Reviews
Features in the August 2021 issue of The Great Outdoors
Plenty from me in this month’s issue of TGO.
A Year with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III
In March 2020, I took a leap of faith and switched camera systems to the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III. A year and several thousand frames later, here's how it has helped me to grow as a photographer.
Review: Thrunotes waterproof hiking notebooks
A collection of waterproof, pocket-sized notebooks for recording your outdoor adventures.
Book review: Rebirding – Rewilding Britain and its Birds by Benedict Macdonald
‘This is the story of how Britain became a factory,’ Benedict Macdonald writes in this remarkable work of horror and hope. This review was first published in The Great Outdoors magazine, February 2020. Rebirding begins by outlining the millennia of damage we’ve inflicted on wildlife in Britain, from the
Book review: Another Peak – Everest is not the only summit by Alex Staniforth
Everest was Alex Staniforth’s dream, but that dream died when the earthquake struck Nepal in 2015, ending his summit attempt. This review was first published in The Great Outdoors magazine, January 2020. Another Peak – Everest is not the only summit picks up events after Everest, and is all about
One-year review: As Tucas Sestrals Quilt
A wonderfully simple and effective piece of ultralight gear ‘Sleep outdoors, comfortably,’ is the tagline for the Sestrals Quilt by As Tucas – a simple, ultralight, synthetic quilt optimised for three-season conditions. As Tucas gear is made by hand in the Pyrenees by an experienced long-distance walker who knows a lot
Review: ÜLA CDT ultralight pack
Unlike ÜLA’s larger Circuit, I don’t love this pack – but it gets the job done at a little over half the weight. Here’s my review of the ÜLA CDT ultralight pack. Specifications * Description: a frameless pack for ultralight backpacking * Volume: about 54 litres including all external pockets;
14 months with the MLD Trailstar
Much has been written about the Trailstar, and at several points over the last year I’ve asked myself if the world really needs another Trailstar review. It’s a known quantity now. Some in the backpacking world have already moved beyond the Trailstar to other shelters entirely. But my
First look: Fujifilm X70. The ultimate backpacker’s camera?
Recently I decided it was time to replace my ageing X-E1, which I keep as my second camera. I decided to get the X70. Here’s my hands-on review. What I need in a second camera I’ve used quite a few X-Series cameras but haven’t always kept them
Follow-up review: Trailpix ultralight tripod
In my initial hands-on review of this innovative product, I concluded that ‘I think this is going to be exactly what I’ve been looking for’. After using it in the field, I’ve changed my mind. Here’s why. What and who is this thing for, again? * It’s