This is our first encounter with Mizuno, and it feels like a fitting time to start writing about the brand. With the Neo Accera, Mizuno seems to be launching a fresh, bold new aesthetic, fronted by flagship trail running shoes that look like a real departure from the brand's current line-up.

While Mizuno’s most famous Wave models have often leaned towards lower stacks and a more connected underfoot feel, the Neo Accera is another fighter in the colosseum of high-stack, uber-propulsive, mega-plush trail racing shoes that have been flooding the market since the roaring success of models like the Hoka Speedgoat.

The shoe looks absolutely mad. But how does it actually perform? I took it out on the trails for a month to find out.

Upper

Here at LFTO, we review every trail running shoe with the same basic structure, and this rarely causes any peril. Right now, though, I’m sad to have to address the upper first, because it is far and away the worst thing about this shoe.

On the positive side, the upper is very, very light and airy, which is welcome as spring approaches summer here in the UK (and Earth approaches climate-collapse). There’s also a good amount of elasticity to the mesh, which provides plenty of give to accommodate all kinds of different feet.

That said, the softness and pliability of the mesh, combined with the upper’s overall low profile and lack of structure, ultimately serves what will be a consistent theme throughout this review: a sense of instability.

There’s a very minimal overlay around the toe box and essentially none around the heel, so while the shoe feels impressively breathable and almost slipper-like at first, it doesn’t give you much confidence once you’re moving quickly over uneven ground.

The central issue here is that the whole upper feels flimsy. There's more material here than any shoe needs, and the excess material bunches in all the wrong places, including around the inside of the midfoot and all across the top of the foot. I had to lace up extremely tight to get even the faintest feeling of security and lockdown.

Luckily, the laces are those ridged, anti-slip laces I’ve heartily praised in the past, most recently when reviewing The North Face Vectiv Pro 3. Without them, the whole upper experience would be hopeless, because ultimately the shaping and material feel utterly structureless.

There’s too much extra material around the midfoot and a strangely narrow toe box, with a bit of protective rubber that might as well be performative.

I do very much like the tongue on this shoe, though. It’s nice and wide, fairly thin, and its gusset provides a welcome sense of security, or at least presence, across the top of the forefoot. The tongue also has enough padding that even lacing up super tight doesn’t cause any hotspots.

Midsole

Now we’re talking. Mizuno’s midsole foam is exceptionally plush, while still managing to avoid that fatal pitfall of feeling like your feet are sinking into wet sand with every step.

That’s thanks, undoubtedly, to the absolute armada of subtle extra features that have been injected into this midsole. Literally injected, in the case of the rock plate, which is sandwiched inside the foam and provides a good bit of snap and resistance on the toe-off.

The shape of the midsole is really exceptional as well, providing a fun, fluid, flowing ride. There’s a rocker shape, but it’s much less pronounced and aggressive than on other similarly thick, race-focused shoes like the Kailas Fuga EX 330. The slight upturn at the heel and toe allows for really smooth transitions when running on road or hard-packed trails, which is really where this shoe shines.

Unlike similarly positioned racing shoes like Hoka Mafate X, however, the Mizuno Neo Accera doesn’t have any kind of structurally supportive plate running through the whole length and width of the midsole. This becomes extremely noticeable when the terrain gets anything near tricky, as I can feel my foot bending to the side while the plush foam conforms to jagged rocks underfoot and threatens to snap my ankles clean in half.

Now, there’s no trick to fully getting around this with a high-stack shoe, but the sense of jeopardy I feel running in these is particularly pronounced.

So, it's not an ultra trail running shoe by virtue of not handling varied trails, but it is fantastic for long distances and, once you fall into the flow of the shoe’s ride, you can certainly get up to some pretty high speeds in it. In all, it ends up kinda mis-marketed as a trail racing super shoe.

What this shoe should be marketed as, and where I think it excels, is as a high-performance pick for serious runners who are looking to transition from road to trail for the first time. It also makes a lot of sense for anyone looking for a straight-down-the-middle hybrid that can navigate hard and soft terrain while preserving a high level of comfort.

You’ll certainly smash your Parkrun PB in this shoe. That would be a decent selling point if it was £100, but the RRP is very difficult to swallow when you consider that this shoe is probably only well suited to about 50% of your average trail running routes.

Outsole

The outsole is composed of Vibram Megagrip, with a decent amount of the midsole foam poking through. We’ve seen plenty of patterned rubber outsoles before, but they usually serve a more practical, describable purpose. Here, the main function of the broken sections of outsole is allowing even more lateral flex under the ball of your foot. That’s a plus for comfort, but a negative for technical performance.

Vibram Megagrip is usually a really high-performing compound, and the bottom of these shoes is super tacky on rock. But the lugs, which are reported at around 4mm, are far too wide and large to have any meaningful aggressive bite on soft ground.

They’re very ergonomically placed from the heel forward, which does promote nice, smooth heel-to-toe transitions. They also get more pronounced and deep right at the front, which is where I spent most of my time when using these shoes.

At no point did I find them reliable for hard heel braking on downhills, which obviously isn’t great if you’re out on technical terrain. But just to nail this point all the way home: this is not a problem at all when you just accept that these are easy road-to-trail running shoes.

In fact, many more aggressive shoes can feel awful on the road on account of their heel-brake zones. The Scarpa Ribelle Run 2, for example, can feel like you’re trying to drive a car with the handbrake still partially up. The Neo Accera doesn’t have that problem. It rolls beautifully on firm ground, hard tracks and tarmac, even if that smoothness comes at the expense of bite when the trail gets steep or overly soft.

Price and competition

At £165, the Mizuno Neo Accera is not outrageously priced compared with the current crop of high-stack trail shoes, but it is still a lot of money for a shoe with such a specific use case. If this were a sub-£100 road-to-trail cruiser (like the Merrell Morphlite), its flaws would be much easier to forgive. At £165, those same flaws become much harder to ignore.

That’s especially true because the Neo Accera finds itself competing with some very serious shoes. The North Face Vectiv Pro 3 is more expensive, but gives you a far more convincing sense of propulsion and structure for racing. The Hoka Mafate X sits in a similar big-stack, long-distance performance space, but feels more obviously built around ultra-distance trail running. Neither of these are as comfy on road, though.

If your running regularly starts at the front door, includes a few miles of road and then picks up bridleways, gravel paths and dry woodland tracks, the value argument suddenly becomes stronger.

But if you’re buying one pair of trail shoes to handle everything from boggy winter slop to rocky mountain descents, I don’t think the Neo Accera is the safest place to put your money. It’s too expensive to be this limited, even though the ride can be brilliant in the right conditions.

Verdict

Sadly, I don’t think this is the ultra-racing monster Mizuno seems to want it to be. But as a high-performance road-to-trail shoe for serious runners who put in hundreds of miles and want comfort, speed and a bit of trail capability without giving up the smoothness of a road shoe, it makes much more sense.

About the author

Milo Wilson is LFTO's rudest full-time writer. He's been testing trail gear for us since 2023 and has yet to establish a good relationship with any running brands, much to our chagrin.

Every spring hundreds of climbers and thousands of support staff descend upon the rocky moraine at the foot of the Khumbu Icefall – Everest Base Camp. Their aim? To stand on the snowy summit of Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain.

The mountain has seen its fair share of controversies, disasters and amazing feats of human endurance over the years, and media attention is normally rife – sometimes for the right reasons, sometimes for the wrong ones.

No matter your opinion on the rights and wrongs surrounding the climbing season on the world’s highest mountain, this next handful of weeks is sure to kick out some big stories.

In the past, we’ve seen Mitch Hutchcraft swim, cycle, run and hike his way to the summit from Britain. Hari Budha Magar became the first double above-the-knee amputee to reach the peak. Last year, mountain guide Kenton Cool topped out for the 19th time, while in 2024 fellow Brit Adriana Brownlee became the youngest woman to summit all of the world’s 8,000m peaks, including Everest.

Intrigued to see what’s going to happen this year? Read on for five big stories to keep an eye on.

Two athletes to attempt Everest speed record

Ultra runner Tyler Andrews has made several unsuccessful attempts at the speed record on Everest already, including two in one week back in the autumn.

He’s returning to Everest for another attempt from the south side of the mountain. In a post on Instagram, he said: “I have been training harder AND smarter than I ever have in my life. Whatever happens, I know with 100% certainty that I have done everything I can every day of this buildup.

“And I'm confident that will get me to the summit and back down safely and faster than any human in history.”

Which record Tyler is actually aiming for is a little confusing. On his website the American says he is aiming to beat Marc Batard’s record of 22hrs 29mins, which was set in 1988 on the south side of Everest, without oxygen.

However, last year he was targeting Kazi (Kaji) Sherpa’s time of 20hrs 24mins, though this is a disputed record because he used supplemental oxygen on the descent. This is also the record highlighted in an article Tyler did with National Geographic. Either way, it’s a serious undertaking.

Also chasing a speed record on Everest this season is former pro mountain bike racer Karl Egloff. He’ll be looking to set a time for a round-trip, to the summit and back to base camp.

Kenton Cool set for summit number 20

Everest specialist Kenton Cool is back in action as we speak, guiding a client on an attempt to summit. If successful, this will be the 20th time Kenton has stood on the summit, which will break his own record of the most summits by a non-Sherpa.

The mountain guide has been guiding on the mountain for well over two decades and has learnt a huge amount about operating in challenging environments, as he told us in this interview.

We also sat down with Kenton before he left for Nepal this year, so keep your eye out for several articles from that, including what it’s really like to be in the Death Zone.

Dangers lurk in the Khumbu Icefall

For those of you not familiar with the geography on Everest, the Khumbu Icefall is the twisted head of the Khumbu Glacier. It’s the first major physical obstacle climbers must overcome when leaving Everest Base Camp to move further up the mountain and it’s incredibly dangerous.

There are many reasons for that. It’s a twisted, mangled mess of ice that’s full of crevasses, there are chunks of overhanging ice as large as buildings and to make matters worse, it’s always moving.

To pass through it, climbers must follow a predetermined route that’s been set up with fixed lines and long ladders to allow them to cross gaping holes. It’s an incredibly dangerous place to be at the best of times.

This year, there’s been more media coverage about the Khumbu Icefall than normal, and that’s because the Icefall doctors (the elite team of Sherpas that determine the route and lay fixed lines) identified a huge serac (overhanging block of ice) that was looming over the intended route.

Because of the immense danger this would represent to anyone passing below, the team decided to wait and see if the serac would break up (it had a large crack running through it) and fall.

Some of it fell, but there was still a lot of ice looming over the planned route. The rope-fixing team sought out alternative routes, but after roughly two and a half weeks of delay, it was deemed that the route one passing below the serac was the safest option.

Rope-fixing teams have been working at pace since then, with Kenton Cool confirming that lines have been fixed up to Camp 3 in one of his regular Instagram updates. He also shared a rumour that fixed lines might make it to the summit by 14 May, which would only be a few days later than was achieved last year.

That’s good news, but the caveat is that some teams may be behind on their acclimatisation, while that serac could still play a big role in the weeks to come.

Closure of the north side of Everest

Ordinarily, climbers would be preparing to summit from both the south (Nepal) and north (Tibet) sides of the mountain, but that’s not going to be the case this year.

That’s because the China-Tibet Mountaineering Association (CTMA) has closed it to climbers with no official reason given, though some reports have suggested it’s related to an ongoing investigation into the widely-criticised Arc’teryx firework display in the Tibetan Himalayas last year.

This means that the south side is the only viable route for a summit attempt. It’s likely that that’s had an impact on the number of Everest climbing permits granted this season, with 492 people given permission to climb. Add in guides and Sherpas and there could be upward of 900 people thumbing the fixed lines on the same route.

Sea to summit attempts

This year we’ll also see some Everest summit attempts beginning from sea level. Cris Cristea set off from Digha, India, in March and is now at base camp preparing for his summit attempt.

That forms part of his challenge to climb each of the highest mountains on each continent (the Seven Summits) from sea level. Everest is his third mountain in the list and in total he plans to cover 2,000km over the 100 days.

Australian adventurer Oliver Foran is also going for a human-powered sea-to-summit attempt and hopes to break the existing world record for the quickest time, which currently stands at 67 days. Oliver began in the Bay of Bengal, India, from where he cycled 1,150km to the Himalayan village of Bung over 16 days.

He’s already encountered 10,000m of elevation gain, and is now on his way to Everest Base Camp via an acclimatisation climb of Lobuche East (6,119m).

There’s no type of hiking jacket more essential for any outdoor enthusiast than a reliable waterproof jacket. Whether you hike regularly in the mountains or mostly walk on local trails, you’ll eventually get soaked if you don’t have proper rain protection. The best waterproof jackets keep heavy rain out, manage sweat reasonably well and give you enough protection to keep moving safely when the weather turns.

That might not matter if you’re nipping out for a local 30-minute walk, but if you get wet on long walks in the mountains or far from town, you’ll get cold. And fast.

So what makes a good waterproof jacket for walkers and hikers? It’s not an easy question to answer, with hundreds of options to choose from and many of us taking on different types of adventures. But it’s one we’re well primed to help with.

The LFTO and Trail magazine teams have been reviewing waterproof hiking jackets on the toughest terrain in the toughest conditions for over 30 years – we’ve probably tested thousands of them to destruction. We know the key features to look for when you’re shopping for the best waterproofs, and that’s what this article is all about.

Below, you’ll find our shortlist and our expert tips on what to look for when shopping for yours, plus the best waterproof jackets we’ve tested to date.

Oh, and depending on who you are and what type of hiking you do, you may also want to check out our lists of the best waterproof jackets for winter and the best waterproof jackets for women.

Best waterproof jackets at a glance

Best waterproof jacket overall: Mountain Equipment Makalu Jacket

Best value waterproof jacket: Keela Cairn Jacket

Highly recommended waterproof jacket: Mountain Equipment Manaslu Jacket

Editor’s note: With so many waterproof jackets released throughout the year, this article and the shortlist above are reviewed and updated regularly. The last update was April 2026, when we added the Berghaus Summit Seeker.

How we tested the best waterproof jackets

The bulk of these reviews were carried out by Matt Jones, who’s been testing kit for LFTO and Trail magazine for over four years. Matt is based in North Wales and has climbed hundreds of mountains around the world, giving his gear a serious thrashing on every trip.

Other recommendations come from Chris Williams and Ellie Clewlow, whose testing trips have taken them to the Scottish Highlands, Snowdonia, Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and beyond, plus multiple days on long-distance backpacking trails.

Every waterproof hiking jacket we review gets tested in real-world environments. That means lots of hikes in terrible weather. We use each product in exactly the same way as you would and judge it on how well it performs in the field.

How well a waterproof jacket keeps out moisture is just the start of what we look for in our reviews. We also test how comfortable and breathable it is, how well it’s made in terms of longevity and durability, whether it’s sustainable, and how its features work in real-world conditions, like the kind of wind and rain that comes at you from all angles in the mountains.

Visit our 'how we test' page for more info on our testers, methods and criteria.

Best waterproof jackets reviewed:

How to choose a waterproof jacket

Waterproofing

Are waterproof jackets truly waterproof?

Waterproof jackets sit along a spectrum of water resistance, from water-repellent soft shells up to the best waterproof technologies such as Gore-Tex. For hiking, you want a proper waterproof jacket rather than something that simply sheds a shower.

No waterproof jacket is absolutely watertight because the material is porous in order to be breathable, which is essential for user comfort. But some of the more premium waterproof jackets have such high waterproof ratings that they can keep you dry in torrential conditions for hours.

Fabrics aside, zips, hoods, cuffs, hems and pockets can all be weak points, so clever, reliable design decisions are key here to keep the wet stuff out. That’s why the best waterproof hiking jackets combine a strong membrane with taped seams, a protective hood, well-designed closures and useful ventilation.

Hydrostatic head

Waterproof fabrics are typically put through a hydrostatic head (HH) test to help demonstrate how water repellent they are. Traditionally, this would see how tall a column of water would need to be before water starts penetrating the fabric.

These days, the test is carried out by a machine rather than creating a remarkably tall column of water. This machine simulates the downward pressure of water columns of ever-increasing heights until penetration occurs. The 'height' of the water column, in millimetres, is then given as the HH rating. The higher this rating, the more waterproof the fabric is deemed to be.

In the UK, jackets need to have a minimum hydrostatic head rating of 1,500mm to be classed as waterproof, though in reality you’ll need a much higher rating than that if you intend to hike in the rain.

Gore-Tex tells us all of its fabrics have a minimum 28,000mm hydrostatic head rating. This is among the best HH ratings you’ll find for waterproof jackets. Some brands use in-house proprietary membranes in their jackets, rather than using Gore-Tex, and consequently state their own HH ratings.

For hiking, 15,000mm HH is a minimum we’d consider. Here, we’ve only selected jackets with no less than 20,000mm HH, excluding Paramo, which has a unique approach to waterproofing.

If you mostly walk in lowland drizzle, you may not need the highest rating available. If you’re heading into the mountains, where rain is often combined with strong wind, pressure from rucksack straps and long exposure, a higher waterproof rating is worth having.

Construction

Jackets are generally categorised as 2-, 2.5- or 3-layer, depending on how the waterproof layer is attached to other layers. For poor weather, 3-layer jackets are the most durable, with the waterproof layer sandwiched between a face fabric and inner scrim.

Two-layer waterproofs are often more affordable and can feel comfortable because they usually have a hanging liner. 2.5-layer jackets are often lighter and more packable, making them useful for summer hiking or as an emergency shell, though they can feel clammy against bare skin. Three-layer jackets are generally better for sustained hill and mountain use because they tend to be tougher, more protective and more comfortable over long days.

All seams should be taped in order to keep water out, while harder-wearing materials can be applied to high-wear areas such as shoulders. If you regularly carry a heavy rucksack, durability around the shoulders and hips matters almost as much as the waterproof rating itself.

Durable water repellent coatings

Most, if not all, modern waterproof jackets now come with a durable water repellent (DWR) coating. This is a chemical treatment that causes water to bead on the surface of a fabric. This helps delay the fabric wetting out, meaning becoming waterlogged, which helps maintain breathability for longer.

These coatings traditionally relied on perfluorocarbons, but we gradually learned that these 'forever chemicals' are harmful to the environment and stick around for a very long time.

As a result, responsible brands have gradually been switching to more eco-friendly PFC-free coatings.

These coatings wear away over time, often more quickly than coatings using PFCs, so you’ll need to regularly reapply the DWR coating. You can find out more on looking after your kit further down this article.

Breathability

Breathable waterproof fabrics keep rain out while allowing sweat vapour to escape. It works, but anyone who has slogged uphill in heavy rain knows that it’s virtually impossible to avoid sweat and condensation completely when you’re working hard.

Breathability is commonly measured by MVTR (moisture vapour transmission rate) in g/m²/24hr. A higher figure indicates better breathability. RET (resistance to evaporative heat transfer) is another, where a lower figure indicates better breathability. A RET value under 6 is considered very good.

It’s also worth noting that a saturated or dirty outer can hamper breathability, which is why it’s so important to maintain your jacket’s DWR coating. A hiking backpack can also reduce breathability by trapping heat and moisture against your back.

For high-output hiking, backpacking or steep hill climbs, don’t judge breathability on the fabric alone. Look at the whole jacket design, including pit zips, pocket mesh, two-way zips and how easy it is to adjust the cuffs and hem on the move.

Ventilation

Given that breathability can be hit and miss, especially in certain conditions, and that it’s easy to overheat when wearing a waterproof jacket, ventilation is key.

A two-way front zip can help improve airflow, while some jackets have underarm zips, often called pit zips, that allow heat and sweat to escape.

These can be invaluable when you’re hiking uphill or in warmer weather, but you need to make sure the zips are decent enough that they keep the rain out. Larger vents are often more useful than marginally better lab breathability numbers, especially if you walk fast or run warm.

Fit

You may prefer a tighter, more athletic fit or a baggier cut with more room for layering underneath. Ultimately, the best approach is to try before you buy. Check the jacket fits your body shape comfortably and gives you ample freedom of movement.

You’ll often find adjustment points at the waist hem, which allow you to cinch your jacket in for a closer fit. A dropped hem can add useful extra coverage, especially when bending, scrambling or wearing a pack.

Think about your layering system too. A summer waterproof can be fairly trim, but a winter or 3-season hiking waterproof should leave enough room for a fleece or lightweight insulated jacket underneath without restricting your shoulders, elbows or chest.

Wrist cuffs

Adjustable cuffs sealed with Velcro, toggles or clips are important because they enable a tight fit around the wrist, preventing rain ingress. Elasticised, non-adjustable cuffs are less ideal. You can open cuffs wide to aid ventilation when it’s not raining.

If you intend to wear your jacket with waterproof gloves, you’ll want to check you can pull your jacket cuffs over the top and get a secure fit to maximise weather protection.

Hood

A good hood should fit snugly and comfortably but move easily with the head so you can see where you’re going.

Volume adjustment, usually in the form of a toggle at the rear, enables a fine-tuned fit, and ideally, you want a stiffened brim or wired peak to keep rain off your face.

Some hoods are oversized for use with helmets. If that’s the case, adjustment points become even more important to enable a snug fit when you’re not wearing one. For general hiking, a hood that fits well over a bare head or beanie is often more useful than a huge helmet-compatible hood that needs lots of cinching.

Pockets

Big pockets are great for storing maps, gloves, hiking snacks and whatever else you intend to put in them. Mesh-lined pockets aid ventilation, but sealed pockets are more waterproof, which is particularly important if the zips aren’t reliably water repellent.

It’s worth checking the pockets aren’t obscured by your rucksack waistbelt, too.

For technical hiking, scrambling or backpacking, higher hand pockets or chest pockets can be more practical than low handwarmer pockets. An internal zipped pocket is useful for phones, keys and other essentials, but don’t assume every waterproof hiking jacket has one.

Zips

Zips can be a point of weakness liable to water ingress. For maximum waterproofing, choose a jacket with a water-resistant zip protected by a sturdy stormflap, either behind or in front of the zip, or both. A zip 'garage' – a little waterproof flap to house the closed zip – also helps keep water out and improves comfort.

The other thing we like to see is a two-way zip, which means it can be opened from the top or from the bottom. This makes it easier to dump heat and improve ventilation, as you can just zip up slightly to let warm air escape.

Chunky zip pullers are also worth looking for if you’ll be wearing gloves. Tiny, fiddly zips might save a few grams, but they’re no fun when your hands are cold, wet and losing dexterity.

How do I clean my waterproof jacket?

A very common question is 'why isn’t my waterproof jacket waterproof anymore?'. More often than not, the answer is simply that it needs a clean.

Buildup of sweat and dirt can stop a waterproof membrane from working properly. Give it a clean with the products we recommend below, either by hand or in the washing machine, and it’ll be right as rain.

After cleaning, you might want to reproof your jacket’s water repellent coating as well, which can be easily applied with a Grangers or Nikwax spray. Care and maintenance are vital to jacket performance and longevity.

If your jacket does suffer a rip or broken zip and needs a repair, there are plenty of retailers, such as Cotswold Outdoor, brands, such as Alpkit, and specialists, such as Lancashire Sports Repairs, that have repair services. A repaired waterproof jacket is almost always better value than a replacement, and it’s better for the planet too.

About the author

Matt Jones is a freelance journalist based in the heart of Eryri (Snowdonia), North Wales. He’s a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek. Matt’s been one of our main gear testers for the last couple of years and is the first person we call with any complicated kit queries that need in-depth and forensic analysis.

The best hikes in the Lake District are some of the finest mountain days in Britain, but choosing the right one can be surprisingly tricky.

Pick well and you could spend the day walking airy ridges, circling shining tarns or looking out across England’s highest fells. Pick badly and you might find yourself on a route that’s too exposed, too crowded, too steep or simply not quite right for the kind of day you had in mind.

That’s why we’ve pulled together this guide to 10 of the best walks in the Lake District, from beginner-friendly classics to serious mountain routes. Cumbria is home to England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, plus many more iconic peaks including Helvellyn, Blencathra, the Langdale Pikes and family favourite Cat Bells.

The Lake District is somewhere you can stroll through wooded valleys, tiptoe beneath waterfalls, walk around some of England's most famous lakes, scramble rocky ridges, backpack long-distance trails, sleep wild in the fells and bag England's highest mountain summits.

When choosing these Lake District walks, we looked for variety, drama, views and a good spread of difficulty levels. Some are famous for a reason. Others offer a slightly quieter way to experience classic Lakeland scenery. All of them come with LFTO route guides, downloadable OS Maps routes or both.

You’ll see difficulty ratings throughout. Here’s what they mean:

Easy – Shorter, well-marked routes with modest ascent. Suitable for beginners, families and lower-level days out.

Moderate – Longer walks with sustained climbs, rougher paths or more committing mountain terrain. A decent level of fitness helps.

Challenging – Big mountain days with steep ascent, exposure, scrambling, rough ground or serious navigation. You’ll need experience, stamina, suitable kit and good weather judgement.

We've included routes ranging from easy to challenging difficulty. It doesn't take long to go from one end of the skill gap to the other in the Lakes, and this is serious mountain terrain with very changeable weather conditions, so always go prepared.

Best walks in the Lake District

1. Helvellyn via Striding Edge

Distance: 12.8km / 7.9 miles
Elevation gain: 839m
Difficulty: Challenging
Best for: A classic exposed ridge walk and one of the Lake District’s great scrambling days

There's a reason Striding Edge is the most famous of all Lake District scrambles. This ascent of Helvellyn is a classic mountain day and rightly regarded as one of the best hillwalks in Britain.

The Grade 1 scramble across the rocky spine of Striding Edge is exposed and very narrow in places, so it’s not one for anyone who doesn’t have a good head for heights and confidence in high mountain terrain.

If this route doesn’t get you hooked on scrambling, nothing will. There’s something magical about picking your way through the tangle of rock with careful foot and hand placements that connect you to the mountain. The route reaches the top of Helvellyn at 950m then descends by Swirral Edge, your second ridge of the day.

Many people also choose to tackle this route in reverse, ascending Swirral Edge and descending Striding Edge, particularly in winter conditions.

For more info, check out our guide on how to scramble Striding Edge. Download the Striding Edge digital route from OS Maps.

2. Cat Bells from Hawes End

Distance: 8.46km / 5.3 miles
Elevation gain: 629m
Difficulty: Moderate
Best for: A first fell walk with huge Derwentwater views

No trip to the Lakes is complete without a quick blast up Cat Bells. This small peak overlooking Derwentwater provides stunning views of the northern Lakes and is a great introductory hill for beginners wanting to sample their first steps into mountain walking.

Starting from Hawse End, its 451m summit is reached in no time at all, with various options from the top. Even for seasoned hillwalkers, it's a great little hill, oozing with character and offering easy access from Keswick. Perfect for when time is short.

To see our favourite way up, check out our Cat Bells walking route guide. You can download the Cat Bells digital route from OS Maps.

3. Great Gable Climbers' Traverse

Distance: 10.5km / 6.5 miles
Elevation gain: 1130m
Difficulty: Challenging
Best for: Big-mountain atmosphere and Lakeland climbing history

This historic hulk of a mountain can be tackled via many routes, and on a fine day, the views from its 899m summit rival that of any in the Lakes.

One superb option for a great mountain day out is the route from Wasdale, which starts on the Moses' Trod path before climbing to the saddle of Beck Head then up to the summit.

The mountain has long been a training ground for some of the earliest British rock climbers, who cut their teeth on classic climbs like Napes Needle. That rich climbing history can all be viewed on the rocky Climbers' Traverse that cuts across Gable's south face. This is the trail you'll take from Sty Head on your descent back to Wasdale.

Every Remembrance Sunday in November, hundreds of people make the ascent of Great Gable for a memorial service held at the summit for members of the Fell & Rock Climbing Club who died in World War One.

For the best routes up this iconic mountain, check out our Great Gable route guide. Download our Great Gable walking route from OS Maps.

4. Scafell Pike and Sca Fell

Distance: 12.5km / 7.8 miles
Elevation gain: 1047m
Difficulty: Challenging
Best for: Bagging England’s highest mountain on a proper mountain day

No list of must-do Lakeland walks could omit the highest peak in England. There are many well-trodden routes up Scafell Pike. Some include Grade 1 and 2 scrambles, while others are just fine mountain walks.

If you don't fancy the scrambles, check out our favourite Scafell Pike walking route, which also visits the summit of neighbouring Sca Fell on a great mountain day.

Surrounded by England's highest peaks, the views are incredible and you can include several summits in one outing. Start at Wasdale Head so you can experience the birthplace of British climbing at The Wasdale Head Inn when you arrive back in the valley at the end of an awesome day.

Get our Scafell Pike digital route from OS Maps.

5. Blencathra via Sharp Edge

Distance: 7.76km / 4.8 miles
Elevation gain: 740m
Difficulty: Challenging
Best for: A short, sharp scramble with serious exposure

From Threlkeld in the north of the Lake District, you can squeeze two of the Lakes’ most exciting ridges into a compact walk to remember. Sharp Edge isn't overly technically difficult and is classed as a Grade 1 scramble, the lowest scrambling level, but it does require a very good head for heights and sure hand and foot placements.

Sharp Edge is also no place to be in bad weather, so take a look at our guide to scrambling Sharp Edge for more info on this fun but challenging mountain route.

That moment when you pop out on top of Blencathra at 868m is a feeling like no other and you'll go home glowing with a sense of achievement and exhilaration. But if you include Hall’s Fell ridge as your descent route, the fun isn’t over yet.

This airy ridge isn’t quite as exposed as Sharp Edge, but it will still have you reaching for the rock to steady yourself on the way down. This is a great walk to do if you want to test your mettle and conditions are good.

Get the Sharp Edge digital route from OS Maps.

6. Langdale Pikes via Jack's Rake

Distance: 11.87km / 7.4 miles
Elevation gain: 800m
Difficulty: Challenging
Best for: Classic Langdale views and an optional Grade 1 scramble

There are few more iconic mountain profiles in England than the Langdale Pikes, cutting an instantly recognisable figure on the skyline when approached from the southern Lake District.

There’s plenty of variety to be found when exploring these peaks, from the cliffs and gullies of Pavey Ark to the perfect rocky summit cone of Pike of Stickle and the Neolithic axe factory on the steep slopes below.

Climb the steep path beside Stickle Ghyll to Stickle Tarn, then if you’re feeling brave tackle the Grade 1 scramble of Jack’s Rake to the summit of Pavey Ark. From there, the summits of Harrison Stickle, Loft Crag and the Pike of Stickle are just a short walk away before descending back to the valley.

You can download the Langdale Pikes via Jack’s Rake digital route here. If you don't fancy a scramble, check out our Langdale Pikes walking route.

7. The Old Man of Coniston

Distance: 8.46km / 5.3 miles
Elevation gain: 751m
Difficulty: Moderate
Best for: A rewarding first mountain with tarns, mines and big views

Possibly the perfect beginner mountain, the Old Man of Coniston offers everything from dramatic cliffs and hidden tarns to historic mines and aircraft wrecks. The most popular way to climb the Old Man is directly from Coniston village, with huge views over Coniston Water opening up behind as you ascend.

The mountain tarn of Low Water is a great spot for a rest, and possibly even a wild swim in summer, before making the final push to the mountain’s giant summit cairn.

There are plenty of great options for onward routes from the top, including a descent via Dow Crag to the west, or carrying on north for a full round of the Coniston Fells taking in Swirl How, the Prison Band and Wetherlam.

If you fancy more of an adventure, check out our guide to climbing the Old Man of Coniston via Boulder Valley, which promises to be exciting as it's mostly pathless.

Download The Old Man of Coniston digital route from OS Maps.

8. High Street via Riggindale

Distance: 9.28km / 5.8 miles
Elevation gain: 643m
Difficulty: Moderate
Best for: A quieter eastern Lakes walk with a grand ridge ascent

The plateaued summit of High Street marks the highest point in the Lake District’s Far Eastern Fells and is named after the Roman road which once ran over the summit, linking the towns of Penrith and Ambleside. The most spectacular route of ascent is up the broad Riggindale ridge from the secluded shores of Haweswater.

Until recently, this was the home of England’s last resident eagle, which sadly disappeared in 2016. This is a great hillwalk rather than a daring scramble, but if you link it with a descent via Mardale Ill Bell and the Nan Bield Pass, you’ll mix in plenty of dramatic and rocky scenery too.

Download the High Street via Riggindale digital OS Maps route.

9. The Buttermere Fells

Distance: 15.08km / 9.4 miles
Elevation gain: 1262m
Difficulty: Challenging
Best for: Classic Buttermere scenery and a big Wainwright-bagging round

In terms of spectacular Lake District scenery, Buttermere takes some beating. This idyllic lake is framed by mountains, including two of the most distinct fells in the National Park.

Fleetwith Pike may only be 648m tall but its shapely north-west ridge forms the backdrop to many a Lakeland postcard, while neighbouring Haystacks at 587m cuts a craggy silhouette against the skyline.

The best way to get to know these fells is with a long route that also takes in Red Pike, High Stile and High Crag, giving you great views into the Ennerdale valley and the nearby peaks of Great Gable, Pillar and Scafell Pike. There are even two bothies tucked beneath Fleetwith Pike’s summit, which are great options if you want to turn this into an overnight trip.

Download the Buttermere Fells digital route from OS Maps.

10. The Fairfield Horseshoe

Distance: 16.83km / 10.5 miles
Elevation gain: 997m
Difficulty: Challenging
Best for: A classic high-level horseshoe from Ambleside

This is one of the Lake District’s classic hillwalking rounds, a peak-bagging circuit that starts and finishes in the picturesque town of Ambleside, which is overflowing with great gear shops, pubs and B&Bs.

If you’re into bagging Wainwright fells, the 214 peaks included in Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells, this walk chalks off eight of them with relatively little effort, in the sense that there isn’t much ascent and reascent between each peak.

The horseshoe is named after the 873m mountain of Fairfield, the highest point of this route and a fantastic viewpoint where you can look south down the entire stretch of Lake Windermere or north to the famous ridges of Helvellyn.

For the best way to walk the Fairfield Horseshoe, check out our route guide. Download the Fairfield Horseshoe digital route from OS Maps.

How to plan your Lake District walking trip

Choose the right difficulty

The Lake District offers a diverse range of landscapes, from grassy lower-level paths to rugged rocky mountains. We'd recommend researching the hiking routes you want to undertake and making sure they match your experience, confidence and fitness level.

Distance only tells part of the story. A short route with steep ascent, exposure or scrambling can be far more serious than a longer valley walk. Make sure you've got the appropriate gear, such as a durable pair of hiking boots that can handle rougher ground.

Suggested walking kit: Walking boots | Hiking daypack | Waterproof jacket | Walking trousers | Walking poles | Walking mid-layers | Base layers

Check the weather and visibility

Weather changes fast in the Lake District, especially on exposed ridges and high summits. A route that feels straightforward in sunshine can become serious in cloud, wind, rain or winter conditions.

Always check a mountain-specific forecast before setting off, not just the general weather for the nearest town. If the forecast looks poor, choose a lower-level walk, a lakeside route or a valley circuit instead.

When should I visit the Lakes?

As you might've guessed, summer and winter are worlds apart when it comes to hiking in the Lake District. However, every season comes with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Spring and summer will likely offer pleasant weather and beautiful scenery, but things can take a turn in hayfever season.

Summer is also when hiking – pardon the pun – peaks in popularity. So, prepare to deal with crowds, or seek out lesser-known routes for a better experience. Autumn, meanwhile, can showcase some stunning sights with fewer crowds. The weather can start getting hairy around here, so be sure to pack a waterproof jacket.

Winter brings some peace and quiet, along with chances to see breathtaking snow-covered landscapes. It also brings the most severe challenges, including low temperatures and icy paths. Insulated jackets are a must-have. Additionally, you'll want to consider researching the best winter hiking boots.

Download your route before you go

Phone signal is not guaranteed in the Lake District, especially in valleys and more remote areas. Download your route in advance, carry a power bank and take a paper map and compass if you’re heading into the fells.

Where should I stay?

To camp or not to camp? The choice is yours; both approaches have their merits. Cumbria is furnished with dozens of warm and welcoming inns, hotels and B&Bs. They provide a great opportunity to mingle with the locals and meet some fellow hikers.

Not to mention immediate access to hearty meals and a brew or two. Be sure to find the right location for your hikes, and book well in advance. The nice rooms sell like hotcakes, especially during peak seasons.

