I collected the Suunto Core from Cotswold this morning. they have replaced the unit with a completely new one which – given the comments about having moved production – is welcome. Just to show I can be fair and objective about these things, I will start to review this watch from now!
Many Thanks To Cotswold Outdoor in Birmingham
July 15, 2011 By 4 Comments
I always think it is nice to not only feature great customer service but to thank the people involved.
A month or so ago I took (yet another) Suunto Watch that had developed the strange Sunnto internal misting effect. The watch was a Sunnto Core which, believe you me, is not cheap. I only bought the watch because Colin Ibbotson assured me that his was fabulous and that these problems seemed to be a thing of the past.
Actually, it would be more accurately to say that the watch was a present at Christmas; I didn’t actually buy it myself.
The watch was bought at the Betws-y-Coed branch on December 31st.
I took the watch into Cotswold in Birmingham who happily got in touch with Suunto for me. Suunto’s reaction was a little weird I thought.
Firstly, the store sent Suunto the serial number on the watch along with details of where and when it was bought. Suunto’s response was to claim that this model was way out of warranty and that it couldn’t be covered by them. When the watch went back to the store it was less than 6 months from purchase — the watch had proved to be quite useless on the TGO Challenge.
Suunto wouldn’t enter into any conversation about the watch until they had the full receipt and proof of purchase which I didn’t have this (as I didn’t buy it). I gave Cotswold details of the purchase and they then ran a copy of the invoice off from their national system; painless enough. Suunto now had the proof that this was sold well within a reasonable date.
Brendan — and his staff at Birmingham — dealt with all of this in a stoic and efficient manner. He has just rung me to tell me that Suunto have replaced the unit; I shall pick it up tomorrow morning.
Regular readers might recall that I’ve had these problems before, on more than on occasion.
The Suunto Core is a very expensive piece of kit and it comes with a glossy little booklet which features their customer guarantee. This guarantee gives you the kind of piece of mind which is soon dashed when you do have a problem. The company seemed to be arguing that this watch was from an old batch of production and must have been older.
A quick bit of investigative work revealed that mine was not a unique problem, of course. I was told that Suunto had been forced to change the country of production following quality control problems.
Suunto had the serial number and presumably would have known if it was from this dodgy batch. A watch of this price is quite likely to be sitting around a store showroom for some time; I guess they don’t actually fly off the shelves. I find it peculiar that they were so resistant to sorting out the problem quickly. I must admit I did think of invoking this blog and seeing how quickly they responded but really I like to focus on genuine customer experience.
All in all, I got the impression that the company is increasingly grumpy to deal with about warranties (this is a polite way of putting it). Customer Service staff at Suunto would be wise to read the documentation they send out with each purchase.
Thankfully, Brendan and his colleagues were not grumpy at all, they were patient (which I got the details of purchase) and very accommodating; beautiful customer service with a smile.
In this internet world real life stores will only survive on providing a quality retail experience and great customer care.
If somebody from Cotswold Outdoor is reading this, well Brendan and his team in Birmingham have got this all spot on.
Anyhow, I shall be fascinated to see how well the watch performs and how the company responds when (inevitably) the watch strap falls to bits after its first exposure to prolonged wet weather. But that’s another story …
Thanks again Brendan.
Trekking Poles for Backpackers: Aluminium or Carbon?
June 7, 2011 By 24 Comments
On each of my last three TGO Challenges I have had a friend who has shattered a carbon trekking pole. Open ground in Scotland can be quite demanding as you are not walking on prepared trails. Poles can get caught in small rock crevices or — if you are not using the baskets — can sink a long way into peat bog.
On day one of this year’s Challenge I sank into a nasty piece of bog on the approach to Beinn Resipole. It took quite an effort to dig my left leg out of the sucking stuff. When I gathered myself I realised that my (aluminium) trekking pole was bent to about a forty degree angle! If this had been made of carbon it would almost certainly have snapped. As it was I was able to bend the pole back into something approaching its original shape. Actually, the bottom sections of my poles have been bent so often they no longer collapse into each other and have to be dismantled for transport!
