They say that beautiful is in the eye of the beholder and for me there is nothing more beautiful and wild than the great outdoors.
From the arid, rocky terra firma of a steep mountain climb to the vibrant, lush cacophony of a rainforest canopy there is always one deriding fact that wherever, whenever and however we get there … we must always bring back what we took in!
I’m talking gear! The shoes, socks, pants, shorts, jumpers, coats, packs, hats and cats.
Maybe not the cat but you get the point and it’s a serious point; particularly if you’re venturing on a long trip where you may need to accommodate changes in unforeseen situations.
Get your gear wrong and at best your beautiful outdoors becomes a chore and at worse it becomes a danger.
You need the right balance of ‘functionality’ vs ‘weight’ and with an endless choice from feather light rain jackets to toothbrushes ‘nubs’ (chopped in half) every gram can be counted.
But it’s also an odd feeling…. a heavy back pack. Somehow there is actually a sense of reassurance when we heave our pack upon our back. The ‘right’ weight gives you a feeling of confidence too.
I’ve been lucky enough to test out some great products where you balance weight and functionality with cost and quality. Because in the great outdoors there is no single right answer but rather a combination of simple considerations that I’d like to share with you over the next few weeks.
And remember … Always, always bring back what you took in!
