than most other poles on the market.  Fortunately, they’re also very high quality. The body, for instance, is made from DAC alloy – the same metal that Helinox use in their iconic ultralight camping chairs. It’s an aluminium that is renowned for its lightweight strength, with excellent resistance to bending, deformation and corrosion.  The Passport TL120 is a Z-type pole, meaning it’s made from three parts which lock togethe ..read more

Free from the obligations of any sponsors, Paris has provided runners with a helpful insight into the kit list that an elite runner chooses to run with Last week, Jasmin Paris made headlines across the globe, becoming the first ever woman to complete the Barkley Marathons, a 100-mile cult running challenge that’s commonly referred to as the world’s toughest ultra event. She completed the elaborate course in just 59 hours and 58 minutes – only 99 seconds within the cut-off. One picture from the finish line, which was featured in the New York Times, on the BBC and in the Guardian, shows her slum ..read more

Like your trail shoes to have a bit of rock and roll to them? Then you might just like what the Arc’teryx Sylan GTX brings to the table Released March 2024, the Arc’teryx Sylan GTX is a shoe that the Canadian brand says is designed for mountain runners looking to move faster on technical trails. I’ve been using it on my daily runs over the past month now, mainly taking it on muddy early spring trails, with a bit of vert thrown in thanks to a few forays up some Welsh hills. Here’s how I got on with them. The Sole Geometry What first really struck me about these when I first saw them was the sh ..read more

Quick-drying, grippy and stable. This is a pair of Birkenstocks we can get behind Birkenstock are responsible for what’s been quite possibly the most popular sandal of the last few decades. We’d go as far as saying it was a sandal that made sandals ‘cool’. If you don’t know which sandal we’re talking about here, it’s the Arizona; that brown, double-strapped one with the cork soles. Yeh, that’s right, you have seen it. Everyone has.  Anyway, while the Arizona might be classed as chic, it’s not exactly the kind of sandal you’d want to wear much further than the short hike from your car to t ..read more

While Arc’teryx might be most widely known for its garments, it also boasts an impressive line of footwear – one that’s expanding rapidly. The Canadian brand had already brought us the popular Norvan and Aerios collections, now there are some new additions to their armoury. Three brand new models are now available as of March 2024. There’s a lightweight approach shoe, the Vertex Alpine GTX, which looks closer to a trail running shoe than footwear designed for climb approaches. There’s the quirky looking Kragg, a pull-on which Arc’teryx say is designed for “quick approaches” and finally there ..read more

New boutique brands worth knowing about and some old classics that might not have made it onto your radar yet Running is a sport with incredibly low barriers to entry. All you really need is a pair of running shoes, some running shorts and a t-shirt and that’s enough to get you going. As you start to progress in your running journey however, you might want to start picking up some gear that’ll keep up with your ambitions – tops that’ll keep you cool, running socks to wick your sweat away, trail running shoes to take your adventures off-road and insulation to keep you out all year-round. There ..read more

The French brand expand their X Ultra range of hiking boots with this model designed for those who are looking for lightweight agility Salomon have a reputation and long-standing background as a running brand and so much of the Salomon X Ultra 360 Edge Mid Gore-tex reflects this. With its aggressive sole, its light weight build and breathable upper, it might be a walking boot but this thing encourages you to move quickly.  The X Ultra family of lightweight boots has been a part of the Salomon collection for a few years now and this is the latest iteration within the family. The chassis a ..read more

Our favourite budget options that are lightweight and sturdy enough for backpacking from spring through to autumn. If you want to go backpacking but don’t think you can afford a tent that will be good enough for the job, think again. In fact, there are plenty of very good value tents out there that will serve you well without breaking the bank. Granted, most won’t be as ultralight or high spec as some of the top end models, but there are still lots of options that will cover the basics just fine to allow you to achieve your end goal of having a good time in the outdoors. In this round up, we ..read more

66 miles, 27,000ft of ascent, 42 mountains, a time to beat – and all in the middle of winter. At the start of this year, The North Face athlete Elsey Davis attempted to set a new record for the female Bob Graham mid-winter round, a 66 mile, 27,000 ft circuit of 42 of the highest peaks in the English Lake District within 24 hours. The Cornwall-based runner had already had top finishes in the Transgrancanaria, The Valencia Marathon and the Golden Trail World Series final. She set her sights on the Lake District challenge after being inspired by ultra legend Beth Pascall who has the summer reco ..read more