Of course, you can always save yourself the hassle and cost of hotels by simply pitching a tent. Camping in the Lake District is an excellent way to immerse yourself in the National Park. There are dozens of well-equipped campsites, or if you're feeling adventurous you could explore wild camping in accordance with the Wild Camping Code.

Undoubtedly, this option has the highest effort-reward ratio. It can be a hassle to pitch in the wilderness, but you may also wake up to your new all-time favourite view. Check out our wild camping guide to learn more.

Mountain safety

Walking in the UK mountains can be dangerous, with rough terrain, exposure and changeable weather. Always check weather forecasts and make sure you have suitable clothing and navigation tools. Ice axes and crampons are essential for walking in snow and ice, as are the knowledge and skills to use them.

Useful resources

Met Office Mountain Weather Forecast

Mountain Weather Information Service

Avalanche forecasts for Scottish mountains

Mountain Training skills courses

Mountain Rescue: Call 999, ask for police, then mountain rescue

About the authors

We've been mapping, walking and describing routes across the UK for decades in Country Walking and Trail magazine. It's with that deep well of knowledge and experience that we've compiled this list of the best Lake District walks.

Milo Wilson, LFTO writer and route-compiling-extraordinaire, assembled this article with help from Oli Reed, our fearless editor who has personally walked (and complained about) every one of these routes more times than he'd care to count.

Socks are the easiest bit of running kit to underestimate. Compared with trail running shoes, shorts, tees, or the integral running jackets, socks look small, simple and so unlikely to make or break a run.

Which is precisely how they getcha. The wrong socks can bunch underfoot, slip down your ankle, rub your toes raw, soak up sweat, hold moisture and make a day-ending pain volcano out of one tiny hotspot. Plenty of kit can annoy you on a run, but few things can derail a long day out quite as efficiently as a bad decision from the sock drawer.

That’s especially true on the trails, where your feet are constantly shifting inside your shoes. Climbs, descents, cambers, mud, wet grass and rocky ground all put extra demands on your socks. A good pair needs to breathe, wick sweat, protect key impact zones, stay in place and work with your shoes rather than wrinkling or sliding like mischievous goblins.

So, yes, it pays to be particular. The best trail running socks are the ones that basically disappear from your thoughts once you start running. This requires balancing a lot of important factors, as I already mentioned. Not every brand has been up to that challenge.

I’ve tested the latest performance socks from Adidas, Darn Tough, Smartwool, Bridgedale, Lorpen, 1000 Mile, Kailas Fuga and Acid Running to find the pairs most worth pulling on before your next run.

Jump to: How we tested | Best running socks reviews | Buying advice | FAQs

Best running socks at a glance:

Best in test: Adidas Terrex Xperior CLIMACOOL Crew

Best value: 1000 Mile REPREVE Nylon Trail Socks

Best for protection: Bridgedale Trail Run Lightweight T2 Merino Sport 3/4 Crew

Best for long-term durability: Darn Tough Element Micro Crew Lightweight

Editor’s note: This article was last updated in May 2026, when I added eight new pairs of running socks and removed all previous entrants except one. Well done to Bridgedale for surviving the cut.

How I tested

As the main trail running gear tester for LFTO, I spend an unreasonable amount of my working life trying to write about my socks but getting distracted writing about shoes. So after commissioning a load of socks early last year, I admit I dragged my heels slightly with writing up this running socks article, if you’ll pardon the pun.

The upside is that every sock in this group test (except the Kailas socks – a surprise addition from when I called in the Kailas Fuga EX 330 a couple months back) has been with me for over a year. They've all have seen more combat than the average veteran.

I’ve worn them for easy lunchtime runs, Sunday all-day outings, steep mountain climbs, wet weather slogs, and about any other bland description of trail running conditions you'd care to insert here.

While testing, I paid attention to the obvious first impressions: how easy each sock was to pull on, how it fitted around the toes, forefoot, arch, heel and ankle, and whether it felt comfortable straight away. Then I looked at how that changed over time. Did I develop sore spots? Did the sock slip down my leg or bunch underfoot? Too warm? Warm enough? How'd it deal well with sweat?

Finally, I factored in their long-term durability. I've judged how each pair held up after repeated washing, regular use and, in some cases, hundreds of miles of running. Any thinning fabric, loss of elasticity, worn cushioning, misshapen cuffs or early signs of holes counted against them. Socks may be small, but if you’re paying proper money for them, they should last.

Learn more about how we test.

The best running socks in detail

What to look for in trail running socks

The best running socks are the ones you barely notice. If they fit properly, manage sweat, reduce friction and add protection where needed, you can get on with the important work of wheezing up hills.

Trail running asks more of socks than road running. Mud, wet grass, stream crossings, steep climbs and long descents all increase the chance of rubbing, bunching and blisters, so a good pair can make a big difference to comfort.

Fit and construction

A running sock should fit closely without feeling restrictive. Too loose and it can bunch underfoot, wrinkle around the toes or slip down the ankle. Too tight and it can pinch, especially once your feet swell on longer runs.

Look for a shaped heel, supportive arch zone and, ideally, left and right-specific construction. A seamless or flat toe is also worth having, as toe seams can rub quickly on long descents when your foot is pushed forward in the shoe.

Breathability

Breathability is one of the biggest factors in sock comfort. Hot, damp feet are far more prone to rubbing and blistering, so the best running socks need to move moisture away from the skin and let heat escape.

For hot weather, fast running and racing, a lighter sock usually feels better. For colder months, longer runs or rougher terrain, it can be worth trading a little airflow for extra padding and protection.

Material

There’s no single perfect sock material. Merino wool is popular because it feels soft, regulates temperature, manages moisture and naturally resists odour, making it a strong choice for long runs, multi-day use and colder conditions.

Synthetic fibres such as nylon, polyamide, polyester, polypropylene and elastane are often used for durability, stretch, structure and sweat-wicking performance. You’ll also see recycled yarns, Coolmax, Tencel and anti-odour treatments, but overall design matters more than any single buzzword.

Padding and protection

Padding varies massively between trail running socks. Some are almost paper-thin, while others add targeted cushioning around the heel, toes, Achilles, ankle or ball of the foot.

More padding can help on long runs, rocky trails or when your feet are already battered. The downside is extra warmth and bulk, so thinner socks may suit racing, short runs or snug-fitting shoes better.

Grip and slip prevention

A sock doesn’t just need to avoid sliding down your leg. It also needs to stay put inside your shoe, otherwise your foot can move around more than you want it to.

Good trail running socks use arch support, elasticated cuffs, shaped heels and zoned construction to hold everything in place. That matters on trails because steep climbs, fast descents and cambered paths all create more movement than flat road running.

Compression

Some running socks offer mild compression through the arch, ankle or calf. This can help the sock feel more secure and supportive, particularly on longer efforts.

Full compression socks are a separate category, often aimed more at circulation and recovery. For most runners, a lightly supportive sock is enough: snug, not restrictive, and absolutely not trying to turn your calf into a vacuum-packed sausage.

Odour resistance

Anti-odour performance might not sound vital until you finish a wet trail run, throw your socks into a kit bag and open it again two hours later to discover a smell with its own weather system.

Merino wool naturally resists odour better than most fibres, while some synthetic socks use antibacterial or anti-odour treatments. Washing kit less often can also help reduce wear, save water and extend the lifespan of the sock.

Height

Running sock height is partly personal preference, but trail runners often benefit from a little more coverage. Ankle socks feel cool and minimal, but they leave more skin exposed to grit, mud, brambles and shoe-collar rub.

Crew and micro-crew socks give more protection around the ankle and lower shin, while taller socks can help keep debris out and add light calf support. For summer racing, low-cut socks can work well, but for rough trails, wet weather and longer days out, a mid-cut or crew sock is often the safer bet.

Durability and value

A cheap sock that wears through quickly isn’t always good value. Equally, a premium sock is only worth the money if it lasts longer, feels better or solves a specific problem for your feet.

Look for reinforcement around high-wear areas such as the heel, toe and ball of the foot. For everyday road runs, simpler socks might be fine, but for trail running, especially over rocky ground or in wet conditions, it’s usually worth investing in something more technical.

About the author

Milo Wilson is your sockmeister today. He joined LFTO full-time back in 2023 and helped to build the trail running section into the utterly nerdy, overly detailed quagmire of reviews that it is today.

Skye is Britain’s most dramatic mountain island. Rising straight from the sea in a chaos of black gabbro, serrated ridges and shadowed corries, the Cuillin form an intimidating skyline

But for those prepared to explore beyond the footpaths, Skye offers something even more special: some of the finest scrambling and low‑grade rock climbing in the British Isles.

The rough, grippy gabbro of the Cuillin makes for exhilarating movement on steep ground, while the island’s outlying ridges, coastal promontories and satellite peaks provide days out that range from committing mountaineering adventures to pure, joyful rock scrambling.

Few places pack so much variety into such a compact landscape – sea cliffs, airy buttresses, classic ridgelines and long, exploratory outings all within reach of one another.

Yes, Skye has its honeypots. But step away from the busiest summits and there are still corries where you’ll see no one all day, stretches of coastline that feel almost untouched, and ridges where the only sound is the wind off the Atlantic.

Noel Williams has been climbing on Skye for more than fifty years. The Scottish Mountaineering Club has just published the third edition of his Skye Scrambles, and to mark it he has chosen six of his favourite outings on the island.

The guide grew from an idea first encouraged by former SMC publications manager Donald Bennet, who recognised there was room for a book that bridged hillwalking and easy climbing. When the first edition appeared in 2000, it quickly found its audience, with later editions refining and expanding the original concept.

Few places pack so much variety into such a compact landscape.

Based in Fort William, Noel is well placed to watch the forecasts and wait for the rare clear spell on an island known for heavy rainfall. Nearly a decade of work on the new edition has added more than 30 additional routes, many in quieter corners away from the crowds.

Asked to pick only six favourites, he admits it’s an impossible brief. What follows is a small, carefully chosen sample – each route finishing on a prominent summit and arranged in increasing order of difficulty.

1. Orbost Coastal Walk

Noel says: Skye has a number of large promontories and, as a result, the island has a remarkably long coastline. There are some wonderful coastal walks around each of the main promontories, but one in particular stands out. It is situated on the west side of the island in the district of Duirinish.

It starts from the tiny settlement of Orbost and heads south to Idrigill Point, where there are fine views of MacLeod’s Maidens.

The continuation in a north‑westerly direction is quite committing, but the ground underfoot is delightful to walk on and this stretch of coast has numerous sea stacks and arches.

The last part of the outing heads away from the shore up a broad recess called Lorgill, where 10 families were cleared and shipped to Canada in 1830. A vehicular track eventually leads to the tarmac road at Ramasig, where transport has to be organised.

2. North Face, Sgùrr a’ Mhadaidh (Grade 2)

Noel says: The scrambling on this route is not very notable, but the devious route‑finding makes it particularly enjoyable. The route crosses over the crest of a rock climb called North‑West Buttress before descending into the Amphitheatre.

It then gains the Upper Rake, which soon becomes a very straightforward scree slope. Although the way up this is slightly tedious, the main ridge is soon gained at a dip between the third top and the summit. Turn right and ascend a rib to eventually reach the main summit of Sgùrr a’ Mhadaidh.

There is a left‑hand finish which lands on the third top, but the natural continuation from here is to head leftwards along the crest – over the crucial second top (Difficult) – to Bealach na Glaic Mhoire.

Note: Don’t be misled by the above photo. This face is north‑facing and can be very gloomy.

3. JMCS Buttress, Druim nan Ràmh, Coruisk (Grade 3)

Noel says: Inside the main arc of the Cuillin Ridge there is a long side arm called Druim nan Ràmh, which overlooks Loch Coruisk. This makes a fine outing in its own right, but there is a fun scramble on the Coruisk flank of this ridge, which leads to the main high point (500m).

A prominent crag low down has a climb called JMCS Buttress (Hard Severe), but this can be circumvented by starting up the little‑frequented Coruisk Gully on its right‑hand side. A crucial leftward traverse allows the easier upper part of the buttress to be gained.

Once established on the broad crest of the buttress, easy ways can be followed up the hillside. However, by deliberately moving right at every opportunity, further very enjoyable sections of scrambling can be found.

4. Sid’s Rake (left‑hand variation), Clach Glas (Grade 3)

Noel says: Clach Glas is a superb mountain often referred to as the Matterhorn of Skye. A traverse by its north and south ridges is one of the classic outings on the island. However, there are some fine routes on the east face of the mountain, one of which deserves to be more popular.

Sidney Williams explored the east face of Clach Glas in 1900. He found a way up the face, which starts to the right of A Minus Gully on a buttress with enjoyable scrambling. However, the upper part of his route is mainly walking. The left‑hand variation described in the guide is much preferred because it offers plenty of additional scrambling and reaches the crest right beside the Impostor feature, which leads to the summit.

5. The Dubh Slabs, left‑hand bypass (Moderate)

Noel says: It would be impossible to create a shortlist of outings on Skye without including the famous Dubh Slabs, which lead to the summit of Sgùrr Dubh Beag from just above the shore of Loch Coruisk. The slabs consist of perfect gabbro set at the optimum angle to offer delightful scrambling. They give the best Moderate outing in Britain.

The usual way down from the summit of Sgùrr Dubh Beag is to make a slightly scary abseil. However, it is possible to avoid this manoeuvre altogether by finding a way up an easy grassy ramp on the left‑hand side of the crest. The last scrambling feature on the normal ascent route is a slabby crag split by a conspicuous crack, which has become known as the ‘Must Dubh Crack’. The grassy ramp can be gained by descending a 5m groove immediately after ascending this crack.

6. West Buttress, Sgùrr MhicCoinnich (Difficult)

Noel says: Sgùrr MhicCoinnich is a fine mountain named after the famous Cuillin guide John Mackenzie. The west buttress of the peak, which starts behind the picturesque lochan in upper Coire Lagan, leads directly to the summit. It was first ascended by the Abraham brothers and party in 1907, although the crucial final pitch had previously been climbed by Gibson and party in 1892.

Most of the buttress gives absorbing scrambling, but the upper section of the route has two climbing pitches of Difficult grade – one below and the other above the conspicuous traverse ledge discovered by Hart with Mackenzie in 1887. The final pitch is a spectacular finale, which finishes directly beside the summit cairn.

Many more routes – from straightforward scrambles to low‑grade rock climbs – are described in Skye Scrambles, now in its latest edition after extensive revision and the addition of over thirty new outings.

I found the perfect wild camping spot in the Lake District recently, but as I sat down to write about it, I hesitated; should I share it? I’d absorbed enough hillwalking culture to know that the done thing is to keep it to yourself.

In certain corners of the internet, sharing a good spot is treated as a kind of betrayal – the assumption being that the moment a location is named, hordes will descend and ruin it forever.

Fly camping in the Lake District – camping near roadsides, often with large groups and leaving behind litter and waste – is a real problem. But wild camping is something different. When done right, it’s done above the highest fell wall, and leaves no trace that anyone was there.

The distinction matters, because the bad behaviour of fly campers has fuelled this culture of gatekeeping around wild camping. The idea that those who are ‘in the know’ have ownership over the mountains, and can keep spots from other people, is misanthropic at best. Especially when the land itself is public, and accessible to everyone.

The truth is that, if you’re not experienced, finding a good spot isn’t straightforward. There’s no signpost pointing you towards flat ground with a view. And anything that makes it easier for people to enjoy the outdoors, without harming the environment, is a good thing. So, I’d like to tell you about my perfect spot – but also how to find one like it yourself.

An ethereal dawn glow

On this autumn day, low strands of cloud were wafting down the valley, leaving us excited about the prospect of a cloud inversion. We parked at Kirkstone Pass, near Ambleside, and headed up the steep path towards Red Screes, where we planned to camp. It’s about a kilometre to the top, with 331m of elevation gain, on a good but rocky path. The views open up quickly, down the valley toward Ambleside, with a sliver of Windermere glinting below.

The summit spectacle was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. The tops of the surrounding fells poked through a sea of cloud, and it felt like you could jump in and swim between them. As the light turned golden, we watched the sun sink into its fluffy blanket.

That wasn't even the end to it: nature decided to put on another performance in the morning. I woke to an ethereal glow on the fabric of my tent; I put up my hand, and saw the glow reflected on my skin. I hastily unzipped the door, to watch from the inside of my sleeping bag as the sun broke through the mist below me, and the fell tops were flooded in pale light for one brief, spectacular moment.

Dissecting the map

All of the details on the above OS Maps screenshot point towards what we already know: this is an excellent wild camping spot. It’s flat on the top, as you can see by the fact the contour lines are spaced out. There's a summit tarn for water. If you zoom out, you can see that at 771m, Red Screes sits higher than its neighbouring fells, which means uninterrupted views over them and, on the right day, a grandstand seat for a cloud inversion.

Part of what makes this such a good spot is that it’s so easily accessible. Starting from a mountain pass rather than a valley bottom cuts the climb, making the walking part much easier. Yet it’s still ethically sound: at this elevation, you’re high enough for camping to be tolerated. The general rule is that you need to be above the highest fell wall (around 400m). On Red Screes, you’re not near any villages or towns, and not somewhere a casual dog walker is likely to stumble across.

There’s one catch: we wouldn’t have found this spot without paying for an OS Maps subscription. Annoyingly, it costs £36 a year, but you can get a free trial, or pay month-by-month. There are free alternatives, but I find that none provide detailed enough offline maps. With a good-quality map, though, a plethora of wild camp spots are waiting to be found.

Sharing the skill, not just the spot

There are plenty of other easy to access wild camping spots in the Lakes. Live for the Outdoors photographer, Tom Bailey, has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the area, and he suggests Latrigg, Mosedale Bridge, Great Mell Fell parking and Low Tilberthwaite as alternative starting points – with excellent spots within an hour or two on foot.

One important caveat: the closer you are to a parking area, the more likely you are to encounter other campers, or walkers. A good wild camping spot is tucked away from the path, and there aren't any other campers nearby. "If there are two tents already in your spot, you'll need to move on", the National Trust says.

Gatekeeping wild camping spots isn't going to solve the fly camping problem. But encouraging more people to wild camp responsibly, a bit higher up, might. People camping in laybys and on lake shores are often there because they don't know how to go further – and if they did, they'd have a far more rewarding experience.

Have a read of our how to go wild camping in the UK article for more advice – including info on ‘leave no trace’ and what to take with you. Read how to see a cloud inversion on your next hike for some top tips.

Sprawling and secretive, Cwm Eigiau harbours many tales for those who might seek to learn of its chequered history. It's a Snowdonian valley which once would have been bustling with activity as scores of men, in search of slate, plundered the feet of Pen Helig.

Before them, a handful of shepherds inhabited several small farmsteads at a time when the profound silence was broken only by the bleating of sheep, the raven’s throaty cronk and the whinnying of wild ponies for which these hills have been home for several millennia.

Pre-dating the shepherds was neolithic man whose settlements were littered around the northern Carneddau, traces of which can still be seen today. It is, however, two more recent events that have shaped the prevailing atmosphere of this lonely mountain sanctuary but we’ll deal with them later...

For now, let us contemplate a stupendous hill walk which encircles the cwm, visits three mountain summits and drops down to a deep, sombre llyn where a bothy awaits those who wish to spend an evening communing with ghosts of the past or, perhaps, other hillgoers similarly bent on wringing as much out of this evocative landscape as possible.

How hard is climbing The Eigiau Horseshoe?

Difficulty: Hard

Distance: 17km

Time: 6.5 hours

Total ascent: 1129m

Fitness: A big day, good stamina required, especially if carrying an expedition pack.

Terrain: Metalled road, pathless mountainside, clear paths, rocky summits, boggy ground.

Navigation: Relatively straightforward but care needed on the descent of Carnedd Llewelyn and down to Melynllyn.

Where is the start of the walk?

Eigau parking area. A bus service operates in Tal y Bont, but there is no public transport to the parking area.

What's the best map for The Eigiau Horseshoe?

Best printed maps:

• OS Explorer OL17 (1:25k)

• OS Landranger 115 (1:50k)

• Harvey British Mountain Map Snowdonia North (1:40k)

Eigiau Horseshoe: Step-by-step route guide

Step 1 – sombre and austere

From the parking area, hop over the stile and follow the track towards the dam. The scene is sombre and austere, with your first peak appearing distant and aloof. After 1.2km the dam is close at hand and rent by a curious breach.

It was here on November 2nd 1925 that the dam failed, sending billions of gallons of water down onto the village of Dolgarrog which resulted in the loss of 16 lives. A memorial garden in the village stands as a tribute to those who perished on that terrible evening.

Beyond the breach, the track continues and crosses the outflow of the llyn before passing below the whitewashed walls of Hafod y Rhiw. As the track continues ignore the right-hand fork and aim for the spoil heaps of the old quarry, from the bottom of which the track is left for a grind up the steep sloes and onto a heathery shoulder.

Pen Llithrig yr Wrach is your goal from here and a vague path takes you towards the climb to its bare summit.

Step 2 – stunning views

The view is stunning, with the peaks of the Ogwen Valley seen to great advantage and the deep waters of Llyn Cowlyd appearing unobstructed down the precipitous southeastern slopes of the mountain.

It’s only now that a true picture of what lies ahead can be appreciated, with Carnedd Llewelyn a considerable distance and hundreds of metres of ascent away. Strike off north-west and pick up a developing path that descends to Bwlch y Tri Marchog before embarking on a dispiriting slog up onto Pen yr Helgi Du.

The descent of PyHD is steep, airy and requires care but is short-lived and soon you will be striding across Bwlch Eryl Farchog, the narrowest ridge in the Carneddau. At its terminus a short, slabby bad step is encountered. But contrary to first appearances it is an imposter; a few easy moves solve the problem and once again all is well with the world.

The path now climbs and weaves through rocky terrain before levelling out for the final push to the high point of the day. A clear path can be followed but better still, by hugging the rim of Cwm Eigiau it is possible to enjoy breathtaking rock scenery. Just before the final ascent of the third highest peak south of the border, Fynton Llyffant is disclosed far below.

This was the scene of a catastrophic accident which occurred on December 9th 1957, when on the return leg of a flight from Pershore in Worcestershire a Canberra WK 129 crashed near the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn killing all on board.

Step 3 - a well-earned rest

Llewelyn’s summit calls for a well-earned rest, and the view south is a memorable one. In poor visibility it is important to get your bearings and make sure you continue in the correct direction, as the path isn’t obvious.

Start off north-north-east and where the contours start to widen veer north-east and gain a featureless plateau south-east of Foel Grach. Care is needed here as you descend pathless broken ground to Melynllyn, where a path can be picked up and followed to the eerie environs of Dulyn. The bothy is a short distance northeast of Dulyn’s outflow.

Step 4 – avoiding the bog

From the bothy there is a path which follows the Afon Dulyn for a route out of the cwm. It is, however, often very boggy. The best option is to reascend to Melynllyn and take the reservoir track back to the parking area.

What walking gear do I need for this route?

Even in summer, this is a big, challenging mountain route. The Snowdonian peaks are renowned for inhospitable weather, which can change in the blink of an eye, so don't even consider it without quality outdoor gear.

We'd recommend the obvious basics of walking boots or hiking shoes, a good hiking daypack, a reliable waterproof jacket, and a pair of quick-drying walking trousers with some packable waterproof overtrousers in your bag. Plus, quality insulating layers.

Where can I eat and drink?

Various takeaway and pub food can be obtained throughout the Conwy valley, with Llanrwst offering greatest variety.

Where's the best place to stay?

Erw Glas campsite,in Maenan. Also Conwy Valley Backpackers Barn in Tal y Bont.

About the author

Nick is a Snowdonia-based author and photographer, who's been writing features and route guides for Trail magazine and LFTO for over a decade. He's also a Mountain Leader who's passionate about sharing the experience of walking in his native North Wales peaks with other people.

Two-person tents are probably the most popular size of camping tent chosen by hikers, backpackers and even bikepackers. This is because, while they're obviously designed to sleep two people, solo backpackers also often favour them for the extra space on offer.

Granted, there are one-person tents if you want an even lighter, more compact shelter, or bivvy bags for the ultimate low-weight overnight experience. But for often less than 2.5kg, you can have it all with a two-person tent – sturdy weather protection, superb liveability and excellent features.

But picking the right tent for you is fraught with risk. Choose wrong and you could be carrying unnecessary weight or getting damp and cold on a rainy night.

So, we’ve done the hard work for you by testing a range of two-person tents on the UK's hills and whittled them down to our few favourites. We’ll be stunned if one of these doesn’t match the requirements of you and your tent-mate – whoever they may be.

Jump to: How we tested | Two-person tent reviews | Comparison table | Buying advice

Shortlist: Best two-person tents at a glance

Best two-person tent overall: Nemo Dagger Ridge OSMO 2P Tent

Best budget two-person tent: Vango Apex Compact 200

Highly rated: MSR Hubba Hubba NX

Most lightweight option: Big Agnes VST String Ridge 2.5

Editor's note: This article was updated on 7 May 2026, when we removed an outdated Nordisk tent and added in the MSR Hubba Hubba LT, Big Agnes VST String Ridge 2.5 and Wechsel Exogen 2.

How we tested

Over the decades (and it really has been decades) our outdoor writers and gear testers at LFTO and Trail magazine have used and abused hundreds of two-person tents in real-world, often gnarly conditions in the British hills and mountains.

We take our test tents out on proper excursions (usually in the Lake District and Snowdonia) and spend many hours pitching and reviewing them. We, of course, use them for sleeping in on our trips, but we also spend a lot of time examining every detail about them, from living space and ease of pitching to material quality and sustainability.

After extensive testing, we rate them against a set of criteria, including: weather protection, comfort and liveability, features, weight and pack size, and value for money.

We then crunch the numbers using our gear database, before selecting our final award winners.

The two-person tents recommended here were tested by James Forrest and Matt Jones – two of the UK's leading and most experienced outdoor writers. James is our Lake District-based freelance writer who is a highly experienced backpacker and wild camper.

Matt is a former outdoor magazine editor and now a freelance journalist based in the heart of Snowdonia National Park. He is one of the most well known and experienced outdoor writers in the UK.

Read more about how we test.

The best two-person tents reviewed:

Table: Best two-person tents compared

What to look for in a two-person tent

What tent shape is best?

Tunnel tents and geodesic tents are the most stable shapes and best for dealing with stroppy weather. The latter are the best for use in winter and the harshest conditions but are also the least spacious inside and heavier thanks to more poles and often tougher fabrics. Tunnel tents are very popular because they can be compact and lightweight, yet quite spacious and weatherproof too.

Dome tents are a common sight too, and vary quite a lot in design. They benefit from being freestanding and some are very stable. That said, there are certain dome tents that are less suited to strong winds because they have more upright walls to boost internal space, but at the expense of some stability.

What is the ideal weight and packed size for a two-person tent?

When it comes to lightweight tents, users often size up especially for longer trips because of the extra space available in return for a marginal size and weight increase. So, a solo backpacker will often treat themselves to a two-person tent; a pair upgrade to a three-person tent, and so on.

Ultimately, consider your rucksack size and volume, and be sure to check dimensions of a tent's packed size before committing to it. For a good quality, 3-season tent, 1kg or under is extremely light, 1.5kg is good, and more than 2kg is a tad on the heavy side.

How much internal space should a two-person tent have?

For two people to fit, you want a minimum of 60cm of shoulder width per person and a length of at least 2.1 metres. Some tents are asymmetric and are narrower at one end than the other. In terms of height, at least a metre allows you to sit upright, and for vestibule space, well, the more the better.

Do two-person tents pitch differently?

Some tents, particularly from US brands, are pitched inner first because they are best suited to warmer conditions and often used without the flysheet. But, it isn't ideal if it's raining. Others are pitched outer first or all-as-one, enabling the inner to be kept dry while the flysheet is pegged out.

Whichever design you opt for, rest assured that tents these days are all easy to pitch thanks to simple innovations like colour coded poles. It's been a few years since we've come across a backpacking tent that was tricky to pitch.

How do I ensure my two-person tent is weatherproof?

In addition to the overall shape, which we've mentioned above, for an indication of how waterproof a tent really is, check the hydrostatic head of the flysheet and groundsheet. A lot of lightweight tents' waterproof ratings may seem disappointingly low. However, many other factors, including silicone or PU coatings, the tent's shape, sealed seams, and the tightness of a fabric's weave, affect waterproofing.

As a rule of thumb, however, 2,000mm HH for the flysheet and 4,000mm HH for the groundsheet are good baselines for a tent if you're expecting to encounter heavy rain on your adventures. You can also boost underfloor water resistance with the use of a tent footprint.

Another key component of a tent's weather resistance is the flysheet.

For maximum weatherproofing, a tent's flysheet – the waterproof outer – should peg out flush to the ground and be easily adjustable via tension straps so that it's taut, stable and well-shaped. Some flysheets don't quite reach the ground, which aids ventilation but risks water ingress and draughtiness.

Why is ventilation important?

Condensation can be difficult to avoid in humid and wet climates, so good ventilation is key. Mesh vents on the inner and vent windows on the flysheet will help increase airflow, as will mesh panels on the inner's walls. Good clearance between the inner and outer is very important too.

What other features should I consider?

Other important features include: a good-sized porch for stashing your backpack and boots, a wide door for easy entry and exit, sufficient length and width for lying down (check carefully if you're 6ft+), a stormflap over the main zipper, internal pockets for gear organisation, an easy-to-fill carry bag, strong poles, good pegs, sturdy pegging out loops and robust guy lines.

How do I clean my tent?

To maintain the performance and waterproofing of your tent, you need to care for and clean them properly. You wouldn't reasonably expect longevity out of anything that isn't cared for.

Tent cleaning and care is easy and primarily involves cleaning them after use with the correct cleaning products and making sure they're completely dry before storing them away.

If your tent is in need of a repair, get in touch with a specialist repair agent such as Lancashire Sports Repairs, or the retailer/manufacturer. Outdoor gear repair services are continually improving as both brands and customers aim to be more sustainable (repair is also much cheaper than replacing).

You can also waterproof a tent yourself if the seams or fabric starts leaking.

About the authors

James Forrest is a prolific peak bagger and long-distance walker who’s one of the most high-profile outdoor writers in the UK. He writes regular features and route guides for us and has been one of our main gear testers for the last few years.

Matt Jones is a dedicated long-distance walker who's also a very respected voice in the outdoor industry. He's previously edited both Walk and Scouting magazines, and has been reviewing gear for years, including for Trail magazine and LFTO.

A few weeks ago, I walked a route so crammed full of character that it completely changed how I see the Yorkshire Dales.

The Dragon’s Ascent Challenge is only 15 miles long, but it took me through a landscape I thought I knew inside out and still managed to make my eyes pop with surprise at every turn in the trail.

Here are the kind of numbers that should get any hiker interested. Starting at the 13th-century Green Dragon Inn in the little hamlet of Hardraw, the Dragon’s Ascent route takes a quick out-and-back trip to England’s highest single-drop waterfall before covering 15 miles and 1000m of ascent along Britain’s oldest National Trail, finishing beside the fire at the Tan Hill Inn – Britain’s highest pub.

That we enjoyed walking a stretch of the Pennine Way through the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park will come as no surprise to regular LFTO readers. What did surprise me, though, was just how many highlights could be packed into a single day’s walk.

I grew up about an hour from Hardraw, among the hills and valleys of West Yorkshire, so am no stranger to the charm of the Dales. But life took me south 20 years ago and I feel ashamed to admit I’ve largely ignored this remarkable corner of England for most of the past two decades. From the second we left the Green Dragon that morning, following a gravelled country lane marked by that iconic wooden Pennine Way signpost, a whole childhood of memories came flooding back to me.

Within minutes, we were ambushed by the psychedelic buzzing of a lapwing’s wings as it whipped up above our heads from behind a drystone wall, then tumbled across a field and out of sight. As we gained height, the moors burst into life with the calls of curlews, skylarks, oystercatchers and golden plovers.

We passed dozens of derelict stone field barns – known locally as cowhouses – splashed through peat bogs, and followed long stretches of sandstone flags reclaimed from old mills, the kind of small details that make walking in the Dales so unmistakably unique

It was the rivers and waterfalls that really got me, though. You’ve probably heard of Hardraw Force – Kisdon Force and Catrake Force maybe less so – but I’d previously visited neither. Just one of them would have made the day memorable, but stuffing three into a single day walk is bordering on indecent.

Enter the dragon

Which brings me back to the Dragon’s Ascent, and what makes it such a great idea for us walkers. This challenge is the brainchild of Bradford-born businessman Andrew Hields, who rather conveniently owns the pubs at the beginning and end of it.

The Green Dragon and Tan Hill Inns will need little introduction to people who know these parts well, chiefly because both pubs have one hell of a selling point. The Green Dragon, for starters, has hands-down the best back garden of any boozer in Britain, with Hardraw Force – a mind-blowingly impressive 100-foot waterfall – lurking in a steep-sided and heavily wooded gorge behind the car park.

Access can only be gained after parting with £4 at the Heritage Centre that guards its entrance, and it really is worth every penny. If you’ve seen the 90s blockbuster Robin Hood Prince of Thieves then you’ve also seen this waterfall before, along with Kevin Costner’s bare backside as he clambers behind it after skinny-dipping in the pool at its base.

The Tan Hill Inn, Britain’s highest pub at 1,732 feet above sea level, is more than just a welcome sight at the end of a long walk. A longstanding favourite with walkers and bikers, it has also gained international attention in recent years – not least after the famous 2021 incident when an Oasis tribute band and around 60 guests got snowed in at the pub for four days, a story that made global headlines and only added to its legend.

So, you get the picture. These pubs are both great, and what better way to visit both than via a single, linear walk through the special landscape that surrounds them? Andrew cottoned on to that idea last year, and the Dragon’s Ascent was born.

The route can be walked in either direction, but the idea is to start at the Green Dragon, ideally after a few drinks the previous evening, a night in one of its recently revamped rooms, and a big breakfast. Then to finish at Tan Hill later that day, where real ales, a warm fire, and even warmer welcome will be waiting for you.

Even better… there’s a shuttle bus to take you back to the Green Dragon later that evening if you let them know in advance you’re taking on the challenge.

Getting high

I know the real question you want answered, though: how hard is it? I’m pleased to report the Dragon’s Ascent Challenge is very doable if you’re a reasonably fit and enthusiastic walker who doesn’t mind a bit of up and down. I’d say I’m occasionally fit and usually on the optimistic side of enthusiastic, and despite a couple of blisters and an aching hip, I got through it without any major drama.

The big ascent of the day comes right at the start by way of the long pull up from Hardraw to the 716m summit of Great Shunner Fell, but it’s a nice walk rather than a steep climb.

Picture quiet, winding lanes and scenic paths rather than steep hillsides as you climb into a landscape that shows off the Dales at its best – quaint and picture-perfect in the valleys, then wild, remote and undeniably impressive on the tops.

These are big tops too, not far from 3 Peaks country, with Wild Boar Fell and Ingleborough both catching the eye among the gallery of broad-backed, limestone-topped summits that surround you. From Great Shunner Fell you descend towards the village of Thwaite and beautiful Swaledale, where it feels like the landscape morphs.

Feel the Force

What I remember most about this stretch of the walk is water – the sight and sound of it filling the air as we crept around the edge of 499m peak Kidson, above the River Swale and its beautiful hay meadows that burn bright with wildflowers in the summer months.

The next mile or so is the one that really stood out for me – the Pennine Way path turning thinner with a slightly more adventurous feel as you tiptoe through a thick tangle of silver birch trees, which were rich with the aroma of wild garlic on our spring visit.

The closer you get to Keld, the more you’ll be aware of the roar of the river beneath you. The Yorkshire Dales certainly isn’t short of impressive waterfalls, with star billing often afforded to big names like Malham’s Janet’s Foss, Cautley Spout and Aysgarth Falls (another one Costner fans will be familiar with).

Kisdon and Catrake Force may not move in the same celebrity circles as the names above, and in many ways they’re all the better for it.

Visiting Kisdon, in particular, is an amazing experience. An old hand-painted green sign by Birk Hill is your cue to leave the Pennine Way and follow a short but spectacular trail past steep-sided limestone crags to a daring little descent that involves a rope and some slippery rocks down to a double waterfall that feels straight from a fairytale.

The two falls that make up Kisdon are set just a short distance apart in a deep and secluded ravine, surrounded by pools and rocks you can hop around on to find the best viewpoint. If we’d passed through on a warmer day it would have been hard to resist the urge to paddle or swim.