The shattering of a carbon pole may be annoying but it is worrying when the trekking poles are being used in supporting shelters. In 2010 I as walking with Phil Turner when his thin and lightweight pole was snapped after plunging into a peat bog! Phil’s Duomid shelter was being held up by a trekking pole and he had no choice but to simply carry the remaining one; he couldn’t risk breaking it.
On 2009 I met John Manning who had shattered a carbon Pacer Pole. Now Pacer are brilliant and I think Heather arranged for a spare bottom haft to be sent through the post to Coylumbridge. This year Rob Stone had a problem with one of his carbon poles which shattered while holding up his Duomid in the high winds that were a feature of this year’s Challenge. To add insult to injury the broken pole then pierced the cuben fibre of Rob’s shelter. Fortunately, this being cuben, he was able to patch this with what looked like a Thermorest patch. Rob was not best pleased though.
I was surprised by a pole breaking in this way. Bob Cartwright told me that the problem was cold weather. Apparently carbon gets brittle when the temperatures dip around zero. A lot of carbon manufacturers apparently blend their carbon with an alloy to strengthen them for this very purpose. However, both Bob and Rose said they’d be very suspicious about using a very thin pole — even if it was carbon/alloy — if their shelter depended on it. I think they also mentioned that the Pacer Carbon poles are pure carbon and so are more subject to becoming brittle in the cold.
It seems to me that — in conditions like Scotland — it might be wise to use non carbon poles when backpacking with a tent that relies on the same poles. Keep the carbon poles for other outings.
Seeing three poles break in successive years really had made me think again about carbon poles. Any thoughts or experiences to add?
Gear Choices: A New Pack?
May 30, 2011 By 7 Comments
The other great piece of kit that is now showing signs of ageing is my ULA Conduit (or CDT as it is now known) pack. Severe wear and tear means there is now a gapping hole in the left hand pocket and the big front pocket is also showing signs of tears especially at the place where the webbing connects to the main strap. While I’ll get a few more trips out of this during the coming year it will have to be replaced soon. So what options am I thinking of?
Fabric
The ULA pack is made of Dyneema which is pretty bomb proof. I have considered cuben fibre in the past but I think I’ll probably sticking with the Dyneema.
ULA
The simple option would be to buy another ULA CDT pack. This pack seems to have the right features and the right size for a TGO crossing or less. I can just about cram in five or six days of food and a two person tent! The design has moved on a lot since I bought mine. The roll top closure has gone to be replaced with a drawcord which I reckon is probably better. And the new packs have three-way stretch webbing which would presumably be more durable.
ULA was started by Brian Frankle and he never offered anything less than superb products and services. Brian has now sold the company and while I’ve no reason to believe that the new company is not every bit as good I’ve started to look at other options.
Mountain Laurel Designs
MLD also produce their packs in Dyneema for durability. I’ve not used one of their packs before but have always been knocked out by the rest of their gear. Two packs come into consideration.
The Exodus is about the same weight as the ULA CDT and has a slightly lower capacity, although people tell me that MLD rate their capacity conservatively. The smaller Prophet might just be a little too small for the UK in winter but might be worth consideration for a solo gear combination, which is considerably lighter and smaller in volume that the two person set-up that I carry on the Challenge. Maybe I should consider both packs for different uses?
Anyhow, any recommendations would be welcome. Benjamin Moryson from Germany has already recommended European company Laufbursche which are certainly worth looking at.
Finally, and before anyone mentions it, yes I know Golite packs are also made in Dyneema and area readily available here. But why are they almost twice as heavy as the equivalents from ULA and MLD?
Gear Choices: New Two Person Tent
May 30, 2011 By 6 Comments
For the last six or seven years we have been using a Terra Nova Super Solar 2.2 tent as our two person shelter. there has been much to commend in this set up. The tent is pretty stable in very high winds and the dual vestibule system has been very convenient to use. But over the last year signs of wear have become prominent and I felt the tent fell short during the bad weather on this year’s Challenge.
