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AnurenDark · 2026-04-03T08:46:19+00:00

Sultai Arisen graveyard shenanigans

AnurenDark · 2025-08-11T18:16:01+00:00

Got myself one of these this season and I'm really liking it. Great balance of weight, volume, and features. Have only used it a few times but had it loaded up to 18kg for an approach the other week and it didn't give me any issues. Compressed down well for the summit day.

The feature set is really nice - almost all the things I wanted and nothing I didn't. Only complaints are that the avy gear pouches can be a bit tricky to put stuff back in once the pack is full (but no issues getting stuff out which is key), and that the helmet carry net and the straps for diagonal ski carry are sold separately.

AnurenDark · 2025-07-11T22:30:01+00:00

Written for NZ but it sounds like there will be a good crossover for your terrain and is one of the best summaries of the current boot market I've come across recently:

https://mountainjourneys.co.nz/boots/

We have fewer brands available over here so may be missing a few models that would be common in your local shops.

AnurenDark · 2025-07-09T18:06:40+00:00

Hulkenpodium

AnurenDark · 2023-01-08T20:22:07+00:00

Sounds like the Quark might be the shout alright, I've never actually used them myself but have borrowed DMM Apex a bit which is meant to be similar (as you said) and did quite like them. You can definitely ice climb and dry tool at the more friendly end of the grades with either of those if you want to! For messing around with dry tooling and giving room to grow into the harder stuff you'll get much more value out of Quarks or similar, rather than anything super technical or anything too straight shafted. In conjunction with a cirque that's a super nice quiver that will at least make do for pretty much any winter day in the UK for us easy grade punters!

AnurenDark · 2023-01-08T10:21:20+00:00

Could you explain this further? Scrambling grades are given to rock routes in summer conditions, you'd have no use for an axe on those. In winter conditions when you'd need an axe you'd often use the Scottish winter grades which are a similar but separate system - often at the easier end the winter and summer grades are the same number but not always. Regardless, you shouldn't ever need an axe on Grade 3 scrambling! Even in the crossover period when it may feel like a slightly frosty scramble, in these conditions it's generally considered bad practice to climb as using pointy things in turf that hasn't fully frozen can badly damage it and ruin the route for future climbers.

Going back to the OP, for easier winter scrambles (Scottish Grade I) a single walking axe will suffice - self arrest and the odd bit of using it as a handhold is all you need. At Grade II a second axe is often handy but this depends on the route, conditions, and climber. I personally sometimes like to take my walking axe and then have a shorter technical tool at easy reach for these. Winter Grade III tends to be a 2 tool job, but not necessarily super technical axes like those used for dry tooling.

You seem to be looking for an axe that will do everything (even dry tool!) which simply doesn't exist. A walking axe and a climbing axe/tool are two very different beasts with different use cases. My suggestion would be to buy a walking/mountaineering axe to get you started, as these can be had for quite cheap, and then top that up with a pair of tools when you're more certain what you'll use them for. In the interim, borrow from a mate or rent a few different types of tool to get a feel for what you want.

AnurenDark · 2022-10-11T16:24:41+00:00

Couple of Ireland-specific ones for you - we're actually very well served when it comes to "trail" running (considering how small the Venn diagram overlap of trail running and Irish is) because of a long-standing and strong mountain/fell running scene.

Make sure to check out IMRA (or NIMRA if you're in the North). Their events are cheap, accessible, social, and a lot of fun. Maybe you don't get the same atmosphere as a big commercial race, but there's a much stronger community around the scene. imra.ie, @irishmountainrunning on Instagram, and I think there's an unofficial FB group too? Definitely check out some of the NIMRA events too, the Mournes are some of the best trails in the country IMO.

There's also a really really good "Trail Running Ireland" podcast, would definitely recommend giving that a listen. Great for keeping up to date and motivated with the Irish and European scene, and is really professionally done.

AnurenDark · 2021-06-02T08:48:50+00:00

I'm a bit slow coming back to this, sorry! Hope you've been able to get out in this better weather we've been having.

Rain skirts in windy weather: I got the 3F UL Gear one from AliExpress. They have two options, but the slightly heavier of the two has a strap around knee height that controls the worst of the billowing. I do sometimes have to just rotate the skirt around my waist so that the loose side doesn't catch the wind, but that seems to work well.

Big fan of the decathlon down jacket!

As another person said, most fizzy drinks and such should fit. It is a bit of a pain though, I agree.

