Your Gear Questions Answered

Q Who makes ventilated trail shoes for hot conditions walking. Most shoes seem to have Gore-Tex linings and my feet get really hot when the temperatures rise.

A: The name is Gear, Richard ''Ventilated'' Gear. Although there are some tests out there that suggest Gore-Tex-lined footwear isn''t quite the evil you might suspect, in really hot weather, shoes with open or mesh uppers are significantly less sweaty in my experience.

Not only does that mean more comfort, but because your skin stays drier, it''s less likely to blister. There are plenty of options out there if you look around, though most tend to be shoes rather than boots.

For starters, I''d have a look at hybrid/sandal-type approach shoes from ...
Full Answer

Q: Dear Richard, I am 6 foot 3" tall, can you recommend a 3-season sleeping bag? Are there manufacturers who produce bags specifically for tall people?

A: The name is Gear, Richard ''Sleeping'' Gear and the good news is that you should be able to find a bag hat will accommodate your 6''3" bod quite easily and a decent one at that.

Mountain Equipment, for example, produces many of its bags in XL as well as standard length, their Extreme range for example, is 205cm long internally in standard size, but 218cm in the XL version. Since 205cm is around 6''8" and 218cm is approximately 7''2" either may suit you.

Rab, who also make excellent bags can supply XL versions of....
Full Answer

Q: Just wondered if you knew of any flip-topped mitten makes and models as I''m struggling to find any. I''m a photographer and the versatility is exactly what I''m looking for, I found the Eider Windmitten on their site but nowhere selling them in the UK.

A: The name is Gear, Richard ''Flip-Top'' Gear. I''ve used the French Eider flip-top mitts you''re referring to and they work surprisingly well, you can undo the top of the mitt for delicate ropework, rock climbing sections and so on, then replace the top for full-on mitten insulation when needed.

Unfortunately, Eider doesn''t have much of a presence in the UK. The good news is that UK outdoor accessory company, outdoordesigns also produces two models of flip-top mitt which should be straightforward to track down.

The fuji convertible is made from...'
Full Answer