Richard Gear's Latest Answers

Q: I'm going to the Pyrenees (9th Sept) and climbing Aneto on the 6th day, for which we'll need flexible crampons. My current boots are Hi-Tec and quite light which I love. They did Kilimanjaro last year and were great (but we didn't need crampons). I don't really want to wear heavy boots throughout the trip, just for the last days climb. Do you think my Hi-Tecs would be suitable for flexible crampons. I've had a look at Scapa Rangers but again don't want to buy them if my Hi-Tecs would be ok?

A: The name is Gear, Richard Gear and I'm a sucker for spiky metal things. The whole issue of crampon compatibility is a slightly fraught one. Scarpa-sponsored mountain guide Brian Hall produced a compatability system which grades boots and crampons from 0 - not crampon compatible - to 3, which are boots designed for fully rigid, step-in crampons.

From the sound of it, your Hi-Tecs would almost certainly be rated B0, meaning that they're not recommended for crampon use because the sole won't be particularly stiff and the uppers may not be suitable for use with crampon straps. However, it's not quite that simple...
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Q: Is it possible to buy a sleeping bag lightweight enough to backpack with in summer but warm enough to survive the Lakes in most winters, and not with Pertex Quantum (or similar) outer, so it's actually up to a certain level of abuse? Can I just bump up 0 degree temp. ratings (eg. ME Dreamcatcher 300) with clothing?

 A: Gear here, Richard 'Multi-Seasonal' Gear, happy in winter, happy in summer. Unfortunately it's not an easy trick to pulll off. OK, this year's summer has been particularly dismal, but what you're talking about is a sleeping bag that's going to be warm enough to keep you comfortable in sub-zero temperatures but also not overwhelmingly hot and sweaty in summer conditions, which could climb as high as 25 degrees C...

If you relate that to the sort of clothing you'd wear in similar conditions, you can see that's a bit of a tall order. Something like the Dreamcatcher 300 will come close. Mountain Equipment suggests a 'sleep zone' ranging from 0 to +25C, however...
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Q: Can I put a down bag into a synthetic bag to prevent it from getting wet and combine them to a winter bag during winter?

A: The name is Gear, Richard 'Odd Combination' Gear, master of the distinctly weird and weirdly masterful in a distinct sort of way. Anyhow - deep breath - you can, of course, combine anything you like in a weird and wonderful manner, whether it will work or not is a different matter.

You're right to be concerned about the robustness of down when wet. The surface tension of water overcomes the ability of the down to loft and stops it holding air and insulating, unfortunately that's an inate property of down despite its weight to warmth and bulk advantages. ... '
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