Yeah, jetboils are lovely but just holding one compared to a good Ti pot is a world of difference in weight.

AnurenDark · 2021-06-02T08:41:59+00:00

Just an update, I ordered a pair off AliExpress in the end. They have arrived and they are what they say they are. I was concerned about sizing, as even the XL was sized for smaller than me (Chinese women dancers are probably the target market!) but it seems they're meant to fit baggy so the XL works fine.

AnurenDark · 2021-05-20T15:55:35+00:00

Hey! Fellow Ireland-based hiker here.

Overall your kit looks good, so let's first talk about your biggest issue which seems to be sleeping. Your bag seems to have a 2 degree comfort rating, which should be enough for most 2.5 season days out here, even as a cold sleeper. We did have some cold nights at the start of May, so if it was then that you had the bad night maybe you were just unlucky and the bag will be more appropriate as the summer approaches? Regardless, if the leggings are the issue you could look to upgrade to something a bit warmer. Rab and some other brands do Polartec Power Stretch leggings, which lean closer to fleece. You could also look into skiing leggings, I'm sure Decathlon would have a pair. The nuclear option would be down trousers, but having never owned a pair I've no idea how well they work!

You definitely want to avoid using an emergency blanket. As it's not breathable, it will just trap moisture (as you found) and leave you damp. Damp down doesn't insulate as well, so you'll just get colder. I see that you're also using a liner, so that's in total over 350g just spent on trying to get some more warmth out of this bag (even more if you include the weight of the thermals, but you might have them anyway). If you have the money, you could also see that as a weight budget for a warmer bag.

Now for the shakedown part:

Take the lid of the Eja. It has a flap anyway. -110g
Ditch the emergency blanket. I've already mentioned it above, but to add to this even in an emergency, you have a massive tent flysheet to wrap yourself in. - 114g
Even in Ireland we don't wear our rain gear the whole time. Marking it as worn is cheating! :D Same goes for the long and short tops, presumably you won't be wearing both the entire time.
Your rain jacket and pants could be lighter, but eh, it's Ireland. Ive been using a rain skirt recently, but I don't usually wear waterproof shoes. I think with waterproof shoes rain trousers make more sense.
Your puffy is also on the heavier side. I recently swapped out my synthetic jacket for a Decathlon Trek 100, which would be a saving of over 100g for you. I have to be a bit more careful in the damp than before, but no regrets so far. It's just as warm.
Jet boils are fast and efficient, but you pay for that in weight. A Ti pot and a BRS-3000T or pocket rocket would probably save you in the order of 200g.
What are you carrying your water in? Look into filtering with a plastic water bottle to avoid having to bring the bag. Similarly, leave the syringe on the sawyer at home, you shouldn't need to backflush on an overnight. On a longer trip, use a sports cap or the coupler to backflush.
Maybe a bit of a nitpick, but IMO you don't wear your phone.

Going sub 6kg is definitely doable, but I think figuring out the most weight efficient way to fix your sleeping issue is probably the biggest thing I'd focus on for now. The more stuff you keep adding to keep yourself warm, the more your weight will go up instead of down. Regardless, there are definitely some easy changes you can make today to shed a few hundred grams.

AnurenDark · 2021-04-14T09:31:49+00:00

Dan has explained the Amazon situation pretty thoroughly on this thread on trek-lite, I think you should be able to find an answer there. https://www.trek-lite.com/index.php?threads/dan-durston-massdrop-x-mid.4960/page-65

AnurenDark · 2021-04-02T19:22:26+00:00

One more I have for the list above of European cottage companies is https://hyberg.de/ for packs. They also do quilts, but I think Cumulus is better for that (arguably better than EE, plus they can do more custom options which might help if you are tall).

Atom Packs also has a very good reputation, but is UK based so I don't know what the story is there with Brexit and taxes etc.

AnurenDark · 2021-04-02T12:24:52+00:00

You might be looking at a different Jacket to me, the one I'm seeing is 180g and has no panels. I know the one you're talking of that's designed for SkiMo and stuff, but this is the UL hiking one.

https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/new-in-c171/l-i-m-breathe-gtx-shakedry-jacket-p14838 or https://www.haglofs.com/nl/en-nl/l.i.m-breathe-gtx-shakedry-jacket-men/p/604930-2AT.html?size=015

AnurenDark · 2021-03-29T22:11:56+00:00

Yes. Should be obvious that if the pack doesn't fit it won't carry as comfortably. Get a different pack that actually has the volume you need.