Then, shortly after grappling your way back up that rope and returning to the Pennine Way, you arrive at Catrake Force – another remarkable set of falls that tumble 30 feet in total from the hillside into the River Swale. This is a great place to pause for a snack on the grass beside the tallest of the cascades (around 6 metres in height) and prepare yourself for the final push to Tan Hill.

The 1,732-foot finish

If there’s a more satisfying way to end a walk than pushing open the door of Britain’s highest pub, then putting your feet up by the fire, pint in hand, then we still haven’t found it yet.

The final ascent of the day is long and steady, following those familiar Pennine Way acorn symbols all the way to the finish. You get a real out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere feeling as you continue the climb over Black Moor and then Stonesdale Moor until the pub finally pops into sight around 20 minutes before you reach it. It’s a lonely-looking place on first viewing – just a single grey building in an ocean of empty moorland – giving little impression of the atmosphere that awaits inside.

This is also a good point in the route to look back from where you’ve come from and appreciate the scale of what you’ve walked. Great Shunner Fell looks almost impossibly distant as you approach the finish line, and also mightily impressive. It makes an excellent high point and centrepiece for this walk, standing head and shoulders above the surrounding hills and visible for almost all of the day.

And what a day it’s been, and what variety you’ve packed into those 15 relatively short miles. From the honesty boxes in the village car parks to the calls of wading birds echoing around the hills, and from the babbling streams to the thundering cascades of some of Yorkshire’s most impressive waterfalls, this is about as satisfying as hillwalking gets.

You might have wet feet from all the bog-bashing and a few aches and pains from a full day on the move, but you’ll also take heart from the fact you don’t have around 150 miles of the full Pennine Way left to walk, like so many of the people you’ll have encountered along the trail.

In many ways, there’s nothing new about the Dragon’s Ascent Challenge, in the sense that the Pennine Way route has remained largely unchanged since it was launched 51 years ago, and that this walk simply follows it from start to finish. But as we contentedly sat in the minibus taking us back down the hill towards Hardraw later than evening, heading for a home-cooked meal and an evening of acoustic music at the Green Dragon, we couldn’t argue with the genius behind this idea.

Two historic inns, three magical waterfalls, almost exactly 1000 metres of ascent, 15 glorious miles of the Pennine Way, and 14 real ales to choose from between the two watering holes.

The only real question we had left was, how long should we wait before we come back and do it all again?

Now visit the official website to plan your own Dragon's Ascent Challenge.

You can probably name four or five of the main types of running already. Most runners mix some long runs, recovery runs and maybe a few hill reps into their training, even if they’re not following a formal plan.

But there are plenty of different types of running workout, and each one has a slightly different job. A base run is not the same as a recovery run. A tempo run is not just running a bit faster because you saw someone you know. Hill reps involve structure and intention, not just flailing up and down, which is horrible.

Understanding the different kinds of running training makes it easier to build a varied routine. Some runs build your aerobic foundations. Some improve speed. Some teach you to hold discomfort without exploding. Some are just there to get your legs moving again after a hard session, long run or race.

That doesn’t mean every runner needs a stopwatch and a lactate meter, mind you. This isn’t the military, which I assume functions entirely on timed lactation measurements. But mixing different types of running can help you get fitter, faster and more resilient while also keeping your weekly rotation spiced up.

Here are the definitive 10 types of running, what they do and how to use them.

Base runs

What is a base run?

Base runs are the bread and butter of training plans from hitting your first 5k to a 12-week marathon training block. This is your classic easy running: the lunch break loops, gentle plods and conversational miles where you can notice birdsong and briefly convince yourself you’re a calm person.

The key difference between a base run and a recovery run is intent. You go out for a base run when you’re already reasonably fresh and ready to train. The idea is for you to build the foundations, do the work of lower heart rate running and helping your body become more efficient at aerobic effort.

Physiologically, base running builds the aerobic base. This what people are on about when they talk about HR zone training. It helps your body get better at using oxygen, supports mitochondrial development and lets you accumulate training volume without frying your nervous system.

In endurance sport, that matters a lot. Research into training intensity distribution has consistently shown that successful endurance athletes tend to do most of their training at low intensity, with a smaller amount of properly hard work layered on top.

One study of recreational runners found that a more polarised approach (meaning training is mostly either very easy or very hard), with plenty of low-intensity running, produced greater training effects than spending too much time in the murky middle.

How often should you do base runs?

Base runs should make up a big chunk of your weekly running. If you run three times a week, one of those runs will usually be an easy base run. If you run four, five or six times a week, you might do three.

The key word here is easy. Not 'sort of hard but I can survive it'. Easy. Drop the ego!

Try it: 30–60 minutes at conversational pace. If you can’t say a full sentence without sounding like a Victorian ghost, slow down.

What are the benefits of base runs?

Base runs help you build the aerobic foundations that everything else sits on. They improve efficiency, support endurance and let you gradually increase weekly mileage without creating a dynamic where every run requires a recovery period after.

A good base run should leave you feeling like you could have done more.

Recovery runs

What is a recovery run?

Recovery runs are even easier (on your body) than base runs. They’re the little reset button after a hard session, long run or race. The idea is to get blood moving, loosen you up and reintroduce your muscles and heart to states of mild strain.

This is the main distinction from base running. Base runs are about building from a stable platform, and they're easy to do. Recovery runs are about getting back to that platform after the body has taken a bit of a kicking – so they can hurt a bit even if they're slow as heck.

There’s some nuance here. Active recovery can help with short-term recovery markers like blood lactate clearance, but lactate is not the main reason you feel sore two days after a workout.

Delayed soreness is more about muscle damage, inflammation and the general biological admin of repair. Reviews of recovery methods suggest active recovery can be useful, though it’s not magic and should not be treated as a substitute for sleep, food or not being an idiot.

How often should you do recovery runs?

Use recovery runs after harder sessions, long runs, races or particularly draining weeks. You don’t need to force them into your plan if you’re already rested, but they can be useful when your legs feel heavy and total rest feels a little too static.

For me, the best recovery run is one that feels utterly, embarrassingly slow. If you’re checking pace and trying to make it look good, you’ve already lost. This is a run where small dogs, toddlers and people carrying coffees may overtake you. Let them. This is their Olympics.

Try it: 20–40 minutes very easy, ideally on flat ground. Keep it gentle enough that you finish feeling better than when you started.

What are the benefits of recovery runs?

Recovery runs help increase blood flow, loosen stiff legs and maintain routine without adding much training stress. They can also stop runners from making the classic mistake of going too hard too soon after a big effort.

One of the main benefits is maintaining momentum in training and not letting you hit zero. So, they’re the running equivalent of putting your phone on charge before it fully dies.

Long runs

What is a long run?

The long run is the big one. The weekend ceremony. It usually starts off strong and optimistic, then ends with you eating something questionable at 11am while staring into the middle distance.

Long runs build endurance in the most literal sense: they teach your body and brain to keep going. They improve aerobic capacity, increase time on feet, develop muscular resilience and help you practise pacing, fuelling and all the tiny practical things that become huge after two hours.

Endurance training research shows that sustained aerobic work can improve running performance, with adaptations linked to oxygen delivery, mitochondrial function and fatigue resistance.

How often should you do long runs?

Most runners will benefit from one long run a week, especially if they’re training for a race, building endurance or trying to increase their overall fitness.

That doesn’t mean every long run should be a death march. Most should be comfortable and controlled. Remember, this is still the training part. You’re trying to make future-you harder to kill during a race, or even a long distance hike.

Try it: 75 minutes to 2 hours for general fitness, longer if you’re training for a specific race. Keep most of it easy.

What are the benefits of long runs?

Long runs build endurance, resilience and confidence. They also teach the boring but vital stuff: how your stomach handles gels, whether your vest rubs, how your running shoes feel after 90 minutes and how quickly your mood collapses when you forget snacks.

On the trails, long runs are especially useful because they prepare you for the messiness of real-world running: changing terrain, climbs, descents, gates, mud, weather and the emotional event of realising you still have eight miles to go.

Tempo runs

What is a tempo run?

A tempo run is a sustained comfortably-hard effort. Not sprinting. Not wheezing. More like 'I could hold this for a while but I’d rather nobody asked me a complicated question.' It’s often linked to lactate threshold, the point where your body starts accumulating lactate faster than it can clear and use it.

But its not always at the threshold. Tempo runs encompass a range of paces, with the emphasis being on maintaining that pace (or 'tempo', get it?) despite temptations to speed up or slow down. This is crucial if you're preparing for a distance race or even training for an ultra.

How often should you do tempo runs?

Tempo runs are best used sparingly, usually once a week or once every couple of weeks depending on your fitness, goals and overall training load.

They’re especially useful for 10K, half marathon and marathon runners, but casual trail runners can benefit too. Sustained climbs, runnable descents and long rolling sections often ask for exactly this kind of controlled discomfort.

Try it: 10 minutes easy, 20 minutes at comfortably-hard effort, 10 minutes easy. You should feel tested, not destroyed.

What are the benefits of tempo runs?

Tempo running helps you hold a strong, steady effort for longer. In real human terms, it’s the difference between feeling strong at a decent pace and feeling like your calves have been replaced with warm cheese.

It also teaches control. Tempo running is not about blasting yourself into orbit. It’s about rhythm, restraint and learning how to sit at a useful effort without tipping into chaos.

Threshold runs

What is a threshold run?

You could argue that threshold running is a subset of tempo running, but I’d split them like this: tempo running is about focused control and sometimes restraint. Threshold running is where you test yourself, run into the unknown. You need to sit right on the edge of discomfort and learn to stay there without tipping over into full aerobic panic.

Your lactate threshold is roughly the intensity where lactate starts to accumulate in the blood faster than your body can clear and use it. You'll know its happening because you'll get a stitch! That's what that is!

The goal of threshold running is to nudge that point upwards, so you can hold a stronger effort for longer before the wheels come off and your legs start drafting resignation letters.

Research into lactate-guided threshold training in elite runners has found that threshold work can be used effectively within a high-volume training model, helping runners develop speed endurance without the same level of fatigue as constant high-intensity speed work.

How often should you do threshold runs?

Most runners don’t need more than one threshold session a week, and many will do well with one every 10–14 days. It’s hard enough to create adaptation, so it needs enough recovery around it to be useful.

In real-world terms, threshold pace should feel comfortably uncomfortable. You’re working hard. You’re focused. But you’re also not sprinting, flailing or hallucinating.

For many runners, that’s around 10K to half-marathon effort, though effort matters more than exact pace, especially if you’re on trails, hills or into a headwind strong enough to rearrange your personality.

Try it: 10 minutes easy, then 3 x 8 minutes at threshold effort with 2 minutes easy jog recovery, then cool down. You should finish feeling like you worked, not like you’ve been spiritually audited.

What are the benefits of threshold runs?

Threshold runs improve speed endurance. They help you sustain a faster effort for longer without tipping into the kind of intensity that leaves you ruined for days.

They’re also mentally useful. Threshold running teaches endurance and grit: how to hold a hard effort, stay composed and keep working when your body starts making a strong internal case for simply not.

Progression runs

What is a progression run?

A progression run is exactly what it sounds like: you start easy, then gradually crank things up as the run goes on.

The idea is to finish faster than you started, often moving from easy pace into standard tempo or even threshold effort by the final section. You need to sustain it – so this doesn't mean sprinting the last kilometre then crashing.

Coaches often describe this as a 'fast finish' or 'negative split' workout, and the point is both physical and psychological. You’re teaching your body to run well when tired, but you’re also practising patience, pacing and the underrated art of not setting off like a spaniel fired from a cannon.

A 2026 review on negative split pacing notes that progressive tempo runs are commonly discussed as a useful way to improve pacing control and metabolic stability in endurance athletes.

How often should you do progression runs?

Progression runs work well as occasional quality sessions, especially when you want something harder than a base run but less rigid than formal intervals. Once a week is plenty for most runners, and they can also sit nicely inside a longer run if you’re more experienced.

Try it: Run 45 minutes total. First 15 minutes easy, second 15 minutes steady, final 15 minutes strong but controlled. The final section should feel like you’re hunting someone down in a race, not escaping a bear.

What are the benefits of progression runs?

Progression runs are great because they sneak some high intensity form work into a session without the looming dread of formal intervals.

Done right, they leave you feeling strong and composed rather than completely ruined. They also help you develop patience with your pacing.

Interval runs

What is an interval run?

Intervals are the classic 'run hard, recover, repeat' session. They are also responsible for many a promising young runner quitting the hobby for good.

The point of intervals is to spend controlled chunks of time at a higher intensity than you could sustain continuously. That might mean 400m reps, 3-minute efforts, 5 x 1km or the famous 4 x 4-minute VO₂ max session.

A well-known study found that high-intensity aerobic intervals improved VO₂ max more than long slow distance or lactate-threshold training in the participants studied. This is why you'll often hear runners say that serious interval training is crucial to improving past a certain plateau.

How often should you do interval runs?

Intervals are powerful, but they’re also easy to overdo. For most runners, one interval session a week is enough. Beginners are better off using them less frequently, or starting with gentler fartlek-style efforts.

The danger is that intervals feel dramatic, and they're honestly really fun! You finish with your hands on your knees, gasping like a landed trout, and think: Surely this is fitness. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it’s the precursor to awful fatigue for like 3 days.

Try it: 10 minutes easy, then 6 x 2 minutes hard with 2 minutes easy jog recovery, then cool down. Hard means controlled hard, not ambulance-adjacent.

What are the benefits of interval runs?

Used well, intervals improve top-end aerobic fitness, speed, running economy and confidence at faster paces.

Used badly, they turn you into a brittle little hamstring complaint with a Garmin. The aim is to run hard enough to stimulate adaptation, not so hard that you have to schedule a small funeral for your legs.

Hill runs

What is a hill run?

This one's self-explanatory. What's good about running up hills is that you get the same spikes in effort without the outright speed of flat intervals. Uphill running forces you to drive your knees, use your glutes, keep your posture honest and accept that the world is not fair.

Research on uphill interval training has found that different uphill programmes can improve running economy and performance, with higher-intensity uphill work showing clear benefits for running economy and neuromuscular measures.

How often should you do hill runs?

Hill sessions can be short and explosive or longer and more endurance-focused. Short hill sprints build power. Longer hill reps build strength endurance.

Most runners don’t need more than one dedicated hill session a week, especially if their usual routes already include plenty of climbing. Trail runners, in particular, may already be getting hill work whether they planned it or not.

Try it: Find a moderate hill. Run 8 x 30 seconds uphill hard, walk or jog back down, then repeat. Keep your form tall and snappy.

What are the benefits of hill runs?

Hill running develops strength, power, resilience and uphill efficiency. There’s also a practical benefit: hills reduce impact compared with sprinting flat out on tarmac, because your stride is shorter and landing forces tend to be lower.

Fartlek runs

What is a fartlek run?

Fartlek is Swedish for 'speed play', with 'play' being the operative word here. It's basically a less formal interval session.

Instead of running exactly 6 x 3 minutes at a prescribed pace, you mix faster bursts into a continuous run. Sprint to the next lamppost. Jog to the corner. Push hard up this hill. Float down the other side. It’s structured enough to be useful but loose enough to feel like play.

The specific research base for fartlek is thinner than for general interval training, but studies and coaching literature support it as a way to stress both aerobic and anaerobic systems, improve VO₂ max and build speed endurance.

One fartlek study on 800m runners reported improvements in VO₂ max after a fartlek intervention, while broader interval-training research supports the benefits of varied faster efforts for endurance performance.

How often should you do fartlek runs?

Fartlek works well once a week, once every couple of weeks or whenever you want a faster session without the tyranny of exact splits. It’s also brilliant on trails, where pace is often meaningless anyway.

Try it: 40 minutes total. After 10 minutes easy, add 10–12 random surges between 30 seconds and 2 minutes. Recover at easy pace between each. Have fun with it.

What are the benefits of fartlek runs?

Fartlek is brilliant for runners who hate overly precise workouts. For me, it’s the best way to smuggle speed work into a run which I had initially planned to be all easy, thus convincing myself to leave the house to begin with.

It can improve speed, fitness and confidence at faster efforts, while keeping the session playful enough that you don’t spend all day dreading it.

Trail running

What is trail running?

And now, the secret 10th type: trail running. My agenda is revealed at last. My bias laid bare!

This is where you throw a lot of the above out the window and lollop around in the woods like a deer. No one can see you. Your average pace doesn’t matter. Your GPS trace looks like it was drawn by a moth. Everything is suddenly better.

Of course, trail running still uses all the same systems. You’ll get base running on the flats, hill reps on the climbs, fartlek when the path gets playful, threshold efforts when a long drag refuses to end and recovery... well, probably when you take walking breaks. Which you SHOULD!

But the beauty of trail running is that it makes your running style adapt to the natural environment. Terrain, mud, roots, gates, rocks, wind and big lumpy hills all have a say.

It's much less about hitting numbers and more about moving well, staying present and reconnecting with the reason you got into running before GPS watches started shouting at everyone.

If you've yet to do so, transitioning from road to trail is one of the most rewarding moves you can make as a runner.

How often should you do trail running?

As often as you like! This article is now officially off the trails! I say you should run 1000 miles per year on the trail – I even run an entire community challenge around this exact goal!

Trail running can be a base run, long run, hill session, fartlek run or muddy little mental health reset depending on the route, terrain and how much of a menace you’re feeling.

Try it: Pick a route with mud, hills, trees or all three. Ignore average pace. Run the runnable bits, hike the steep bits, stop to look at the view and come home happier than you left.

What are the benefits of trail running?

For me, trail running is where all the pressure from 'proper' training melts away. It’s the place I go when I’m bored of pace, bored of data and bored of pretending a retrieval pavement loop to the same Tesco Express is spiritually nourishing.

Out on the trails, running feels feral again. You’re still training, obviously. But you’re also just a person in shorts bombing through the woods for no reason but the act in itself. I sometimes forget why I love this. Good to remember.

So, which type of running should you actually do?

No surprises here: you should do mostly base running with a long run, some faster work and enough recovery to stop your body from breaking down.

If you’re running three times a week, that might look like one base run, one session such as hills, tempo, threshold, progression, fartlek or intervals and one long run. If you’re running four or five times a week, you can add another base run or recovery run around the harder stuff.

The mistake most runners make is turning every run into the same medium-hard sludge. Not easy enough to recover. Not hard enough to adapt properly. Just endless grey-zone trudging, haunted by pace notifications and the vague suspicion that this should feel more fun.

That’s where understanding the different types of running helps. It gives each run a purpose.

Once you're nicely structured, take a peak at our guide to preventing common running injuries, since getting injured is almost always step 2 in a rigorous training plan.

About the author

Milo Wilson is LFTO's most handsome staff writer and self-proclaimed trail running guru. He joined the team back in May 2023 as a hiking writer, but he took to trail running like a fish to water and hasn't looked back since.

Big Agnes is one of the more inventive outdoor brands on the market, and the String Ridge VST 2.5 is the boldest expression yet of that design spark.

Part of the new VST (Velocity = Distance/Time) series launched for 2026, it's a trekking pole shelter that achieves a remarkable sub-1kg trail weight paired with over 3 square metres of floor space, 119cm of headroom and enough interior volume to comfortably accommodate two people and a medium-sized dog.

The trekking pole-supported architecture, along with a distinctive ventilation wing at one end, magnetic door tabs and Big Agnes's proprietary HyperBead fabric technology all mark it out as a genuinely innovative piece of kit. On paper, it reads like exactly the kind of shelter the ultralight backpacking market has been waiting for – and a shoo-in for our list of the best two-person tents.

In practice, when I tested it in the hills of North Wales in early April, it was a more complicated story. The interior volume and packed dimensions are extraordinary. But in damp, gusty British conditions – the kind of weather most Brits will encounter regularly when wild camping – the String Ridge VST 2.5 revealed some meaningful limitations.

Condensation was a persistent issue despite my best attempts at ventilation management, and the large unsupported panels of ultra-thin fly fabric became flappy and noisy in blustery overnight conditions, ensuring a restless rather than restful night. The String Ridge VST 2.5 is a genuinely impressive shelter. But I think it’s better suited to the American backcountry than a Welsh hillside in April.

Shape, structure, pitching, and internal liveability

The String Ridge VST 2.5's defining characteristic is its trekking pole-supported architecture. Two poles placed at either side of the inner tent provide the main structure and create large porch areas, while a third shorter pole at one end props up a ventilation wing that is designed to maximise airflow.

The result is a tent that feels, once you're inside, substantially bigger than its weight and packed size suggest is possible. Two wide sleeping mats sit side by side with room to spare, gear can be stowed inside rather than forced into the vestibules, and 119cm of headroom means loads of room to sit up straight. For a shelter at 850g, it's a remarkable achievement.

The '2.5' designation refers to a triangular extension at one end, resulting in an asymmetric footprint – an extra wedge of covered space, inside the inner, specifically sized for extra kit or a dog. On test this additional zone proved genuinely useful.

It is a hybrid single-skin design, which means you get a hanging, fully enclosed inner that delivers reliable bug-proof protection. Overhead, however, the two main fabric panels of the flysheet provide only a single thin layer of protection from the elements.

The pitch requires three trekking poles – more than any other tent we can think of, and a meaningful practical consideration. In the absence of a third trekking pole (not everyone carries two, let alone three), Big Agnes suggests improvising with a short tarp pole or a suitable stick (60cm approx). My solution was a short awning pole borrowed from the Lifesystems Solo Peak Tent Porch Set, which worked well.

The pitch itself, once you've learned the pole placements and staking sequence, goes up reasonably quickly – the asymmetric layout is less intuitive than a symmetric tent on first encounter but becomes familiar with practice.

Waterproofing

The fly is made from HyperBead 20D recycled polyester with a 4,000mm hydrostatic head (HH) rating and PFAS-free treatment – Big Agnes claims it's 6% lighter, 25% more waterproof and 50% stronger than conventional tent fabrics, though as ever these comparative claims don't specify which fabric is being benchmarked. What I can say is that in direct rain the fly performed well.

Bizarrely, the floor has a much lower waterproof rating. This is one of the few tents I’ve tested that has a more waterproof flysheet than groundsheet. It’s made from 15D nylon but has a hydrostatic head of only 1,500mm HH.

As such, compared to most rivals the String Ridge’s floor looks underspecced, especially on wet British ground. This means that the footprint is basically essential, not just for waterproofing (adding another 4,000mm HH) but to protect such thin fabric from abrasion on rough terrain. This is sold separately and adds extra cost and weight (£60 and 115g) to an already expensive package.

Condensation

This was the tent's most significant failing in my test conditions, and it's worth being frank here. The String Ridge's headline feature for condensation management is its ventilation wing – a large triangular panel at one end of the fly that can be propped open to direct airflow through the shelter.

In theory it should offset the inherent condensation risk of a mostly single-skin fly by funnelling a continuous draught of fresh air through the tent body.

In practice, in cold foggy conditions at 450m in early April, it didn't work. Overnight, the inside surface of the fly collected a significant film of moisture from condensation, and every time the flysheet flapped in gusts during the early hours, droplets showered down from the ceiling onto sleeping kit below.

To be fair to the tent: hill fog and low temperatures (recorded temps of 5°C) at reasonable altitude represent challenging conditions for any single-skin shelter, and this is exactly the scenario where conventional double-wall designs with a physical air gap between inner and fly hold a structural advantage. In warmer, drier conditions – which the String Ridge is primarily designed for – the ventilation wing concept is more credible.

Other US-based gear websites, testing in places like the dry, semi-arid conditions of California, found condensation to be minimal. British conditions, however, regularly involve exactly the cold, damp, foggy nights that single-skin hybrid designs find hardest. If you camp predominantly in warm and fair weather, this will be a lesser issue. If you wild camp in the British hills in spring and autumn, it will not.

Wind protection

The String Ridge VST 2.5 is an inherently large, generously proportioned shelter, and large unsupported panels of ultra-thin fabric are a predictable consequence of that design priority. In blustery conditions, those panels snap and slap in ways that smaller, tighter tents don't.

Big Agnes has made genuine efforts to address this – a centre guyline at the asymmetric end and secondary lines supporting the vestibules help pull the structure taut – but the physics of large spans of thin fabric in wind are not easily overcome. On test, overnight gusts in the early hours turned the tent into something closer to a percussion instrument than a place of rest.

Contributing to this problem are the supplied guylines, which are too thin and prone to slipping through the integrated tensioners under sustained load. I'd be tempted to replace these with slightly heavier cordage and more secure line-lok runners before using this tent in anything approaching exposed conditions.

Similarly, the 6in Dirt Dagger UL stakes are too short to hold reliably in soft, waterlogged or boggy upland ground. Swapping these out for longer 7.5in or 10in Daggers – or at least supplementing with a few heavier pegs at key anchor points – is essentially mandatory for UK wild camping use.

Features

The YKK DynaPel fly zippers are excellent – smooth, durable and easy to operate from any position, including lying down. It’s easy to get in and out of the tent, and the trekking poles at either side don’t drastically impinge on doorway space.

You don’t get loads of internal storage in terms of pockets or gear shelves inside the tent itself, but the masses of floor area mean there’s ample space to sort your kit. The porches are generously proportioned too, with space for backpacking packs, walking boots or cooking gear.

The magnetic door tabs are a charming idea that sadly do not work in any wind speeds above a gentle breeze. They're more than adequate for calm evenings but won't hold the doors open in a gust.

Sustainability

The fly and floor both use recycled solution-dyed polyester and nylon respectively, manufactured without intentionally added PFAS. The solution-dyed process uses pre-dyed fibres rather than immersion dyeing, reducing the water and energy required to colour the fabric – Big Agnes claims a minimum 80% reduction in carbon emissions compared to conventionally dyed fabrics.

The YKK DynaPel zippers are designed with sustainability in mind and contain no intentionally added PFAS. It's a comprehensive and well-documented sustainability package – among the most credible in any tent at this price point.

Price and competition

With a UK RRP of £580, the String Ridge VST 2.5 is premium priced even by the standards of ultralight shelters. For a comparable two-person trekking pole shelter, the Zpacks Duplex or Duplex Pro (around £550 plus 20% VAT and import duties) uses Dyneema Cuben Fiber to achieve a dramatically lower weight (around 530g), though it's even more demanding in terms of pitch technique.

The Durston X-Mid 2 (around £330) is an even better contender: around the same weight as the String Ridge 2.5 but far more condensation-resistant and less price-punishing.

Against Big Agnes's own range, the Copper Spur UL2 (around £500) is meaningfully heavier at 1.36kg trail weight but offers a conventional double-wall freestanding design with far better condensation management and wind performance for similar money. Others to consider include the Nemo Dagger Ridge OSMO, the new MSR Hubba Hubba LT and the Sea to Summit Alto or Telos TR2 Evo.

Verdict

This is one of the most spatially ambitious ultralight shelters we’ve tested in recent years. The interior volume it delivers at under 850g and a 37.5cm packed size is extraordinary, and in the right conditions – warm, dry, calm long-distance trail hiking – it's a remarkable piece of gear.

But it’s not so good for cold, damp, foggy conditions. If you go wild camping with it, be aware that it can be flappy in high winds, condensation can be a real issue, the floor's 1,500mm HH demands a footprint, and you’ll need three trekking poles to pitch it (or two and a short pole strut or stout stick).

Experienced thru-hikers doing long warm-weather routes in favourable conditions will find a brilliant shelter here. For UK backpacking or wild camping, other alternatives come with fewer compromises.

See our list of the best wild camping tents for more options.

About the author

Matt Jones is a freelance journalist based in the heart of Eryri National Park (Snowdonia), he’s a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek.

Matt’s been one of our main gear testers for the last couple of years and is the first person we call with any complicated kit queries that need in-depth and forensic analysis. He was previously editor of Walk and Scouting magazines.

When heading outdoors, staying warm, comfortable and well-protected from the elements is essential. The best women's fleece jackets should hit all of those parameters, with a good balance of insulation, breathability and freedom of movement.

Many should also be multifunctional, being able to go from peaks, to park to pub without a hitch, which means style shouldn't be an afterthought.

In this guide, we’ve gathered the best women's hiking fleeces to suit a variety of climates, preferences, and outdoor adventures. We’ll explore options for different budgets, materials, and styles, so you can find the fleece that fits your needs, keeping you cosy on every adventure.

Shortlist: Best women's fleece jackets at a glance

Best fleece jacket in test - Patagonia R1 full zip

Best value fleece jacket - Alpkit Griffon

Best lightweight fleece - The North Face Summit Series Futurefleece

Editor's note: We last updated this guide to the best women's fleece jackets on 24 March 2026, adding three new favourites: The Helly Hansen Versalite, Alpkit Griffon and OMM Core, tested by Evie Nichols.

How we tested

Whether you’re looking for something lightweight for cool mornings or a heavy-duty layer for wintry conditions, the best fleece jackets can keep you cosy without adding too much bulk.

Twelve different hiking fleeces were tested by a team of outdoorsy women of all shapes and sizes, to make sure a full range of use-cases and fits were investigated. The fleeces were tested in a range of conditions across all seasons and over all activities, from hiking, to camping, to running.

Heading up the team is LFTO writer Fliss Freeborn, who stands at a lofty 5'2" and wears the size directly in the middle of a UK 8 and a 10, which is useful for testing whether things run big or small.

Best women's fleece jackets:

What should I look for in a hiking fleece?

Type

Look for a fleece that balances warmth with breathability and allows freedom of movement. Check the weight (light, mid, or heavy) based on the climate you'll be hiking in, and consider features like moisture-wicking, zippered pockets, and hooded options for extra versatility.

The insulation type can also differ as to the pattern or lining used (grid-pattern, ribbed, brushed). As a general rule, it should be able to pack down into a fairly small bundle to be stuffed into a hiking rucksack at a moment's notice.

Weight

It depends on the season and temperatures you’ll be hiking in. Lightweight fleeces work well in warmer conditions or as part of a layering system.

Midweight fleeces are versatile for cooler weather, while heavyweights provide maximum insulation in cold environments. As a rule, we have one of each in our wardrobes, which then can be layered on top of one-another for super cold nights in the tent!

In terms of the physical weight of the fleece, for very lightweight fleeces, anything sub 300g is a good bet. Midweight fleeces (the majority of what we've been testing here) should be between 300g - 450g grams, and anything above 450g is going to be a warm, fleecy chonker.

Fit

A good hiking fleece should fit snugly but allow enough room to move comfortably, layer over a base layer, and fit under a jacket if needed. You don’t want it too tight, as it should trap air for insulation, but also it shouldn't be overly loose, as this could let cold air in. Look for articulated sleeves and underarm patches in more technical offerings.

Can I use a regular fleece for hiking?

While any fleece can provide warmth, hiking-specific fleeces are usually designed with technical features, like moisture-wicking fabrics, added stretch, and durability to withstand outdoor wear and tear. These features make them a better option for hiking - but if you're out and about for a few hours walking the dog, or perhaps going for a woodland stroll, then any fleece will be ok.

If you're doing anything prolonged outdoors in a technical mountain environment, however, you'll want something a lot more lightweight that stows easily into. abag.

Are fleeces good for wet conditions?

Fleeces aren't waterproof, but they do dry quickly and retain some warmth even when damp. Some fleeces come with a DWR coating, but for properly wet conditions, you’ll want to layer your fleece under a waterproof shell to stay dry and comfortable.

How should I care for my hiking fleece?

Most fleeces can be machine washed on a gentle cycle, but avoid fabric softeners as they can reduce the fabric’s moisture-wicking ability, and they encourage microplastic shedding. Hang drying is usually best to maintain the fleece’s shape and softness, but tumble drying on a low heat can also work too.

What are the eco-friendly options for hiking fleeces?

Many brands now offer fleeces made from recycled polyester or sustainably sourced materials. Check for certifications like Bluesign or Global Recycled Standard (GRS) if eco-conscious options are important to you. Many of the fleeces we've tested here are very eco-consciously made, including the options from Patagonia, BAM, Craghoppers and Arc'teryx.

About the author

LFTO writer Fliss Freeborn might otherwise be known as Fleece Freeborn. She just loves the things and cannot get enough of being cosy, mainly because she lives in Scotland in the world's coldest ground floor victorian terrace.

While hiking shoes may lack the ankle support and weather protection you get from walking boots, they certainly make up for it by feeling lightweight and nimble.

They're suited to countryside walks or nice days on well-maintained trails, but the fleet-footed among you may also choose them for more adventurous outings too. With that in mind, we’ve been busy out in the hills and mountains testing this year’s best models.

Just like walking boots, hiking shoes vary a lot in terms of design and construction, from more structured shoes for those who need maximum stability and support, to super lightweight, trail running shoe-inspired footwear.

This isn’t to say that hiking shoes work for everyone. Ultimately, a lot depends on where and when you go walking. Although many modern trail hiking shoes come with waterproof Gore-Tex linings, they still don’t provide as much protection as a lined leather boot, due to their lower flood height. Others might also prefer the extra ankle support and long-term durability of a high-quality pair of boots.

At Live for the Outdoors, we’ve certainly embraced the trend towards trainer-style hiking shoes because it’s superb for fast days in the mountains. But we also still enjoy using more sturdy, supportive, often leather hiking shoes for longer treks and technical routes.

Best hiking shoes at a glance

Best hiking shoes overall: La Sportiva Ultra Raptor II Leather GTX

Best town-to-trail walking shoes: Adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2.0 Low GTX

Best value hiking shoes: Inov8 Roclite GTX

Editor's note: This article was updated in May 2026, when we added the Danner N45 and the Lowa Ventierra GTX Lo.

The best hiking shoes reviewed:

How to choose a pair of hiking shoes

What features should I look for?

Tongue: A padded tongue will provide improved comfort, while a gusseted or bellows tongue – which is fully attached to the uppers – will provide better protection from water and debris.

Toe bumper: A toe bumper provides additional durability and protection for the front of the foot, particularly on rocky ground.

Heel counter: This is the stiffened cup that encloses the heel, providing protection and support. A firm heel counter helps to lock the foot in place and offers additional stability.

Ankle cuff: Unlike boots, walking shoes have a low cuff around the ankle. Some will be cut a little higher than others, helping to prevent water, mud and debris from entering the shoe, but all walking shoes generally prioritise comfort and flex over ankle support and protection.

Insole: For enhanced comfort and stability, you might prefer to switch out the shoe's supplied insole for a higher quality, specialist insole instead.

Midsole: The midsole – usually made from EVA or PU foam rubber – provides cushioning and stability, and its design will affect how rigid and energetic a shoe feels underfoot. Oversized and mega-cushioned midsoles are currently popular, providing a very springy, forward-propelling sensation as you walk.

Outsole: The outsole provides traction via a tread pattern of rubber cleats and lugs. Different rubber compounds are employed – softer compounds offer better grip, but harder compounds will last longer. In general, deep and widely-spaced lugs will provide improved grip and won't get clogged with mud.

How do I clean my hiking shoes?

Hiking footwear gets a hard life, and in order to keep it performing as well as it can for as long as it can, proper cleaning and care is key.

Fortunately, it's very easy. Head to our comprehensive guide to find out how to care for your hiking footwear, but it boils down to using a proper footwear and gear cleaner. We recommend either Nikwax or Grangers products.

About the author

Your kit testers for these reviews were Matt Jones, James Forrest and Chris Williams, with contributions from Ellie Clewlow. Matt and Ellie are our Snowdonia-based freelance writers and reviewers who have been testing outdoor kit for years and are among the UK’s most experienced, authoritative outdoor writers.

Our next gear tester, Chris, has extensive experience hiking in some of the world’s most far-flung mountains. He's also worked in the outdoor industry for several years as a journalist. James, who wrote five of these reviews, has been writing for us for years, is based in the Lake District and has climbed every mountain in the UK and Ireland.

The best Peak District walks might not be able to rival the Lake District for height, but don’t let that fool you – there are hundreds of footpaths, edges, dales and moorland routes criss-crossing this national park.

Pick the wrong one and you could end up ankle-deep in bog, stuck in a tourist bottleneck, or tackling a “moderate” hike that’s anything but. That’s exactly why I’ve put this guide together.

After years of walking here, from windswept days on Kinder Scout to golden-hour strolls along the Great Ridge, I’ve pulled together what I genuinely think are the best walks in the Peak District. These are places where I’ve hiked myself, in different seasons and conditions, and recommended to friends time and time again.

In this article, you’ll find a mix of proper bucket-list classics, short scenic loops and bigger, leg-burning days out. When choosing these walks, I looked at a few key things: views (obviously), variety of terrain and how rewarding the effort feels. In other words – is it worth lacing up your boots for?

