IN GEAR
Leki Anti-shock Cressida Poles Sportiva Raptors
Whenever possible I guide in walking shoes, rather than boots. I fi nd they save my knees. The Raptors are brilliant: a technical shoe with great grip, precise on rocks and rough trails, and super- comfortable. I can’t fault them. Strictly speaking these are trail- running shoes, but they cross over to hiking beautifully.
www.sportiva.com
Lightweight with a cork handle for comfort and a fl ick-lock for speed of adjusting, these cope with all kinds of terrain. For me the anti-shock system is important, given the amount of hiking I do, which is from mid-June until October. Springiness is important to avoid sore wrists on steep ground.
www.leki.co.uk
Millet Axon GTX Jacket
A quality Gore-tex jacket with waterproof zips. It’s lightweight, but does the job and keeps me warm and dry. In the Alps I don’t encounter lots of wet weather, so it often lives in my rucksack, but when it does rain and I’m outside all day, I need to know my jacket will work. The Millet waterproof trousers complete the combo.
www.millet.fr
Black Diamond Cosmo Headtorch
It rarely gets used, but somewhere at the bottom of my sack is a Cosmo head torch. When it is used in anger it gives good performance at a good price. It has various lighting options, and a red LED for night vision.
eu.blackdiamondequipment.com
Arc’teryx Solita Skort
If the weather is good I always hike in a ‘skort’. It looks like a skirt, but is stitched in lightweight stretchy shorts underneath, defi nitely the most comfortable way to walk in the mountains. Keeps you cool, covers your modesty and looks feminine. What’s wrong with being girly? Also seems to be showerproof, and dries very quickly. On every trip there is at least one female client who heads to the shops to buy the same.
www.arcteryx.com
Silva 4 Compass
I’ve never used anything else, and it serves me well. It has multiple map measuring scales, a good magnifi er, and luminous markings. It’s a very popular model and apparently it’s an extreme sport and defence forces’ favourite.
www.silvacompass.com
Osprey Talon 33 Rucksack
For comfort it’s proving a winner. I bought it at the beginning of last season, as I was fed up with a rucksack feeling heavy before I put anything in it. Enough space for multi-day hiking and light enough as a day pack. Plenty of pockets, including one on each side which are useful for items like gloves and hats. There are also two pockets on the belt for small items; perfect.
www.ospreyeurope.com
16 | 70TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR | FOR BRITISH CLIMBING AND WALKING SINCE 1944
WHAT THE PRO TAKES: alpine trekking
£32.99
£105 £284
£50
£84.99
£110 pair
£29.99
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