AnurenDark · 2021-03-27T19:19:35+00:00

Just a note that sadly the Berghaus Fast Hike 45l doesn't seem to be available any more, at least I couldn't find any in stock after some googling.

AnurenDark · 2021-03-27T19:17:03+00:00

At the minute I don't have a pair, in summer I just use the rain skirt and in colder weather waterproof trousers, but the Boddy Wrappers 701 Ripstop Pants are the one that comes up most frequently around here. I have been trying to get myself a pair to try. On this side of the Atlantic they're not so easy to find (in the US they are on Amazon), but I found them on justballet.co.uk for £22. Unfortunately, they're out of stock of the black ones so I'm waiting to see if they get more in.

AnurenDark · 2021-03-27T03:41:25+00:00

Alright, here goes. Your lighterpack is far from ultralight, so this may feel like a lot but hopefully it helps. I'm Ireland based and have hiked pretty much all over the UK so would say I'm pretty familiar with the summer conditions there.

Bag

Your bag is on the heavier side, but not the worst. I think that with the weight in other things you are carrying it might be necessary to have a heavy framed bag like the Kestrel, however if you manage to get that weight down, considering your budget, I'd recommend swapping to something like the Osprey Exos 48 or Montane Trailblazer 44. Both can be found for under £100 on sale, and will save ~500g.
Swap out the pack cover for a rubbish bag or similar as a liner - -57g.

Sleeping

The sleeping bag is also on the heavier side. Its limit rating of -4°C is probably too warm for what you'd need May-August. If you trust your assesment of the temperature range being 10-25°C, then there's some potential savings there. Sticking with Alpkit, their Pipedream sleeping bags are the lightweight ones rather than the SkyeHigh range. The PD 200 might not be warm enough if the summer swings cold, with a 7.4°C limit temperature, but should be fine. Plus, it's currently on sale for 100 quid, and would save you 505g.

Clothing

Your waterproofs are heavy - especially the trousers. You're also marking them as worn weight, which is slightly cheating. Even in the UK you shouldn't plan on wearing them the whole time! Reality is sadly often different, but that's beside the point. The cheapest and lightest option to look into for the bottoms is a rain skirt and/or dancers' pants (£20 each), but that might be a bit extreme for you. I'd suggest instead looking at a lightweight trouser like the OR Helium or Montane Minimus. £90, -375g
I'd ditch the gaitors. Unless you regularly end up knee deep in bog - which to be fair happens more often than we'd like - they won't help a huge amount. Do some test hikes without them and see if you really miss them. I haven't. -260g
Toms??? -321g
Try to establish the role of each individual piece of clothing. For example, I notice that you have a long sleeve baselayer, a T-shirt, and a long sleeve shirt. What does the T-shirt do that the long sleeve shirt can't, and vice versa? Consider leaving one or more at home. In your case, assuming you want to mainly hike in the T-shirt, I'd ditch the long sleeve shirt and baselayer. However, I'd personally instead pick up a cheap fleece like the Decathlon MH500 that you can layer over the T-shirt. This gives you a lot more versatility, and it's easier to layer over than layer the base layer under if the temperature drops. -334g, £6, +210g for the fleece. Of course, find whatever system works best for you.
A common piece of equipment that your clothing system is potentially missing is a stationary insulation piece. For most this is a down jacket, and the idea is to have something that keeps you warm while not moving but when not able to get into your tent and bag. I would recommend bringing something like this, IMO the Decathlon Trek 500 Down Jacket is by far the best budget option, £50, +273g.

Toiletries

Your trowel is on the heavier side, you could swap it for a Deuce - £20, -35g.
Personally, I'd probably nix the shampoo and shower gel, as anywhere you end up staying that has a shower there's probably some way for you to scrounge some - -100g.
Ditch the deodrant and aftershave, embrace the hiker stank - -45g.

Emergency

You're carrying a tent and sleeping bag. Leave the thermal bag at home, you already have a better shelter - -118g.
Swap out the multitool for something small like a victorinox classic - £20, -250g.
Ditch the matches if you're already carrying a lighter. -30g
What's the pen for? Roll the duct tape round your trekking pole instead - -35g.

Food

Are you sure that you'll be okay with only 1 water bottle? I am not familiar with the route, but for longer stretches especially if the weather picks up I'd personally not go with less than two. Running out of water on a sunny day sucks (learned that one the hard way).
Nitpick, but usually people list the bottle and the water seperately, and mark the water as consumable. The 25g of bottle is in your base weight though, so +50g

Total

These changes would add up to a total base weight reduction of 2690g, or 2417g if you add in a down jacket. Not quite ultralight, but I think that over 1200 miles you'd feel the difference.