You’ll also see difficulty ratings throughout. Here’s what they actually mean:

Easy – Well-marked paths, gentle gradients, under 5 miles. Suitable for beginners and families.

Moderate – Some sustained climbs, rougher ground, typically 5–9 miles. A decent level of fitness helps.

Challenging – Steep ascents, exposed sections or distances over 10 miles. You’ll need stamina, good footwear and a head for changeable weather.

Below, you’ll find our pick of the best Peak District walks, each with mapped digital routes you can download and follow in OS Maps, so you can spend less time planning and more time out on the hills.

We've included routes ranging from easy to challenging difficulty. Be sure to read our mountain safety advice at the bottom of this article if you're thinking about bagging some peaks. The Peaks are ideal for gaining confidence on technical terrain and improving your scrambling.

Best walks in the Peak District:

1. Kinder Scout edges

Distance: 20.36km / 12.7 miles
Elevation gain: 585m
Difficulty: Challenging

A circuit of the highest peak in the National Park, with its wide-ranging views and rock features, is probably the most rewarding Peak District route of all. You can start from Edale with a steep pull up to the rock formation of Ringing Roger via The Nab.

Make tracks past Ringing Roger’s dramatic geology and cling to the barren plateau of Kinder Scout, with the steep drops behind you delivering far-reaching views.

From here, you can make it up as you go because this vast expanse of peat bog has no real defined summit, yet plenty of fascinating features to explore.

Those include the waterfall of Kinder Downfall, the Seal Stones rocks, Noe Stool, the Wool Packs and Jacob’s Ladder. Make sure you brush up on your map and compass skills though, because it’s a nightmare to navigate in poor visibility.

View our OS Maps route here.

2. Mam Tor and the Great Ridge

Distance: 13.17km / 8.1 miles
Elevation gain: 473m
Difficulty: Moderate

There are many great reasons to walk Mam Tor and The Great Ridge, but one of the biggest has to be witnessing the Peak District’s contrasting geology.

Start in the village of Castleton where, if you fancy making this a long walk, you can add early excitement to the lower elevations by hiking The Limestone Way through Cave Dale before tackling the ascent to Mam Tor’s 517m summit.

From there the whole of the Great Ridge strings out ahead of you to the north-east, heading over Hollins Cross and Back Tor to its finish at Lose Hill.

As you walk the backbone of the ridge you get to appreciate the landscape of both the White and Dark Peak, with views stretching across the limestone hills in the south and gritstone edges in the north that define the two key characteristics of this famous National Park.

This well-marked ridge is a fantastic family option and is not complete without a cuppa in Castleton when you finish.

View our OS Maps route here.

3. Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill

Distance: 8.95km / 5.5 miles
Elevation gain: 476m
Difficulty: Moderate

The classic White Peak territory of Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hillmakes for beautiful hillwalking. Intersecting dry stone walls, stiles and plenty of suspicious sheep definitely give it the feel of a proper English countryside walk.

As you climb up and down these spectacular limestone protrusions, you’ll be walking atop former sea-beds. And don’t be fooled by their relatively low elevations because – on Parkhouse Hill particularly – there are plenty of steep drops and descents where you’ll need to carefully watch your step.

You can bag both hills in a relatively short loop that will be over way too quickly, but this is as spectacular a landscape as you’ll find anywhere in the Peak District so linger as long as you can and take plenty of photos.

View our OS Maps route here.

4. The Roaches

Distance: 18.92km / 11.7 miles
Elevation gain: 686m
Difficulty: Challenging

Wildlife, stunning terrain and mythical tales make the Roaches a top choice for hillwalkers. These iconic crags deliver a classic hike with expansive views to Cheshire and even Snowdon on a very clear day.

If you’ve ever driven the A53 from Buxton to Leek, you’ll know the views out of the car window compel you to pull over, lace up your boots and walk The Roaches.

Up on the dramatic outcrops, surrounding the 505m summit, birdlife is abundant, with grouse, swooping buzzards and even peregrine falcons hiding in the crags. Keep a watchful eye for a bounding wallaby, which were accidentally released in the area back in WW2 and are rumoured still to be bouncing around the hills.

If you’re feeling extra determined, throw in the climb of neighbouring Hen Cloud. The escarpment certainly has a mystical quality, especially given that Doxey Pool, which you’ll pass on the way, is said to be inhabited by the spooky mermaid Wicked Jenny Greenteeth.

View our OS Maps route here.

5. Stanage Edge

Distance: 22.48km / 14 miles
Elevation gain: 592m
Difficulty: Challenging

After walking the long, impressive escarpment of Stanage Edge you’ll get a real feel for the tremendous variety on offer in the Peak District National Park.

The exposed gritstone and adjacent moorland give a rawness and atmosphere that makes it hard to believe the grassy limestone caves and valleys of the south are within the same park. Stanage Edge is a climber’s dream, so keep a lookout below for people taking on daring ascents up the broken crags.

This is a straightforward place to navigate with plenty of starting points along the 6km length of the escarpment, which can be easily walked in a lovely loop walk from the village of Hathersage that takes in a variety scenery including rivers and woodland.

For families, the loop can be made shorter by turning left at Stanage Plantation instead of going on to Long Causeway.

View our OS Maps route here.

6. Win Hill

Distance: 8.4km / 5¼ miles
Elevation gain: 415m
Difficulty: Moderate

Win Hill is one of the most iconic Peak District hills. With panoramic views over Ladybower Reservoir and a vast expanse of moorland, it's ideal for a half-day hike. The views are just as good, if not better, than Mam Tor, and you'll find half the crowds.

At 462m above sea level, the route up Win Hill is short yet steep. It requires endurance and grippy hiking shoes. At the top you can find Winhill Pike, known locally as 'the Pimple', a narrow crest which leads to the summit.

Read our guide to climbing Win Hill.

7. The Four Edges Walk

Distance: 16km / 9.9 miles
Elevation gain: 305m
Difficulty: Moderate

The Peak District is well-known for its striking gritstone edges. This circular route links up four of the best edges: Froggatt, Curbar, Baslow and White Edges.

Popular with walkers and climbers alike, these edges snake along windswept moorland, with spectacular views into the valleys below. Although this walk is 16km, there's not too much elevation gain (305m), as most of the time you're walking along fairly flat ridges.

There's good paths throughout, but care is needed in low visibility.

Read our guide to the Peak District four edges.

View our OS Maps route here.

8. Padley Gorge and Higger Tor

Distance: 15.5km / 9.6 miles
Elevation gain: 480m
Difficulty: Moderate

This popular walk combines ancient woodland, a fairytale stream and a gritstone edge. It's particularly beautiful in Autumn, when you may be lucky enough to come across stags in rutting season.

It's fairly easy for experienced hillwalkers, with a few short and steep slopes. If you're new to hiking, it's best to allow lots of time and go prepared. The terrain is mainly boggy moorland and woodland tracks, but the paths can be faint.

Read our Padley Gorge and Higger Tor walk guide. View our OS Maps route here.

9. Lose Hill

Distance: 13.4km / 8.3 miles
Elevation gain: 520m
Difficulty: Moderate

Lose Hill sits at the end of the Great Ridge that starts at Mam Tor and separates the valleys of Edale and Castleton. It's not a mighty summit (476m), but it provides a fantastic panorma of the moors of the High Peak, plus Stanage Edge and the Edale valley.

Once you’ve climbed up to the Great Ridge from Edale, pick up the heavily eroded path to Lose Hill’s summit. You can then either descend to the village of Hope, or head along the valley back to Edale.

View our OS Maps route here.

10. Bleaklow via Wildboar Clough

Distance: 20.2km / 12.5 miles
Elevation gain: 520m
Difficulty: Challenging

This is the classic scrambling route onto Bleaklow, the Peak District's second-highest summit. It's a full day out, which promises to be rewarding.

There are multiple steep wall sections along this Grade 2/3 scramble. As with all scrambles of this level, a rope and suitable skills should be considered for some pitches. However, you can choose an easier path up the north-eastern slope that avoids the tougher scrambling.

The moorland of the summit is often covered in cloud, so it's essential to have good navigation skills and the right hiking gear. Check out our guide to climbing Bleaklow the hard way.

View and download our mapped Bleaklow scrambling route from OS Maps.

11. Longshaw

Distance: 5km / 3 miles
Elevation gain: 120m
Difficulty: Easy

There are so many possible trails to follow at the National Trust's Longshaw Estate that it's hard to narrow it down to one recommendation.

However, this gentle tour of some of the estate's best bits is just perfect for up-and-coming explorers and a great day out for the whole family. There's always plenty for the kids to do here too, from following adventure trails to discovering the local boggart population (they're mischievous woodland creatures, in case you were wondering).

It's a great place for wildlife too, with bluebells carpeting the woodland floor in spring, Pied Flycatchers singing from the trees in summer and herds of red deer grazing the eastern moors. On a warm summer's day there's no better way to finish your walk than a paddle in Burbage Brook.

Find our route here.

Frequently asked questions

What to consider when planning a walking trip

Terrain

The Peak District offers a diverse range of landscapes, from grassy rolling hills to rugged, rocky mountains. We'd recommend researching the hiking routes you want to undertake and making sure they match your experience and fitness level.

You also want to make sure you've got the appropriate gear, such as a durable pair of hiking boots that can handle rougher ground.

Season

As you might've guessed, summer and winter are worlds apart when it comes to hiking. However, you may be surprised to learn that every season comes with its fair share of advantages and disadvantages.

Sure, spring and summer will likely offer pleasant weather and beautiful vertiginous scenes, but things can take a turn when Mr. Hay fever comes a-knocking.

Summer is also when hiking – pardon the pun – peaks in popularity. So, prepare to deal with crowds, or seek out lesser-known routes for a better experience. Autumn, meanwhile, can showcase some absolutely stunning sights with less than half the crowds. The weather can start getting hairy around here, so be sure to pack a waterproof jacket.

Winter brings some peace and quiet, along with chances to see some breathtaking snow-covered landscapes. It also brings the most severe challenges, including low temperatures and icy paths. Insulated jackets are a must-have. Additionally, you'll want to consider researching the best winter hiking boots.

Accommodation

To camp or not to camp? The choice is yours; both approaches have their merits. The Peak District is furnished with dozens of warm and welcoming inns. They provide a great opportunity to mingle with the locals and meet some fellow hikers.

Not to mention immediate access to hearty meals and a brew or two. Be sure to find the right location for your hikes, and book well in advance. The nice rooms sell like hotcakes, especially during peak seasons.

Of course, you can always save yourself the hassle (and cost) of hotels by simply pitching a tent.

Camping in the Peak District is an excellent way to immerse yourself in this gorgeous area. There are several well-equipped campsites throughout the national park. Or, you could explore wild camping in accordance with the local guidelines.

Undoubtedly, this option has the highest effort-reward ratio. It can be hassle to pitch in the middle of the wilderness, but you may also wake up to your new all-time favourite view. Check out our wild camping guide to learn more.

Mountain safety

Walking in the UK mountains can be dangerous, with rough terrain, exposure and changeable weather. Always check weather forecasts and make sure you have suitable clothing and navigation tools. Ice axes and crampons are essential for walking in snow and ice – as are the knowledge and skills to use them.

Useful resources

Need help with OS Maps? Try the OS Maps online FAQ and OS Maps quick start guide for further assistance

Met Office Mountain Weather Forecast

Mountain Weather Information Service

Avalanche forecasts for Scottish mountains

Mountain Training skills courses

Mountain Rescue: Call 999, ask for police, then mountain rescue

About the authors

We've been mapping, walking and describing walking routes across the UK for decades in Country Walking and Trail magazine. It's with that treasure chest of knowledge and experience that we've compiled this list.

LFTO writers (and experienced hikers) Milo Wilson and Evie Nichols compiled this article. Both are adept at putting one foot in front of the other for miles across the UK's wilder spaces. Evie also happens to have lived on the edge of the Peak District for over six years, and could basically write a guidebook to the walks there, so she's added a local touch to these suggestions.

Most lightweight backpacking tents are designed to maximise space-to-weight. The advantages here are obvious: roomy, airy liveability and less load to lug around. The downside is that these sort of two-person tents are usually fairly fragile structures that can struggle in high winds. The Wechsel Exogen 2 tent’s approach is a little different...

It's a double-skinned, fully freestanding design with two doors and vestibules, built on familiar hubbed pole geometry but with an extra full-width transverse centre pole for added rigidity. You also get a mostly fabric inner for added warmth and the kind of flysheet coverage that makes you feel reassuringly well protected, even in sideways rain.

At 1.93kg, it's not competing with ultralight US-style thru-hiking tents – and it doesn't pretend to. Instead, it stakes its claim as a genuine ‘three seasons plus’ workhorse: robust enough for wild camping high in the hills from early spring right through to late autumn, liveable enough for two people, and still packable enough to fit in a backpacking rucksack. Thanks to its clever variable-length stuff sack, it’ll even work on a bikepacking rig too (on that note, here's our top-rated bikepacking tents).

If you’re not familiar with the manufacturer, Wechsel is a German brand that has actually been around for about 30 years, though admittedly it’s much better known in mainland Europe than here in the UK.

As you’d expect given the premium price point, it’s a well-engineered tent with solid build quality. The question is whether it justifies £550 in a market that includes several similar rivals such as the well-regarded MSR Access 2 and Terra Nova Southern Cross 2 – and whether its shortcomings (namely, limited ventilation, so-so interior space) are dealbreakers.

Shape, structure, pitching and internal liveability

The Exogen 2 is basically a hubbed dome with one critical addition: a full-width transverse pole that runs all the way down to the ground on each side, creating two extra contact points and significantly improving structural rigidity. This is a German-engineered tent, and it shows – it might seem over-built compared to ultralight designs, but you really appreciate it in foul weather.

It pitches inner first, which is fine in dry conditions but less ideal on a rainy hillside. Fortunately, the freestanding structure means setup is straightforward: pole feet slot into metal eyelets at each corner, one end is marked with a red buckle to help you match inner and flysheet, and the whole tent can be up inside five minutes once you've learned the sequence.

The webbing adjustment for the transverse pole takes a little practice to get right, as do the sil-nylon flysheet ties that attach the fabric to the pole set – fiddly in the dark or cold, but well worth doing as they measurably add to the tent's stability in wind. However, with the optional footprint (£60), you can also pitch the flysheet first and clip the inner in from inside, which is a considerably more pleasant experience in a downpour.

The interior isn’t massive but liveable for two. Both end walls are near-vertical, which increases useable volume, while the 225cm length is generous. The floor tapers from 125cm at the head end to 115cm at the foot, which rules out two wide rectangular sleeping mats side by side but works comfortably enough with standard mummy pads.

A peak height of 100cm is adequate for most people to sit up straight, though many rivals at this price point offer more overhead clearance. Although the transverse centre pole might seem like it would obstruct the doorways, it is positioned well clear of them, making getting in and out straightforward from either side.

Waterproofing

The flysheet is 20D ripstop nylon siliconised on both sides, giving a 3,000mm hydrostatic head (HH) rating with high UV resistance and impressive tear strength. The floor is 30D ripstop nylon with PU coating, a 5,000mm HH rating and fully taped seams.

On test across multiple spring wild camps in exposed conditions – including some genuinely nasty overnight weather with sustained rain and wet ground – there was no evidence of seepage from above or below.

The double-siliconised flysheet construction does mean that factory seam-taping isn't possible, so the seams are sewn with a cotton-coated polyester thread that swells when wet and provides a degree of natural sealing. It’s the same process used by brands like Fjällräven for the Abisko Shape 2.

Wechsel includes a tube of seam sealant with the tent for additional protection and it's sensible to apply it before a first outing in serious conditions. For my spring testing I didn't feel the need to do so, but for prolonged autumn or winter trips I'd seal the seams as a precaution.

The flysheet is cut low to the ground on all sides, minimising the gap through which wind-driven rain can penetrate – a real benefit on exposed wild camps. Covered vestibules on each side offer protected dry storage for packs and walking boots, with good coverage keeping kit reliably dry even in sideways rain.

For maximum protection, the dedicated footprint (£60, 343g) extends under the vestibule areas as well as the main floor and allows fly-first pitching. It's expensive and adds a fair bit of weight, but for anyone camping regularly on rough or boggy ground it's a worthwhile investment – not least because it also gives you an extra 7,000mm HH of waterproofing.

Condensation

This is where the Exogen 2 makes some compromises. The low-cut flysheet prioritises weather protection over airflow, which means that in warmer or more humid conditions, condensation can accumulate on the inner surface of the fly overnight. It’s mostly manageable in practice with a wipe from a microfibre cloth and a quick shake out before packing, but noticeable.

To mitigate this, the fly has apex ventilation flaps with Velcro closures at each end that can be propped open with a stiffened kickstand, encouraging airflow between inner and fly. Cracking the flysheet doors open on milder nights helps further. And the flysheet can be fully rolled up and tied back to the transverse centre pole, creating excellent all-round ventilation – though this obviously removes the weather protection the tent is designed to provide.

The four small mesh panels in the upper section of the inner tent work well enough in mild conditions, but they can't compete with mostly mesh inners. On the other hand, you benefit when temperatures drop and a draught is the last thing you need.

This is the classic trade-off: you gain warmth and weather protection, you concede airflow. In the right conditions – cold, exposed, wet – the trade-off is unambiguously worth making. In warmer shoulder-season conditions, it becomes more frustrating.

Wind protection

The Exogen 2 is really solid in wind and this is arguably what the design is optimised for. The full-width transverse pole creates a structure that is stiff and stable from multiple directions – ideal in shifting wind conditions and vastly more reliable than a standard hubbed dome or tunnel tent, which rely on orientation to shed wind efficiently. On test in exposed spring conditions the tent held firm in strong gusts without the anxious creaking and flexing that lighter designs can produce.

Four main guy-out points, combined with the supplied Dyneema reflective guylines and linelocks, allow the tent to be anchored securely on most surfaces. The transverse centre pole also prevents the vestibules from bowing inwards under lateral pressure, keeping the porch areas functional, your stuff dry and the fly taut throughout. Flysheet doors have external storm flaps and two-way zippers.

It is a squat, compact shape that presents a relatively modest profile to the wind. Unlike taller, steep-walled hubbed dome designs that can catch side gusts on their large end walls, the Exogen's lower peak and tapered foot end reduce the surface area the wind can work on. For campers who regularly pitch in exposed positions on moorland, ridges or summits, it’s an undoubted plus.

Weight and packed size

At 1.93kg, the Exogen 2 is not a lightweight tent in the contemporary sense of the word. Compared with spring-summer backpacking options like the MSR Hubba Hubba LT or the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 (both 1.36kg), it's considerably heavier. But those are not the right benchmarks.

Measured against other genuine three-seasons-plus freestanding two-person shelters – e.g. the MSR Access 2, Nemo Kunai 2, Terra Nova Southern Cross 2 – it holds up reasonably well. The Access 2 and Kunai 2 are in a similar ballpark; the Southern Cross 2 is heavier. For what the Exogen 2 is designed to do, the weight is defensible.

The variable-length stuff sack is a clever piece of design. At full length (45x19cm) it accommodates tent, poles and pegs together. Remove the poles and the bag collapses to 25cm, with a secondary drawcord to minimise volume, short enough to fit in a frame bag or seat-post bag on a bikepacking setup.

Lightweight and multi-day backpackers will also appreciate this ability to split tent poles and body for more efficient packing. This kind of practical thinking is typical of the attention to detail Wechsel brings to the whole tent.

Features and sustainability

The Exogen 2 is a well-finished tent throughout. Seams and stitching are tidy and reinforced at stress points; pole quality is high; the Dyneema guylines with woven-in reflective threads are excellent.

V-profile aluminium pegs are provided, though supplementing them with longer options for more holding power on exposed camps is worthwhile.

The mesh panels in the inner appear to snag slightly more readily than the surrounding nylon, and it's worth handling it with care. The inner's two pockets are useful but limited in size, and the feature set beyond the basics is sparse.

There's no gear loft or line, and the flysheet doors – despite their quality construction – can't be tied back open, which is an odd oversight in an otherwise considered design. On the plus side, they do have handy loops to hook over trekking poles, so with an extra guy line it’s easy to porch them out and create a small awning.

On sustainability, Wechsel's website references eco-friendly anodised aluminium poles, but the tent documentation makes no specific claims about recycled fabrics or PFC-free coatings. For buyers increasingly attentive to environmental credentials, this is a drawback compared with rivals like the Wild Country Halny Elite 1, which uses 100% recycled PFC-free fabrics throughout.

Price and competition

The Exogen 2 has a couple of obvious competitors in the ‘three seasons plus’ category, namely the MSR Access 2 and the Terra Nova Southern Cross 2, both of which utilise very similar design and pole geometry to create sturdy, capable shelters.

At £550 the Exogen 2 looks like better value than either, as the Access 2 is priced at £840, while the Southern Cross 2 is £800. In reality you can find the Access 2 online for a much more competitive £585. The Exogen 2 is a bit longer overall but the Access 2 is wider, with a true rectangular footprint that doesn’t taper at the foot. It also has superior headroom and bigger porch areas, which is a definite plus.

The Southern Cross 2 is bigger still in terms of floorspace, though the porches are a similar width to the Exogen 2. However, it offers better ventilation and more functional doorways, making it the pick of the three for us – but also the most expensive.

If your budget won’t stretch to £800, the Exogen 2 is a good alternative and would probably be the better choice than the Access 2 if you’re over 185cm (6ft) tall, given its extra 12cm of internal length. There is also an XL version of the Exogen 2 that adds improved dimensions all-round, though it costs extra and availability is patchy (it’s currently sold out even direct from the manufacturer).

Other tents to consider in this category include the Nemo Kunai 2 (£530), which is lighter than the Exogen 2 but still robust enough to handle winter backpacking adventures. It has better headroom but a smaller floor area and only a single door and vestibule. It is much better ventilated and arguably more versatile for year-round use than the Exogen 2 though, thanks to clever zippered mesh panels that can be closed up in colder conditions or opened for extra airflow on milder nights.

If you don’t mind a lower-spec tent at increased weight, there’s also the Wechsel Venture 2, which shares exactly the same design but is built from PU-coated polyester instead of sil-nylon. It’s about 2.6kg all in and has an RRP of £280.

Where the Exogen 2 makes its most compelling case is for wild camping and backpacking when you want weather protection and stability above all else, especially in the colder, wetter, windier months. For that specific use case, it's well priced, well built, and fits a genuine gap in the market.

Verdict

A sturdy and capable tent that's ideal for colder conditions and exposed pitches, making it a strong choice for hardy wild campers who need a shelter they can trust. It's more stable than most backpacking tents at this weight and the flysheet's all-round coverage will be appreciated on a wet Scottish hillside.

The flip side is ventilation that struggles in warmer conditions and a condensation problem that demands a wipe-down most mornings. The lack of tie-backs on the fly doors is a minor irritant that feels out of place at £550. But for those whose camping skews towards the cold end of the calendar, it's a well-engineered, fairly priced shelter.

For more hardy choices, see our list of the best winter tents or for more variety see our roundup of the best camping tents.

About the author

Matt Jones is a freelance journalist based in the heart of Eryri National Park (Snowdonia), he’s a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek.

Matt’s been one of our main gear testers for the last couple of years and is the first person we call with any complicated kit queries that need in-depth and forensic analysis. He was previously editor of Walk and Scouting magazines.

It’s 4.54am. I’m in darkness on a hillside, crouching by a stone so my camera can capture both the time on my watch and the inscription on the stone. Forty miles east, there’s another stone with the same inscription. If I can reach it on foot by this time tomorrow, I will earn one of the strangest titles in the walking world.

Between the two stones lie dramatic escarpments, immense tracts of heathery bog, dozens of ancient burial mounds, a combined 5000ft of ascent, and a very weird story. The inscription says Lyke Wake Walk. It’s now 5am. Start the clock.

5.11am, Scarth Wood Moor _(_½ mile)

Still dark, nothing to see, so let’s fill in the backstory. The Lyke Wake Walk is a 40-mile hike across the width of the North York Moors National Park from Cod Beck Reservoir, just north of the village of Osmotherley, to the transmitter mast at Beacon Howes, just west of Ravenscar on the coast.

The aim is to complete it within 24 hours, to earn the title of Witch (female) or Dirger (male) of the Way. Many fit walkers aim to do it in a lot less – 16-19 hours is a common goal.

There are only two waymarkers on the route. It’s not marked on OS maps, although Harvey Maps show it. Its western half shares common ground with both the Cleveland Way and the Coast to Coast. But it pre-dates both of them, and to the east, the Lyke Wake goes all by itself into the mire.

The aim is to complete it within 24 hours, to earn the title of Witch (female) or Dirger (male) of the Way.

I’m walking it in mid-September, going from west to east because that’s the broadly agreed tradition. On the crest of the moor, I join the Cleveland Way, which will be my companion for the next 13 miles to Bloworth Crossing, as will the Coast to Coast.

The next 13 miles. It sounds weird, talking about a distance that would normally be a long day’s walk as being just a fraction of what I’m actually hoping to do. On the Lyke Wake, distances become elastic. Within a few hours I’ll be measuring five-mile stretches the way I’d normally think of single miles. It messes with my head.

6.30am, Gold Hill (4__½ miles)

Those initial miles consisted mainly of plantation tracks, so it didn’t matter that it was dark. Now, as dawn breaks, I’m climbing onto the scarp of the Cleveland Hills. From here to Bloworth, everything is going to be spectacular. And now I can actually see it. Yay!

8am, The Wain Stones (9 miles)

The classic sights of the Cleveland Way have flown by: Carlton Bank, Lordstones, Cringle Moor. Now here are the Wain Stones, and my first sit-down pause. Visually, this is as impressive as the walk will get; this bastion of chaotic cracked crags, with their secret passages and beetling caps. Then onwards, towards Round Hill, which, at 1490ft (454m), is the highest point on the walk. And it’s where I catch my first glimpse of the sea ahead.

8.53am, Bloworth Crossing (13__½ miles)

This major crossroads is where I leave the friendly, waymarked Cleveland Way. Nowvit’s just the Lyke Wake and the C2C, following a cinder track which marks the line of a dismantled railway as it loops round the head of beautiful Farndale.

Time for some more backstory. Where did the Lyke Wake come from? The answer is Bill Cowley, a farmer from Swainby with a passion for walking (he had led three Himalayan expeditions) and a wickedly warped sense of fun. He wrote an article in the August 1955 issue of Dalesman magazine in which he laid out the route and set the challenge of walking it in 24 hours.

The route would follow a steady line of ancient burial mounds and memorial crosses, giving rise to the funereal theme. He later christened it the Lyke Wake Walk, ‘lyke’ meaning corpse; ‘wake’ meaning to watch over one.  In October ’55, Cowley did it with a group of walkers who had responded to his article, walking from noon on the 1st to 11am on the 2nd. Word spread fast, and the Lyke Wake rapidly became England’s most popular challenge walk.

Celebrities walked it for TV. Blue Peter featured it twice, and it became the best-known charity walk in the country.

From it sprang the Lyke Wake Club (headed by Cowley himself as Chief Dirger), logging crossings and selling merchandise. From the late Fifties to the early Eighties, hundreds of thousands walkers took on the Lyke Wake. In June 1975 alone, 3141 walkers completed it. Celebrities walked it for TV. Blue Peter featured it twice, and it became the best-known charity walk in the country.

Witches and Dirgers could meet at formal ‘wakes’ where they would sing The Lyke Wake Dirge and hear dissertations given by those seeking higher rankings based on their accomplishments – which soon became astonishing.

And then it all came to a juddering halt. Tell you more in a bit.

11.48am, The Lion Inn, Blakey Ridge (19 miles)

The one single pub passed on the route. And somehow, I’m not stopping. But a mile further on, while moving in a vast and slightly annoying arc around the head of Rosedale, I pause to celebrate being 20 miles into the Lyke Wake. Half way. I mark the moment by applying Blis-Toes.

1pm, Fat Betty (22 miles)

Fat Betty is a distinctive stone, half-painted white. Shortly after passing her, I part ways from the Coast to Coast. Now it’s just me and the Lyke Wake, and together we set out across what will be the predominant terrain for the rest of the route: open moorland.

The junction is marked by the first Lyke Wake waymarker on the route, a stone that points into seemingly trackless bog. This is, by the designation of the official guide, ‘the boggy bit’: three miles of squelch, ditch and hag, all the way to Shunner How. It’s not too bad at this point in time. After prolonged rain, it becomes some kind of hell. I’ve seen the photos.

3pm, Blue Man i’ th’ Moss (26__½ miles)

Easily the most intriguingly named but anti-climactic moment of the walk: a small, blue-painted stick man on yet another standing stone. Still open moorland, but less boggy, and the path is always roughly visible, even if not much more than a line in the heather at times.

So let’s get back to the story. By the late Seventies, the Lyke Wake had become a monster. The huge numbers caused erosion, litter and even moorland fires from discarded cigarettes. So in 1982, the national park authority took drastic action: asking Ordnance Survey to remove it from maps, turning down all TV requests to film on the route, and pleading with charities not to offer it as a sponsored walk. It worked. Numbers plummeted almost instantly, and the Lyke Wake slowly sank into something like obscurity.

More in a bit – right now I’ve got to watch out for the Hogwarts Express.

5.18pm. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (33 miles)

A little over twelve hours in, I’m crossing the NYMR, on its way from Pickering to Whitby. Catch it at the right time and you might catch sight of a steam locomotive arcing gracefully through the valley and right past your toes. I didn’t.

6.13pm, Lilla Cross (35__½ miles)

Past Eller Beck, past the gloomy pyramid of RAF Fylingdales (the first place that will know if we’re ever under nuclear attack) and on to this fine ancient cross. I’m scenting the end. With my newfound sense of scale, 4½ miles will surely feel like less.

6.58pm, Jugger Howe Beck (38 miles)

Nope. Trudging now, and the drop-climb into and out of Jugger Howe Beck was a bit of a ****. So let’s finish this.

The Lyke Wake continued in its quieter form into the Nineties. But after Bill Cowley passed away in 1994, things started to get weird. Different factions within the fanbase argued over the future of the club, culminating in an extraordinary day: October 1st, 2005; the 50th anniversary of Cowley’s first crossing.

At a wake in Ravenscar, the original Lyke Wake Club was formally disbanded, its leaders feeling the organisation had run its course. At another, in Osmotherley, a breakaway faction launched the New Lyke Wake Club, feeling that there should still be an active home for fans of the walk.

Both factions continue today. The New Club is far more active, producing a regularly updated guidebook, recording crossings, holding wakes, and selling subtly different merch at lykewake.org, It is an astonishing tale, told in more florid detail in Mike Parker’s wonderful book Wild Rover. And it explains why a walk that was once a staple of 1970s TV has now become a whispered secret.

I meet plenty of walkers during my crossing, but all are either just out for the day, or doing the Cleveland Way or Coast to Coast. Several look blank when I mention the Lyke Wake Walk. Two mishear it as the Lightweight Walk – a source of some irony, given the 50-litre rucksack on my back.

7.26pm, The Coast Road (39 miles)

The end – a radio mast – is literally in sight, and I will soon breach 40 miles. Footsore and pretty tired, but nearly there now, eh?

7.45pm, Stony Marl Moor (40 ½ miles)

WHAT IS GOING ON? Everything said the Lyke Wake was 40 miles. But my GPS says I’ve smashed through the big 4-0 and the mast is still way ahead of me. AND IT’S ALL UPHILL.

7.52pm, Beacon Howes (41 miles)

It’s done. 14 hours, 54 minutes and 28 seconds after I left the first marker stone, I’m at the second. It’s an inauspicious end: stone, mast, layby, grey gloaming. It’s not even ‘at’ Ravenscar or on the coast – the village and its cliffs are half a mile further on (the finish line used to be at the Raven Hall Hotel in Ravenscar, but was moved shy of the village by local request).

I’m not sure why my watch thinks I’ve gone an extra mile; I never deviated from the route. So I either mistrust the official mileage or the GPS on my watch. Tough one. But it’s the end, and it feels good.

In the Afterlife

I was very grateful for the Lyke Wake. It felt fantastic to walk from pre-dawn to dusk – a day’s journey in the truest sense. My time won’t break any records, but it was still nine hours short of the limit. So I think I played it about right: pacey enough to feel like a challenge, but steady enough not to exhaust myself and, crucially, to look around, chat to people and, you know, enjoy it.

It may be tough, it may be squelchy, it may be logistically troublesome. But interestingly, no new walk of similar length, logic and challenge has come along to replace it since it faded from superstardom.

And here’s a thought: obviously you don’t have to do it solo, but when did you last walk for more than 12 hours, happy in your own head, and blissfully connected to nature? Gotta tell you, it felt great.

What I learned from the Lyke Wake Walk

You don’t have to do what I did. I walked it solo and unsupported, with only short pauses, but it’s easily possible to take longer and have a proper sleep-break, possibly even a few hours at the Lion Inn if you structure your times accordingly. (NB: You can start at any time; I just chose 5am to make the most of the daylight.)

Get some practice. Long, continuous walking is the best form of preparation. The Yorkshire Three Peaks (while a lot shorter at 24 miles) makes good prep, as does night-walking with a head torch.

Navigation skills are essential. The route isn't on OS maps and isn't waymarked. The best option is to buy Harvey’s North York Moors map, which includes the Lyke Wake. You can then plot the route onto your GPS device or app of choice. And get the official guidebook from lykewake.org (which also sells the Harvey map).

Don’t stress about your timings. Although I had a loose idea of what a good time might look like for me, I didn’t set goals for certain sections or waypoints. That way I could just walk at my happiest pace and enjoy it.

Midsummer is best. Lots of daylight and the best chance of the moors being dry. But I actually really enjoyed doing it on a cooler, quieter September day.

Nick's Lyke Wake Walk kit list

– Osprey Atmos AG 50L pack

– Osprey Hydraulics 2L reservoir

– Regatta 0.6L Tritan Flip Lid water bottle

– Black Diamond Trail Pro trekking poles

– Salomon Quest 4D GTX boots
– Bridgedale Hike socks
– Saxx Quest boxers (brilliant!)

– Alpkit Gamma III head torch

– Harvey Maps British Mountain Map: North York Moors
– Suunto 7 GPS smartwatch
– The Lyke Wake Walk Guide by Brian Smailes

– Blis-Sox (£12) and Blis-Toes (£6) (Godsends!)

– Portable charger with cables.

– Insulator, waterproof, warm layer, hat, gloves.

– Map, compass, whistle, dry bags, iPhone with OS Maps.

– Sandwich, 3x crisps, 3x apples, 8-pack of Penguins, bag of Haribo Tangfastics for final miles.

– Packable soft shoes (the late lamented Hi-Tec Zuuk)

– Mini shower gel and deodorant, change of socks, shirt and pants (for overnight stay before returning to Osmotherley).

Visit our hiking reviews section for the latest updates from our team on the gear we've been using and abusing.

Swapping a small hiking daypack in place of a bigger rucksack is liberating. Capacious enough for snacks, spare layers and essentials only, you feel so speedy and agile wearing a smaller daypack, as opposed to larger hiking rucksacks.

But a smaller pack doesn't always equal happiness, especially if it's uncomfortable or frustrating to use. So rather than let a bad pack ruin an otherwise perfect summer hill day, we’ve picked out the best hiking daypacks that we've physically and extensively tested over the last year.

Designed to carry around 15-30 litres of kit, these packs ought to be ample capacity for a full dawn-to-dusk adventure (though you may need to go larger for winter adventures). If, however, you're in need of a multi-day pack, check out our favourite backpacking rucksacks.

When picking a daypack, your focus should be on carrying comfort, walker-friendly features and ample ventilation to stop you getting hot and sweaty – even when the mercury soars.

Jump to: How we tested | Best hiking daypack reviews | Comparison table | Buying guide

Shortlist: Best hiking daypacks at a glance

Best hiking daypack overall: Osprey Talon 22

Best budget buy: Quechua MH500 Ventilated Hiking 25L Backpack

Best daypack for trail and town: Passenger Trailscape Recycled 30L Backpack

Editor's note: This article was updated in May 2026, when we cut several low-scoring backpacks and added three new reviews (The North Face Trail Lite, Deuter Speedlite and Vango Apex).

How we tested

All the packs recommended here have accompanied us for many hours on hillsides and mountains. The testing has been done by experienced kit testers Evie Nichols, James Forrest and Matt Jones. Between them, they have decades of experience hiking and reviewing outdoor gear.

