Outdoor Gear Reviews

I should have written a review for Leatherman multi-tools many years ago! I’ve owned numerous ones over the years, from my first Super Tool in the mid-nineties to the Crunch, Wave and Charge models. The only time I’ve needed to buy a new one is when I’ve lost one (such as when I threw one into the River Don, with a handful of maggots!) or if I quite fancy the features on a new or upgraded model (when they updated the Wave to include interchangeable driver bits, this was a gamechanger I couldn’t miss out on!). Perhaps because a multi-tool isn’t fishing tackle per-se – it’s something that’s just really useful to have with you on fishing trips – I hadn’t thought to review them. Needless to say, after the years of service they’ve given me I’m perhaps a little biased towards Leatherman tools. Just as I am toward Snap-On when it comes to ratchets, spanners & screwdrivers. I can rely on them, so I value them dearly. At work I’m a bit of a Jack of all trades, I’m a glutton for DIY and in general I’m a tinkerer! If something breaks my instinct is to fix it and …

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I’ve been lucky enough to receive a couple of products from outdoor gear manufacturer Sealskinz, to try out for fishing.  I have owned their products before, which use a unique waterproof membrane to offer the wearer excellent resilience to the elements.  My Sealskinz gloves have been used for everything from raft racing to caving and I’ve always been highly impressed by their function and performance. I wear Sealskinz socks whenever I fish and they even keep my feet warm & dry inside my very leaky waders. My foot can be completely surrounded by water, but remain dry and comfortable enough to fish on!  The new products I was trying out for fishing were a winter Beanie Hat and a pair of Country Socks, both incorporating Sealskinz’ patented waterproof, breathable membrane. Sealskinz Waterproof Country Socks On first inspection, the country socks seemed a little on the thin side, but once I put them on I realised the benefits of their knee-height merino wool construction.  They are surprisingly warm!  They also feature an over-sized woolly cuff and are seamless all the way up to reduce blister-causing pressure points.  At the end of a Winter session my feet are usually a damp mess, …

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Every now and again, a simple but truly innovative product falls through the letterbox for me to review. The concept is such a perfect solution to a recurring problem that it begs the question “Why didn’t I think of that?”! One such product is the SteadyRig, from Essex-based company, Rig Innovations. So what is the SteadyRig? Believe it or not, it’s a product designed for safe and easy positioning of a camp stove or lantern! How I wish this product had been around a few years ago, when I was spending regular night sessions on the drains fishing for zander. So many times I set up my Coleman stove on a frozen, lumpy bankside and managed to partially boil a kettle, only for it to topple and spill my much-needed hot water! The SteadyRig has been designed to fit all popular brands of portable stove. There are ridges machined into the base plate, into which the lip on the base of a stove will locate to prevent it from slipping. Attached to the lightweight base are three adjustable legs, with removable mud feet for use on soft ground. The locking screws the leg adjustment have large-diameter knurled heads, making adjustment …

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