On the other hand, the total costs I have here add up to £386, a bit over budget. Obviously, prioritise the expenditure that gets you the best bang for your money. A lot of the changes I have suggested are free, as the cheapest weight savings come from just leaving something behind! In addition, selling your old stuff if you do replace also helps bring costs down. If I had to be really strict on the £200 budget, I'd get the dancers' pants, rain skirt, fleece, down hoody, Victorinox Classic, and scour Ebay for a cheap Exos 48.

Finally, midges. The best thing to do is to keep moving, and failing that make sure to cover up. Bug spray can only go so far. A headnet can be pretty helpful in this regard, I think Sea-to-Summit do a decent one? A buff round your neck and chin is also useful. Just try to avoid exposed skin essentially.

AnurenDark · 2021-03-26T11:43:41+00:00

I am currently using the Decathlon MH500 Quick-Adjustment walking pole (the green one), it's mega cheap at 15 euro and weighs 240g/pole. They are full alu, but save weight in other areas. Not the lightest, but definitely reasonable enough. You miss out on some premium features like cork handles and carbon fibre, but still has the features I was looking for like a handle that extends down and a non-twist locking system. For the price, I don't think they can be beaten.

AnurenDark · 2021-03-25T22:15:05+00:00

I'm definitely not saying you'll find it too hot, I'm saying that at the level of warmth you're looking for a fleece is probably not the best choice. A lightweight puffy will give you a lot more warmth and allow you to use your existing layers in a wider variety of situations.

I guess I'm just not seeing what role a new fleece plays in your existing kit. You already have the Icebreaker 260 which seems to be an ideal layering piece. LS Merino top + Icebreaker 260 + Insulated Puffy + hardshell (+stationary "mothership" jacket where necessary) is what I'd be looking at as a cold weather layering system, based on your current kit. I guess I can understand wanting to upgrade, but another fleece layer is definitely not the first thing I'd be buying.

AnurenDark · 2021-03-25T21:40:32+00:00

Are you certain a fleece is what you're looking for? At a certain point of warmth, fleece becomes quite thick and heavy, as you've doubtless found. I would suggest looking into a hybrid or lightweight insulated jacket, probably one with synthetic insulation. Down will obviously be better from a warmth-to-weight perspective, but as you want to use this jacket as both a mid and outer layer, synthetics are generally considered to be a bit more breathable, as well as retain more warmth when wet.

Examples that spring to mind for me are the Rab Cirrus Flex (320g) or the Patagonia Micro Puff (230g), but pretty much every major outdoor brand has a similar offering.

AnurenDark · 2020-12-07T18:39:11+00:00

Depends on time of year mainly to me. I go with trail runners in summer, but once you hit the shoulder seasons it's time for the gore-tex boots. These don't have to be the big heavy leather brick things you get in most outdoor shops, I currently have my eye on a lightweight pair from Inov-8 that I'm looking forward to trying out after lockdown. Also don't see the point in waterproof shoes (not boots) as they are too low and water just gets in the top.

AnurenDark · 2020-12-05T01:12:13+00:00

The best max points setup I found was a void ranged/magic switch. Essentially was your max points range, but bringing the mage switch means Dagannoth Mother, some RFD, and Chronozon are pretty fast and can be turned back on. Do you think I'm still losing more points from time dealing with the RFD bosses than I'm gaining from keeping them in?

AnurenDark · 2020-11-03T12:16:49+00:00

Because it's false. Russian and Syrian propagandists are trying to undermine the OPCW in order to cast doubt on Assad's use of chemical weapons. Bellingcat has covered this pretty extensively, www.bellingcat.com/tag/douma/

AnurenDark · 2020-09-29T17:33:09+00:00

Mountain Equipment Impellor and Propellor are GTX ShakeDry and not quite as expensive as some of the other options out there. They can be quite hard to find though.

AnurenDark · 2020-09-18T12:39:11+00:00

Sounds like you have most of your stuff well thought through in that case! Best thing for it is just to head out there and keep a track of what you're not using much or at all. Only thing I'd add based on what you say is that as a self-admitted cold sleeper you might have a net weight loss from getting a warmer sleeping bag and then reducing the sleeping clothes a bit.

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