We consider what each pack is ultimately designed for and test it against the design brief. When testing, some of the key features and attributes we analyse are listed below.

Comfort and performance: How comfortable is the back harness? Does it allow adequate ventilation? Does it offer enough support for the weight you'll be carrying? Does it feel secure and stable?

Features: Are there attachment points for walking poles or ice axes (if you intend to use them). How good is the organisation? Is it easy to stash layers like a waterproof jacket or quickly grab an essential like a head torch?

Construction and capacity: Is there enough space for everything you'd need on a day hike? Are the materials robust and do they offer any weather resistance (most hiking backpacks only offer light protection, so check out our list of the best waterproof backpacks for more)?

Value for money: Is it overpriced when considering how well the backpack performs? Or is the high price tag justified because it's genuinely a brilliant product?

To find out how we review products, check out how we test gear.

Best hiking daypacks reviewed:

Comparison table

What to look for in a hiking daypack

What volume/capacity do I need for a daypack?

A daypack for summer can be smaller than a daypack for winter hiking. This is simply because you don't have to carry such bulky clothing and items like crampons. Basically, in summer, go as small as you can while still being able to carry the essentials.

Are hiking daypacks different sizes?

Some, but not all, hiking daypacks come in different sizes. Some have adjustable back lengths and some are one size only. Irrespective of whether a daypack has various sizes or is adjustable or not, it’s vital to pick a daypack with a size appropriate for your back length, which is easy to measure at home. Alternatively, outdoor gear retailers can usually assist you.

Once you know your back length, trying on a loaded pack is the easiest way to do find out which packs are most comfortable for you.

What are the different back systems?

Broadly speaking, there are two types back panel types. Back panels made from perforated foam or padding carry the load directly next to the body. This approach is comfy and stable, with a close-to-the-body feel.

Suspended mesh back panels, conversely, hold the pack’s bulk away from your back, which some hikers prefer because this type offers much better ventilation, but can feel like the load is levering away from you. It’s all down to personal preference.

Does my daypack need a frame?

The frame provides rigidity and stability, and is more beneficial for carrying heavier loads. With lighter loads for summer day hikes, the importance of a strong, load-bearing back system isn't so crucial.

Ultralight packs may be completely frameless, but other daypacks have an internal frame made from spring steel or aluminium. To save weight, others use a high-density plastic framesheet or a stiffened foam back panel.

What pocket arrangement is best?

Zippered hipbelt pockets are handy for stashing small items you’ll need on-the-go. Internal zippered pockets are great for car keys or a wallet; some type of additional stash pocket at the front (either elasticated or zipped) is useful for quickly stowing and accessing extra layers; and elasticated side pockets are perfect for water bottles.

Increasingly, daypacks also feature large pockets made from stretchy mesh and a pocket (or sleeve) for a hydration bladder, as well as an outlet for the drinking hose. External compression straps, webbing loops, toggles and bungee cords can be used for attaching items such as trekking poles and camping gear to the outside of your pack

What is a lid?

The lid covers the main opening. Some are fixed to the pack, while others are detachable with a ‘floating’ design. A current trend is towards lidless packs.

How do I clean and repair a hiking daypack?

Packs are the most repairable piece of hiking equipment. If you’ve got a tear, broken a strap, or stuffed zip, it can be repaired. Quite a lot of brands offer repair services, and many outdoor retailers do too. Make use of them.

To maintain the performance of the fabrics used to make hiking packs, it’s important to clean them properly. It’s very simple and primarily involves spot cleaning using the correct cleaning solution – we recommend either Grangers or Nikwax tent and gear cleaning kits.

These are both effective, eco-friendly cleaning products specifically for the types of fabrics used on outdoor gear. You can use both these cleaning kits for all your outdoor equipment including tents.

About the author

James Forrest is a prolific peak bagger and long-distance walker who’s one of the most high-profile outdoor writers in the UK. He's based on the edge of the Lake District, so when he isn’t off on his latest crazy adventure or challenge, he’s walking in his local fells.

Matt Jones is the former editor of Walk magazine and Scouting magazine, and has years of experience testing kit and writing about the outdoors.

Choosing the right backpack is an important decision when it comes to maximising the quality of your time outside. But the best backpacks for women can be difficult to find: determining what fits and what doesn’t depends on a whole range of factors including the unique requirements of your own body type, and what you’ll actually be using the bag for.

It’s one of those no-one-size-fits-all scenarios, but there are definitely certain things you should consider if you’re a lass looking for the perfect pack.

Compared to men's backpacks, women's options usually have a shorter back length, better padding on the hips and sternum straps, and tend to be smaller in volume than the male equivalent (for better or worse). Often a model will come in both a men’s and a women’s fit, so do try both on if you get the chance and see if you can tell the difference.

As a rule, the more you’re carrying and the longer you’re carrying it for, the better you’ll want your bag to fit. For example, it might not matter too much if your daily commuting bag isn’t specific but it’ll suddenly matter a whole lot more if you’re doing the West Highland Way with a 60L bag which hangs off you in all the wrong places.

Happily, our network of female gear testers at Live for the Outdoors have got some great recommendations for the best backpacks for women. From daypacks to mountaineering packs, to larger hiking bags and travel packs, we’ve been testing the best female-specific backpacks for years.

Shortlist: Best women's backpacks

Best women's hiking backpack: The North Face Trail Lite 24 (best for day hikes) or Osprey Eja Pro 55 (best for long hikes)

Best budget option: Forclaz Travel 500

Best women's travel backpack: Patagonia Black Hole Pack 32L

How we tested

Each of the rucksacks on this list has been put through its paces over several months – sometimes even years – by our team and contributors, including Evie Nichols, Fliss Freeborn, Sarah Ryan and Jenna Maryniak.

To test these backpacks, we've been on multi-day hikes, mountain scrambles, weekend wild camps and even city travel breaks to ensure versatility. We focused on factors especially important to women – such as shorter back lengths, adjustable hip belts and shoulder straps.

When appropriate, packs were loaded up near their maximum recommended weights to assess comfort when fully packed. We’ve included our top picks here, alongside two or three unisex bags that have shorter back lengths, which also fit us really well.

Check out how we test gear for more info.

Best women's backpacks reviewed:

Key considerations for women's backpacks

Fit

The most crucial thing to get right when fitting a backpack - and where female and male packs often differ - is torso length.

This is particularly individual, as you can be tall with a short torso, or short with a tall torso; measuring it is the only way to find out. On the larger bags, torso length is usually adjustable and should be the thing you start with when it comes to making sure your bag fits properly.

Women with particularly long torsos might find that men’s packs fit better than women’s and any discrepancies in the hip belt placement are usually overridden by finding the correct torso length for you.

Similarly, shorter men or men with particularly compact torsos may find that women’s bags fit much better. Getting an expert to help you fit a bag, then adjusting it as you go when you're out and about should enable you to find the best fit for your body.

Capacity:

Buy too big and you’ll fill it with unnecessary junk. Go too small and you’ll end up leaving stuff behind. Here’s a rough guide to the size you need for specific types of walk:

15-25 Litres: Fast or light hill walk.

25-35 Litres: Hikes in spring, summer or autumn.

35-45 Litres: Longer mountain walks, scrambling and mountaineering.

45-55 Litres: Winter mountains, lightweight wild camps, hut-to-hut trips.

55-75 Litres: Camping expeditions, long-distance trails.

75+ Litres: Epic expeditions only! And avoid completely if you're under 5'5"!

Backpack type

Walking rucksack categories are often split into trekking, backpacking and mountaineering. Trekking daypacks vary in size from around 15-45 litres and are designed for everything from summer hikes to scrambling routes and winter mountain days.

Backpacking and expedition bags have a large capacity, plus lots of features to help you carry and access everything you need for multi-day trips.

Mountaineering packs tend to be more stripped back in terms of features to keep them light and simple.

Back systems

You’ve got a few options with back systems. Either go for a padded foam-type design that fits snugly against your back, a channelled back system that ventilates hot air away from your back, or
a suspended mesh system that lifts the whole bag clean away from your back. This is purely personal choice, so try a few to see what works best for you.

Features

Big side pockets, compression straps, trekking pole loops and ice axe attachments are great if you like stowing gear on the outside of your pack to access in transit.

Hipbelt pockets are also useful for stashing things so you can grab them without taking the rucksack off, but check you can actually reach them.

Other features to look for include hydration bladder compatibility, a key loop for peace of mind, and internal valuable pockets for things like wallets.

Materials and waterproofing

Very few hiking rucksacks are fully waterproof, which means they’ll withstand a bit of rain but when it’s really chucking it down the water will get through. Some packs come with a detachable raincover (often stashed in a small pocket at the base of the pack), but to keep kit completely dry, use good waterproof dry bags inside.

In terms of materials, you'll want something tough and durable, but still lightweight enough to keep you from being weighed down. Ripstop nylon is great, as is 420D nylon, but there are a range of materials out there which each have their own merits.

Frequently asked questions

How should a woman's backpack fit?

A female specific backpack should fit in the same way as any other backpack: comfortably. The majority of the weight should be on your hips, with the rest distributed across the chest and the shoulders.

Making sure that the sternum strap is at a comfortable height, rather than being too low and digging into your bust is essential.

What makes a backpack a woman's backpack?

For the most part, women's packs are designed with a shorter torso length in mind. Sometimes you get a wee bit more padding on the hips, and a slightly more adjustable sternum strap, but mostly it’s just a few cm shorter in the back.

This can have knock-on effects on carrying capacity, but for the most part we've found that women's clothing is smaller, lighter and so the 1-2 litre differences in women's vs other packs isn't quite as noticeable.

Should a backpack be on the hips or waist?

The bag's weight should sit on your hips rather than your waist. If you're constricting either your waist or chest, then you won't be able to breathe properly; your hips are a much better bet for taking the majority of the weight, which is why having a supportive, cushioned hip belt for larger loads is so important.

About the author

Fliss Freeborn is a writer and gear tester for Live For The Outdoors. During her time at university, she spent considerably more days in a tent in the Scottish Highlands than she did in the library, which she highly recommends as a study strategy.

Fliss also believes that life is too short to eat bad food outdoors, and that cooking good scran while in the hills is easier than you might think with the right kit and some forward planning – yes, you can always do better than a pot noodle.

The Highlander Respite 1 is an unpretentious tent. It knows exactly what it is: a robust, no-nonsense solo tunnel tent built for UK spring-to-autumn conditions, aimed squarely at beginner backpackers, Duke of Edinburgh participants and casual weekend wild campers who want reliable shelter without spending a fortune.

And despite its reasonable price point, the Respite is the most technically ambitious tent Highlander has produced to date – a meaningful step up from the brand's previous entry level-focused stable in terms of design, materials and finish.

Instead of fibreglass poles you get 7001-series ‘aircraft grade’ aluminium alloy poles and Y-beam pegs that feel properly engineered rather than just the simple shepherd’s hooks that tend to come with basic tents. It also uses heavier-denier fabrics than many other one-person tents (a 75D PU-coated polyester ripstop fly and 190T polyester groundsheet), with competitive waterproofing stats.

What you won't find here is a gram-shaver's spec sheet. This is not the tent to choose if you’re chasing maximum space-to-weight ratio. At just under 2kg packed, it’s heavier than a lot of rival one-person tents, though to be fair this doesn’t really translate to a lot of added bulk, as it’s still reasonably packable.

It’s not the roomiest when pitched, though. Although the inner is decently wide, especially at the head end, length and headroom are constraining for anyone over six foot tall. But what some will find cramped, others will find cosy. And what you do get is a surprisingly protective and reliable shelter at a price point that makes it genuinely hard to dismiss.

Shape, structure, pitching and internal liveability

The Respite 1 is a double-hoop tunnel design – i.e. two poles form the structure of the tent rather than the single hoop of designs like the Terra Nova Laser Compact, Wild Country Halny Elite 1, Vango F10 Helium UL1 or the Lifesystems Solo Peak. This gives the structure inherently more lateral rigidity and a more stable profile than a single-hoop equivalent, though it comes at a weight cost.

The porch is formed at the head end by a trapezoidal fly, with the inner canopy suspended further back between the pole set. This gives you a single vertical doorway, which ensures rain doesn’t drip into the inner when you get in and out. It’s surprising how many tents get this wrong, but the Respite 1 isn’t one of them.

Pitching is fairly intuitive. The tent can go up all-in-one or fly-first – a genuine practical advantage in a British downpour – and goes together quickly once you've done it a couple of times. Poles go through external sleeves and locate into eyelets without fuss, although the two hoops are different lengths, which means if you're not paying attention, you can put them in the wrong sleeves. Colour-coded poles would solve this at negligible cost; this oversight is a small but unnecessary frustration.

Guylines also reward careful positioning before you peg them out. Optimum tension comes with the four lines pulled out at roughly 45 degrees away from the poles; get this right and the fly is taut and rain-resistant throughout.

Get it wrong and you'll have slack panels where water can pool – a criticism levelled by at least one other reviewer who tested this tent. However, on test in North Wales, with the lines correctly deployed, I had no such issues.

Inside, space is adequate rather than generous. The inner measures 210cm long and 100cm wide at its broadest, tapering to 50cm at the foot – fine for a single sleeper with a standard-width sleeping mat and modest gear alongside.

But the 80cm peak height is fairly low. On a thin foam mat or a slim self-inflating pad, most people can just about sit up; add a thicker air mat and your head is brushing the ceiling. Anyone over six foot will also notice the sloping end-wall eating into the usable length. This means that your feet (and sleeping bag) are likely to push against the tent, making the inner touch the fly. In short: the Respite 1 is not a tent for tall campers.

An internal mesh pocket provides modest gear storage, and a clothesline runs across the apex for drying your walking socks or hanging a head torch – both useful touches that keep some of your stuff off the floor.

Waterproofing

On paper and in practice, this is one of the Respite 1's stronger cards. The 75D polyester ripstop fly carries a 4,000mm hydrostatic head rating with fully taped seams – meaningfully better than many lightweight competitors.

The PU-coated polyester doesn't share sil-nylon's tendency to sag when wet, which helps maintain flysheet tension through prolonged rain. The groundsheet is rated to 5,000mm HH and is fully sewn in, which keeps ground moisture out effectively.

On test in sustained overnight rain in North Wales, the Respite 1 kept me snug and dry without drama (despite having to bend my legs a bit). The semi-circular hooped poles do give up something compared to arched or pre-bent pole designs – specifically in how quickly rainwater runs off the fly sheet – but in practical terms this wasn't a significant issue in the conditions I tested.

The rolltop drybag stuff sack is a smart addition at this price point, protecting the packed tent during transit. Seam sealant is not supplied, but the fully taped construction means this isn't required.

Condensation

Sadly, the Respite 1 doesn't excel here, which is no surprise – it’s rare that tunnel tents are stellar performers in this regard. The PU-coated polyester fly, while weatherproof, doesn't seem to breathe especially well – a characteristic trade-off of the material – and the small air gap between inner and fly limits passive ventilation. The result is a tent that runs slightly stuffy in warmer or more humid conditions.

Ventilation provision is adequate but not outstanding. The inner door features a two-way zip with a full-width mesh panel that can be unzipped independently for airflow without exposing you to midges. This mesh door is the tent's primary ventilation asset and it does work, though you need to actually remember to unzip it before bed rather than relying on the tent to manage moisture by itself.

A hooded foot vent would make a big difference to encourage better airflow and is a notable absence. The flipside is that in cold conditions the mostly-fabric inner and low-cut fly make for a noticeably warmer shelter than heavily meshed, skimpier alternatives.

Wind protection

The low, compact profile of the double-hoop tunnel handles wind well. Pitched with the narrower foot end into the prevailing breeze – the correct orientation for any tunnel tent – the Respite 1 presents a small, aerodynamic target and sheds gusts without the structural strain you'd see in a taller, freestanding design.

On test in windy spring conditions the tent stayed solidly planted and pretty quiet, helped by the locking runners on the guylines that held tension reliably without slipping.

The two forward guylines are also doubled, giving you an extra anchor point, while the rear lines are nice and long. The Y-beam aluminium pegs are a step up from the basic wire or skewer pegs often bundled with budget tents and hold well in most terrain. They’re also long enough to give decent purchase in soft ground, unlike a lot of ultralight pegs.

Sustainability

Highlander doesn't publish detailed sustainability information for the Respite 1's materials or manufacturing. There's no mention of recycled fabrics, PFC-free coatings or environmental certification in the product specification.

The fire-retardant treatment on the flysheet is a practical safety benefit, but the brand makes no broader environmental claims. For buyers who value this factor, better-documented options exist – most notably the Wild Country Halny Elite 1, which uses 100% recycled PFC-free fabrics throughout.

Price and competition

At £130, the Respite 1 has to be considered good value. The closest comparisons are the Snugpak Ionosphere IX (£220 RRP), the Robens Cress 1 Pro (also £130) and the budget end of the Vango or OEX ranges.

The Ionosphere is a lot lighter at 1.2kg and also longer, with a less tapered floor area, but gives up headroom and porch space (it’s basically halfway between a tent and a hooped bivvy bag). The Cress 1 Pro is narrower but has superior ventilation and useful side entry.

Otherwise, you’re probably looking at options like the Vango Banshee 200 (£165) or OEX Jackal II (£200, widely available for around £100). Both are roomier than the Respite 1 but considerably heavier at 2.4kg and 2.9kg respectively, since they are technically classed as 2P tents.

If you’re after a double-hoop tunnel style tent, our pick of the bunch is the Sierra Designs High Side 3000 (£300 RRP, but widely available for £150-£200). Its adapted pole geometry delivers side-entry access for better liveability and convenience, and the ability to porch out the flysheet door as an awning is a genuine added extra in fair weather. It also saves you a lot of weight at just 1.1kg. But it is still a compact shelter and is narrower than the Respite 1.

The honest answer is that for the price, this tent fills a specific, useful niche: a protective, durable and packable solo shelter for beginners and occasional users who want reliability on a budget, without the compromises of a cheaper dome tent.

Verdict

The Highlander Respite 1 won't trouble the shortlists of experienced backpackers, and it makes concessions on headroom, weight and ventilation that are difficult to overlook entirely. But measured against its design brief – a well-built, reliable solo tunnel tent at £130 – it earns its place.

The waterproofing is solid, the components feel well-made, the low-profile handles wind competently, and the fly-first pitch option is a practical nod to real British wild camping conditions. For beginners, DofE participants or occasional weekenders who want a step up from a cheap dome or pop-up tent without spending serious money, it's a sensible and honest choice.

Need a bit more space? Check out our selection of the best camping tents.

About the author

Matt Jones is a freelance journalist based in the heart of Eryri National Park (Snowdonia), he’s a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek.

Matt’s been one of our main gear testers for the last couple of years and is the first person we call with any complicated kit queries that need in-depth and forensic analysis. He was previously editor of Walk and Scouting magazines.

The iconoclasts of the outdoor industry, Páramo has been ploughing its own furrow in the world of waterproof technology for decades, steadfastly refusing to follow the membrane-lined path taken by virtually every other outdoor brand.

Instead of Gore-Tex, eVent, Pertex Shield or any other ‘in-house’ membrane, most of which are just variations on a PU-based theme, Páramo relies on its unique Nikwax Analogy system – a two-layer directional fabric technology that pumps liquid water away from your body while deflecting rain and precipitation to keep you dry. It’s a radically different approach to the sort of waterproof jackets made by most other outdoor brands.

The brand’s products have earned a devoted, even cult, following among a hardy breed of hillwalker. It’s also a favourite of many mountain guides, outdoor instructors and Mountain Rescue teams across the UK.

The Caminata is the first brand new Páramo waterproof jacket for a couple of seasons. Fresh from the in-house design team, it’s the UK brand’s latest take on the all-round hillwalking jacket. It’s positioned as a versatile, hard-wearing shell for activities from hilltop to valley, combining that proven waterproofing system with what Páramo describes as a more modern fit and silhouette compared to some of its established designs.

The name ‘Caminata’ translates from Spanish as ‘walk’ or ‘hike’ (think ‘Camino’) – a straightforward indication of its intended purpose.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Nikwax Analogy waterproof system, it’s a double-layer construction where an inner ‘pump liner’ moves perspiration away from the body while an outer face fabric sheds rain. This is fundamentally different from laminated membrane technologies: rather than blocking water with an impermeable layer, like Gore-Tex, it manages moisture through directional wicking, pushing water along the fibres of the fabric, from inside to out.

The outer is treated with the water-based Nikwax TX.Direct water repellent treatment rather than a chemical DWR, which can be easily topped up at home, either with a spray bottle or in your washing machine.

It definitely works. After months of testing through a particularly wet winter and early spring – including sustained downpours and long slogs through the mountains of North Wales – the Caminata has proven exceptionally comfortable in conditions where membrane shells feel clammy and oppressive. The system delivers on its breathability promises, moving moisture effectively.

A couple of points worth noting. At 693g / 24oz (men’s M), the Caminata is heavier than lightweight shells. It’s also noticeably warmer due to its two-layer construction, making it less suitable for summer use or high-output activities, especially if you run hot.

These aren’t necessarily drawbacks, since if you’re wearing the jacket, the weight and warmth can both be offset by simply wearing fewer or lighter layers underneath. Speaking personally, I rarely, if ever, need anything more than a baselayer under a Páramo jacket, and I’ve tested its winter jackets like the Aspira 360 smock and Velez Evo Hybrid in sub-zero conditions.

Other downsides? The hand pockets are placed low down, which is great for everyday access but not so optimal if you’re wearing a rucksack with a hip belt. Again, it’s not a major issue though, as the pockets remain usable.

With a £265 price tag, the Caminata sits in the mid-range for technical waterproofs. It’s a fairly accessible way into the Páramo waterproofs range, being positioned at a cheaper price point than any of the brand’s other waterproof jackets apart from the simpler Velez Adventure Light Smock (£260).

And compared to rival shells from other brands, it undercuts most Gore-Tex competitors, as well as many 3-layer jackets using Pertex Shield or various in-house membranes. Admittedly, entry-level 2- or 2.5-layer shells are generally cheaper, but for us the Caminata delivers genuine advantages over these budget options.

Fabrics, waterproofing and construction

As noted up top, Páramo’s Nikwax Analogy Waterproof system works fundamentally differently from every membrane-based shell you’ve likely encountered. Gear nerds will know that most waterproof jackets rely on a microporous, microscopically thin membrane, finer than the width of a human hair, bonded to a face fabric.

The membrane blocks precipitation, including rain, snow and sleet, while allowing water vapour molecules to escape, a process referred to in the outdoor industry as ‘breathability’. These fabrics are often known by brand names such as Gore-Tex, eVent, Pertex Shield and so on. Collectively, such jackets are termed ‘hard shells’.

They’re designed to stop you becoming a sweaty, fugged-out mess, and their breathability is why they are better than just wearing a plastic poncho, a rubber mac, a waxed jacket or a bin bag in the hills. The problem is that once you start to work hard, even premium membranes cannot expel liquid sweat, leading to that clammy, trapped feeling.

Páramo’s system eliminates the membrane entirely. Instead, it uses two layers working in directional tandem. The inner ‘pump liner’ is a hydrophilic fabric that actively wicks liquid moisture away from your skin, moving it outwards through capillary action.

The outer layer is a tightly woven water-resistant polyester fabric treated with Nikwax TX.Direct, a water-based treatment rather than a chemical DWR, that sheds rain while remaining breathable.

Here’s the crucial bit: the system doesn’t try to block water. Instead, it manages moisture dynamically – moving perspiration outwards while preventing rain from soaking inwards. This means the outer fabric can feel damp to the touch during prolonged rain, but you remain dry and comfortable inside.

The fabric breathes far more effectively than membrane systems because there’s no impermeable layer restricting vapour transmission. That’s not to say you won’t overheat – remember, breathability in outdoor clothing is about moving moisture, not regulating temperature or staying cool.

The two-layer construction is robust, but as there’s no membrane, it also doesn’t matter if it gets punctured. This also eliminates the need for seam-taping. Moreover, the inner pump liner acts as bonus reinforcement in areas like the shoulders and back, providing extra comfort when wearing rucksacks and enhanced protection in the areas most exposed to driving rain.

The system does require different expectations. You can’t assess Páramo’s waterproofness by a hydrostatic head test, as with a membrane-based fabric. What matters is whether you’re dry inside, and whether you’re comfortable during extended periods of activity in the rain. On both counts, the Caminata delivers impressively.

What we have noted is that the Nikwax treatment requires periodic refreshing. After sustained rain exposure, we noticed water soaking into the outer layer more readily rather than beading off. A wash with Nikwax Tech Wash followed by reproofing with TX.Direct, both water-based, PFC-free treatments, restores performance.

This maintenance is straightforward to do at home and costs under £15 for products that’ll last multiple treatments.

Besides, with the move to more eco-friendly but less long-lasting water repellents, this sort of TLC is something you’ll now have to do with all waterproofs, including Gore-Tex and other membrane-based shells.

Breathability and ventilation

During testing, we deliberately subjected the jacket to conditions where membrane shells typically struggle: long ascents in drizzle and dreich, multi-hour slogs across sodden moorland, steep and sweaty climbs while being battered by wind-driven rain. These are the scenarios where even premium Gore-Tex Pro shells often leave you feeling clammy despite their breathability ratings.

The Caminata handled all of this remarkably well. The pump liner actively moves liquid moisture away from the skin, stopping your baselayer from getting soaked in sweat. The outer layer breathes freely because there’s no membrane restricting vapour transmission. This makes it more comfortable to wear during extended periods of poor weather – exactly the conditions where the system is designed to shine.

However, this comes with a catch: warmth. The two-layer construction and the pump liner’s insulating properties make this a warm jacket. During mild conditions, anything above about 10°C, it is pretty easy to overheat, even with all vents open. The jacket is fundamentally designed for cold, wet conditions rather than mild, damp days.

For temperature regulation, the Caminata includes several ventilation options. The main front zip is fitted with double sliders and backed with an internal storm flap that can be closed with a series of plastic press studs (poppers), allowing you to crack the top or bottom for ventilation while keeping your chest protected. Additionally, zippered forearm vents provide targeted cooling during ascents without exposing your core.

These ventilation options work fine, but they can’t fully compensate for the jacket’s inherent warmth. Unless it’s hammering it down, you’ll likely find yourself shedding the jacket during ascents. We’d have preferred conventional pit zips or upper arm vents, as found in most other Páramo jackets, to the unusual forearm vents.

We’re not quite sure what the thinking is here, but they don’t seem to be particularly effective.

However, if the forecast for the day’s walking is wet and cold, the Caminata’s warmth becomes an advantage rather than a limitation. You can wear it over just a base layer and remain comfortably warm and dry.

Weight and packability

Páramo specifies the Caminata’s weight at 693g / 24oz (men’s M), which is undeniably on the heavier side for waterproof jackets. To provide context: the OMM Kamleika weighs 265g, the Rab Firewall Light weighs 313g and even the burly Rab Latok Gore-Tex Pro comes in at 496g. The Caminata weighs more than many proper winter mountain hard shells.

This weight isn’t down to excess features or fabric, it’s just intrinsic to how the Nikwax Analogy system works. The double-layer construction with that substantial pump liner simply requires more material than laminated membrane systems. You’re carrying the extra grams for the breathability, comfort and bonus warmth advantages the system delivers.

In terms of packability, the Caminata is decidedly not a jacket you can easily roll up and ram in your pack. The substantial fabric doesn’t compress particularly small – you’re better off wearing it than carrying it, which suits its intended use for prolonged periods of active hillwalking in wet conditions.

For day walks and shorter trips where you can easily do this, the weight and bulk aren’t dealbreakers. For multi-day backpacking trips where pack weight and volume are crucial, or for fast-and-light missions where you need packable emergency weather protection, the Caminata is less suitable. It’s fundamentally a jacket for regular use in wet conditions rather than ‘just in case’ carry.

Fit and comfort

Páramo describes the Caminata’s fit as updated and more modern compared to some of its longer or boxier designs. It is better than Páramo designs of old, which tended to be voluminous and a bit shapeless. The Caminata’s cut is much more contemporary, while maintaining practical mobility for good freedom of movement.

We’d still describe it as a regular fit rather than particularly trim. One limitation of Nikwax Analogy fabric compared to modern waterproof membranes is that it lacks any mechanical stretch. So, it can’t be quite as closely cut as stretchy shells like the OMM Kamleika or Rab Firewall Light.

To get round this, there are dual drawcords at both the waist and hem to allow precise fit adjustment. Although this feels a bit old school, it works. You can cinch the waist for a trimmer silhouette while keeping the hem loose for freedom of movement, or vice versa.

All in all, it occupies a middle ground that makes the Caminata accessible for a range of body types – it doesn’t require an athletic build to wear comfortably.

Importantly, Páramo offers a women’s version that is specifically tailored for female body shapes, with narrower shoulders, a shaped waist and more hip room. Best of all, the women’s Caminata is also available in plus sizes up to 3XL or a UK 24, which is genuinely progressive in an industry where extended sizing remains frustratingly rare.

This commitment to inclusivity deserves recognition, and helps make it one of the more accessible women’s waterproof jackets in terms of sizing.

In terms of tactility, the Caminata is remarkably comfortable to wear. The pump liner feels soft against the skin – you can wear it over just a T-shirt without discomfort, though being polyester, it sometimes gets some static build-up that takes time to dissipate. The fabric is soft and silent, with a nice drape – plus none of that stiff, crisp-packet crinkle you get with some membrane-based shells.

Features: hood, pockets and everything else

The hood is genuinely excellent – one of the best we’ve tested on any waterproof jacket regardless of price. It features three-point adjustment (rear crown, both sides of face) with a wire-stiffened peak that can be shaped to provide perfect face protection. The rear adjuster works smoothly with one hand, crucial when you’re battling wind and rain on an exposed ridge.

The lower drawcords have oversized plastic toggles that are easy to grab, and although they can flail about a bit, they’re positioned at the base of the neck so they don’t whip you in the face.

The hood’s volume is well judged for hillwalking use. It fits comfortably over a bare head or beanie, moves naturally with your head so you can look side to side rather than admiring the inside of your hood, and provides good peripheral vision. The wired peak is substantial enough to provide proper protection – it effectively shields your face from driving rain while remaining flexible enough to adjust for changing wind directions.

However, the hood is not designed for climbing helmet compatibility. If you need that capability for technical mountaineering, Páramo’s Velez or Enduro jackets would be a better choice. For hillwalking, the Caminata’s hood is ideal.

Storage comprises two zipped hand pockets and one large internal drop pocket. The internal pocket is deep enough to fit more substantial items. The hand pockets are adequately sized for gloves and snacks, with robust reverse-coil YKK zips.

However, the hand pockets are positioned relatively low – in their natural resting position for casual walking. This means they sit right where rucksack hipbelts obstruct them. For daypacks with skinnier webbing belts it’s not such a problem, but for bigger packs with chunkier hipbelts it becomes more of an issue.

For day walks, the positioning is perfect. For backpacking or technical use, it’s a bit frustrating, although not insurmountable.

Sleeves are well proportioned with good length, and the slightly dropped rear hem provides reassuring coverage when bending or crouching. Cuff adjustment uses simple Velcro tabs – no fancy systems, just straightforward functionality. They’re wide enough to accommodate gloves if needed but cinch down effectively for a close seal at the wrists.

We found they did a good job of keeping rain out during hands-on-rock scrambling.

Sustainability

This is an area where Páramo has long been an industry leader. The brand has never used PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ in any of its products – not because regulatory pressure forced it to eliminate these substances, but because it never used them in the first place. The Nikwax treatments used throughout the Analogy system are water-based and completely PFC-free.

The Caminata is also manufactured in partnership with the Miquelina Foundation in Colombia, a Fair Trade factory that Páramo helped establish. The brand has worked with them since 1992, paying fair wages and providing stable employment for vulnerable women. Workers at Miquelina earn significantly above minimum wage, receive healthcare and education benefits, and work in safe conditions with reasonable hours.

This ethical manufacturing is baked into Páramo’s business model rather than being a reaction to campaigners or consumer pressure.

Páramo actively encourages repair rather than replacement. The brand offers comprehensive repair services through its UK service centre, fixing everything from broken zips to torn fabric. Because the Analogy fabric system doesn’t use fragile membranes, seam taping or glues, repairs are often simpler and more effective than with membrane shells.

The jackets are designed for longevity, especially with regular TLC. This durability dramatically reduces environmental impact compared to membrane shells that might last 3-5 years before the membrane delaminates or the DWR becomes irreversibly compromised.

The main sustainability limitation is materials sourcing. Páramo doesn’t currently use significant recycled content in the Caminata’s fabrics, unlike competitors using recycled nylon in shell fabrics, though it has pioneered circular fabric sourcing models in other jackets like the Enduro 360 smock.

However, the brand argues that extreme durability and repairability deliver better environmental outcomes than using recycled materials in products that need replacing every few years, especially those using recycled fibres intercepted from plastic waste streams like polyester PET bottles.

Price and competition

With a UK RRP of £265 (and available for less if you shop around), the Caminata sits in the mid-range for technical waterproof jackets. It’s cheaper than 3-layer Gore-Tex shells, examples include the Mountain Equipment Makalu at £330, or the Berghaus Summit Seeker at £320, but more expensive than others using Pertex Shield fabrics or in-house tech (e.g. Rab Firewall Light £200, Montane Cetus £250).

Of course, if you prioritise low weight and packability, almost any lightweight membrane shell will deliver better specs, even if breathability suffers.

The closest comparison within Páramo’s range would be the Velez Adventure Light Smock (£260), which uses similar Analogy fabric in a smock design with hood and kangaroo pocket. The Velez is slightly lighter and more packable, making it better for fast-and-light use. The Caminata’s full-zip design and conventional pockets make it more versatile for everyday and hiking use.

Páramo’s premium waterproofs include the multi-activity Velez jacket (£310) and the hillwalkers’ favourite Alta III Jacket (£340). Both have a few more technical features than the Caminata. For general hiking in three-season conditions, the Caminata delivers solid protection at lower cost.

Outside Páramo’s range, direct comparisons are difficult because no other major brand uses the Nikwax Analogy system. You could look at offerings from Keela that use its rival SDP (System Dual Protection), which has some of the same qualities. Examples include the excellent Stratus (£195) and the older, heftier but still much-loved Munro (£215).

If ethical manufacturing is a priority, few brands match Páramo’s Fair Trade credentials and long-term factory partnerships. Patagonia also scores highly on ethical manufacturing, for example with the Granite Crest, but its waterproof jackets use membrane systems with the associated breathability limitations.

For a lighter stretch shell, the Rab Firewall Light remains a good comparison point. If you want a more packable option for less technical use, the Passenger Trailscape Light Jacket is worth a look too. For value-first hillwalking, the Craghoppers Dynamic Pro III is another strong alternative.

Verdict

A comfortable, breathable and effective waterproof that excels on typical wet, cold UK hill days. Its comparative weight, bulk and warmth make it less suitable for fast-and-light backpacking or packable emergency carry, but for all-day wear in miserable weather it’s a winner. Impressive ethical credentials and solid lifetime durability are further pluses.

Need to keep your legs dry too? Read our guide to the best waterproof trousers.

About the author

Matt Jones is one of the foremost gear testers on our team at LFTO. Matt lives in the heart of the Eryri (Snowdonia) mountains and spends every minute of decent weather stomping up to variously difficult-to-pronounce summits.

OMM – the Original Mountain Marathon – is one of those brands that occupies a strange paradox in the outdoor world. Ask any seasoned trail runner and they’ll know the name immediately, probably own something with the logo on it, and may even have competed in it (‘OMM? Completed it mate’).

OMM-branded gear tends also to be pretty highly regarded, spoken about with the kind of loyalty that only comes from kit that’s actually been put through the wringer. Take a look at footage from punishing UK ultras like the Spine Race, the Cape Wrath Ultra or the Dragon’s Back and you’ll typically see plenty of OMM logos on show among entrants too, emblazoned on all sorts of race-mandated kit, from packs and vests to shells and mitts.

However, ask a more casual hillwalker or weekend camper and there’s a decent chance they’ve never heard of it. That’s not really a problem for OMM – they’ve never been especially interested in the mainstream – but it does mean that some of their best products fly under the radar.

The Kamleika jacket is its signature piece, and the one that arguably started everything. When OMM released the first version in 2005, it was genuinely revolutionary: a fully waterproof shell that stretched, moved with you and felt nothing like the stiff, rustly hardshells that dominated the market at the time.