Two main problems presented this time around. Firstly, this was the first time that we had used this tent for a long period in over a year. I realised that I have got used to the extra size — and extra height — of the MLD Duomid. I missed the space in the bad weather this year when I spent more time than I cared for lying inside the tent.
A worse problem was the effect of driving wind and rain. On the worst nights water seemed to be blowing through the fabric of the outer tent/fly. It my not have been quite like this. Talking to Gayle in Braemar she felt that over time the Terra Nova tents that she ad Mick had been using had stretched, leaving gaps around the stitching. This was certainly the case with our inner tent. Also, the fabric on the inner tent is beginning to fail. There is a kind coating on the inner which is now beginning to flake off.
So, it is probably time to think about replacing the tent after all it has had a fair amount of use over the years Terra Nova have now replaced the Solar 2.2. with something that is even heavier so we won’t be going there. I’m interested in ideas. So far I have thought about two choices.
Henry Shires Tarptent Scarp 2
There quite a number of Henry Shires tents on this year’s Challenge, probably as a result of Henry being on the event himself last year. Funnily enough it wasn’t the Moment that was most prominent this year (as Henry had used himself) but the Scarp tent. Nigel and Lynne from the USA were using the Scarp 2 and it did loo quite impressive. The Scarp 2 seemed to cope with the high winds well and it is a roomy tent, with two entrances and two vestibules. At 1.7 kg this is not the lightest shelter but it is almost half a kilogram lighter than the Super Solar 2.2.
Does anyone have any feedback of using the Scarp 2. Nigel/Lynne?
Mountain Laurel Supermid plus Supermid inner
I almost bought this combination before the challenge. The Supermid is a larger version of the Duomid although is only available in sinylon material and not in cuben. The Supermid certainly has a lot of space in it and the inner choice is very roomy — the smaller Duo inner has just about the same amount of space as the Solar 2.2 inner and I am looking for something roomier.
This combination comes out at about 1.3 kilograms.
Thoughts/ideas team?
Review: PHD Minimus Down Trousers and Minimus Down Socks
May 30, 2011 By 2 Comments
I am a great fan of PHD down clothing; they produce really top-notch products.
I bought this combination last autumn in preparation for a winter trip to the Cairngorms which had to be cancelled. I had been inspired by Colin Ibbotson’s ‘Sleep System’. I reckoned this combination would allow me to use my usual base kit but provide some extra backup when then weather turned colder. The Challenge was the first time I had used both pieces of kit. I am knocked-out at how good and effective they both were.
Minimus Trousers
These weight 230 grams and are rated down to -5. They are not cheap at £150 but they are worth every penny!
These are not so much trousers for walking in but for wearing about camp. I quickly came to realise what these were all about and settled into a regular patter of use.
After making camp and settling down into the tent I removed my walking trousers and put on the Minimus trousers. The comfort effect was immediate. The amount of down here has been judged for camp conditions. The trousers are not hot but just lovely. Down is a naturally breathable fabric and this added breathability also made a big contribution to comfort.
The trousers are generously cut both around the waist and the ankles; there is no problem pulling these on over the top of other clothing if necessary. The waist band is pretty high which helps ensure that cold cannot creep into the system. A simple but effective drawcord on the waist ensures a good fit
The nights were not cold enough to have worn these trousers in my sleeping bag but I have no doubt that if I had have done I could have coped with quite low temperatures.
I can honestly say that I have never worn anything as comfortable in my tent! There is no way I will be leaving these behind in the cooler months. Even when you don’t need the warmth the comfort of down is a revelation! At £150 these feel a bargain!
Minimus Down Socks
90 grams for £66.
These accompany the trousers and oh are they so good …
Each evening I put these socks on at the same time as the trousers. After a hard day of walking in Terrocs (often with wet feet) these felt a real luxury. Most evenings I continued to wear them in the sleeping bag and that breathability again meant that they were not too warm, just toasty and lovely. There was also one unexpected bonus.
