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Regatta do something called a "Pack It Jacket" which is really lightweight and packable and which makes a good "drop liner" for the sum of about £15. It is supposed to be breathable, but that is breathable in the same way as Goretex is. The British Army waterproof jackets are also good but...

There are windproof smocks available in a wide range of colours including olive drab and blue. Admittedly the plain ones come up much less rarely as surplus but I'm sure a bit of investigation would turn one up. If you want to spend cash then Arktis do a waterproof version, or just a plain...

It is worth taking a look at chafing gel before handing out money for the firedragon stuff. Chafing gel is the stuff they use to keep your breakfast warm in hotels and the like so you can buy it in big catering sized drums for not a lot of cash. The firedragon is ethanol with something added to...

I bought one, in part on the strength of your comments and reviews, and have been using it just over a year now. It must be said that I'm happy with it. Because it is so light and flexible in terms of compression etc. I use it both when camping and also as a day pack when I'm out and about and...

That is a great idea for the peg bag, i often wondered what the buckle connector thingme on it was for. One word of warning - I've managed to bend my main hoop pole (don't ask!) and getting it straight is rarely a success and often makes something that is tubular very weak. However getting a...

Honestly, do not spend £150 on a 20l backpack! That's just throwing cash away when you could use a 5p plastic bag from Tesco. Buy yourself a simple, inexpensive, serviceable bag and spend the rest of the cash on going somewhere nice for a few days rather than giving it to some fancy brand...

I'm not really a "bushcrafter" in the strictest sense but do some wild camping in some pretty remote spots and, as such, I like to travel light and so when I got a good deal on a Vaude Power Lizard SUL 1 - 2 person tent (who on earth thought up that name?) I went for it. Most of my camping looks...

I have the Snugpack Tactical 3 which I believe they rate to -7. They are known for being very, very optimistic in their temp ratings and they don't use the standard testing method so they can't be compared with other bags. I have to use synthetic as the down ones make me ill, unfortunately...

The truth is that everything you wear will make you sweat, or hold it, depending on conditions. On a hot day if walking hard a cotton t-shirt will not be long until it is wet. So, it is impossible to come up with a perfect solution. If you are going to be out for long periods often only in what...

Has anyone tried one of the Naturehike tents? They appear to be a Chinese company making tents that are a rip off of standard and successful designs and I'd seen a fellow angler report that he bought the one man version of their Cloud-up tent for a quick few days out with very little hope of...

I don't think there is much application for a hammock in the Hebrides :-)

After my Hebridean photos post I thought to put one up of typical moorland plantlife. Many will be bryophytes, basically moss, and I'm not at all sure that they were all taken in the Hebrides as with such photos it is hard to tell apart from going back and finding the original pic to see when it...

Clearly I know nothing at all about you or your intentions but if you are going to Lewis/Harris then really do make the effort to get away from the roads and tracks and get out onto the more remote bits of the moor. Clearly common sense and some ability to navigate are required but that comes...

I like the DPM type windproof smock except for the velcro up the front so I'd replace it with buttons as per the SAS design. Does the SAS design have the zipped map pockets under the chest pockets? I like them and use them a lot so I'd not want a smock with less flexibility. I don't think...

I run a few stoves including, at the very simple end, a Crusader burning hexi and chafing gel. I have a MSR Dragonfly multifuel stove which is great and an MSR Windpro II gas canister stove. I also have one of the very tiny Alpkit stoves that just screws on top of a gas canister and is probably...

For no reason at all other than that it has been a cold and miserable weekend when I couldn't get out as much as I'd like I've been playing with some older photos taken on Lewis or Harris over the last few years. The selection was almost random, I have some worse photos and some better ones, it...

I'd be in agreement with the dog lichen.

I've been using it for years and it works well, though clearly due to the high volume/weight and low value most places will not post it so it can require some shopping around to get someone who will post but there may also be a catering store close by who will just sell it over the counter...

It is worth considering that the Fire Dragon Fuel tabs are, basically, ethanol in some sort of matrix to hold it together and (probably) stop people drinking it. So if one tab isn't doing the job for you then just buy a big bucket of "chafing gel" at a local catering suppliers and decant some...

I think the fact that the mil surplus windproof smock isn't waterproof is what makes it work so well as it is very breathable and so you are actually more comfortable in it on most days plus with something like Diver Dave's Repel it can be made very showerproof so on most days you will not need...