Nearly twenty years and six generations later, it’s still the jacket that arguably defines what a trail running waterproof should be, despite a slew of imitators. The sixth generation is the most significant update in years – retaining everything that made its predecessors great while adding a PFAS-free bio membrane and PFC-free DWR treatment, finally bringing the Kamleika's environmental credentials up to the standard of its performance ones.

Fabric, waterproofing and construction

The Kamleika jacket is built around OMM's own proprietary 2.5-layer fabric – a nylon/spandex mix that delivers four-way stretch and a soft, quiet hand feel. It's a genuinely unusual construction: fully waterproof, with a bonded membrane and taped seams throughout, but without the stiff, crinkly quality that usually comes with the territory.

Pick it up and it feels more like a softshell than a hardshell.

The headline change for the sixth generation is the move to a PFAS-free bio membrane – derived from plant-based materials – paired with a PFC-free DWR treatment. On paper, the waterproof rating is a solid 20,000mm hydrostatic head. You also get laminated YKK Aquaguard zips that are essentially waterproof when closed, and there’s a storm flap behind the main zip for additional protection.

On the hill – including some properly foul days in Snowdonia – it kept us dry when it needed to.

The fabric is so soft and stretchy that it is inevitably going to be less durable than heftier alternatives. But it’s so much nicer to wear when running compared to a lot of superlight shells that you can forgive this trade-off. And to be fair, later versions of the Kamleika (gen 5 and the current gen 6) were the first to use a nylon/spandex blend, making them more abrasion-resistant than older polyester-based versions of this jacket.

The main caveat is the DWR: like virtually all PFC-free treatments, it will require more regular re-proofing than older fluorocarbon finishes, particularly after sustained use in mud and muck. Follow the wash-and-reproof guidance and this shouldn’t be an issue – but neglect it and performance will drop off faster than you’d expect.

The other area to be aware of is seam durability. The Kamleika uses chafe-free flatlock stitching on the outer seams, which reduces bulk but can fray with heavy use over time. Our tester noticed this after five months of regular running.

It doesn’t affect waterproof performance, because the taped seams behind do that job, but it’s worth knowing if longevity of appearance matters to you.

Breathability and ventilation

With a breathability rating of 20,000g/m²/24hrs, the Kamleika promises good moisture management. But the number alone doesn’t really capture what makes this jacket stand out for runners: it’s the combination of breathability and stretch that does it.

Unlike stiffer hardshells, which can trap heat and moisture against the skin simply because they resist body movement, the Kamleika's four-way stretch means it moves with you rather than against you, reducing the clammy build-up that plagues high-output activity in most waterproofs.

In practical terms, this means you can push hard on a long climb in the Kamleika and stay genuinely comfortable for longer than you would in most alternatives. It will still struggle to keep pace with your sweat output during a full-pelt fell race – no jacket realistically can – but for trail running at typical endurance or tempo paces in variable British weather, it handles moisture management well.

There are no pit zips here – this isn’t that kind of jacket, since it’s too close-fitting for them not to be bulky and uncomfortable. But the mesh-lined pockets can be opened to boost airflow. And obviously, you can crack the main zip from the collar to dump heat during short intense efforts.

For the target user, it’s enough.

Weight and packability

At 265g / 9.3oz for a men’s medium (245g / 8.6oz in a women’s medium), the Kamleika is a lightweight shell, though in the world of superlight trail running shells, there are numerous options that are lighter still. However, these competitors tend to be pretty skimpy, simple, streamlined affairs intended for emergency weather protection (or just to fulfil mandatory race requirements rather than actually be worn), whereas the OMM Kamleika offers more meaningful waterproofing in sustained showers and heavy downpours.

It is nice and packable: it rolls into its hood and would then stuff into a race vest or the lid pocket of a running pack. There’s still a bit more weight and bulk compared to some rivals, but the trade-off is a jacket that holds up to regular use on rough terrain better than gossamer-thin alternatives.

For runners doing multi-day events like the OMM itself, where the jacket may be worn for hours at a stretch in serious conditions rather than just grabbed as a windbreak, the weight-to-protection ratio is excellent.

Fit and comfort

This is where the Kamleika earns its reputation. It’s one of the most comfortable fully waterproof jackets we’ve worn for trail running. The four-way stretch fabric moves with the body so naturally that after a few minutes you genuinely forget you’re wearing a waterproof shell – a pretty rare thing.

There’s no restriction through the shoulders, no bunching under the arms, no catching when you reach for a bottle in a vest pocket. It just works.

The fit on the women's version, which Ellie tested, is notably considered – flattering without being restrictive, with enough room to layer a lightweight base layer and even a lightweight synthetic insulator underneath without the jacket losing its shape. The drop tail provides good coverage when leaning forward in a running posture, which many shorter-cut jackets fail to account for.

Arm length is generous, and the ‘active cuff’ thumb-loops are a genuinely useful touch for cold or wet days, extending the sleeve's coverage over the hand.

One point to note: the outer fabric is very soft, but the inner isn’t quite as pleasant, despite the addition of a print to stop it feeling quite so clingy. This means the jacket works best worn over a long-sleeved base layer rather than against bare skin (e.g. over a short-sleeved running tee or vest), where it can feel slightly clammy due to the 2.5-layer construction.

It’s not unwearable, but it’s not the nicest sensation in the world either, especially over the course of a long run.

Features: hood, pockets and everything else

The hood is great. Obviously, it’s not as complex as the designs of a proper mountain shell, but for pure running, it’s hard to fault. It offers easy adjustment with a rear cordlock and a partly elasticated face binding, ensuring it cinches in tightly enough to stay put in strong wind without feeling claustrophobic.

The wired peak holds its shape and provides effective protection against driving rain – our tester Ellie noted that it gives good visibility even in sideways Snowdonia rain, which is about as demanding a test as you can give a hood peak.

Pockets are minimal but well placed: two zippered hand pockets, positioned low enough on the body to remain accessible when wearing a running vest or race pack – a detail that many running jackets miss. The pockets aren’t huge but will comfortably take a pair of gloves or some gels.

The YKK Aquaguard zip on each pocket is smooth and reliable. What’s absent is a chest pocket or internal stash, which some runners will miss, though the vest-compatible hand pocket placement largely compensates.

Cuffs close with laser-cut Velcro tabs and integrated thumbloops – easy to undo one-handed mid-run, and secure enough when closed to seal over gloves properly. The hem is elasticated with a dynamic droptail that sits longer at the back for extra coverage when running. The main zip runs full-length and features a storm flap behind it – an important detail for a running jacket, where the zip takes more movement stress than in a hiking shell.

The jacket also incorporates 37.5 Technology in the fabric – apparently, a micro-particle system developed to actively move moisture and maintain a comfortable skin temperature. It’s a nice bonus rather than a defining feature, but it contributes to the jacket’s overall comfort profile in sustained use.

Sustainability

The sixth generation Kamleika is a significant step forward on sustainability, and OMM deserves credit for the approach they’ve taken. The new bio membrane is derived from plant-based materials – a more sophisticated solution compared to most brands, which have simply replaced PFAS membranes with other less harmful but still petrochemical-derived alternatives.

Combined with the PFC-free DWR, the entire jacket is now free from the harmful fluorocarbon chemicals that have been a persistent environmental concern across the waterproof apparel industry.

OMM also operates a second-hand gear scheme – RE – which refurbishes and resells used kit, extending the working life of jackets and reducing waste. It’s a small initiative but a good example of a brand doing thoughtful things within the running community.

Price and competition

At £210, the Kamleika sits in the mid-to-upper range of the running waterproof market – more expensive than stripped-back race shells, but cheaper than some of the premium technical options. Whether it represents value depends on what you’re after.

The most directly comparable jacket we’ve tested is the Inov-8 Stormshell FZ V2 (RRP £160), which is our current best-in-test pick in this category. It’s a lot lighter at 150g, uses 2.5-layer Pertex Shield fabric, and offers impressive waterproofing for its weight. However, it has only one pocket, lacks the Kamleika's four-way stretch, and its thumb loops run a little short.

For runners who prioritise packable protection above all else, the Stormshell is maybe the stronger choice – but in terms of all-round comfort and freedom of movement, the Kamleika has the edge.

The Asics Fujitrail Elite (£205) is another close rival, again using Pertex Shield 2.5-layer fabric with a 20K/20K rating – the same headline numbers as the Kamleika. It’s highly adjustable and breathable, with a soft feel that runners who prefer a less structured shell will appreciate. The Kamleika still wins on stretch and comfort, but the Fujitrail is worth considering if a more forgiving cut suits you better.

At the minimal end of the field, the Rab Phantom (RRP £175) is a compelling stash-and-forget option. That one weighs 222g (men’s M), or even less if you go for the half-zip pull-on version, so is a fair bit lighter than the Kamleika – but it sacrifices hood, hem and cuff adjustability.

For those who overheat easily and can stretch their budget, the Compressport Thunderstorm 25/75 (£285) is in a different class for breathability, with a 75,000g/m² rating that’s genuinely extraordinary – though its snug athletic cut won’t suit everyone, and it lacks the eco credentials and adjustability of the Kamleika.

The home-grown Harrier Exmoor (£95) is the Kamleika's most obvious value rival: practical, versatile and a good choice for anything from fell races to endurance runs. Its 15K waterproof rating is lower than the Kamleika's, however, and it’s also a fair bit heavier at 340g.

If budget is tight, it’s a solid pick – but if you’re regularly running in proper mountain weather, the higher-performing Kamleika, or the other rivals mentioned above, are worth the premium. And if you’re comparing the wider field of waterproof running jackets, this remains one of the most distinctive options out there.

If you’re after more of a hiking-focused shell, the Rab Firewall Light offers a similarly stretchy feel in a more hillwalking-oriented package. The Outdoor Research SkyChaser is another strong fast-and-light option if you want something tougher and more mountain-ready.

Verdict

Twenty years on from the original, the Kamleika is still a superb trail running waterproof. The latest generation retains the stretch fabric and softshell-like feel that runners love, while moving to an eco-friendly bio membrane to finally bring the jacket’s environmental credentials in line with its performance ones.

The minor niggles – the occasional fraying of exposed outer seams, the lack of a chest pocket – are real but peripheral. They don’t change what this jacket fundamentally is: a dependable waterproof running jacket that has proved its worth time and time again in elite multi-stage mountain races.

Looking for more varied wet-weather options? Read our guide to the best waterproof jackets.

About the author

Matt Jones is a freelance journalist based in the heart of Snowdonia National Park. He’s a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek. Matt’s been one of our main gear testers for the last couple of years and is the first person we call with any complicated kit queries that need in-depth and forensic analysis.

Occupying a versatile middle ground between Rab’s entry-level Downpour shells and higher-end Gore-Tex jackets, the Firewall range has proven a popular addition to the British brand’s array of waterproof jackets since its introduction about a decade ago. The line-up has changed over the years but currently consists of four models: the standard Firewall (£160), the Firewall Light (£200), the Firewall Mountain (£245) and the Firewall Alpine (£250).

As their names and price tags suggest, the last two (the Firewall Mountain and Alpine) are aimed at more technical mountain users. The Mountain is a year-round, all-mountain shell for tackling ridges and scrambles, while the Alpine is a streamlined, superlight, stripped-back climbing shell designed for ‘done in a day’ ascents. Meanwhile, the standard Firewall is the cheapest of the series, pitched as a comfortable peak-to-pub all-rounder.

Somewhere in the middle comes the Firewall Light, which we’re reviewing here. This one – no surprise – is a light and packable option, weighing just over 350g / 12.3oz in a men’s medium. Designed for hiking and hillwalking from spring through to autumn, we’d say it’s aimed at the archetypal ‘weekend warrior’: the type of walkers who relish bagging Wainwright fells in the Lake District or tackling summer Munros and Welsh 3000s.

The older version of this jacket used a different waterproof fabric to the other Firewall jackets; namely, 3-layer Proflex, Rab’s in-house waterproof technology, which we first encountered when the Kinetic jackets were unveiled some years ago. Back then it earned strong reviews for balancing weather protection with impressive breathability and softshell-like comfort.

As of early 2026, however, the Firewall Light has now been updated with 3-layer Pertex Shield, to match the other shells in the Firewall range. Pertex Shield is a tried and tested technology that is commonly used in waterproof gear by multiple brands throughout the outdoor industry.

In this 3-layer construction it has lab-tested waterproofing and breathability ratings of 20,000mm hydrostatic head and an MVTR (moisture vapour transmission rate) of 20,000g/m2/24hrs. All seams are fully taped, and the DWR coating is fluorocarbon-free, meaning no harmful PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ either.

The Firewall Light also has a knitted backer, which makes it feel softer, more supple and quieter to wear. This is combined with a flexible hydrophobic membrane laminated to a 20-denier nylon face, as opposed to the heavier 40D materials used in the standard Firewall and Firewall Mountain.

It’s a reliable performer. After six weeks of testing across Eryri (Snowdonia), the Firewall Light has proven decently breathable, very comfortable and adequately waterproof for anything from a sudden shower to a prolonged downpour.

The fabric is a real win compared to most budget or mid-range waterproofs. It has a nice drape that stretches slightly as you move and feels soft against the skin rather than plasticky or clammy. This can be attributed to the 3-layer construction, which is a genuine upgrade over 2- or 2.5-layer alternatives.

It only reaches its limits during very heavy weather with strong, buffeting winds. The 20-denier fabric is noticeably thinner than proper mountain shells, and while it kept us mostly dry, it gets a bit flappy. We were conscious this isn’t bombproof protection for the worst weather.

But with a £200 price tag, the Firewall Light undercuts Gore-Tex equivalents by £80-100 while claiming comparable breathability. As a lightweight waterproof jacket for active days where that matters as much as weather protection, the Firewall Light fills a useful niche.

Fabrics, waterproofing and construction

The Firewall Light looks and feels pleasantly different from most traditional hard shells at this price point – it is stretchy, supple and considerably softer against the skin. The 20D, 3-layer Pertex Shield fabric is lightweight, packable and breathable yet still durable enough for typical days in the hills or on the trail.

It’s not going to hold up to sustained contact with rock or ice like heavier mountain shells, but for spring-summer or early autumn hiking it strikes a sensible balance.

In our experience it’s reliably waterproof and windproof too, as you’d expect from a 3-layer laminated membrane with taped seams throughout. Rab publishes actual technical specifications for 3L Pertex Shield, which is refreshingly transparent: the hydrostatic head rating is 20,000mm.

For context, 10,000mm would be our minimum benchmark for a proper outdoor jacket. The highest-performing fabrics on the market such as Gore-Tex Pro have a minimum rating of 28,000mm. So, Pertex Shield occupies a respectable middle ground, balancing all-round performance in multiple different metrics with cost.

The construction is PFAS-free, and the face fabric is also treated with a fluorocarbon-free (PFC-free) durable water repellent (DWR) finish.

Moreover, this jacket’s knitted fabric construction provides inherent stretch and a softer hand feel that immediately distinguishes it from stiffer shells. The outer face protects against the elements and sheds surface water thanks to a durable water repellent coating, while the inner wicking layer moves moisture away from the skin.

Between them sits a hydrophobic microporous membrane, which provides protection against rain and snow while allowing moisture vapour to escape by diffusion.

The fabric moves easily with your body and doesn’t have that plasticky, clingy sensation of cheaper 2- or 2.5-layer hard shells. You can comfortably wear it over just a short-sleeved tee or baselayer. The four-way stretch allows full freedom of movement – it flexes nicely at the elbows and doesn’t ride up at the hem, ensuring a wide range of mobility throughout.

The 20-denier fabric is thin and lightweight but, to be fair, proved more robust than expected. We didn’t baby this jacket, brushing through gorse bushes in the Vale of Ffestiniog, scraping against rock on Cadair Idris and stuffing it hastily into our packs whenever the rain stopped and the sun broke through.

It’s held up reasonably well, with no tears, though slight abrasion marks developed on high-wear areas, elbows and shoulders under pack straps, faster than heavier fabrics would show. The fabric is noticeably thinner than proper mountain shells, and you feel that difference.

What we have also noted is that, like most PFC-free waterproof fabrics, the DWR finish doesn’t last as long as older chemical treatments. After sustained rain exposure, we noticed the face fabric beginning to ‘wet out’ – water soaking into the outer layer rather than beading off.

This doesn’t compromise waterproofing, the membrane still works, but wet face fabric reduces breathability. Regular reproofing will be necessary to maintain optimal performance – but that’s a criticism we could level at pretty much all modern waterproof jackets.

Breathability and ventilation

Although the Firewall Light doesn’t provide bomber protection from buffeting wind like a hefty 80-denier Gore-Tex Pro jacket such as the Rab Latok, the counterpoint is that it feels light and flexible, which is ideal for high-output activities.

The breathability rating of 20,000 g/m²/day MVTR puts it on a par with many rival membranes and significantly ahead of budget rivals. Even during sustained effort and significant elevation gain, the jacket manages moisture well. There was minimal clammy build-up, and I rarely experienced that unpleasant fuggy feeling you get with less breathable shells.

Plus, if you do start to build up warmth, you can use the hand pockets for ventilation – they’re not quite as effective as pit zips but do offer some cooling for the torso. The pocket interiors are lined with stretchy mesh panels to allow this. On uphill sections, it’s possible to unzip both pockets and lift the arms slightly to encourage airflow.

However, this system has limitations. In heavy rain, opening pockets for ventilation means rain can get in more easily. And it also means you can use the pockets for either storage or ventilation, but not both – unless you’re willing to risk losing the contents on the hillside.

And as someone who once spent hours retracing my steps in a vain search for a lost set of car keys, that’s a mistake you only ever make once.

Obviously, you can also crack the main zip to dump heat too, though only from the chin, as it only has a single slider rather than being a two-way design. This also limits your ability to quickly access layers underneath.

However, it does feature an internal storm flap to minimise rain seeping through, and the upper section has a microfibre chin guard to minimise irritation. These features are standard in technical shells, but it’s good to see them present and correct.

Weight and packability

Rab specifies the Firewall Light’s weight at 368g / 12.9oz (men’s M), which makes it one of the lighter waterproof shells around – though it’s actually gained some weight compared to the older Proflex version, which was just 313g / 11oz. That’s a slight shame but hasn’t drastically affected packability.

It’s still heavier than ultralight trail-running options like the OMM Kamleika (265g) or the lightest alpine-style shells like the Patagonia M10 Anorak (300g). It’s also heavier than more technical rivals like the Outdoor Research SkyChaser (320g, £275, which uses 3L Pertex Shield Pro) and the Berghaus Summit Seeker (357g, £360, which uses 30-denier 3L Gore-Tex ePE).

Still, it’s considerably lighter than most mountain hard shells. It’s also lighter than the standard Firewall at 495g / 17.5oz and significantly more packable too.

The jacket has no dedicated pack pocket or stuff sack (Rab has stopped supplying these with its jackets to save material and energy costs), but it rolls easily into its hood. Bundled up, it’s approximately the size of a 1-litre Nalgene bottle, so it fits easily in a lid pocket or front stuff pocket of a rucksack.

For multi-day trips when you can’t justify carrying a heavy shell, or fast-and-light hill days where you just want a ‘just in case’ waterproof layer, this packability is very useful. It’s easy to justify carrying it with you, even when space and weight are at a premium, so you’re unlikely to be caught out by sudden weather changes.

Compare this to burly mountain shells like the Latok, which you’re better off wearing than carrying, and there’s no contest. The bottom line is that for eight or nine months of the year the Firewall Light is ideal – protective enough to handle a downpour but light enough to pack without penalty.

Fit and comfort

Rab describes the Firewall Light fit as ‘regular’ – neither aggressively trim like its biking or running-focused shells, nor generously cut like its mountaineering and expedition jackets. We found it easy enough to layer over a baselayer tee and fleece without it pulling at the seams or leaving billows and folds of excess fabric.

Our test sample was a men’s size large, which fit my 193cm (6ft 4in) frame and 42in chest perfectly.

All-round coverage is excellent. The hem sits at hip length, tucking neatly under a rucksack hip belt and staying there without hindering leg movement. At the hem there’s a single-point drawcord adjustment that can be operated one-handed, and the lack of a tethered loop means you won’t snag it either.

Sleeves are well-proportioned with good articulation, ensuring the jacket doesn’t ride up when reaching overhead. The extended cuffs provide additional coverage for the backs of the hands and the Velcro cuff tabs mean you can cinch them in tightly at the wrists. The closure isn’t the most secure but does the job, and the tab is bar-tacked for strength at the stitched seam.

You won’t get the cuffs over bulky gauntlet-style gloves or mitts, but then, this isn’t intended to be a winter shell.

All in all, the cut should suit a range of body types. It’s not as aggressively tapered as alpine-focused jackets, making it more accessible for hillwalkers who aren’t sinewy climbers. Even broader-shouldered walkers will probably get on with the fit, though very stocky builds might find it slightly trim through the body.

In part because of its lightweight construction, it’s also a very comfortable jacket. The knitted inner layer feels soft against the skin – you can wear it over just a T-shirt without discomfort. The seams are well-positioned to avoid irritation. And the fabric’s slight stretch means it moves naturally with your body rather than restricting movement.

Though it’s not a true climbing shell, during scramblier sections of hill days, the articulated sleeves and degree of flex meant we could reach overhead, lean into moves and clamber around happily without fighting the jacket.

Multiple other reviewers independently describe the Proflex fabric as providing a ‘softshell feel’, and having tested numerous hardshells and softshells, we’d agree. It doesn’t quite blur the line between categories like its sibling, the Rab Kinetic, but whereas the Kinetic is essentially a softshell with some waterproof properties, the Firewall Light is undoubtedly a hard shell with a bit more stretch and comfort.

Features: hood, pockets and everything else

I’ve said it many times before, I’ll say it again: a hood can make or break a waterproof jacket. In my experience most Rab hoods are decent, and the Firewall Light’s is similarly well executed.

Obviously, this jacket is designed primarily for hillwalking, so it’s not big enough to go over a climbing helmet. If that’s what you need, take a look at the Firewall Alpine. But it’s well shaped and has a single-point rear adjustment system that works smoothly even with cold hands, cinching down effectively without fuss.

Integrated elastic cords simultaneously close up gaps around the face and reduce overall volume, so even though there are no dedicated side adjusters, it functions effectively. A wired peak deflects rain, providing good face protection. The hood stays put in wind but moves well with the head, ensuring good field of vision.

When it comes to pockets, the Firewall Light offers two zippered hand pockets, nothing internal. The hand pockets are positioned high enough to remain accessible when wearing a rucksack hipbelt. For casual or everyday use, you might find your hands naturally want to rest a bit lower, but they’re still usable.

As noted already, the pockets are mesh-lined for ventilation, which is both a benefit and a drawback, depending on how you’re using them. But the pockets themselves are adequately sized for gloves, snacks and small items, with laminated, reverse-coil YKK AquaGuard zippers providing water resistance.

It is a shame there’s no internal pocket. This would add extra functionality with minimal weight, and for many hillwalkers it might be a dealbreaker. After all, it’s generally a good idea to keep a phone, keys and/or ID on your person rather than in your pack, just in case of emergency.

Watching your rucksack tumble off a cliff as you realise it’s got absolutely everything in it comes with an indescribable sinking feeling. The other alternative, having to store items in external hand pockets, means they’re more exposed to rain ingress or loss if you open zips for ventilation. It’s a genuine annoyance that’d be easily fixed and well worth a few added grams in weight.

Other features are minimal – this is a streamlined jacket focused on light and packable performance rather than too many bells and whistles. The branding is relatively subtle: small Rab branding on chest, plus a small logo on the right forearm and a ‘Pertex Shield’ print at the hem. For those who prefer clean and understated kit, this will be appreciated.

Sustainability

The Firewall Light’s sustainability story is pretty good, though it slightly lags behind some of Rab’s other shells. The major positive is the fluorocarbon-free fabric, membrane and DWR treatment, meaning the jacket is completely free from PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ that persist in the environment indefinitely. This elimination of harmful persistent chemicals represents genuine environmental progress and aligns with Rab’s broader sustainability commitments.

The move from Proflex to Pertex Shield fabric for 2026 has also boosted the amount of recycled content in the main fabric – the nylon face is now partly recycled (18%), while the knit backer is 100% recycled. There are smaller amounts of recycled material in zippers (6%) and trims (39%) too.

To be fair, Rab is totally transparent about this via its excellent Material Facts Initiative (basically, a product breakdown that works a bit like the nutritional information you get on food packaging). But the numbers are still disappointing compared to jackets using 100% recycled polyamide in shell fabrics without performance compromise.

Take, for example, Rab’s own Downpour or Latok series of shells, which now use 100% recycled face fabric.

In a wider sense, Rab has been a Climate Neutral Company for several years and maintains strong overall sustainability credentials. The brand has been a member of the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) since 2020, and is currently classed as a ‘leader’ by that organisation. Rab also offers repair services through its Service Centre network, encouraging extended product life rather than replacement.

Price and competition

With a UK RRP of £200, the Rab Firewall Light sits in interesting territory. It significantly undercuts three-layer Gore-Tex equivalents while still delivering adequate waterproof protection for three-season hillwalking. For example, if you want a Gore-Tex jacket from Rab’s range, the lowest-cost option is currently the Namche, which is nearly £100 more expensive at £290 RRP.

It’s sturdier and more protective but it’s also bulkier, hotter and heavier.

Your other options from Rab are the entry-level Downpour range (£120-155), which aren’t nearly as nice to wear, or the other options in the Firewall line as noted in the intro – namely the standard Firewall (£160), the Firewall Mountain (£245) or the Firewall Alpine (£250).

However, with the Firewall Light, you get superior comfort and stretch, with the same protection and breathability as that offered by standard 3L Pertex Shield. In essence, the other Firewall jackets feel like traditional hardshells whereas the Firewall Light feels more like a stretch softshell.

Away from Rab, you could consider the Montane Cetus, which costs £250. It uses its in-house Petrichor 3-layer fabric and has comparable waterproof and breathability ratings to the Firewall Light. It’s a bit tougher, which should be a plus for resistance to wear and tear, but it’s also heavier and fifty quid more expensive.

Alternatively, there’s the new Mountain Equipment Raintower (£190). We haven’t had the opportunity to test it yet, but it uses a 2.5-layer Drilite construction. It’s better equipped than the Firewall Light, with pit zips and an internal pocket, and more rugged, with a 40D face fabric, but again, a bit heavier at 350g / 12.3oz.

It probably won’t feel quite as comfortable either, given the Rab uses a superior 3-layer stretch fabric.

Elsewhere, most other rivals that spring to mind, at least those which offer comparable weight, packability and performance, are more expensive. Examples include the Outdoor Research SkyChaser (320g, £275) which uses 3L Pertex Shield Pro fabric, or the Berghaus Summit Seeker (357g, £360), which uses 3L Gore-Tex Performance Standard.

In that sense, you have to think that the Rab Firewall Light offers pretty good value, provided you understand its limitations. This isn’t a four-season mountain shell. The 20-denier fabric is lighter-duty than burly alternatives, making it flappy in high winds.

For a more affordable, all-round hillwalking jacket, the Craghoppers Dynamic Pro III is worth considering. If you want something lighter and more packable for weekend use, the Passenger Trailscape Light Jacket is another option.

But for spring-summer hillwalkers who need lightweight yet reliable weather protection, the Firewall Light is a good buy. The fabric’s stretch and flex legitimately improve comfort compared to stiffer hard shells. Its features are straightforward but mostly effective, with a good cut and a decent hood.

It’s not criminally expensive, it’s lighter than most waterproofs and it’s very packable too, while being more capable than just an emergency shell: all in all, a genuinely useful jacket for eight or nine months of the year.

Verdict

A versatile, lightweight and packable waterproof that is ideal for spring-to-autumn hill days. Feels great to wear, delivering stretch comfort without sacrificing proper waterproof protection, and does the basics efficiently and effectively.

Need to keep your legs dry too? Read our guide to the best waterproof trousers.

About the author

Matt Jones is a freelance journalist based in the heart of Snowdonia National Park. He’s a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek. Matt’s been one of our main gear testers for the last couple of years and is the first person we call with any complicated kit queries that need in-depth and forensic analysis.

Last year, Craghoppers celebrated its 60-year anniversary, marking an impressive milestone for this much-loved British brand. It’s probably best known for its legwear, especially the ubiquitous Kiwis, which seem to be pretty much everyone’s first proper pair of walking trousers. Further afield, the Nosilife insect-repelling adventure travel range is a favourite among hikers embarking on group walking holidays and guided treks from Kitzbühel to Kathmandu.

However, Craghoppers also has plenty of pedigree when it comes to waterproof jackets, starting with the CagJac way back in 1973. By today’s standards, it seems basic (long cut, full zip, front patch pockets and a simple hood with drawstring) but was actually one of the world’s first modern waterproof jackets.

At the turn of the millennium, Craghoppers developed its own waterproof-breathable technology, AquaDry, a TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) membrane bonded to a polyester face fabric. Today, AquaDry’s H2OShield water repellent finish is also PFC-free, with a minimum of 50% plant-based content, both pluses from a sustainability standpoint.

AquaDry has further evolved to incorporate mechanical stretch, making it more pliant and flexible. That’s the basis of the latest Dynamic Pro III waterproof jacket, which represents the third generation of the popular Dynamic range. In line with the brand’s eco focus, it now boasts a 100% recycled polyester face fabric and further recycled content in both the mesh and taffeta linings.

The Dynamic jacket’s basic design was first introduced in 2021 with distinctive colour-blocked styling and innovative ‘12000 mesh’ technology. The latest model has significantly improved waterproofing – jumping from 10,000mm to 20,000mm hydrostatic head – while retaining the core features that made the original appealing.

It retains the Dynamic 12000 mesh lining fabric, which is infused with natural minerals designed to reflect infrared (IR) radiation back to the body. Craghoppers claims this improves recovery and reduces fatigue, though as we’ll discuss later, the real-world benefits are difficult to quantify.

More importantly, the jacket has an accommodating, full-coverage fit plus all the features you’d expect from a proper waterproof: fully adjustable peaked hood, pit zips, multiple pockets and fully taped seams. It’s available in both men’s and women’s versions, with the men’s jacket weighing 650g / 23oz in a medium and the women’s coming in at 570g / 20oz (size UK 10).

Not especially light or packable but to be expected given its two-layer construction.

At £180 full RRP (currently on sale for £54), the Dynamic Pro III positions itself in the competitive entry-level waterproof market but boasts technical specifications and lab-tested waterproof stats comparable to jackets costing twice the price. After six weeks of testing across Snowdonia, through January and early February – encountering everything from fine drizzle to horizontal sleet, with temperatures ranging from -6°C to 10°C – we’ve got a clear picture of what this jacket delivers.

Fabrics, waterproofing and construction

The Dynamic Pro III’s most significant upgrade from previous versions is the doubling of its waterproof rating from 10,000mm to 20,000mm hydrostatic head. For context, 10,000mm would be our minimum benchmark for a proper hillwalking jacket, while the highest-performing fabrics like Gore-Tex Pro offer 28,000mm+.

The Dynamic Pro III’s 20,000mm rating puts it squarely in ‘solid weather protection’ territory, matching the performance of trusted market technologies like Pertex Shield.

The AquaDry Stretch membrane is a TPU laminate, which differs from the ePE-based membranes used in the newest Gore-Tex products. The membrane is bonded to a recycled polyester face fabric in a two-layer construction, with fully taped seams throughout. The jacket is finished with a mesh drop liner to improve comfort and protect the membrane from contamination and abrasion.

One advantage of TPU (and PU) membranes is that they’re more flexible than Gore-Tex. As such the face fabric has a slight stretch to it, as does the mesh drop liner. This creates a jacket that moves naturally with your body rather than feeling stiff and restrictive.

The fabric isn’t as supple as stretch shells like the Rab Firewall Light or OMM Kamleika, but it’s considerably more pliable than traditional hard shells using non-stretch materials. It does make an audible rubbery squeak as it flexes though, which is a minor downside.

The face fabric is polyester rather than nylon, which again adds to that soft and flexible feel, though at the potential cost of durability. For typical hillwalking use this shouldn’t be an issue but bear in mind that polyester is inherently less abrasion-resistant than nylon (of equivalent weight). Mountaineers, scramblers and climbers dragging themselves across rock will find tougher materials elsewhere.

Still, for hiking and hillwalking, the Dynamic Pro III’s fabric proved adequately robust during testing.

The H2OShield DWR treatment is PFAS-compliant and at least 50% plant-based. Though most of the outdoor industry’s water-repellent coatings are fluorocarbon free these days, the organic content of Craghoppers’ coating is an environmental plus. During testing, it initially beaded water impressively.

After around a month of regular use without retreatment, water still ran off reasonably well but with less immediate beading. This is typical of PFC-free DWRs and simply requires periodic reproofing to maintain optimal performance.

The jacket uses laminated water-resistant zips throughout, and the main zip is backed by a storm flap. The construction quality feels solid, with well-positioned seams and neat stitching. At 650g / 23oz for the men’s medium, it’s not light, but the weight is to be expected for a two-layer construction and feels appropriate for the level of protection and features provided.

Breathability and ventilation

The Dynamic Pro III’s breathability is decent, though not exceptional. It’s hard to find published numbers for breathability, either an MVRT (moisture vapour transmission rate) or RET (resistance to evaporative transfer) figure. In any case, lab testing will only tell you so much, which is why we prefer to go on real-world testing.

After extensive use in the mountains of North Wales, we’d put this jacket somewhere in the middle of the pack: ahead of budget shells but behind premium options like Gore-Tex. In practice, the jacket manages moisture reasonably well during moderate effort, though we noticed some dampness building up during steeper ascents.

The dual-layer construction with its mesh lining does stop things feeling too clammy though, which is a plus. It also traps a bit more warmth compared to 2.5- or 3-layer laminated fabric shells. On cold days up on the Carneddau plateau this was very welcome, allowing us to wear the jacket comfortably over just a baselayer.

On milder days things started to feel a bit hot and sweaty, especially when working hard.

However, Craghoppers has wisely included pit zips, which become essential for temperature regulation. These run from mid-torso up to the underarms and are fitted with double sliders, though the zipper pulls are frustratingly small and hard to grab.

Still, once you do open them up the jacket vents effectively, helping to dump heat and general fug. We didn’t get too much water ingress even when hiking through driving rain with the zips partially open.

Weight and packability

At 650g / 23oz for a men’s medium (570g / 20oz for women’s size 10), the Dynamic Pro III is towards the heavier end of the spectrum for a hillwalking waterproof. It’s double the weight of options like the OMM Kamleika (265g) or the Rab Firewall Light (313g), though admittedly lighter than burly mountain shells like the Páramo Alta III (805g) or the Keela Munro (1,124g).

The weight is intrinsic to the jacket’s two-layer construction. That mesh lining simply requires more material than minimalist single-layer designs. You’re carrying the extra grams in exchange for the warmth, next-to-skin comfort and, theoretically, the infrared-reflecting benefits of the Dynamic 12000 technology.

Inevitably, this weight and bulk also affect packability, which is so-so. The jacket compresses down to roughly the size of a 1.5-litre water bottle – not huge, but not tiny either. It fits easily in a daypack but won’t disappear like true ultralight shells.

There’s no dedicated stuff sack included either, though you can roll the jacket into its hood if needed.

For most day walks, neither factor is a dealbreaker. For multi-day backpacking trips where every gram counts, or for fast-and-light missions where you want packable emergency weather protection, lighter alternatives make more sense.

Fit and comfort

Craghoppers describes the Dynamic Pro III’s fit as slim, but it’s nowhere near as trim as more technical mountain shells. There’s ample room to layer a baselayer and midlayer underneath. The cut should suit a range of body types. It’s not as forgiving as a smock or anorak design, but nor is it so trim that it requires an athletic build.

The articulated sleeves are well-executed. Pre-shaped at the elbows, they allow natural arm movement without excess fabric bunching. Sleeve length is spot on too, with cuffs that extend to cover the backs of hands.

The cuffs feature Velcro adjustment tabs and have a slight gusset to make it easier to tuck gloves underneath. Thin gloves fit comfortably inside the cuffs, though bulky mountaineering gloves are a squeeze.

The jacket’s length is fairly standard, sitting at hip level with a slightly dropped rear hem for additional coverage when bending. Dual hem adjusters (shockcords with spring toggles) allow you to cinch in the fit to prevent draughts and stop the jacket riding up.