While walking through days of bog I developed a blister on my right heel. The Compeed plaster kept getting tied up with my X Socks and so I moved to Teko socks and for a few days did not want to take them off to make sure that the plater stayed in place. On one evening the socks were wet. Now I know the old trick of taking your wet socks into the sleeping bag to dry them out. What would happen if I wore the down socks over the top of them?
It felt strange at first although when I took off one of the socks my feet immediately felt cold. During the night my feet were warm and in the morning everything was dry! Everyone knows that down is useless when it gets waterlogged. But down is a great and natural wicking material — so long as it is not wetted-out it can deal with moisture very effectively.
When it is cold I often wear woollen socks in my sleeping bag but the down socks are far more comfortable and far more effective. I reckon those of you who find sweaty feet leaves you with a damp bag will have no such problem with these.
So, in conclusion this is a wonderful combination. These pieces of down clothing may not be cheap but they are about as good as it can get. I now really do see the point of a down sleeping system. Combined with a down jacket these garments give you more comfort than you could ever imagine.
Well done PHD. Amazing stuff;.
General Gear Overview
May 30, 2011 By 4 Comments
Much of the gear that I used on this year’s Challenge has been tried and tested over more than a couple of events. In general it all worked very well and I do think that — for me at least — the gear works very well in Scottish conditions. The weather on this year’s vent was dreadful with lots of driving wind and rain and ground that was absolutely saturated. While exposure to high winds was a constant feature out of the wind the temperatures were not too low and on some evenings things felt a little humid. On the west coast the midges were out and biting! I’ll pick out some things for special comment, but here is a general overview.
Paramo Waterproofs
The jacket was the now, sadly, deleted Third Element. The trousers were the lightweight Velez trousers.
This year’s Challenge really put waterproofs through their paces. many people using conventional Goretex or eVent waterproofs complained of regular wet outs and water leakage. I had no such problems with the Paramo kit which kept me nice and dry at all times.
I’m not sure what I am going to do when my Third Element wears out but I reckon I can squeeze another couple of years out of it. This jacket has removable hood and arms which allows it to convert to a gilet. There is absolutely no need fora mid layer when carrying this jacket.
This is the second year that I have worn Velez trousers. There is no way I would walk in Cascadas as they are too heavy but the Velez are effective and cool enough to wear even in sunny weather and like last year I walked in them every day. There seem to have been some quality control issues with early batches but Paramo now seem to have got over these problems. However, try and buy these from a store rather than online. I reckon these are best when they are a size larger than your usual size.
Inov-8 Terrocs
As brilliant as ever. Wonderful when paired with Trek Light X Socks or lightweight Smartwool or Teko socks.
Pacer Poles
My Pacers are now more than a little battered and worn. The lower sections have been bent so many times that they now do not collapse into each other and have to be dismantled for transportation. But I still think that these poles work more efficiently and intuitively than standard poles. On a gruelling event like the Challenge I prefer to rely on aluminium poles rather than carbon ones.
Thermorest Neoair
Almost perfect. Nothing copes with uneven or tussocky ground than a Neoair. I was a late convert but now consider myself to be an evangelist for this mat!
Caldera Cone
This alcohol system is so simple yet amazingly effective and efficient. This year was the first time I had used the cone with a big, two person, pot — the MSR 1.5.titan. I was a little concerned as to how well it would work but the system was just as effective as it is with my one person MLD pot.
The cones measuring cup allows you to be very precise with your measurement of fuel. Two of us used just over one 500 mil bottle of fuel over the two week. We had a hot drink each morning and then heated more eater for porridge. In the evening we had a hot drink and a meal. We also used the stove during the day for a hot drink whenever we could.
Comparing this Caldera to other lightweight alcohol stoves used on the Challenge it would appear that our system was significantly more fuel efficient.
