Is it just me, or does anyone who wants a decent weight overnight pack cringe when they see 4 to 5 kilo tents advertised as lightweight! What about an ultralightweight as 2.5kg? For a pack that would be tasty, tent? Hmm... no thanks... Anything 'much' over 2 kilos for 2 people is heavy imho, unless it's a proper, full-on winter tent or rather obviously, designed for more than two people. Basically, if there's extra weight, you need to be getting some extra benefit such as sturdyness or two porches instead of one.

Weighing 1.8kg, this is more like it!

Problem is, many will be drawn in by this 'mis-selling' for their first wild camp and end up carrying far too much weight and give up! Afterall, they bought the 'lightweight' gear, so without quantifying it they may well give it up as a bad job, missing out on some superb outdoors experiences. And as they say, that will be that; unless they develop the lightweight mindset.

What is this 'mindset' i hear you both ask?
1 - Weigh everything! The more of a geek you are, the better. Once you know the weight of everything, but the value of nothing, you'll be half way there.
2 - Leave it behind unless you're certain you'll need it. As said earlier, the value of everything.
3 - Never, I REPEAT NEVER trust anything that's described as lightweight, ultralightweight or similar without checking the weight first! Once you start with no 1 though, you probably don't need to be told about this.
4 - A bit of luxury is essential, so long as it isn't too heavy! This is a lightweight mindset, not a masochistic mindest! Nowt wrong with a bit of Drambuie on a wild camp, it's virtually compulsory!

Ive just been given one of these as a leaving present and it’s only been used so far to carry 12 cans of Guinness (also a present), and it took the weight well.

If you think it just looks like a drybag with a strap, then you’re spot on. Designed to be minimal in its design, there are no pockets just one cavernous, waterproof main compartment. There’s a clear panel (appears white on photo) that helps you find stuff deep in the pack. The shoulder straps are sturdy, and much more comfortable than the straps on my rapidly ageing OMM 32 that are uncomfortable for anything more than lightweight summer day walks.

The waist belt is thin, but does the job. Backpacking Light are selling some pouches to add onto the waist strap, something that i’ll definately be getting soon as I like a windproof and some jelly babies close to hand.

The other notable absence is of any straps on the outside. No problem I thought, then realised I had nowhere to stow my poles. However, a bit of lateral thinking and a webbing strap later, and i’ve got the poles securely attached to the outside. They’re not on that tightly, but that’s no problem as I’ll be using them for most of my walk anyway. They’ll only be stowed on the ride in and on scrambles, I tend to end up carrying them in my hand towards the end of a walk as I can’t be bothered to pack em.

Where this pack impresses me most is with it’s weight and toughness. Weighing in at less than the OMM32 (about 590g, but i’m yet to weigh the pack) it feels like it could be dragged backwards through a boulderfield and be none the worse for the ordeal. Yes, you trade in the functionality or complexity of extra pockets to acheive this, but as a result you end up with a no-messing, non-flouncy, no-nonsense pack.

Oh, and it’s fully waterproof. No more worrying about the camera getting damp, even though you’ve got a drysack and a pack liner. And a final goodbye to the hassle of having to dry out the day sack that’s absorbed an extra kilo of water that you’ve just lugged up and down the Glyderau.

I’ll take some pics tomorrow, including the poles being stashed on, and i’ll add a field review.

I’ve had nothing but good experience with Paramo gear, or at least the fabric, since i bought the Viento at the same time i launched Walk Eryri. The fabric just works and you can clean it easily in the machine. I had a sweaty shell before that, but admittedly before i’d discovered the simplicity of walking in baselayer and windproof, rather than the waterproof. The problem i have with the Viento is, i have to admit, a vain one. I think it just looks awful. Navy blue for a coat for starters reminds me of the school coats we were forced to wear, back in the days when the teachers would grab you outside the gates, eye you up, and ask "Is that uniform boy?". Na, too much for me, but it was (and still is) a great waterproof.