Comfort-wise, the Dynamic Pro III is very wearable. The stretch in the fabric helps, and the mesh lining feels pleasant against the skin – you can wear it over just a short-sleeved baselayer tee without discomfort. The fabric is not completely silent though, with a rubbery squeak when it flexes.

The jacket’s slight warmth is noticeable but not uncomfortable unless you’re pushing hard in mild conditions.

Features: hood, pockets and everything else

The Dynamic Pro III’s hood is well-designed and functional for hillwalking. Craghoppers also describes it as ‘helmet-compatible’, though we struggled to fit it over a Black Diamond Half Dome climbing lid. To be honest, we can’t imagine many climbers will be using this on the crags – it’s more of a generalist weekend warrior than a specialist climbing shell.

Hood adjustment is comprehensive, with a rear halo shockcord and one-handed spring toggle, plus front adjusters on each side of the face with spring toggles. This allows you to dial in a precise fit whether you’re wearing the hood over a bare head or beanie.

The face drawcords are routed down through the jacket, emerging at the base of the neck so they don’t flap annoyingly in wind. The toggles add a bit of bulk around the face though.

The hood incorporates a stiffened brim that ensures it mostly stays put in wind, rather than being blown back. The peak maintains its shape rather than collapsing into the face, providing effective rain protection. The hood also turns well with the head, ensuring good peripheral vision.

Pocket configuration differs between men’s and women’s versions. The men’s jacket has four pockets: two hand pockets, one angled chest pocket and one internal pocket. The women’s version has three: two hand pockets and one internal pocket.

All external pockets use water-resistant YKK zips.

The hand pockets are positioned high enough to remain accessible when wearing a rucksack hipbelt – a thoughtful design detail that’s often overlooked. They’re adequately sized for gloves, snacks and phones, though not quite large enough to swallow a folded OS map.

They’re also mesh lined, which means you could open them for venting if desired – just make sure you don’t lose anything you put in them.

The chest pocket sits at a comfortable height for access. It’s useful for items you want quickly to hand – GPS unit, smartphone, Snickers, compass, lip balm (they get sore, alright?). The internal pocket is also big enough for a smartphone or wallet but won’t accommodate a folded OS map.

One small grumble: the main zip doesn’t quite cover the chin, stopping just short when fully closed. On truly filthy days you might wish for another inch or two of coverage, though the collar does provide reasonable protection and includes a soft microfibre panel to prevent irritation.

Sustainability

The Dynamic Pro III scores well on sustainability, with genuinely progressive environmental credentials rather than token greenwashing gestures.

The face fabric is 100% recycled polyester, with Craghoppers claiming around 60 plastic bottles are recycled to create each men’s jacket (approximately 50 for the women’s version). The mesh lining is 90% recycled polyester with 10% elastane for stretch, and the taffeta pocket liners are 100% recycled polyester.

This extensive use of recycled materials is commendable, especially at this price point.

The H2OShield DWR treatment is PFAS-compliant and at least 50% plant-based. PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ are persistent environmental pollutants that don’t break down naturally, so their elimination from outdoor gear is genuinely important progress.

Craghoppers covers the jacket with its ‘Guarantee for Life’ scheme, though as always, check the terms carefully. Still, this suggests confidence in durability and encourages extended product life rather than disposal and replacement.

The brand has committed to net zero by 2050 and operates with zero landfill waste from its facilities. Over 10 years ago, it started to import goods from Liverpool rather than southern ports. With the brand’s distribution centre being located in Ellesmere Port, this reduced road miles by around 400,000 miles per year.

It’s also a member of the UN Climate Change Group as well as a signatory to the UNFCCC Fashion for Global Climate Action. Where possible Craghoppers freights finished goods by train, instead of transporting by air. The company also uses minimal water in its dyeing processes.

Craghoppers is a member of the Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI), using third-party auditing for its factories, including the facility in Bangladesh where this jacket is manufactured.

It’s also a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and employs the Higg Index to benchmark current performance and set targets for improvement.

The Dynamic 12000 technology

Let’s address the jacket’s most unusual feature: does the infrared-reflecting mesh actually work?

The theory is straightforward. The Dynamic 12000 mesh is infused with six natural minerals that reflect the body’s naturally occurring infrared radiation back towards the skin. Similar technologies have been used in sportswear and therapeutic applications (so-called ‘red light therapy’), with some peer-reviewed research suggesting potential benefits for circulation and tissue recovery.

Craghoppers claims this can improve blood flow, encouraging faster recovery post-activity.

However, quantifying whether it makes a noticeable difference in a jacket is near impossible. During our six weeks of testing, we didn’t experience any dramatic revelations – no sudden energy boosts or reduced fatigue. But nor would we necessarily expect to.

If the technology provides marginal gains in warmth or slightly reduces muscle fatigue over a long day, that’s extremely difficult to isolate from numerous other variables like fitness, nutrition, layering choices and weather conditions.

Still, the mesh lining feels pleasant against the skin and contributes to the jacket’s overall comfort. It’s soft rather than clammy, and the slight warmth it provides is welcome on cold days. Whether the specific mineral treatment adds measurable benefit beyond what any other drop liner would provide is a question we’ll leave to sports scientists.

Bottom line: expecting it to transform your hill day would be optimistic. Consider it a bonus rather than a decisive purchasing factor. The Dynamic Pro III stands or falls on its merits as a waterproof jacket, and the infrared technology is essentially just a little extra – welcome if it works, but not essential to the jacket’s core appeal.

Price and competition

At the full RRP of £180, the Dynamic Pro III offers solid value. At the current sale price of £54, it’s a bona fide bargain.

For comparison, the Rab Firewall Light costs £200 and offers the same level of waterproofing and similar stretch comfort. With the Rab jacket you get superior breathability and much lighter weight (313g), but it lacks the Dynamic Pro III’s pit zips, has fewer pockets and doesn’t include an internal pocket at all.

Move up to Gore-Tex options and prices increase significantly, especially given the gap in the current market until Gore works out a way to bring its more eco-friendly ePE membrane to its Paclite fabrics. The Rab Kangri GTX costs £340 RRP, the Berghaus Summit Seeker is £360, and even our best value pick, the Mountain Equipment Makalu, hits £330.

All offer superior breathability and more robust construction, but they’re significantly more expensive – and for many hillwalkers, the Dynamic Pro III provides adequate performance at a fraction of the cost.

Among all-round, entry-level waterproof jackets, it’s worth looking at options like the Passenger Trailscape Light (£160) and the Finisterre Skybird (£175). These come with a bit more style and flair, as well as compelling eco credentials, but in pure performance terms both are inferior to the Dynamic Pro III.

Equally, if you’re browsing the wider market of budget waterproof jackets, this is one of the more convincing options.

Bottom line? This jacket delivers where it matters most for typical hillwalking: it keeps you dry in sustained rain, moves easily enough thanks to its stretch construction, and includes all the features most hill users actually need. The upgraded 20,000mm waterproofing handles serious weather, the hood works well, and the pit zips provide essential ventilation.

Yes, there are more breathable jackets. There are lighter options. There are tougher shells. But few offer this combination of performance, features and value at this price point – especially with the current £54 sale price, which is frankly ridiculous.

The sustainability credentials are genuinely good rather than mere greenwashing, and while the Dynamic 12000 infrared-reflecting technology seems a bit gimmicky, the jacket works well regardless. The mesh lining is comfortable and provides a bit of extra warmth, which is welcome on cold, wet days.

Factor in the lifetime guarantee (assuming Craghoppers honours it effectively), free repairs (again, check terms) and the current sale price, and this has to be one of the best-value waterproofs currently available on the UK market.

Verdict

A thoroughly competent, well-designed and superb value shell. It’s not the flashiest jacket we’ve tested, nor does it excel in metrics like weight, packability or breathability, but ultimately it’s a reliable performer that competes squarely with rivals costing significantly more.

Looking for more wet-weather options? Read our guide to the best waterproof jackets.

About the author

Matt Jones is one of the foremost gear testers on our team at LFTO. Matt lives in the heart of the Eryri (Snowdonia) mountains and spends every minute of decent weather stomping up to variously difficult-to-pronounce summits.

Berghaus occupies a curious position in the waterproof jacket market right now. At one end, the revived Extrem collection is doing serious work for winter mountaineers – the MTN Guide Pro and newer Vanguard shells are both excellent releases, which mark a genuine return to form for the brand (if not quite hitting the heights of 2016’s long-discontinued Extrem 8000 Pro, still one of the best waterproof jackets ever made, in our opinion).

At the other end, retro reissues of the Trango and Meru are feeding the gorpcore crowd, fronted memorably by a sullenly defiant Liam Gallagher and riding the wave of 80s and 90s nostalgia that’s still dominating TikTok and Instagram. Then there are the more traditional offerings – like the Hillwalker 2.0 and its InterActive zip system, solid jackets for solid walkers who aren’t in any particular hurry. It’s a broad range, albeit at times a slightly unfocused one.

Sitting somewhere in the middle of all that is a capsule line of jackets with oddly similar names – the Ridge Roamer, the Ridge Seeker and now the Summit Seeker. The Ridge Roamer is a stretch jacket that blurs the line between soft shell and hard shell, featuring a three-layer fabric with a 10k mm HH waterproof membrane and taped seams.

Meanwhile, the Ridge Seeker is an out-and-out hard shell designed for rough weather, utilising Gore-Tex’s new, more eco-friendly ePE membrane in a three-layer construction with a burly 75-denier polyester face. It’s rugged and robust but not the lightest, with a roomy fit best suited to winter layering. We’ve tested both of these jackets and liked them, with some cautious qualifiers.

The Summit Seeker splits the difference again, and that’s precisely its appeal. It’s a lightweight, three-season Gore-Tex shell built for the hills rather than the high street, packable enough to stuff in a daypack, protective enough to handle a proper soaking from early spring right through to late autumn.

It doesn’t try to be all things to all people, but for dedicated hillwalkers in need of a decent and dependable lightweight waterproof jacket, it looks a good buy. The question is whether it earns its £320 price tag – and the answer is mostly yes, though with a couple of caveats worth knowing about.

Fabrics, waterproofing and construction

The Summit Seeker is reliably waterproof and very well suited to three-season use from spring through to autumn. Made from Gore-Tex’s new ePE membrane, this jacket has a minimum hydrostatic head rating of 28,000mm, which is about as good as it gets. Seams are fully taped and other features are all designed to minimise water ingress.

These include a peaked hood, water-resistant zips, sealed (non-mesh) pockets and secure hook-and-loop cuff tabs, as well as dual hem adjustment to stop wind-driven rain whipping up your back.

The fabric is a three-layer construction, with Gore’s C-Knit backer. This is both more durable and more comfortable than 2.5-layer waterproofs, while being lighter and more packable than 2-layer alternatives. The face fabric is 30-denier nylon, as befits a three-season shell.

However, since nylon is a stronger fibre for its weight than polyester, it should be almost as resistant to wear and tear as its stablemate. It’s a good all-rounder, not as stiff as a 40D+ winter-grade shell, but not as flappy in high winds as thinner 20D shells.

What about that backer? The inner fabric is composed of finely knitted nylon threads joined to the membrane and outer fabric by a unique lamination method. These threads are knitted into a circular pattern that gives C-Knit its name.

It’s swiftly become one of our favourite Gore-Tex fabrics over the past few years, as it is noticeably softer and more comfortable than other 2, 2.5 or 3-layer constructions.

Meanwhile, the membrane sandwiched in the middle is Gore-Tex’s new ePE membrane, which is now being rolled out across its range. Years in development, it has been introduced for environmental reasons, as it avoids the use of harmful PFC chemicals in the manufacturing process, without loss of waterproof performance or breathability.

The fabric is finished with a similarly PFC-free durable water repellent treatment. It is undeniable, however, that these finishes don’t last as long, which means that over time the fabric starts to wet out more quickly. Like most modern shells, it benefits from more regular cleaning and re-proofing.

Of course, Gore-Tex aside, pretty much all rival waterproof fabrics also have PFC-free DWRs these days and therefore come with the same potential drawbacks. Bottom line, we’ll all just have to get used to more regular gear maintenance.

Breathability and ventilation

The official breathability rating of the Summit Seeker’s Gore-Tex fabric is a RET of <13. This stands for ‘Resistance to Evaporative Transfer’. Unlike MVTR, where higher numbers are better, RET works the other way around. Lower numbers mean less resistance and therefore better breathability.

A RET of <13 is considered very breathable and suitable for moderate activity. In real-world testing, the Summit Seeker proved a capable performer. We rarely fogged out on the hill, even when working reasonably hard. Only in warmer temperatures might you need something more breathable.

Under each arm you get extended 38cm pit zips with two-way zippers and easy-grab pullers. These allow you to dump heat quickly, while the two-way front zip also boosts airflow when needed.

Weight and packability

The jacket’s quoted weight is 357g / 12.6oz. My test sample came in slightly heavier, which aligns with manufacturer tolerances.

This is competitive for a three-layer Gore-Tex shell and hits a sweet spot for three-season use. It feels protective without being overly bulky, making it a strong option for hill days where you want dependable weather protection without carrying excess weight.

Fit and comfort

The Summit Seeker fits broadly true to size, though on the roomier side. It’s a regular cut rather than a trim alpine fit, which works well for layering but feels less precise than rivals from Rab or Mountain Equipment.

Mobility is excellent, with good sleeve length and a dropped tail for coverage. The fabric is pliable and comfortable, though slightly noisier than polyester shells and lacking mechanical stretch.

Features: hood, pockets and everything else

There’s plenty to like here. Two large hand pockets sit high enough to work with a pack hipbelt, and there’s an internal zip pocket for valuables. Pit zips are long and effective, and all zippers are smooth-running YKK components.

The weak point is the hood and collar. The hood lacks face adjustment, and the collar sits low, leaving the chin exposed in bad weather. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s noticeable on a jacket at this price.

Sustainability

The Summit Seeker is one of the more eco-conscious Gore-Tex shells currently available. The ePE membrane is fluorocarbon-free, and both the face fabric and backer use recycled nylon.

Berghaus is also a certified B-Corp and runs its Repairhaus programme, offering lifetime repairs. This helps extend the lifespan of the jacket and reduce environmental impact.

Price and competition

At £320, the Summit Seeker sits in the mid-to-premium bracket. Compared to rivals like the Arc’teryx Alpha SL or Montane Phase Lite, it undercuts on price while offering similar performance.

It also stacks up well against alternatives like the Rab Firewall Alpine or Outdoor Research SkyChaser, both of which offer strong competition in this lightweight shell category.

If you want something stretchier and a little more all-round hillwalking focused, the Rab Firewall Light is another strong option. For a lighter, less technical shell, the Passenger Trailscape Light Jacket is worth a look too.

More budget-minded walkers might also consider the Craghoppers Dynamic Pro III, though the Summit Seeker is the more protective and refined shell overall.

Verdict

A capable, well-considered three-season shell that balances weight, protection and comfort effectively. The fabric is soft and packable, the waterproofing is excellent and the ventilation works well.

The hood and collar design hold it back from true class-leading status, but overall this remains a strong option for hillwalkers looking for a reliable, lightweight waterproof jacket.

Need to keep your legs dry too? Read our guide to the best waterproof trousers.

About the author

Matt Jones is one of the most prolific gear testers at Live for the Outdoors. A year-round hiker, hill walker, backpacker and scrambler, he lives and works in the heart of Eryri (Snowdonia), North Wales, testing gear in tough Snowdonian conditions.

Passenger Clothing is a fairly new British outdoor lifestyle brand, founded in 2013 and hailing from the New Forest. As those origins might suggest, its USP isn’t technical mountain gear or the sort of waterproof jackets designed for serious mountain use.

Instead, it has built its reputation primarily around surf-inspired casual wear and travel clothing with a strong focus on sustainability – think organic cotton tees, recycled fleeces and adventure-ready accessories.

Its relaxed peak-to-pub (or maybe beach-to-bar) sensibility appeals to weekend warriors and van-lifers rather than hardcore alpinists.

However, its newer Trailscape line consciously introduces some higher-performance outdoor gear. This capsule range encompasses men’s and women’s waterproof jackets, as well as softshells and unisex daypacks in three different sizes, designed for all-round hiking and trail activities as well as everyday use.

The collection aims to marry Passenger’s sustainability commitments – recycled materials, PFC-free treatments and its signature tree-planting initiative – with improved performance credentials. On the hill, we were pretty impressed with the Trailscape Recycled 30L backpack, which tester James Forrest put through its paces at the back end of 2025.

So, we thought the Trailscape Light waterproof jacket was also well worth a closer look. This is one of two waterproof shells in the Trailscape line, along with the standard Trailscape jacket.

But whereas that one uses 2.5-layer recycled polyester with a 10,000mm HH waterproof rating and tips the scales at a fairly modest weight, the Trailscape Light shifts to 2.5-layer recycled nylon construction, ups the waterproofing to 15,000mm and shaves grams aggressively to create a genuinely packable ‘just in case’ shell. That makes it a plausible contender among today’s lightweight waterproof jackets.

At 310g for a men's large (our weighed sample), the Trailscape Light competes directly – on the scales at least – with established shells like the trail-running favourite OMM Kamleika (265g, £200), the hillwalker-friendly Rab Firewall Light (313g, £200), and the fast-and-light alpine-focused Patagonia M10 Anorak (300g, £400).

However, with an RRP of £159.95 (currently discounted in last season’s colourways to £111.97), it undercuts these rivals. It doesn’t quite match their waterproof performance, but it’s still superior to most entry-level or budget jackets, and the slightly more relaxed cut compared to these trimmer-fitting shells gives it additional versatility – it’s perfectly at home on hillwalks, dog walks or even urban commutes.

After five weeks of testing across Eryri (Snowdonia) through January and early February – encountering prolonged rain, intermittent drizzle and conditions ranging from mild to genuinely cold – we’ve developed a clear picture of what this jacket delivers.

Fabrics, waterproofing and construction

The Trailscape Light uses a 2.5-layer waterproof construction, which sits between 2-layer jackets (where the membrane is protected by a separate loose drop liner) and 3-layer jackets (where inner and outer fabrics are laminated together with the membrane). In a 2.5-layer construction, the membrane is bonded to the outer fabric, with a thin protective coating or print on the inside rather than a full inner layer.

This construction method prioritises low weight and excellent packability. It’s lighter than 2- or 3-layer shells but typically not as durable or as comfortable. Most notably, the inner can become clammy more quickly, especially if worn directly against the skin, such as over just a short-sleeved tee or baselayer.

Passenger specifies a 15,000mm hydrostatic head waterproof rating, which represents a significant upgrade over the standard Trailscape’s 10,000mm. For context, 10,000mm is our minimum benchmark for a proper hillwalking jacket, while the highest-performing fabrics like Gore-Tex Pro offer 28,000mm+.

At 15,000mm, the Trailscape Light actually offers superior protection to most entry-level shells, which typically max out at 10,000-12,000mm. It therefore occupies useful middle ground – comfortably exceeding budget waterproof jackets while still ensuring lower cost compared to 20,000mm+ mountain shells.

For typical UK conditions, and even all-day wear in moderate rain, it does the job, though not quite the bomb-proof protection you’d want for the absolute worst mountain weather.

During testing, the jacket performed well. Multiple rainy days in Snowdonia failed to overwhelm the waterproofing, and the fully taped seams kept water out effectively. The fabric shed light drizzle easily, and even during extended exposure to steady rain, the jacket didn’t leak.

The face fabric is 100% recycled nylon rather than the recycled polyester used in the standard Trailscape. This material switch is key to the weight savings – nylon offers a better strength-to-weight ratio than polyester, allowing Passenger to use lighter fabric without sacrificing too much durability.

The fabric has a slightly delicate hand feel compared to burlier shells, but during testing it proved more robust than expected, including being stuffed hastily into packs without developing visible wear and tear.

The Nicca PFC-free DWR treatment performed well initially, beading water effectively. After about three weeks of regular use, we noticed the face fabric beginning to ‘wet out’ more readily – water soaking into the outer layer rather than beading off.

This doesn’t compromise the underlying waterproofing, the membrane still works, but a saturated face fabric reduces breathability. As with most modern PFC-free treatments, periodic reproofing will be necessary to maintain optimal performance.

Breathability and ventilation

For a 2.5-layer lightweight shell, the Trailscape Light’s breathability is adequate rather than exceptional. Passenger doesn’t publish breathability ratings, which makes direct comparison difficult, but subjectively it performs roughly on a par with other lightweight shells in this category.

During moderate-paced hillwalking, the jacket manages moisture reasonably well. We didn’t experience excessive clamminess during steady ascents at a comfortable pace. However, once the effort level increases – steep climbs, sustained elevation gain or a quicker pace – moisture build-up becomes noticeable. This is typical for 2.5-layer construction, which prioritises weight savings over maximum breathability.

Arguably, the bigger issue is the complete absence of pit zips. This is a conscious design decision reflecting the jacket’s packability-first philosophy, where pit zips add weight, bulk and complexity. But for hillwalking use, this is a noticeable omission.

Without dedicated ventilation zips, your only options for temperature regulation are opening the main zip from the top, which exposes your chest to the elements, or unzipping the hand pockets.

To be fair, Passenger has designed the hand pockets with a mesh lining that allows them to function as ventilation when unzipped. Open both pockets in a slight breeze and air can circulate around your torso. It’s not as effective as proper pit zips, but it does provide some cooling during ascents.

The catch is that you’re using your pockets for either storage or ventilation, but not both simultaneously – and in heavy rain, opening pockets for ventilation means rain can potentially get in.

The main zip features a single slider rather than a two-way design. This means you can only open it from the top. There is a fabric tab with a press stud at mid-chest, though, which means you can crack the zip without the jacket billowing wide open.

Overall, if you’re carrying this as emergency weather protection and only putting it on when the heavens open, the ventilation approach works adequately. For sustained wear during active hillwalking with varying pace, the lack of pit zips becomes more noticeable.

On warmer days or during steep ascents, we often found ourselves shedding the jacket entirely rather than trying to regulate temperature while wearing it.

Weight and packability

At 310g for a men’s large, the Trailscape Light genuinely qualifies as lightweight. It’s marginally heavier than trail running shells like the OMM Kamleika (265g) but comparable to hiking-focused rivals like the Rab Firewall Light (313g). It’s also considerably lighter than mid-range options like the Montane Cetus (around 395g).

This weight places it squarely in the ‘packable emergency shell’ category. You can justify carrying it on any outing where weather might turn, confident that it won’t add noticeable bulk or weight to your pack.

For day walks where you might not need waterproofs at all, or occasions when you simply want some weather protection tucked in a bag or pocket ‘just in case’, this weight advantage is genuinely valuable.

Packability is excellent. The jacket stuffs into an included zippered stuff sack, which includes a branded carabiner clip. It’s made from the same waterproof fabric as the jacket itself, and although the seams aren’t taped, so you can’t rely on it as a dry bag, this means that if you stuff the wet jacket back inside, it shouldn’t soak the rest of your stuff.

Once packed, it measures 23cm square and is small enough to clip to the outside of a bag or tuck into the lid pocket of a daypack. The included carabiner is a nice touch that makes it easy to attach the packed jacket to gear loops or pack straps.

Compared to heavier shells that you’re better off wearing than carrying, the Trailscape Light makes sense for at least six months of the year. It’s protective enough to rely on, but light and packable enough that you’ll actually bring it along.

This is perhaps its strongest selling point – a waterproof you’ll have with you when weather turns rather than leaving in the car because it’s too bulky.

Fit and comfort

Passenger describes the Trailscape Light’s cut as ‘designed to fit comfortably over a mid-layer like an insulator or a fleece with plenty of room for movement’. Our experience confirms this. Our test sample was a men’s large, which fitted our 193cm (6ft 4in) tester (42in chest) pretty well, with room to layer over a baselayer tee and a thick Sherpa pile fleece.

As such, it’s slightly more generous than most outdoor brands, while remaining contemporary rather than baggy.

This slightly roomier cut compared to trim alpine or running-focused shells is actually an advantage for versatility. The jacket doesn’t look overly technical, making it perfectly suitable for everyday wear, dog walks or casual outdoor activities as well as proper hillwalking. It’s the kind of jacket you can throw on for a trip to the shops when rain threatens without feeling like you’re dressed for a fell race.

Sleeve length is good, with adequate coverage when reaching forward or upwards. The sleeves terminate in simple elastic cuffs with no adjustment. This keeps weight down and simplifies the design, but it means you can’t dial in the fit.

The elastic is fairly snug, which prevents draughts, but also means you can’t tuck thick gloves inside the cuffs. Thin gloves fit comfortably underneath, but chunkier gloves need to go over the cuffs.

The hem sits at hip length with adjustable cordlocks on each side. These work smoothly and allow you to cinch in the fit to prevent draughts or stop the jacket riding up when reaching overhead. The cordlocks are easy to operate one-handed, which is useful when you’re moving and need to make quick adjustments.

Overall coverage is adequate. The hem tucks neatly under a rucksack hipbelt without bunching, and the slightly dropped rear hem provides reasonable coverage when bending. The jacket doesn’t ride up excessively when reaching overhead, and a gusseted underarm panel ensures they don’t pull.

Comfort-wise, the 2.5-layer construction feels about as good as this type of fabric can. It’s not as pleasant against the skin as 3-layer shells with tricot knit linings, but it’s not overly clammy either.

You can wear it over just a T-shirt without significant discomfort, though you’ll want to avoid prolonged skin contact on hot days, as it starts to feel a bit slick if you sweat. The interior print helps, and the fabric is quiet enough not to be annoying when moving.

One limitation: the Trailscape Light is fundamentally a lightweight shell designed for temperate conditions and active use. Though the fabric is windproof, it’s flappy in strong wind and susceptible to buffeting. On cold, exposed ridges, you’ll feel the fabric buckling, unlike stiffer and more rugged shells.

This isn’t a criticism – it’s an inevitable consequence of ultralight construction – but it’s worth understanding what you’re getting.

Features: hood, pockets and everything else

The Trailscape Light’s feature set is deliberately minimalist. Every element that adds weight has been questioned, and many traditional features have been omitted in pursuit of packability and that essential ‘stuffable in a pocket’ convenience.

The hood is simple but functional. It’s a three-piece construction with a small, stiffened peak. You get good multi-point adjustment, though, via a rear drawcord, operated via a one-handed cordlock at the back of the head, and two face drawcords with neat, embedded adjusters.

It’s a streamlined design that cinches in nicely around the face and stays put in wind, though we found that when tightened, the jacket pulls a bit at the shoulders because there’s not quite enough hood fabric to fully cover the head. The laminated peak maintained its shape better than some soft peaks, but it’s too small to offer much face protection.

The hood moved acceptably with the head, providing reasonable peripheral vision, though not quite as naturally as the best designs.

It’s not helmet-compatible, but then this isn’t a technical mountaineering or winter climbing shell, nor a biking jacket. For hillwalking and scrambling where you’re not wearing helmets, the hood is perfectly adequate.

Storage comes from two zippered hand pockets. There’s no chest pocket or internal pocket. The hand pockets are deep and reasonably sized for essentials like gloves, energy bars or a smartphone, with laminated YKK water-resistant zips.

Crucially, they’re positioned high on the jacket – well above the hipbelt area – so they remain accessible when wearing a rucksack. This thoughtful placement partially compensates for the lack of a chest pocket.

The absence of an internal pocket is slightly frustrating, though. For many hillwalkers, having somewhere secure to store keys, phone or ID separate from external pockets is valuable for both security and accessibility.

The Trailscape Light forces you to use the external hand pockets for everything, which means items are more exposed to potential rain ingress, if you’ve opened the pockets for ventilation, or loss, if you’re not careful with zips.

The main zip has a water-resistant YKK zipper with a simple internal storm flap and upper zip garage, but no chin guard. It does have a bottom press stud and a tab at mid-chest, though, which are nice extras. There’s a small hanger loop inside the collar for storage.

Branding is minimal – Passenger logos on the sleeve and chest that are unobtrusive and wouldn’t look out of place in casual settings.

Otherwise, that’s it. This is consistent with the jacket’s ‘emergency shell you’ll actually carry’ design philosophy. The trade-off for having a waterproof you can stuff in a pocket or daysack without thinking about it is accepting compromises in terms of a full feature set.

For that intended use – a reliable just-in-case layer that’s always with you because it packs so small – the Trailscape Light makes perfect sense. For hillwalkers who want a jacket they’ll wear for extended periods, with comprehensive temperature regulation and loads of storage options, it might feel too basic.

Sustainability

Passenger has built its identity around environmental responsibility, and the Trailscape Light reflects that commitment comprehensively.

The face fabric is 100% recycled nylon, and the pocket lining is 100% recycled polyester. The DWR treatment is completely PFAS-free – meaning no ‘forever chemicals’ that persist in the environment indefinitely. The care label is made from recycled materials. Passenger also ships the jacket in plastic-free packaging.

Beyond the product itself, Passenger plants a tree for every order sold. To date, the brand claims to have planted over 2.2 million trees through partnerships with organisations like Trees for the Future, Rainforest Trust and One Tree Planted. It’s also a Patron of The Rainforest Trust, supporting its Conservation Circle dedicated to saving rainforests, wildlife and indigenous communities globally.

The brand manufactures products close to fabric sources to reduce transportation’s environmental impact, and this particular jacket is made in Vietnam. Its UK headquarters operates on 100% renewable electricity from solar, wind and rain. It recycles textile offcuts to minimise waste.

It has partnered with Reskinned, a UK circular fashion platform, for its Re collection, which repairs and resells damaged Passenger gear rather than sending it to landfill.

Passenger is also a member of UKFT (UK Fashion & Textiles) and has implemented various initiatives around packaging reduction and circularity. It operates under fair trade regulations, though specific details about factory conditions and worker wages are less transparent than brands like Páramo, which make ethical manufacturing their flagship commitment.

That said, Good On You, an independent ethical fashion rating directory, currently rates Passenger as ‘Not Good Enough’ rather than ‘Good’ or ‘Great’, primarily due to insufficient transparency around supply chain auditing, a lack of a published Code of Conduct and limited evidence of meaningful action on climate impacts beyond materials choices.

This suggests that while Passenger’s materials and tree-planting initiatives are genuinely progressive, there’s room for improvement in supply chain transparency and comprehensive climate strategy.

Overall though, the Trailscape Light’s sustainability credentials are strong – certainly ahead of many competitors. The extensive use of recycled materials, PFC-free treatments and tree-planting initiative seem to represent genuine commitment rather than greenwashing.

Price and competition

With a UK RRP of £159.95, currently on sale in selected colourways for £111.97, the Passenger Trailscape Light feels like decent value.

At full price, it’s cheaper than jackets in the same 250-350g bracket like the Rab Firewall Light (£200), the OMM Kamleika (£200) and the Outdoor Research SkyChaser (£275). It significantly undercuts premium lightweight options like the Patagonia M10 Storm (£360).

The Rab Downpour Light (220g, £130) and Mammut Ducan Light (185g, £160) are both lighter and cheaper or an equivalent price at RRP, with the same 2.5-layer construction but higher-spec waterproofing (20,000mm HH). However, features are even more minimal and the overall cuts of both are much slimmer-fitting.

And with the Trailscape Light, you’re still getting 15,000mm waterproofing, genuinely light and packable construction and strong sustainability credentials for under £120. That’s compelling, especially for such a versatile all-round jacket.

Within Passenger’s own range, the standard Trailscape jacket costs £139.95, sometimes discounted to around £100. It’s heavier due to 2.5-layer recycled polyester construction, offers lower waterproofing (10,000mm HH), but has a similar feature set. The Trailscape Light’s premium represents a worthwhile upgrade if you prioritise weight savings and improved weather protection.

If you can live with added weight and bulk, it’s worth looking at the Craghoppers Dynamic Pro III (£125), which is a cracking waterproof for the price – especially as it’s often available for about £75. But it is more than double the weight of the Trailscape Light, nowhere near as packable, and doesn’t quite have the same cool factor.

So, for general weekend hikers seeking packable weather protection without paying premium-brand prices, the Trailscape Light makes a lot of sense. It delivers where it matters – reliable waterproofing, low weight and good packability – while keeping costs reasonable.

It’s stylish enough to use as an everyday jacket too. The minimal feature set won’t suit everyone, but if you can live with the compromises, it represents solid value.

Verdict

Competes credibly with budget and lightweight shells while boasting solid sustainability credentials too. Not for hardcore hillwalkers, but a good choice for weekend hikers who want reliable weather protection that’s so light and small they’ll actually have it with them when needed. The fact it looks stylish enough for everyday wear rather than overly technical is a bonus that extends its versatility beyond pure outdoor use too.

Looking for more wet-weather options? Read our guide to the best waterproof jackets.

About the author

Matt Jones is one of the foremost gear testers on our team at LFTO. Matt lives in the heart of the Eryri (Snowdonia) mountains and spends every minute of decent weather stomping up to variously difficult-to-pronounce summits.

Outdoor Research isn’t one of the biggest names in the UK outdoor industry, though it’s well regarded in its native USA. This side of the Atlantic, it’s held in pretty high esteem among those in the know but perennially overshadowed by bigger-name rivals – notably home-grown brands like Rab, Mountain Equipment and Montane, but also other North American imports like Canada’s Arc'teryx and US behemoths Patagonia and The North Face.

Still, that’s arguably been more of a marketing problem than a product one, especially when it comes to technical waterproof jackets.

The Seattle-based brand has a strong heritage in technical alpine gear, as well as trail/ultra running and backpacking kit. Bestsellers include the perennially popular Helium ultralight shell and the stretchy yet hard-wearing Ferrosi ‘pants’ (trousers, to us Brits).

We’ve also tested a couple of other OR products first-hand and been impressed with their all-round quality and performance – namely, the Stormtracker Sensor Windbloc gloves and the Helium Bivy.

But back to waterproof jackets. The brand’s new SkyChaser shell we’re reviewing here sits firmly in the fast-and-light category – a lightweight waterproof jacket designed for high-output mountain missions where breathability and freedom of movement matter as much as staying dry.

At £275 in the UK (or $340 in the US) and weighing in at a scant 320g / 11.3oz, in terms of price and specs it’s pretty punchy. Rather than the 3-layer waterproof fabrics you tend to find in premium shells, it uses Pertex Shield Pro in a 2.5-layer construction with a 40D nylon face fabric, saving weight and cost while adding stretch properties, all without sacrificing abrasion resistance.

For hillwalkers and mountaineers who prioritise mobility and packability over luxury fabric feel, the SkyChaser is a strong choice. If you're looking for a lightweight waterproof shell but would rather have a softer and more comfortable 3-layer construction, Gore-Tex C-Knit alternatives like the Berghaus Summit Seeker (£320) or Montane Phase Lite (£350) are worth a look, as is the Patagonia M10 Storm (307g, £360), which uses Patagonia’s own H2No fabric, or the Rab Firewall Alpine (£250, 316g), which uses a 3-layer version of Pertex Shield.

However, the SkyChaser merits more attention than OR tends to get in the UK, and it’s a jacket that rewards time spent with it on the hill.

Fabrics, waterproofing and construction

The SkyChaser is built around Pertex Shield Pro, a well-established waterproof-breathable fabric from one of the leading non-Gore alternatives on the market. Pertex fabrics have been used extensively by multiple brands over the years, and Shield Pro is the premium end of the line-up.

It offers a very high 25,000mm hydrostatic head rating for waterproofing, which exceeds the 20,000mm HH rating of standard Pertex Shield and almost matches the 28,000mm+ rating of Gore-Tex. In this 2.5-layer construction with a 40D face fabric it is durable yet packable. Crucially, because the membrane is PU-based, it also features mechanical stretch that even the latest Gore-Tex ePE fabrics simply can’t match.

If you’re not familiar with waterproof jacket construction or industry terminology, particularly the difference between 2.5-layer and 3-layer shells, here’s a quick primer, since it is worth understanding before you buy. In a 2.5-layer jacket, the membrane is bonded to the outer face fabric, with a printed or sprayed ‘half layer’ on the inside, rather than a full interior backer fabric as you'd get in a 3-layer design.

The half layer does the same job as a regular full fabric backer, i.e. increases surface area to help promote faster wicking (moving moisture through the membrane, or in other words, breathability) while protecting the membrane itself from contamination (dirt, sweat and bodily oils).

In practice, this means the jacket is lighter and more packable than most 3-layer alternatives, but on the flipside, it can feel slightly less comfortable, especially if worn directly against the skin (e.g. over a short-sleeved baselayer). It is also generally considered less durable over the long term, since the membrane isn’t as well protected from degradation.

