The G-Force goes on and on…

The G-Force likes his outdoor kit. In recent months I have listened to endless chat about ice axes, walking jackets, off-road running shoes, Gore-tex trainers, finger boards, harnesses, gloves, fleeces – and now rucksacks. Don’t get me wrong, I probably do my own fair share of wittering on about outdoor kit and I’m very happy to chat outdoor equipment for hours at a time. But even I have grown a little bored of the infinite detailing of three items: An ice axe, a Gore-tex walking jacket and an Osprey rucksack!

Testing, testing

The G-Force gives his jacket, rucksack and ice axes a home try out!

The ice axe saga is still on-going although the G-Force has, after talking to every climber he could and every shop assistant who would listen and researching for days on-line, accepted that his current choice is almost perfect. He plans to treat himself to the next ice axe up in terms of cost when he is climbing 6b routes (these are toughies..).

The Mountain Equipment Changabang jacket debate

It’s not that the G-Force has masses of money but he does like his outdoor equipment to be perfectly suited to the pursuit. Let me explain: He has walked all his Munros over several years in a Gore-tex Mountain Equipment Changabang jacket. This is a Pro-Shell Gore-tex jacket, which means it’s perfect for long days of mountain walking. It has been a great jacket and he has almost worn it out. Amazingly it is still waterproof and breathable but there are rucksack rubs and tears all over the place after the rough and tumble of many, many mountain walks and ski trips.

So I decided to buy a new version of this jacket for the G-Force for his 40th birthday. Just the weekend before his birthday, he decided he might not want the Mountain Equipment jacket and, instead, fancied a much pricier Arcteryx version. Fortunately, when he opened the gift on his birthday he liked the new version of the Changabang enough to keep it. But he wasn’t sure of the size. And then when he went to a shop to research the size he saw another similar jacket that he wondered if he might prefer. And then after many hours of research on-line and a great deal of chat and debating he finally decided he did like the jacket I’d bought him afterall  – and he was happy with the size. Phew!

The G-Force has loved his previous Changabang and I’m sure the new version will be even more impressive. The features are endless:

• New 3 Layer Gore-Tex Pro Shell Ascendor II fabric
• New 3 Layer Gore-Tex Pro Shell Tenacity fabric reinforcements
• Mountain HC Hood with Stealth technology
• Mountain cut with articulated and pre-shaped sleeves
• Stealth Construction techniques throughout
• 2 way YKK water resistant centre front zipper behind placket
• New Stratum Storage System with 2 large chest pockets and 2 A4 sized Napoleon pockets all with protective plackets
• 2 way underarm pit zips with laminated and bonded entry
• Zip out internal snow skirt and GPS / Ski pass pocket
• Adjustable cuffs and dual tether hem drawcord
• Helmet compatible
• Articulated fit

Believe me, the G-force has looked into every detail and feature and decided, right down to the inside pocket, that this is the ideal jacket for him! In his defence, he isn’t spoilt, but it’s just that he likes to have exactly the right item for each sport. So, while the Changabang is best suited to mountain walking and will be a great outer layer for skiing, another jacket, the Mountain Equipment Kalanka would be better for climbing because it’s slightly lighter and has a bigger hood. These might seem like small details but when you’re pushing yourself hard at an outdoors activity you do not want the kit to be inhibiting. However, there are compromises to be made and if you only have enough cash for one jacket it’s necessary to choose one over another and in the end the G-Force reckons the Changabang is the best for his sports. (Still, I bet the Kalanka ends up on his birthday gift list next year!)

The Osprey rucksack debate

Osprey Variant 37 rucksack

And then came the rucksack. The G-Force has worn out his Berghaus rucksack by walking all the Munros and climbing lots of routes. I’m not joking, he has actually exhausted the rucksack! So he started looking around for a new one. This research began many months ago and finally homed in on the Osprey Variant 37.

I believe one of his climbing pals has this rucksack but in any case the G-Force decided that this was the one he’d buy. On Saturday he returned from a shopping trip with the rucksack and then proceeded to show me why it was so good. The research into the detailing and features is pretty awesome!

Showing me his prized rucksack, and then trying it on, the G-Force explained: “Look, it has these clips so I can easily remove my ice axes… and an outer flap pocket for easy access to my crampons so I’ll never need to rummage around inside the pack again… and the waist belt has buckles that pull together really easily for a great fit… and you can see that the hood extends if you need to carry more or can come off if you want to make the pack much smaller… and it has a really comfy back, which I think will help with getting rid of back sweat… and…” I confess I lost track of all the benefits of this rucksack but he really did seem very happy indeed with his purchase. The G-Force knows what he wants! Bless!

I only hope that the Christmas present that I have bought him (and, of course it’s outdoorsy!) will stand up to this level of unbelievable scrutiny. I admit I’m a little worried!

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