I’d got the cascada trousers soon after, annoyed i couldn’t get them in the black i wanted, just bloody navy. Still, they did the job, except the fit isn’t great on me. I spent the first few trips pulling them up and treating walkers behind me to a generous buider’s cleavage. I even went as far as trying biker’s braces, which kept them up but were just too bulky under a rucksac strap. Eventually, i think i lost weight around my waist, they stayed up, but i think i’ll replace them with custom made ones next time unless the fit has changed (the legs are too long too). The Velez smock was the next on the list. Now this looks good and is the right colour (a cobalt blue), but has a couple of drawbacks. The hood is kept on with studs, so cold winds can find their way through. These studs are also needed to close the front of the hood. This is impossible to do with gloves on, as i found last December, in torrential rain on Snowdon. You need a zip that pulls up to the top, so you can insulate your face immediately. It also rides up the back something chronic when backpacking. If you forget about the rather unfortunate experiences i always have with the Fuera windproof trews, the next purchase - and hopefully the right one, had to be the Aspira. I managed to sneak to Ambleside gear shopping on my honeymoon and i was happy with the service and price at the Mountain Factor. It’s not navy - it’s red (like the dreaded socks). Bright and loud, but that’s essential in the kind of weather it’s going to be needed. It also takes a helmet, something essential when i’ll be doing the ML assessment soon. The fit is good. Comfortable. It has strips up the back to prevent it riding up, but i’m yet to test that. It’s got plenty of pockets too. One takes an OS map comfortably, ideal for me as i always use waterproof maps, and another takes a compass. It was tested over 3 grotty days in Scotland and on Snowdon a few weekends ago in rain, and it kept me dry. I didn’t expect any less to be honest. I’ll come back to this in the Spring, as i’ll be wearing it on every outing over the winter and i’ll see how it does.

I''ve also received delivery of this insulated jacket. I''m hoping it''s going to replace my old Montane smock (the model name escapes me), but i''ve a feeling it isn''t going to be as warm. So i may well have to get out the old needle and thread to fix the old faithful smock.

I''ve got the grey or ''graphite'' version, and i found the fit to be great. I''ve a lot of Montane gear and thankfully they dont vary an awful lot in their sizing for the items i''ve bought. It''s comfy and warm, but it''s probably not going to cut it in winter. As a bonus, there''s a hood that has a tag to roll it away. It''s definately warmer than an equivelent fleece, and at about 350g is very light for this type of garment. I''ve a gilet that weighs just a little less. It it also windproof, and showerproof so you can use it for those little trips out of the tent at night without worrying about soaking through.

I''ve managed to wear it over a baselayer and a fleece, so i can see it being used in that manner in winter or with a gilet.That is unless we actually get a real winter this year when i''ll invest in a thicker duvet.

Will test it out properly this weekend and see how it fares in the field.

I previously owned the OMM MOuntain mover, the Giant Jaffa. I spent a few months umming and aahhing to buy it, with the only negative point being the colour. I bought it, and i was quite pleased. It did the job, but it was cavernous. Far too big for the kind of trips i was doing. I also started to hate the lid closure system. Basically no more than thin string with a toggle the size and thickness of a 5p piece.

I didn’t have to look too far for a replacement. My mate’s offered me a fair price for the Mountain Mover (obviously not deterred by orange) and i’m now the proud owner of the pack below.

First Impressions.

First worry i had was the pack’s capacity. Packed it last night with tent, sleeping bag and most of the bulky items and there’s a load of free space. All i’m going to need to fit in there is a fleece and food, with a bit of spare space to pack my camera and windproof if i dont need t wear it. There are even some nifty side pockets where you can access the inside of the pack, though i’m not sure how useful they will be?

The lid pocket on the pack is better shaped too than the Mountain Mover, as are the side mesh pockets. They are made of a softer mesh that has a bit more give in it, but the full length mesh pockets are absent in this model and i think i’ll miss them. There’s a handy zipped pocket on the compression system too, ideal for maps or a bit of chocolate. Not to forget the pockets in the waist band too, for items you need to hand during the day. Chocolate tends to melt when kept in them though and they aren’t big enough for an OS map but a Harvey’s will squeeze in. Hopefully my GPS will fit into one too.

Weightwise, the pack isn’t exceptionally lightweight. According to the OMM website, the pack weighs 1160g. If i remove the backpadding like i used to on the Mountain Mover, then i’m sure the weight will be similar. I’m not reducing my overall packweight, but i am hopefully getting a pack more suitable to my needs.

Another place i think the pack scores well is on the straps. I found the previous straps far too minimal and caused discomfort under my armpits. These are far more substantial and as far i can tell, very comfortable. You can also adjust the straps much more than previous models, and i found the hipbelt was actually on my hips. Yes, probably down to the personal fit of the pack, but that’s all i can comment on. Theres some clips under the lid and a strap that you can use to fix ropes, or i can see being perfect for stowing my Paramos when not in use.

I will be trying the pack out the coming weekend all being well. If i don’t, then i’m not due out again till August due to my impending wedding. I can see how well it performs in the field, whether i use the gizmos on it and whether using it with the back padding in place will be more comfortable than using my sleeping mat as back padding. I’ll take some photos too.