Why we just LOVE MSR Stoves!

We've been fans of MSR Stoves ever since they hit our shelves many moons ago at Storm Outdoors and each year MSR's new models just get better and better.

For that reason heres a rundown of the top selling MSR gear we sell to our clients at Storm:

MSR XGK Stove

This truly is the Big Daddy of camping stoves! It sells at a premium price (£100) but our customers tell us it never fails them and we've tested it ourselves outdoors in Dartmoor and the Lake District in some pretty horrendous weather conditions. Its ALWAYS impressed us!

Due to the popularity of this MSR stove we do find it regularly goes out of stock - is that a good thing? Possibly if demand exceeds supply then we'd tend to believe it is one of the best!

MSR Whisperlite

This MSR stove is so quiet AND effective in boiling up water quickly with its multi fuel burning capabilities. Plain and simple, we love it, especially for its speed in helping knock up a decent cup of campsite tea!

MSR Pocket Rocket

A true rocket of a camping stove on a budget - ONLY £24 (a steal!) the MSR Pocket Rocket stove is a favourite of Backpacker magazine due to its extreme lightweight design and fast boiling time based on its size. What more would you want from any MSR camping stove??

We like to think we're experts in MSR stoves so why not contact us and put us to the test???

These boots are made for walking

We get a lot of customers in Storm come in looking for a pair of walking boots and perhaps buy for the wrong reasons, some spend too little and others (even with our fair, impartial advice) spend way too much because they want the best brand for "the street".

So we've decided its about time our little blog did some "talking about walking" and genned up our blog readers in all things hiking boots!

First off, walking shoes or walking boots?

Does it really matter?
Well yes it does actually.

Perhaps its obvious but your feet are the most treasured part of your body when walking, especially long distances on difficult mountain terrain. The problem with buying walking shoes is that they seriously lack ankle support and if you are in the countryside, in woods, up hills or on English mountains then you are putting yourself at more risk of an ankle sprain or worse.

On the upside a good walking shoe that is waterproof and sturdy can be a great alternative, if on a low level walk along defined and well used paths. Avoid fashion trainers even on walks you think might be ok, if it rains you will get seriously wet feet and that makes for a highly miserable experience, just ask us!

Walking boots really are the preferred choice when walking off-road or over rough terrain. With the best in protection and usually excellent ankle protection which is an absolute minimum requirement on steep hill or mountain slopes. Even better boots are usually designed to keep your feet dry and with Gore Tex liners help them breathe too which can help to minimise blisters.

What to ask when buying Walking Boots

There are many retailers offering many kinds of walking boots and with such an array it can easily become confusing as to what is right for you. So you may want to consider asking yourself the following when purchasing walking boots:

Are these leather or fabric?

Do these boots have a Gore Tex liner built in?

Do you an incline board so that you can test the boots at different angles (this simulates walking up, down and across slopes).

Is my foot loose inside this boot?

Should I be wearing my walking socks? (Yes!)

Is my big toe pushing on the front of the boot? (This should be a no!)

Does my foot feel hemmed in or is the boot truly comfortable?

Is the boot too much for what I want to use it for?

Is it too little?

Am I buying this boot because of price/brand rather than practicality?

Asking yourself these types of questions will all help ensure you buy your walking boots at the right price and ones that will work for you. Get the wrong walking boots and its too late finding out 12 miles from your destination - trust us we've been there, done that!

Storm raises over £1000 for Bristol Childrens Hospital

Our boss, Ian Portch, came in 6 months ago and advised us he was going to climb Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, in Africa. Now we as keen UK mountaineering walkers thought he must be quite, quite mad to do something like this with little experience in walking at altitudes above 10,000 feet.

When he said he was doing it to raise money for Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal for seriously ill children at Bristol hospital we thought "ok, less mad then but still rather you than us!".

So Ian established himself on a strict regime of no beer or chocolate and regular exercise to get himself upto a reasonable level of fitness to be able to cope with potential altitude sickness at such a height. It seemed to pay off in hindsight (though having porters help certainly took a load off!!)

And here is Ian (looking rather dandy I must say) on Kilimanjaro...

In all Ian raised over £1000 for the Wallace and Gromet Childrens Appeal which we feel is an outstanding contribution as well as conquering a 20,000 foot mountain! Nice one Ian!

Gear you will need for Adventure Racing

We at Storm Outdoors are specialists in lightweight camping equipment and get asked a lot by our adventure racing customers the best equipment to purchase to get the most performance in such a demanding activity.

So we'll start with the best lightweight weatherproof jackets we think you might want to consider, their overall performance in our humble opinion and the price you should expect to pay.

Adventure Racing Jacket

The Montane Featherlight H20 Jacket - windproof, waterproof and 100% breathable (according to the manufacturer) this jacket claims to be one of the lightest on the market.

We have tested this jacket in cool, wet conditions both walking and mountain biking and appreciated the jackets performance. The material feels at first somewhat flimsy but the actual strength of the jacket surpassed our expectations. The only downside is that the jacket comes with no hood which would have been appreciated in the very worst weather.

Its not bad value for money either coming in at just £60 in most places online.

Adventure Racing Pants

Now for trousers. Most adventure runners likely just need a decent set of lightweight quick drying trousers, again Montane raises its head above the parapet coming up with the following product (funny we're not biased, its just Montane is SUCH a good manufacturer). You can purchase lightweight waterproof trousers but they may prevent you running as fast as you like. From a safety point of view we recommend that you carry a set of lightweight waterproof trousers in your pack for the very worst weather.

So we think Montane Terra Lite pants work extremely well in wet and mountainous conditions. These lightweight technical pants performed well in the Lake District as well as on our recent charity trip to Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Darren (Danger Daz we call him!) - our guest tester also rates them for use in hot, humid
condition too.

Breathable Base Layers for the Outdoors

Tops as a base layer are a must, needing to be wicken and highly breathable - cotton is an absolute no no! The most popular brands are from Helly Hansen or Lowe Alpine Dry Flo and usually priced between £25 and £40. These tops are designed to wick away sweat, keep the body dry when exercising hard.

Find breathable base layers online here.

Recommended X trainers for Adventure Racing

Finally your going to need a pair of cross trainers, light enough not to slow you down but tough enough to take a batter in the hills and mountains. For this reason Salomon's XA Pro X-trainers really do stand out, in our opinion they offer fantastic support and cushioning together with a gore tex waterproof lining - and all for just £90.

Adventure Racing should be fun, challenging and competitive. Investing in the best lightweight camping equipment will help you perform better, good enough perhaps to be the one holding the trophy at the end of the day!