ULA Conduit Pack
This is a simple yet wonderfully designed pack that has now seen six years of hard and consistent use. The pockets are superb and easily accessible. Although frameless the pack is exceptionally comfortable with reasonable loads, mainly due to the superb shoulder straps. This year the Conduit was carrying a 2 kilogram tent and food for up to five days at times. While this was probably pushing the load to the limit at no time did the pack feel out of its own comfort zone. However, the pack is now showing signs of wear and teat and will probably need replacing late this year. I’ll write separately and my thoughts for replacement.
PHD Minimus Sleeping Bag
Still wonderful after all these years!
PHD Drishell Down Jacket
I would live in this 24 hours a day if I could get away with it!
Smartwool 150 Microlight Baselayer
Lovely. A lightweight than the usual 20o used by both Icebreaker and Smartwool. I reckon this is a better weight for trekking and works perfectly with paramo base layers.
iphone4 and Routebuddy Atlas
I have the full 1:50 map of the UK loaded on my iphone. The quality of the maps on the ‘retina’ screen are wonderful and a testament to Routebuddy’s use of Vector graphics rather than the bitmaps used by competitors.
For most of the time I kept the iphone switched off and only switched it on when using the GPS. The batteries are strong enough to allow this to be used for five or six days at a time. The GPS on the iphone is very accurate.
I usually carry a small Garmin Gekko with me but this year didn’t use it once the combination of iphone and Routebuddy was so effective.
Suunto Core
A very expensive watch and a crap one at that. My watch misted up so badly that it was completely unusable. Cotswold have now sent it back for repair or replacement and I will dal with this again if I have to. Older readers will remember that I have had this problem with previous models and I’d hoped Suunto had got over their production problems. Talking to staff at the store it would appear not!
Jon Hancock: Lightweight TGO Gear Reviews
May 30, 2011 By 2 Comments
It was good to meet Jon again on this year’s Challenge. Jon takes a lightweight approach to the event and even traverses scotland in a Golite tarp. Jon’s approach to lightweight kit is a lot more cost effective than that of many of us. Jon doesn’t like spending a great deal on his gear although this year he had splashed out on an interesting pack.
Jon’s thoughts on his kit and experience are laid out in some detail on his blog Whartson Hall. Well worth a read.
The Strange Case of the Disappearing eVent
May 4, 2011 By 14 Comments
Is it just me or have you noticed as well? Suddenly, eVent — the breathable shell fabric — suddenly seems hard to find.
As I’ve been putting the finishing touches to my gear for the Challenge I’ve found myself visiting gear shops in London, Birmingham and Snowdonia as well as gear shops on-line.
One thing that I’ve noticed is that it seems increasingly difficult to eVent garments. And in the current TGO Chris Townsend reviews a range of jackets only one of which is made using eVent, a jacket from Rab. Even Montane — a great supporter of eVent — put up a different fabric for this review.
This is all a bit of a mystery to me. eVent is a great fabric, probably the most breathable of the hard shell fabrics. My Montane Quickfire jacket is simply superb in terms of its breathability and I was quite surprised that the company discontinued a jacket that was both effective and very light.
I seem to remember reading a number of articles that gave me the impression that eVent was a more expensive fabric to use than Gore-tex and maybe expense has something to do with its rarity.
But, am I imagining this or are the rest of you awash with the stuff?
Guest Blogger — Colin Ibbotson — I Need Your Help!
May 4, 2011 By 14 Comments
Colin and some Canyon somewhere …
I may need your help with this one!
Colin is of course no stranger to this blog. Here you will find the Colin Ibbotson Pages and details of home made gear designs. Colin has also written here before as a guest writer, talking about his Arizona Trail trek.
Well, I’ve approached Colin to guest write while I’m away. He doesn’t thin we’re interested or that he has anything interesting to say! Yet my blog stats show that everyday someone is reading his stuff and downloading his files from this site!
So, Colin needs a bit of encouragement! He tells me he could write about his plans next year when he will be setting out on a new life as permanent global trekker. Would that be interesting? YES OF COURSE IT WOULD.
He’s a very nice and modest guy Colin.
You would like to hear more from him wouldn’t you?
Colin, your public awaits ….
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