Richard Gear's Latest Answers

Q: No way round the hard shell? Returning to hill-walking after many years out I was excited to see all the new types of kit and eager to get buying. I like the softshell idea of having one jacket that does everything pretty well... But I still appear to need something for when it's chucking it down. Am I missing a trick?

A: The name is Gear, Richard 'Kind of Hardshell' Gear, sort of halfway between one and the other...

Okay, the bad news is that you're pretty much correct, at least in most UK conditions, you will still need some form of lightweight waterproof in really wet conditions, though there are some soft shells that will give very good, nigh on waterproof protectiion.

Gore's Windstopper fabrics, for example, use a membrane which is technically waterproof, however because the seams ..'
Full Answer

Q: Hi, I'm going to Morocco in june to go up Toubkal. What insurance will I need and could you recommend some. Thanks, Nige.

A: Gear here, Richard 'Total Risk' Gear, every insurers' favourite customer. As soon as you go off the beaten track and get involved in anything remotely hazardous, non-specialist companies throw up their hands in horror. Even those that do cover you for 'trekking' may impose comedy conditions, like being on a 'recognised trekking route' or forming part of 'an organised party'.

For that reason, it's advisable to use a specialist and to read the small print very, very carefully to make sure what you're planning ...'
Full Answer

Q: My Brasher Trailmasters have just started to hurt my feet I've had them a just over a year, is it time for new boots?

A: Gear here, Richard 'Pain In The Foot Gear' and I'm flying a bit blind here, so bear with me...

First, although it's tempting to measure the lifetime of outdoor kit in months and years, it's not always a particularly helpful unit to use, there's a massive difference between six months of use by, say, an outdoor professional who may be on the hill five or six days a week and an occasional walker who maybe only gets out a couple of times a month. Next, you haven't ..
Full Answer