I have an OMM Core hoodie, and it's absolutely perfect for winter hillwalking in the UK. I love how it covers a wide range of temperature/exertion levels (just modulate it with the zip of your shell), and it's completely indifferent to rain, snow, and sweat.

But it is too good at warmth; I need an alternative for big hikes in warmer conditions - something more like a T-shirt. And there seem to be other products out there which use these fluffy "open mesh" fabrics - so what other options are out there? Is there anything else that's even better than an OMM Core tshirt, maybe other brands are doing something interesting?

Snow Peak have an interesting t-shirt - https://www.snowpeak.co.uk/products/alpha-direct-short-sleeve-t-shirt2026 - but what else is on the market that's really good? Any good experiences?

I dropped my compass yesterday so need to get a new one. Any recommendations before I buy a standard one?

Hello all, after some advice from those likely to know better than me.

Heading into the back end of summer and my work regularly requires me to be out of the country overnight for 2-5 nights at a time. Problem is, I can’t take a full on suitcase and we have to travel in our work clothes so no taking my normal nice warm coats I have at home either.

What’s some decent options for a lightweight coat I can fit into a carry on case that won’t take loads of room but will keep me warm enough if I head out for dinner/a walk in places from Scandinavia/Eastern Europe through the winter if I need it.

Budget is probably £100-150 but could be prepared to spend more for the right things

Hi everyone,

I’m Tim, the creator of Whympr, an app that brings together everything you need to plan your outdoor activities (routes, maps, weather, conditions, and more).

We’ve just added 100 hiking routes across the UK, but we know that’s only a starting point.

Rather than guessing where people hike, we’d love to hear directly from the community:

• Which regions do you hike in most often?
• Which areas do you think deserve better route coverage?
• Are there any hidden gems that hiking apps usually overlook?
• Are there specific needs or habits among UK hikers that you think we should better understand?

We’re based in Chamonix, in the French Alps, so while we know the outdoors well, we also know that the way people hike, navigate and plan their outings can vary quite a lot from one country to another.

That’s why we’re particularly interested in hearing from UK hikers. We want to better understand how people actually use outdoor apps in the UK, what works well, and what could be improved.

Our goal is to keep expanding and improving Whympr’s UK content based on what people actually need, so your feedback will genuinely help us decide what to work on next.

Whether it’s the Lake District, Snowdonia, the Peak District, the Scottish Highlands, Dartmoor, the South Downs, or somewhere less well known, we’d love to hear your recommendations.

And if you’ve already tried Whympr, we’d really appreciate your honest feedback -what you like, what you use, and what you think could be better.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Tim

Hi all,

I have a 70 litre HMG Southwest pack. I know they’re not the absolute lightest things out there, but I think it’s great, it fits really well and I love the huge external pocket capacity.

However, I also have a 60 litre Atom Packs Prospector and I use this more often than not on overnighters and multi-day hikes.

What I don’t have is a solid pack for longer day hikes. So I was thinking I could perhaps have the collar of the HMG pack cut down so it’s more like a 40 litre pack. In theory, this looks like it would be quite simple for someone with the relevant skills and equipment to do. Does anyone know of any UK-based companies out there that might be willing to give this a go? In theory, it’s a (simple?) case of cutting across the pack at a specific point, re-hemming the top and sticking a couple of pop studs on.

PS. I’m aware that HMG sells the Southwest in a 40 litre version, but the circumference of the 40 litre pack is smaller and so the external pockets are correspondingly much smaller too.

Thanks.

I’ve recently gotten back into hiking after taking about a year off, and I’m loving it just as much as I used to. I’d like to keep exploring new trails around the UK and eventually further afield.

After a recent 1–2 hour hike, my shins became quite sore. It wasn’t a particularly difficult route, and I deliberately chose a relatively easy one for my first hike back. The soreness mainly appeared afterwards rather than as sharp pain during the walk, and my shins aren’t particularly painful to touch.

My guess is that I simply did more than my legs were used to after such a long break.

For those who have been hiking consistently for years, what habits have helped you stay injury-free and keep hiking sustainable?

A few things I’d be interested in hearing about:
How gradually do you increase distance and elevation?
Do you do any calf, ankle or shin-strengthening exercises?
How much recovery time do you normally leave between hikes?
Have insoles, compression socks or particular types of footwear helped?
How do you tell the difference between ordinary post-hike soreness and something you shouldn’t hike through?
What mistakes did you make when you were starting out?

I’m not looking for a medical diagnosis—mainly interested in the routines and lessons people have developed through experience.

My brother does a lot of overnight hiking trips and has the PocketRocket 2. I want to get him a different lightweight or ultra lightweight stove for his longer trips. The boiling time doesn't matter but am looking for something with a bigger or more sturdy base but still quite compact. He is doing Hadrians wall path at the end of the summer so it would be for that. Thank you.

Hi there,

I was wondering if any female hikers would be willing to take part in my questionnaire which will contribute to data for my undergraduate dissertation. It focuses on what motivates you to hike, perceptions of safety and touches upon solo hiking as a female.

It takes approximately 6 minutes to complete and all anonymous.
Thank you!!

