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The natural high-end DownWool Insulation is a blend of 70% high-quality RDS-certified down, which provides high insulation, and 30% wool from the Alpine region, which acts like a lightweight natural air conditioner. The combination is perfect. Nothing insulates as well as high-quality down. The 30% wool content absorbs any moisture that arises and thus keeps the down naturally drier. Down has a ve …

Choosing a sleeping bag can be a daunting task. With so many different options and variations, it can be difficult to get started. This will be one of the biggest investments, along with your tent, for backpacking so it's important that you make the right choice for what you need. We genuinely want you to pick the best sleeping bag for your adventures so we've put together this simple guide to hel …

A comfortable chair can make all the difference when camping or enjoying the great outdoors and the Stargazer is certainly that – comfy. Designed for use around camp, the Stargazer is a luxury item which offers more than your standard camping chair and it comes with a price tag. Set-up is pretty standard, simply placing the poles into the robust designated slots. Once up “pretty standard” …

“The weightiness means the Moonlander is sturdy, even on sand, and makes the for the ideal surface for kids to eat, play games or gather around a campfire.” Nemo were kind enough to send us some kit to test throughout the summer of 22’. With a family day at the beach pencilled-in along the North-East coastline, I thought it a good opportunity to put some kit to the test. On one-of the hotte …

The Tindheim is designed for campers, weekend warriors and backpackers who want to make the most of their three-season adventures with a shelter that is highly livable, durable and ready for the weather. The Inside: The spacious interior and vestibule provide plenty of room to hang out while waiting for the rain to pass. The included footprint extends into the vestibule to protect your g …

We have many tents here at Basecamp Gear, ultralight one-person tents for long-distance hikers, expedition tents designed to withstand arctic blasts, and large family "basecamp" tents, which you can use as a base to explore an area on holiday. Because we have a large variety of tents, we've written this guide to ensure you get the correct tent for your next adventure.For many of our customers …

The M30 map case is 295mm x 295mm viewable area which is basically A4 which fits with the size of Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure maps. It’s a welded construction with a double ‘zip-lok’ type seal at its opening, I’ve used quite a few of this type of map case over the years and the seal can sometimes be hard to close and very hard to open, especially in cold weather, and definitely not wit …

On a backpacking trip last year, I ended up hiking with an American trio, all ultra-lighters, all experienced “thru-hikers “and all wearing Altras, a brand that is now synonymous with the longer American hikes such as the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. As hikers do, we discussed gear, and they spoke incredibly highly about their footwear. I was keen to try out the Brand for myse …

Since releasing their first shoe in 2012, Altras popularity has soared - much like the millions of customers who choose to use their products. Nowadays it’s rare for a seemingly unknown brand to enter the somewhat saturated footwear market and make a success of it. But just what were Altra doing that no-one else was? Quite simply, they were offering zero drop running shoes, with …

January 2023 graced us in the north east of England with a drop to sub-zero temperatures, a scattering of snow and a calm northerly wind blowing through. We can normally camp here year-round with 3-season kit, however when a wintry blast coincides with the arrival at Basecamp Gear of MSR’s new Tindheim™ 2, 2 person, 4 season tunnel tent it seemed only right to take it for a night o …

When down gets wet, it will lose most of its insulation properties but this is where Hydrophobic down comes in - this is a relatively new concept and the purpose is to solve the main drawback of 'regular' down, which is it's lack of effectiveness when wet.Hydrophobic down has been treated with a durable water repellent that enables the down to dry quicker and resist water for longer, meaning it wi …

What does 'Ethical Down' mean?Down is the most efficient insulation for clothing and sleeping bags; it is much warmer for a given weight than other insulators and it is long lasting. Over the years, there have been some issues surrounding the ethical nature of down products and how they are produced.The most ethically sourced down is that gathered from nests, however this is a time consuming proce …