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 | | Stormy Afternoon at Lake Song Kol | | by Hamish Fenton |
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Richard Gear's Latest Answers | | Gear news in association with |  |
| | 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 DWR 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 advises a man with a sleigh and an urgent need for bright lights, explains the difference between a soft shell and a belay jacket and ponders different clothing options for Scottish winter mountaineering.
 Q:
'Hi Richard, I'm wondering what sort of jacket to buy for Scottish
winter mountain walking, scrambling, climbing etc. I looked at the
down jackets, but they seem extremely warm to me and I think I would
be too hot. Should I go for outer shell waterproofs and layer up
underneath? Can you recommend any jackets?
A: You're quite right in your assessment of down jackets
for Scottish winter mountaineering use, they're generally far too
warm for active wear and also not particularly suitable for the sort
of damp days you encounter in the Scottish winter.
There are plenty of options to choose from and all have pros and
cons.
Full
answer |
 Q:
'Whats the difference between a soft shell and a belay jacket? I
noticed from the OM article on Mtn Equipment's Fitzroy belay jacket
that in terms of materials, spec etc. it's very similar to the
primaloft soft shell I wear (TNF Redpoint Optimus). Is it just a
matter of size??'
A: 'The name is Gear, Richard 'Captain Ambiguous' Gear...
OK, the whole 'soft shell' thing can be very confusing because it
covers so many different types of fabric and garments.
'I see softshell as being a technical garment which is usually not
completely waterproof, but is highly wind and water resistant. The
pay-off is generally a nicer feel than a conventional waterproof and
better breathability..'
Full
answer |
 Q:
'I run a couple of racing sled dogs, normally in the middle of the
night when it's coolest and nobody else is around. I currently use a
10/20 watt Tiga headlamp with a 250m range. Big lamp and cumbersome
battery for running though. Is there anything out there that is
smaller but as bright, or nearly as bright. I have a Petzyl Myo3
which is nowhere near bright enough, a Silva L1 which is also not
bright enough and the switch annoys me completely. I need about 200yds'
range if possible and a 2hr burn time....Any suggestions ???'
A: 'The name is Gear, Richard 'Daytime' Gear... As far as
I'm aware, the brightest outdoors headlight out there is the 3-watt
Luxeon powered Silva L1 though they have a new 5-watt version of the
light due out shortly called the Silva LX. Even that though only has
a quoted beam range of 75 metres. The light switch on the L1 has been
fixed for this year though.
'If you really do want more light, then I think your best bet will
be to look at the mountain bike market. Bike lights are getting both
brighter and lighter...
Full
answer
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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