Gear

Most of the year round like most folk I never wear a waterproof but use a windproof so my trusty Montane Venture has either sat in the sack or hung in the wardrobe but recently I had to get it on for some rather wet weather.  Here layeth the problem, its too tight.  So now I've a wonderful jacket which rather doesn't go well over my extended stomach.

Problems? solutions: Buy new jacket or lose weight.

Really thought long and hard about this one and succumbed to buying a new jacket.  Popped into Crickhowell Adventure in Brecon and they had the Montane G force smock, as reviewed by Cameron McNeish a few years back.  RRP of £160, in the sale items without price.  Sold to me for £80.  Full on event jacket, minimal design and a bargain I think anyway.

Just can't wait to try it out now and just so there's no future problems new jacket is XL but I've kept the old one just in case the weight drops off.

Just also ordered a new Icebreaker ultra light top to complement my kit for £30 delivered.

Ooh, thanks to mastercard

Simon

if you want a new windproof www.rockrun.com  have the Montane featherlite in red XL for £16.50 and £4 postage

Crickhowell Adventure have two shops. one in Brecon and the other in, er... Crickhowell. They have a sale rail for quite a bit of clothing at the moment. If you pass by either town, may be worth a pop in.....

Brecon isnt quite on my route to tescos in Edinburgh but thanks for the tip

may contain nuts wrote (see)

Brecon isnt quite on my route to tescos in Edinburgh but thanks for the tip

sorry mcn

you could always ring to see what they have in stock?

(they do have a near non existent website that is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard)

Imperial Dave wrote (see)

you could always ring to see what they have in stock?

(

Good idea.

Still havnt used the atko in anger yet, shame on me!

how you finding the battery life on the lx3? my lx2 does 2 days in this cold weather, not ideal for back packing..

may contain nuts wrote (see)

Imperial Dave wrote (see)

you could always ring to see what they have in stock?

(

Good idea.

Still havnt used the atko in anger yet, shame on me!

how you finding the battery life on the lx3? my lx2 does 2 days in this cold weather, not ideal for back packing..

blimey

I did 150 photos on an extremely cold day last week and there's still oodles of juice left in my battery

MCN, here's the phone number for the store in Brecon 01874 611586.

I measured the jacket against other Montane jackets, the new Venture and the older event superfly (the one without the new shoulder strips).  All were XL.  The venture was the same length at the rear but the G-force is slighly shorter at the front.  Against the superfly, it was longer all round including the arms.  All the hoods were the same size.

I was told he had a couple more jackets left, I know of a large that was upstairs but did not see the others.  The fit is definately different to other jackets.

And Mick, I have the featherlight and it rockrun that I bought it from.  Bargain price that was.

My lightweight clothing system now runs with:

Merino longsleeve top, 100 weight craghoppers fleece, montane featherlight and event smock.  Trousers are montane terra stretch in pertex equilibrium, icebreaker boxers and when its cold I have icebreaker 200 leggings, smartwool socks and salomon xa pro trainers (non goretex).  Thats more or less all for year round use.  As warm carried items, I have a Keela Belay jacket (135 grammes primaloft) and also a patagonia down sweater gilet and if its really bad and the boots have to come out they are meindl burmas which i combine with camp crampons (but not very often used).

Simon,

have you been to the Crickhowell store at all?

I have been there in the past but not recently.

Brecons closer to me as I live at the top of the neath valley

The Brecon store is a reasonable siz (ish) but the Crickhowell is a veritable Tardis/Aladins cave of gear

Simon Chaplin wrote (see)

MCN, here's the phone number for the store in Brecon 01874 611586.).