Richard Gear's Latest Answers

Q I've just bought the Osprey Aether 70 medium and didn,t really get any advice in the shop at the time but i thought i new enough ,and had been doing a bit of research on the web. But what id like to know, is the hip belt supposed to sit on top of your hip or actually on the side, (as it does on me)... have I bought the wrong pack for me

A:  name is Gear, Richard ''Hip'' Gear. It does sound like you may have opted for the wrong sized pack. The hip-belt on Osprey packs is designed to sit over your hips and cup them, the idea is that the belt efficiently transmits much of the weight of the pack directly onto the hips, which is a more efficient way of carrying a load than via the shoulder straps.

If you have the belt...
Full Answer

Q: Can you use Grangers 2 in 1 wash on a eVent fabric jacket?

A: The name is Gear, Richard ''High Maintenance'' Gear. The short answer is yes, you can happily use Grangers 2 in 1 cleaner and reproofer on an eVent jacket. It''s not quite that straightforward though. First, eVent actually suggests using normal liquid detergent on their fabrics then double rinsing them to remove any residue from the detergent.

This is because pure soap cleaners aren''t as effective at removing dirt from clothing, the double rinse is important though. Of course you could simply use the 2 in 1 instead and follow the care instructions, heat treat the garment to activate the proofing element of...
Full Answer

Q: Have you tried the range of foods from "Look what we found" I found them on the shelf at my local CO-OP. They are quite tasty and autoclaved so they will keep. The packet they are in stands up on its own so they stand up in the pan and just need they occasional stirring. Cheers Ian

A: Gear here, Richard ''Mild Camping'' Gear, the short answer is yes, we''ve been using the Look What We Found meals for a while and they''re a great, tasty and very convenient option when weight isn''t a major consideration.

Basically they''re tasty pre-cooked meals in a plastic pouch, so all you have to do is either empty the packet into a pan and heat it directly, or alternatively, simply heat the whole bag in a pan of boiling water and boil in the bag for five minutes.

The only snag to the second method is that the print on the ...
Full Answer