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 | | WastwaterNorthEnd.jpg | | by Paul Holroyd |
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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 juggling important considerations of lightweight
trekking ethics and the meaning of soft shell.
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 answers questions about affordable lightweight
camping, semi-rectangular sleeping bags and the meaning of
water-resistant zips - why exactly do manufacturers use them if they
let water in under storm conditions?
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Q:Is lightweight the new black? Is it possible to
go lightweight camping while still being comfortable and not
blowing a whole load of money on new kit?
A: The name is Gear, Richard 'Budget' Gear, as
camp as they come on a shoestring... Anyway, it's a fair
question. Someone once said of mountain bike components:
light, strong, cheap - pick two...
His point was that strong and light kit is rarely cheap
to buy and up to a point, the same is true of
ultra-lightweight camping, certainly in anything other than
quite warm conditions particularly if you also want to be
comfortable.
Lighter kit is working its way into the mainstream.
Vango, for example, now sells
Full
Answer
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Q: Are there any good semi-rectangular sleeping
bags out there? I have to replace my old semi-rectangular
bag, made by Western Mountaineering, and they seem to be the
only makers. It's a very versatile design as I can use it
year-round?
A: Gear here, Richard 'Sqaure Sleeping' Gear or
should that be rectangular? Anyway, moving geometrically
onwards, I think you're going to have trouble tracking down
a quality rectangular sleeping bag which is suitable for
year-round use.
The main reason is that mummy-shaped bags make a lot of
sense in cold conditions - because it's anatomically shaped
it eliminates cold spots while also cutting the weight and
bulk of the bag. And the integral hood makes a huge
difference to warmth in really cold conditions by minimising
heat loss from the head...
Full
Answer
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Q: Why do manufacturers use waterproof zips when
they don't work in driving rain? Are there different types
of waterproof zips?
A: The name is Gear, Richard Gear and for once I'm
not going to make a lame crack about waterproofing...
First off, the term 'waterproof' zips is generally a
misnomer, even though many brands use it. In reality, the
urethane-coated zips which are so fashionable at the moment
are actually just water resistant. If they flex a gap opens
up between the two halves of the zip allowing water to get
in.
Full
Answer
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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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