Richard Gear's Latest Answers

By Jon

Gear news in association with

Back to his usual Tuesday slot and our man Gear, Richard Gear, has been hard at work answering your questions and racking his brain over the meaning of moisture vapour transfer rates, the importance of underfoot fit and other pressing matters of gear philosophy.

So far Richard has answered over 500 of your questions and you can find all his past answers together with a shonky search mechanism at the Ask Richard Gear section of the site.

Browse through his past answers or ask a question of your own...

This week Richard struggles with earth-shaking existential dilemmas like the relative merits of down/feather mixes and Primaloft, the whereabouts of the OM classified section, baggage transport on Hadrian's Wall and footwear choice for the high level traverse of the Pyrenees.

Q: 'Hi there! I'm thinking of buying a Lafuma Inuit Jacket, but I'm worried. It is insulated with duck down, 50/50 proportion of feathers to down. Is this insulation still superior to synthetics or not? Or should I go for Primaloft or similar?'

A: Gear here, Richard 'Feathers' McGear. I'm not familiar with the Inuit jacket so I looked it up on the Lafuma web site.

'It's really intended as a lifestyle-type jacket rather than for technical wear on the hill which is why Lafuma has specced the 50/50 mix of feathers and down. '
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Q: 'What type of footwear would you recommend for walking the full length of the Pyrenees HRP, taking deviations to avoid snow and ice?'

A: 'Traditionally stiffer-soled boots have been recommended for rocky terrain and when backpacking, the theory being that they give greater stability. However more and more walkers are using lighter weight footwear below the snowline and finding the increased mobility and reduced weight makes for easier, more enjoyable and nimbler progress even with a large-ish pack.'
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Q: 'Where have the classifieds gone?'

A: 'Gear here, Richard 'Shrewd Shropping' Gear and I have good news for you, the OM classified section is still alive and well though perhaps not as easy to locate as it ought to be..'
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Q: 'Can I have one bag taken from place to place on the Hadrians Wall walk? Can I book my own accommodation?'

A: 'Gear here, Richard 'Sherpa' Gear. And the good news is that the Sherpa Van Company will carry your bags between stops on the Hadrian's Wall path from 31st March to 15 October.

'The cost is £6 per stage and you can utilise the service in either direction. The company offers the service on many long distance paths including the Coast to Coast, Pennine Way, Dales Way and others. The company can also handle accommodation booking, or simply make your own arrangements and leave the bag carrying to Sherpa Van...
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Check out the full Ask Richard Gear section of the site for a searchable archive of all Richard's past answers, some of which make sense, or ask a question of your own...

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