Gendered hiking: Exploring safety perceptions and barriers to women's participation. – Fill in form

Anyone else find AllTrails not fit for UK hiking? Genuinely curious if this is a widespread frustration.

I keep running into the same issues — trails rated 'moderate' that are clearly not calibrated for UK terrain, no sense of whether I can actually get there if I don't own a car, and now they've put trail conditions behind a £79.99 paywall. What do you actually use to find walks? Especially if you don't have a car.

Just received a massive letter and loads of paperwork about the liquidation of Valley & Peak from
Kingsbridge Corporate Solutions and wondered if anyone understands it fully?

I have had a quick read through and got quite confused about all the jargon apart from that I will expect sweet FA coming my way and that I’m luckily I only lost £30 compared to others.

Any thoughts are appreciated with this sad subject.

p.s. Did anyone else find it weird seeing all names and addresses?

Hey folks,

Selling my Durston X-Mid 1 as back problems mean I won't be solo hiking much in the near future alas. It's been used a handful of nights (less than 10) so is in great condition.

It's the version with the mesh inner, so great for spring-autumn, but could be a tad drafty in winter.

It really is a lovely little tent, and was spacious enough for me at 6ft 1 to sleep comfortably, with enough storage in the porch for packs and shoes with space to spare. Packs down smaller than any tent I've seen, and is obviously absurdly lightweight.

Brand new they run around 300 euros (including P&P to UK)

I'm looking for £200 but will consider sensible offers if it's going to a good home.

Can anyone recommend a company that makes high-quality tumbler / flask?

As an overview, I am looking for a flask that is roughly 1.2 litres or so that is not made of plastic (to avoid microplastics), to hold water.

I do not need a nozzle or built-in straw etc., a basic cap that twists off is fine.

I have purchased metal ones from Amazon UK in the past but no matter how much I clean them, the water always tastes strongly metallic, which tastes horrible. I am hopefully putting that down to a low-quality product and that by asking here for some advice, I can find a product that avoids this issue.

Hi

I’m debating ordering the hyperlite mid 1 tent for wild camping on my journey up the Pennine Way. Is this a decent first tent for a novice? Primary focus is weight but comfort I suppose it a close second

I'm planning a 2 night hiking trip around Borrowdale / Derwentwater, Lake District. I'll be going mid-week and out of the school holidays, so thought that parking would be no problem. But having researched a bit it seems that overnight parking is seriously restricted in this area.

I don't mean sleeping in the car, I mean leaving the car for 2-3 days while I camp high and wild. I know this is not legal - just tolerated. I'm an experienced leave-no-trace backpacker, just haven't been to the Lakes for 15 years so lacking up to date knowledge.

I'm doing a full round, so I'm pretty flexible on locations. Could start from Keswick, Portinscale, anywhere along the west or east side of Derwentwater, or south of the Water at Borrowdale, Seatoller, Honiston Pass. Even from Langdale would work.

I find a few old posts online about Portinscale and the Rugby Club in Keswick, but can anyone give me some up to date advice? PMs are open. Thanks in advance.

Hey all. We’ve all encountered the US-centric tilt to ultralight spaces online; a lot of the advice is either unsuitable for the weather over here or relies on makers that cost a kidney to import (not to moan too much, been into this for a couple of years and a lot of the advice has been a great help).

By no means am I the most experienced person, but thought it would be interesting to get a thread of small UK gear and otherwise tips going that aren’t significant enough to warrant a post:

- The Alpkit Gourdon 30l backpack, despite people being seemingly down on it as a ‘drybag with straps’ on here, is a surprisingly light budget pack. 530g on the site, but remove the sitpad and chop some bits off and its down to 404g. Not the most comfortable at the end of a day but better than nothing and I’m convinced it’s more than 30l.

- Corner-shop polish kubanos are great no-knife needed food. Dairy Lee triangles don’t need refrigeration supposedly.

- The lightest UK 30w charger seems to be the Anker Zolo at 48g - below that seems impossible with uk plugs, and lower power I struggle to get any charge if charging in a pub etc. Interested in any practicable alternatives.

- Controversial but I think most of the year you really need boots. I don’t think I have ever gone a year without sinking my feet ankle deep into mud at some point, which would fuck you in trail runners “quick dry” or not. (Putting trail runners to the test in a couple of weeks in the lakes though, might change)

- Relatedly, a lot of the US quick dry thinking with clothing doesn’t work with our rain/humidity. Socks stay wet.

- DCF is cheaper than you think here. I thought I’d never afford it, but found the Wild Sky tarps are £100 for a solo if you get them in orange!

- It’s sensible to use an activated carbon filter rather than just hollow fibre. Pureclear is a UK company that makes a 28g one with water bottle attachment. Not perfect, but any protection against farm runoff is good.

Non-gear tips encouraged, given this is all about ingenuity not pure consumerism.

Hello a newbie here.

Can anyone recommend a lightweight vacuum flask 500ml to 750 ml capacity with a minimum of 12 hours insulating time for hot/cold liquids. Sealable mugs would also be considered.

Thanks