With the SkyChaser, the weight and bulk savings inherent in 2.5-layer construction have allowed Outdoor Research to use a heftier face fabric. It is a 40-denier ripstop nylon, which is meaningfully more robust than the lighter options you tend to find on most alpine-style shells, like the 30D face of the Berghaus Summit Seeker and Patagonia M10 Storm or the 20D face used on the Arc’teryx Alpha SL and Rab Firewall Alpine.

All seams are fully taped, and the main zippers are YKK Aquaguard components – the quality you'd hope to see on a jacket at this price. The hood features a wire brim for shaping, and there’s an elastic drawcord hem plus sturdy cuff tabs for a secure seal in bad weather.

Breathability and ventilation

In general, higher waterproof ratings tend to mean reduced breathability. Something’s got to give – the more you try to stop water getting in, the harder it is for water to get out. So, although Outdoor Research markets the SkyChaser as designed for high-output activity, Pertex Shield Pro trades a little breathability for its very high water resistance, particularly compared to standard Pertex Shield.

Other 3-layer versions of Pertex Shield have MVTR (Moisture Vapour Transmission Rate) figures of 20,000g/m2/24hrs, which is competitive, whereas 2.5-layer Pertex Shield Pro (as used here) claims an MVTR of 13,000g/m2/24hrs.

This is not surprising given that the SkyChaser is intended to be a technical mountain shell designed for tough conditions. Protection and abrasion resistance trump all else. Still, in our real-world field testing, the jacket performed pretty well.

Even during sustained uphill efforts – including a long ridge approach in late February with full winter kit – we rarely fugged out to an uncomfortable extent. The fabric moves moisture reasonably well, while the mechanical stretch also helps reduce the restrictive feeling that plagues stiffer hardshells during high-output activity.

Backing this up are large 34cm pit zip vents under each arm, operated via YKK two-way zippers with easy-grab cord pulls. They are a reverse-coil design but aren’t laminated like the main and pocket zippers (maybe to allow for better underarm flexibility). Instead, they have a small external storm flap to guard against water ingress when closed.

Although this is effective, we found the storm flaps get in the way slightly when you want to open up the pit zips fully and quickly. Still, it’s a minor niggle and doesn’t hugely affect functionality.

Ultimately, for hillwalkers and alpinists who spend long days moving at pace in changeable mountain weather, the SkyChaser's breathability profile is only slightly lacking compared to some rivals in this price bracket, which you can mitigate by using the pit zips anyway. And the trade-off is excellent weather protection and a tough face fabric, all without a weight penalty.

The only downside of the 2.5-layer fabric is that the lack of a fabric backer means it can feel a bit colder and clammier than 3-layer shells. It’s not an issue if you’re wearing long-sleeved layers underneath, but it gets a little unpleasant if you’ve only got a short-sleeved tee on.

Weight and packability

At 329g / 11.6oz for a men's medium, the SkyChaser is impressively light for a jacket with this feature set – comfortably lighter than rivals like the Berghaus Summit Seeker (357g, £320), the Montane Phase Lite (351g, £350) or the Mountain Equipment Raintower (350g, although only £190). It even competes squarely with pricier rivals like the Fjallraven Bergtagen GTX Lite (330g, £525) or the Arc’teryx Beta SL (340g, £450).

If you want something lighter still, you’ll generally have to spend more money. For example, there’s the Arc’teryx Alpha SL (£450, 232g), which is currently the lightest Gore-Tex shell on the market, the Montbell Tempest (£340, 256g) or the Patagonia M10 Storm (307g, £360).

One exception is the Rab Firewall Alpine, which is slightly cheaper yet also slightly lighter at £250 and 316g / 11.1oz. That one uses 20k/20k 3L Pertex Shield, so offers inferior waterproof performance but slightly higher breathability.

However, it also has a lighter 20D face fabric that isn’t going to be as durable as the SkyChaser’s 40D nylon ripstop, and a simpler feature set (just a single chest pocket).

There are featherlight (sub-300g) trail running-style shells around too, but these can’t really be considered competitors to the alpine-focused SkyChaser, which is very much a mountain shell. However, it packs down into a small bundle that is easily stashed in the lid pocket of a daypack, which suits its fast-and-light brief well.

The 2.5-layer construction deserves some credit here – it's one of the reasons the jacket can achieve this sub-350g weight without stripping out features. That said, the 40D face fabric does add a little heft compared to ultra-minimalist 30D or 20D rivals, and there’s a slight stiffness to the fabric that you don’t get from the softer C-Knit backer of Gore-Tex shells like the Summit Seeker, Phase Lite or Beta SL.

In use, though, neither is a meaningful issue: this is a capable, no-faff shell that earns its place in a summit pack. And the added rigidity can be a plus when you’re getting buffeted around on exposed tops, preventing the fabric from buckling or flapping too much in high winds.

Fit and comfort

As is typical of most US brands, the SkyChaser fits in a standard cut – not especially athletic or trim, but not boxy either. It's broadly true-to-size, with adequate torso length, good shoulder fit and enough room to layer a mid-weight fleece underneath without feeling restricted. Arm length is generous, and the dropped tail gives decent coverage at the back.

Where the jacket genuinely distinguishes itself from most rivals is in the stretch. The mechanical four-way stretch of the Pertex Shield Pro fabric makes this one of the most unrestrictive hardshells we've worn in its category. And it doesn’t squeak either, unlike some other PU-based membranes.

Reaching overhead, hauling yourself up steep ground, moving fast on a scramble – none of it feels impeded. It’s the kind of freedom of movement you’d normally associate with softshells or stretch mid-layers, and it’s a real pleasure in a fully waterproof jacket.

The only shell we’ve tested recently to beat it is the Rab Firewall Light – and it’s probably no coincidence that that one is also made from Pertex Shield. But the SkyChaser is almost as flexible while being tougher into the bargain too.

The cuffs close with chunky moulded tab closures rather than fabric tabs with stitched Velcro, which we really like. They work well, providing a super-secure seal around the wrists, and are quicker to operate with gloves on. The hem pulls in securely with a single elastic drawcord at the right-hand side.

Overall, the excellent fit makes the jacket feel good enough to wear for prolonged periods, with only the slightly plasticky 2.5-layer interior (compared to the plush tricot or C-Knit fabric backers of Gore-Tex 3L rivals) as a minor niggle in terms of comfort.

Features: Hood, pockets and everything else

The hood is helmet-compatible – a feature that immediately puts it ahead of hillwalker-focused rivals like the Berghaus Summit Seeker for technical mountain use – with a wire brim that can be shaped to deflect wind and rain, and separate volume and face adjustment for a precise fit.

In poor weather, this kind of comprehensive hood adjustment makes a real difference, and it’s something OR has got right here. The cordlocks around the face are also embedded into the fabric, which reduces bulk, and the drawcords are routed down inside the jacket, which makes for a neater look and means they can’t whip you in the face or get caught in pack straps.

The hand pockets are positioned high enough to remain accessible with a hipbelt or harness, and the laminated YKK Aquaguard zippers are smooth and reliable. They have upper zip garages to tuck the sliders in and further reduce the chance of water finding its way in. Pocket bags are fully sealed, not mesh lined as in cheaper shells.

There’s also an internal zip chest pocket. It’s not the largest but remains handy for a phone or small valuables.

The chunky YKK Vislon Aquaguard main zip runs smoothly, with laminated facings, a chunky cord puller and a small but effective internal storm flap. Unusually, it’s only fitted with a single slider, so it doesn’t run two-way (you can’t unzip it from the hem). This is a technical detail that rivals like Rab and Mountain Equipment typically include at this price point.

Still, for a fast-and-light alpine shell, this feature set is probably appropriate – you’re not paying for features you don’t need or which would add unnecessary weight and bulk.

Sustainability

The overall picture here is positive. The SkyChaser's Pertex Shield Pro fabric is bluesign-approved, which means it meets strict environmental and social standards in manufacturing. The shell is completely PFAS-free including both the membrane and DWR finish, and made from 52% recycled nylon, which are all meaningful positives.

OR also offers its Infinite Guarantee – a lifetime warranty covering the jacket against defects and performance failures – which, like the repair programmes from brands like Rab, Páramo and Berghaus, helps extend the usable life of the product and reduce its overall environmental impact. In the UK, this is managed through the brand’s authorised distributor, ProAgencies.

With its 40D nylon face fabric, we’d also expect the SkyChaser shell to be pretty durable, and so far, it’s held up well after three months of wear-testing through a wet and cold North Wales winter/early spring. We’ve seen no obvious abrasion anywhere on the jacket.

It’s a little harder to gauge Outdoor Research’s wider sustainability rating as a brand – it would be fair to say that while it has made significant steps in multiple areas, it’s not generally considered to be an industry leader. The company uses the Higg Index to track impacts, and 65% of materials are bluesign-approved, although according to its own website, OR has not published a comprehensive impact assessment report since 2022.

Price and competition

At £275 in the UK, the SkyChaser is reasonably priced for a technical waterproof shell with this level of performance, especially given its low weight. There aren’t loads of mountain-ready waterproofs out there weighing 350g / 12.3oz or less.

Stand-out options that beat the OR SkyChaser on the scales are invariably a lot more expensive. The Arc'teryx Alpha SL (£450, 232g) is probably the benchmark for ultralight alpine shells, giving you top-tier Gore-Tex Pro fabric but at a significantly higher price. There’s also the Montbell Tempest (£340, 256g, 20D 3L Gore-Tex ePE) and the Patagonia M10 Storm (307g, £360, 3L 30D H2No).

However, it’s worth considering the Rab Firewall Alpine, which is £250, weighs 316g / 11.1oz and uses 3L 20D Pertex Shield fabric. It’ll be less resistant to external wear and tear than the SkyChaser due to its lighter face fabric.

It doesn’t feel as flexible either, lacking as much stretch, though slightly makes up for this with its softer and more comfortable 3-layer construction. It’s lighter on features though, with only a single external chest pocket.

If you’re willing to live with a little added weight, more options come into the mix. These include the Montane Phase Lite (351g, £350) and the Berghaus Summit Seeker (357g, £360). Both of these options use 3-layer Gore-Tex ePE C-Knit – a softer, arguably more refined fabric – but lack the SkyChaser's stretch and helmet-compatible hood.

Less technical hillwalking shells, including the Craghoppers Dynamic Pro III, may make more sense if you’re mostly walking lower-level trails and want something a little more conventional.

Although we haven’t had the chance to test it yet, another new jacket that looks good on paper is the Mountain Equipment Raintower. It’s very well priced at £190 RRP, only weighs 350g / 12.3oz and is made from 2.5L DriLite (the brand’s proprietary WP/B membrane), with a sturdy 40D face fabric.

However, if stretch is your priority, the SkyChaser offers differentiated performance in this bracket. The closest rival in terms of flex and mobility is the Rab Firewall Light (368g, £200), which uses 3L Pertex Shield rather than Shield Pro, and is slightly cheaper. It’s more an all-round hiking and hillwalking jacket than a technical shell – but worth comparing if budget is a consideration.

For another lighter, more hiking-focused shell, our Passenger Trailscape Light Jacket review is worth reading too.

Verdict

A well-executed fast-and-light alpine shell with great freedom of movement thanks to its in-built stretch. Reliably waterproof, competitively priced and well-featured too. The 2.5-layer construction is slightly less refined than 3-layer alternatives, though this saves weight, bulk and cost.

Looking for more wet-weather options? Read our guide to the best waterproof jackets.

About the author

Matt Jones is one of the foremost gear testers on our team at LFTO. Matt lives in the heart of the Eryri (Snowdonia) mountains and spends every minute of decent weather stomping up to variously difficult-to-pronounce summits.

There’s plenty to like about the Forclaz HL900 Hybrid head torch. As with most Decathlon products, the price is one of the biggest wins here, with an RRP of £39.99 looking like very good value for money – but does it deserve a spot in our list of the best running head torches?

Max output comes in at 600 lumens, but in reality you should ignore that number, as you can only use that via a boost mode that lasts for 60secs at a time. The next highest mode gives you 350lm.

Light and battery performance

In that 350lm mode you get decent flood lighting performance, which adequately lights up your immediate surroundings in a 180º arc. Decathlon says it hits a distance of 65m, but by my estimations you’re probably looking at around 50m of usable illumination.

I found that perfectly acceptable for most running situations, but you may want more if you’re doing a lot of navigation and trail finding on unfamiliar ground. That said, the 60-second boost mode bumps that distance up past the 100m mark (Decathlon says 200m, but I couldn't observe much useful illumination at that sort of distance).

In our battery life test, the 350lm mode lasted an additional 16mins beyond Decathlon’s suggestion, dying after 3hrs 16mins, though that’ll differ depending on environmental conditions.

Two less powerful modes (80lm and 30lm) are handy for being seen when running around town. You can get by okay in the 80lm mode if you’re running a familiar route on non-technical trails, but otherwise you’ll want to use the 350lm mode. Decathlon says the 80lm mode will last you 16hrs.

In my opinion, it’s a shame there’s no 150lm or 200lm mode to get more battery life out of this torch, as the next step down is admittedly underpowered for some non-urban running.

You get a red mode, too, but it’s best used for looking at maps or in your pack, as it only really illuminates a couple of metres around you. A white strobe setting is a useful addition for emergencies.

Comfort and construction

The comfort is okay here. The HL900 Hybrid weighs 108g, which puts it around mid-table compared to others here. That said, the head torch does feel quite bulky and bouncy on your head when running.

There’s a mini cushion behind the torch unit to help with cushioning, but I find it a bit too thick, as it feels like more of a pressure point than I’d want it to.

As for the construction? Well, it’s predominantly made from robust plastics, so it does feel like it’d cope with a bit of rough treatment. However, the tilt mechanism and battery opening tab both feel like potential trouble spots after long-term use.

At this point, I'll also point out that the HL900 Hybrid has a decent IPX7 rating, which theoretically means it could withstand up to a 30-minute dip in up to one metre of water. In practice, it should be fine in rain showers.

Ease of use

The HL900 Hybrid is simple enough to use, with separate plus and minus buttons for increasing brightness or decreasing it. The buttons aren’t the most tactile, but they are large and easy to use with gloves.

Tilting the head torch is harder to do when gloved up or moving at pace as it’s quite stiff and there’s not really much to grab hold of when you do want to tilt it. But it moves in a stepped motion and locks in well.

Speaking about locking, it’s very easy to lock this head torch so it doesn’t come on accidentally – something that’s not always a simple thing with other products. All you have to do is hold down both buttons at the same time, and I appreciate how straightforward it is.

To recharge, you simply unclip the battery unit from the rear and plug in your USB-C cable. Alternatively, you can use three AAA batteries with the additional battery holder that comes with the head torch, which is a nice touch and allows you to carry spares with you so you can extend its burn time.

Verdict

The HL900 Hybrid comes up against tough competition from the similarly-priced Alpkit Qark. I don't think this head torch does enough to dislodge that one as a 'best budget buy', but it's not a bad product.

Lighting performance and battery life is decent enough and would suit more casual or urban runners well, while the interchangeable batteries are a real bonus.

I love how easy it is to use, too, but for proper adventurous runs or hikes away from the beaten path then there are better options out there.

Want more light action? See our list of the best hiking head torches.

About the author

Rob Slade is deputy editor of LFTO and has 11 years of journalism and product testing behind him. He's previously held roles as editor of Adventure Travel magazine and content editor at 220 Triathlon. Alongside work, he spends a lot of time hiking, running and training for triathlon.

Hot drinks are a staple of my culture (I'm British). Few things hit harder than a steaming cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate – and halfway through a cold walk is genuinely the best place to enjoy one. This is what makes insulated hiking flasks an essential for any serious hillwalker.

But carrying boiling liquid up a hill isn’t easy. A good hiking flask needs to seal securely, slot neatly into a pack and survive being shoved in with layers, lunch and spare socks. That’s why tightly sealed insulated flasks suit hiking better than most insulated mugs, which are usually more of a camping staple.

Those mugs are great beside a tent or campervan, but they don’t always fit neatly into backpack side pockets, and many lack a proper screw-on lid for keeping heat locked in on the move. A flask that fits your hiking backpack properly is a much safer bet.

Picking one is still tricky, though. There's a lot more to consider than with straight-up hiking water bottles, where low weight is priority numero uno.

Most brands lean on vague claims like “up to 12 hours”, and it's not in any brand's interest to give exact temp. retention stats and measurements. So I tested eight insulated flasks properly, using them on hikes and running hot-water and ice-retention tests to see which ones actually perform.

Jump to: How we tested | Best insulated flask reviews | Comparison tables | Results graphs | Buying guide

Best insulated flasks at a glance

Best in test: SIGG Alpine Star Flask 1L

Best for cold drinks: Hydro Flask 32oz Lightweight

Best value: Super Sparrow SwivelSip 2.0

Best for short hikes: VSSL Rift Tumbler16oz

Editor's note: This article was last updated on 5 May 2026 after our fearless gear tester put eight new flasks through their paces. At time of writing, they're all in stock and ready to buy!

How I tested

The first and most important test was simple: I used these flasks. A lot.

Each bottle came with me on day hikes, local walks and longer days out where I either wanted a hot supply of coffee or a properly chilled reservoir of drinking water. Along the way, I paid attention to the things that actually matter when you’re carrying a flask outdoors: weight, bulk, overall volume, how easily it slips into a hiking backpack side pocket and whether it can be pulled back out again without a wrestle.

I also looked closely at each lid. A good insulated bottle is only useful if the lid feels secure, doesn’t dribble into your bag and lets you drink without making the whole process weirdly fiddly. I checked how easy each flask was to open, close and sip from on the move, as well as how confident I felt throwing it into a pack alongside spare layers, snacks and power banks with loose cables.

There are smaller details that only really show up through use, too. Some flasks feel nicely balanced when you plonk them down on rough ground, while others topple over the second you look away. Some are easy to carry in one hand, some are awkwardly chunky and some are better suited to a desk, car cupholder or campsite table than a hiking pack. All of that fed into the final reviews.

I also did a whole bunch of science. Like Ryan Gosling in that new film! This included measuring how long it took for a single ice cube to melt in each flask, then measuring how long it took boiling water to cool to room temp. The full results (including, get this, graphs!) are available down here.

Best insulated hiking flasks reviewed:

Temperature retention tests

Alongside the practical testing, I also ran two controlled temperature-retention tests across all eight flasks.

For the cold test, I placed a single equally sized ice cube into each flask at 9am, fitted the lids as normal and left them in the same room. I checked them regularly throughout the day until each cube had fully melted. This gave me a simple way to compare how effectively each flask slowed heat transfer from the warmer room into the cold interior.

For the hot test, I poured 200ml of boiling water into each flask, fitted the lid and measured the water temperature after one hour, three hours and five hours. Room temperature stayed at 22°C throughout the test, and each flask was left untouched between readings. That gave me a clearer picture of not just where each bottle ended up after five hours, but how quickly each one lost heat along the way.

Temperature retention from boiling water

The results were genuinely interesting. In the hot water test, the SIGG Alpine Star Flask was the clear standout, staying noticeably warmer than the rest at every interval and finishing at 55.3°C after five hours. The Hydro Flask 16oz Coffee with Flex Sip Lid and Lifeventure 1L vacuum flask also performed strongly, both still sitting well above 46°C at the five-hour mark.

The ice cube test told a slightly different story, with the Lifeventure 1L vacuum flask keeping its cube intact the longest, followed by the Hydro Flask 32oz Lightweight Flex Straw and SIGG Alpine Star. At the other end, the VSSL Rift and Hydro Flask Coffee were the first to lose their ice cubes, which is worth bearing in mind if cold retention is your main priority.

Temperature retention from ice cube

As ever, this isn’t a laboratory test. Real-world performance will vary depending on fill volume, outside temperature, how often you open the lid and whether you pre-heat or pre-chill the flask. But tested side by side in the same conditions, the results gave me a useful comparative picture of which flasks retained heat and cold most effectively.

There’ll be a full comparison table further down the article with the temperature readings, ice melt times and key specs for each flask. For now, let’s jump into the full reviews.

Comparison table: How long the flasks kept liquid hot

In the hot water test, the SIGG Alpine Star Flask 1L was the clear standout, staying comfortably warmer than everything else at each checkpoint and finishing at 55.3°C after five hours. The Hydro Flask Coffee and Lifeventure also performed strongly, both remaining above 46°C at the five-hour mark.

The middle of the pack was much tighter, with the Hydro Flask 32oz, CamelBak Thrive and VSSL all finishing between 37.7°C and 39.8°C. The YETI Rambler was the weakest performer for heat retention, though that result comes with the caveat that my test bottle is several years old and may not seal as efficiently as a newer model.

Comparison table: How long the flasks kept ice frozen

In the ice test, the Lifeventure 1L vacuum flask came out on top, keeping its ice cube intact for 9h 45m. The Hydro Flask 32oz Lightweight Flex Straw and SIGG Alpine Star were close behind, both also proving excellent choices if cold retention is your priority.

Again, the smaller coffee-style bottles sat at the other end of the table. The Hydro Flask Coffee lasted 6h 45m and the VSSL Rift 6h 30m, which is still useful for shorter outings, but clearly less impressive than the larger flask-style options.

What to look for in an insulated flask

A good insulated flask isn’t just a metal bottle that keeps things warm. For hiking, it needs to be properly packable, leakproof, easy to drink from, tough enough to survive life in a rucksack and actually capable of keeping your drink hot or cold for a useful amount of time.

After testing eight insulated flasks side by side, here’s what I’d look for before buying one.

Volume

Flask size is the first big decision. A small 350ml to 500ml flask is fine for coffee on a short walk, a commute or a quick summit brew, but it won’t stretch far if you’re out all day or sharing with someone else.

A 750ml to 1L flask is much more useful for longer hikes. It gives you enough room for multiple drinks, or a decent supply of cold water in summer, but the trade-off is bulk and weight. This is where the practical side matters. A 1L flask might sound ideal until you realise it barely fits in your backpack side pocket and feels like carrying a small fire extinguisher.

For solo day hikes, I’d usually aim for something around 500ml to 750ml. For winter hikes, shared drinks or long days out, 1L makes more sense.

Weight

One litre of water weighs one kilogram before you even add the weight of the flask. That sounds obvious, but it’s very easy to ignore when you’re comparing empty weights online.

A big stainless steel vacuum flask can feel reassuringly tough in the hand, then suddenly feel like a daft thing to carry when it’s full and swinging around in your pack. If you’re hiking long distances, moving quickly or trying to keep your kit light, check both the empty weight and the capacity.

For short walks, the extra weight probably doesn’t matter much. For long hill days, fastpacking or big mountain routes, it absolutely does.

Shape and packability

This is one of the things brand specs rarely tell you properly. A flask can have brilliant insulation and still be annoying outdoors if it’s awkward to pack.

Tall, narrow bottles usually fit better in hiking backpack side pockets. Short, wide flasks often feel stable on a table, but can be harder to stuff into a side pocket or pull out one-handed. Some bottle shapes also catch on compression straps, mesh pockets or elasticated openings.

If you plan to carry your flask inside your main compartment, this matters less. But if you like grabbing a drink without taking your pack off, shape is a big deal.

Lid security (do not gamble with hot liquid)

A hiking flask needs a proper secure lid. That sounds basic, but there’s a big difference between a lid that’s fine on a desk and one you’d trust next to your spare down jacket, phone and emergency layers.

For hiking, screw-on lids are usually the safest bet. They tend to seal more securely, retain heat better and cope better with being knocked around in a bag. Push-button, flip, straw or sip lids can be more convenient, but they introduce more moving parts and more potential leak points.

That doesn’t mean they’re bad. It just means you should be honest about how you’ll use the flask. If it’s going inside your pack, prioritise security. If it’s staying upright in a side pocket and you want quick access, a chug or sip lid can make sense.

Drinking method

Traditional flask lids often double as a cup, which is great for hot drinks. You can pour, sip slowly and avoid the classic “burned lip on a metal bottle” scenario. They’re also good if you’re sharing.

Direct-drink lids are quicker and simpler, especially for cold water, but they can be less ideal with very hot liquids. A narrow sip lid can work well for coffee, while a wide chug opening is better for cold drinks than boiling tea.

Straw lids are brilliant for easy hydration, but I’d be cautious about using them with hot drinks unless the brand specifically says it’s safe. They’re generally better for cold water.

Insulation

Most brands make big promises about insulation. You’ll see claims like “keeps drinks hot for up to 12 hours” or “cold for 24 hours”, but those numbers rarely tell the whole story.

Fill volume matters. A flask that’s completely full will usually retain heat better than one with a small amount of liquid inside. Opening the lid matters too. So does outside temperature, wind, whether you pre-heat the flask and how well the lid is insulated.

In my testing, the best flasks didn’t just start strong, they stayed noticeably warmer across one, three and five-hour readings. That’s the kind of performance that matters on a real hike. Not whether a drink is technically above room temperature after half a day, but whether it’s still enjoyable when you actually want to drink it.

Durability (stainless steel is your friend)

Most good hiking flasks use stainless steel vacuum insulation. That’s what you want. It’s much tougher than old-school glass-lined flasks and far better suited to being shoved into a rucksack, dropped on rocky ground or knocked around in a car boot.

Look for 18/8 stainless steel if possible, as it’s widely used for food-grade bottles and flasks. Powder coatings can add grip and scratch resistance, though they may still scuff over time. Silicone bumpers are handy if you regularly plonk your flask down on rocks, picnic benches or uneven ground.

Also check the lid construction. In many cases, the bottle body will outlast the cap, especially if the lid has hinges, buttons, seals or straw components.

Stability

This sounds minor until you’re trying to make lunch on a windy hill and your flask keeps falling over.

Wide-bottomed bottles are usually more stable when placed on rough ground, but they can be harder to carry in a backpack pocket. Slimmer bottles are easier to pack, but more likely to topple if you put them down on uneven rock or tussocky grass.

There’s no perfect answer here. For hiking, I’d still prioritise packability and lid security first, but a stable base is a nice bonus, especially if you regularly stop for proper sit-down breaks.

Cleaning

Flasks with simple screw tops are usually easier to clean than lids with straws, buttons and internal mechanisms. If you mostly use water, this isn’t a big issue. If you use milk, coffee, hot chocolate or soup, it matters a lot more.

Check whether the flask is dishwasher safe, but don’t assume every part is. Some brands allow the lid in the dishwasher but recommend hand-washing the bottle, while others say the whole thing is dishwasher safe.

If in doubt, choose a flask with a wide enough mouth to clean properly. Your future self will thank you when it doesn’t smell permanently of old latte.

About the author

Your boiling water pouring, ice cube observing tester for these insulated flasks was Milo Wilson, our nerdiest and longest standing staff writer at LFTO. When Milo isn't out destroying a pair of trail running shoes, he's out exploring for hours that reach double digits, and he's always got a flask on hand.

Staying hydrated is non-negotiable on a hike, but carrying water is never quite as simple as it sounds. It’s heavy, annoyingly easy to spill and, if your bottle leaks inside your nice hiking backpack, suddenly your essential kit becomes a soggy little disaster zone.

A good hiking water bottle needs to make life easier, not harder. It should keep your drink secure, survive being knocked around in a rucksack, slot into a side pocket without a fight and, ideally, avoid adding too much extra weight to your load. Some bottles are best for long mountain days, some are better for hot-weather walks and others simply make everyday hydration that bit more convenient.

The big things to think about are material, durability, volume and sustainability. Material and durability overlap because metal bottles are often the toughest, but material also has a big impact on weight. Volume matters too, though how much water you need to carry depends on your route, the weather and whether you’ll have access to reliable water sources along the way.

It’s also worth thinking about how sustainably a bottle is made. That said, any long-lasting reusable bottle is immediately and vastly more eco-friendly than disposable plastic bottles, so you’re already heading in the right direction. If you’re specifically after something insulated, head to our guide to the best insulated flasks.

Jump to: How we tested | Best water bottle reviews | Comparison table | Buying guide

Best hiking water bottles at a glance:

Best in test: Sigg Water Bottle Traveller MyPlanet

Best value: CamelBak Thrive Flip Straw 32oz

Best insulated bottle: Hydro Flask Lightweight Flex Straw

How we tested

The team at Live for the Outdoors spend as much time out hiking as we do behind our computers, and we almost always have a water bottle stashed in a pack, clipped to a bag or rolling around somewhere in the car.

For hiking bottles, the key things we look for are weight, durability, ease of use and reliability. There are now endless options available, from stylish everyday bottles to traditional mountain-ready classics, but we tend to favour simple designs that work without fuss.

That means asking practical questions in real-world use. Can we stash the bottle easily in a backpack side pocket? Can we trust it not to break or leak when it’s buried next to spare layers, snacks and electronics? Is it easy to drink from on the move? Can we clean it properly when we get home? And, crucially, does it feel durable enough to justify the price over several years of hiking, camping and everyday use?

The bottles here were mostly tested by Milo Wilson, with support from our regular freelancers James Forrest and Chris Williams, as well as input from our fearless group editor, Oli Reed. Find more about how we test here.

The best hiking water bottles reviewed:

Table: Best hiking water bottles compared

What to look for in a hiking water bottle

Volume

Whether to go big or small depends on a few things. One is the length and intensity of your hike. For a leisurely two-hour walk, you may only need a smaller bottle. For longer or harder outings, you’ll need more. As a rough rule, you’ll want at least two litres of water if you’re bagging a UK mountain peak, though that doesn’t necessarily mean you need one huge bottle if you have access to reliable water sources and a water filter.

Weight

Water weighs roughly 1kg per litre before you’ve even factored in the bottle, so weight matters. Flexible bottles are generally the lightest and most compact option, especially when empty. Plastic and aluminium bottles can come a close second, followed by tough but heavier stainless steel designs. Insulated bottles are usually heavier again, but the extra weight can be worth it in hot weather.

Material

Plastic and aluminium are great for keeping weight down, while stainless steel is the better choice for durability and flavour. Stainless steel bottles tend to avoid the odd tastes that can develop in some plastic bottles, and they’re usually more resistant to dents, knocks and long-term abuse. Plastic bottles, however, are often lighter, cheaper and easier to squeeze into tight pack pockets.

Cap

The cap can make or break a hiking bottle. Loop caps are handy for attaching your bottle to a pack or slinging it over your shoulder with some cord. Wide-mouth bottles are easy to fill, clean and load with ice cubes. Flip-top, straw and sports caps are often easiest to drink from on the move, but they can be harder to clean and may be less secure than a simple screw-top lid.

Fit

It’s worth checking whether a bottle actually fits your pack before committing to it. Some wider bottles feel great in the hand and stand securely on rough ground, but can be awkward in tighter side pockets. Slimmer bottles are often easier to stash and retrieve while walking, though they may hold less water or feel less stable when placed on uneven ground.

Price

Because you can get very good drink bottles for reasonable prices, the real key is knowing which bottles are worth your time and which aren’t. A simple plastic or aluminium bottle can be brilliant value, while pricier stainless steel, insulated and filter bottles need to justify themselves with better durability, better cold retention or genuinely useful extra features.

Sustainability

The most sustainable bottle is usually the one you’ll keep using for years. Metal non-insulated bottles score highly for durability, and those made from recycled metal are even better. Plastic bottles can be durable too, especially if you choose a tougher model and avoid replacing it every year. If you do opt for plastic, look for recycled materials and a design that can cope with proper outdoor use.

Filters

Drink bottles with built-in water filters are very convenient for remote places, backpacking routes and trips where you’re not certain about water quality. However, separate water filters can be compact, versatile and great for pairing with a standard bottle. If you’ll mostly be walking from home, on waymarked trails or between reliable taps, you probably don’t need a filter bottle. If you’re heading further out, it can be a very useful safety net.

Insulation

Insulated bottles are heavier than standard bottles, but they’re excellent for hot days, travel and long summer walks where warm water becomes grimly unappealing after a few hours. They’re less essential for cold-weather hiking unless you want to carry a hot drink, and if that’s your priority, a proper flask may be a better choice. For most hikers, an insulated bottle is a comfort upgrade rather than a necessity.

About the authors

Milo Wilson is the most dedicated all-day explorer at Live for the Outdoors. He constantly tests new hiking and trail running gear including shoes, jackets, hydration kit. His main focus is on sustaining himself for as long as possible, so he's a bit of a water bottle savant.

Chris Williams is a Digital Content Writer for Live for the Outdoors. He trained as a journalist in New Zealand and has been working with LFTO since 2021.

Kenton Cool first summited Everest in 2004. Then he did it again in 2005 after being clocked on the head by a falling rock and requiring stitches. In the years since that first climb he’s guided Sir Ranulph Fiennes to the top, skied down multiple 8,000m peaks and was the first British guide to lead a client to the summit of K2.

Last year, he summited Everest again, for the 19th time – the most of any non-Nepalese person – and at the time of publishing, he's back on the mountain and attempting summit number 20.

We caught up with him a couple of years back to find out what the world’s highest mountains have taught him.

1. Look after yourself so you can look after the team

On my first Everest expedition, in 2004, I spent 16 days at Camp Two (6,400m) or higher, and came down carrying a massive rucksack, empty oxygen cylinders and all sorts. A climber who was mentoring me at the time took me aside and said, “What you’re doing is going to be respected and understood. But you don’t need to do it.”

That first year, I understood that leadership doesn’t mean you’ve got to do stuff harder, faster or better than anybody else. It’s a common misconception that leadership is all about being out there, being the first. But you’ve got to look after yourself.

2. Communication and collaboration are critical

You’ve got to earn the trust and respect of the people around you. This year (2022) everything went to plan, we had fantastic weather, an amazing team, and it’s easy to lead in that environment. It’s in times of crisis that you understand what true leadership is.

If you haven’t formed bonds with those around you, certainly on Everest, it can go badly wrong, pretty damn quickly. It’s super important to earn trust and respect, so that people follow you when you need it.

That comes down to spending time with your team. To laugh with them, cry with them, to be there when they need you. Then they know that they can lean on you without having to ask. Get the team on board and pretty much everything else falls in place.

3. The team is everything

I think the image of the leader being unapproachable or bulletproof is a very old way of looking at leadership. It’s 100% collaboration, communication and culture. People have got to be able to come up to you and ask questions.

They need to know that you are on their side and you’re there to pull for them, to be there for them as and when they need you. Nobody’s gonna summit that mountain on their own – or very few people.

For most of us, the outdoors is something that we love. It empowers us, it resets our mindset. It puts us in a good place. We challenge ourselves in the outdoors, whether it’s Sca Fell, Pen y Fan or Everest. But we are mere mortals and we need the support of the people around us.

4. As a guide, you're not there for yourself

When I was a younger guide in the Alps, I was so impatient. It was all about how fast I could go through the Icefall, how quickly we could go from Camp Three to Camp Four, or whether I could do that without oxygen.

But after about two or three years, the penny dropped that I’m not there for me – I’m there for the Sherpa team and the client.

5. It’s all about moderation

I still carry more than my fair share but I don’t carry the humongous loads that I used to. I don’t come slithering down the Icefall without my crampons on like I used to. Now that I’m older it takes longer to recover, so my whole approach to Everest has become one of moderation.

It’s hard work no matter how you look at it, but we try to build the expedition in a way that safeguards the client and the Sherpa team mentally and physically.

"Everest doesn't care who you are or how many summits you have. You've got to approach that mountain with your ego in check".

Kenton Cool

6. Manage your mental state

There are days when you’ve got your Gore-Tex on, it’s snowing and windy, you’ve been battered by the weather and you’re like, "What am I doing?". Sometimes it’s a crap day.

I learned from an early age from my father that if you walk in a room with a long face, you can affect everybody; if you walk into a room with a happy face, that’s even more infectious. It’s down to mindset.

When I’m in a foul mood, I’ll take myself off, have a word with myself, perhaps have a masala tea and bring myself back when I’m fit and ready to engage. We do these things because it’s meant to be fun.

If I wake up in a grumpy mood then my clients are generally going to have a really shit day and they’re only ever gonna go to Everest one time.

7. Know when persevering is helpful or dangerous

Sometimes you get yourself in a situation – chasing a storm or trying to get down before you get benighted – when you have to push things further than you normally would.

But generally, if you plan something properly, you have a very good understanding about how far you can push it before you, your partner or client collapses, mentally or physically. It’s a guide’s duty to push the envelope so that the client has a super fulfilling trip.

But you don’t want to completely blow the envelope apart and come back having had a miserable, horrible time. You potentially put them off mountains for life.

8. Trust your intuition

We all push things too far. Where you think, "We could just do this extra peak before the wind picks up." But when you realise you made a mistake, the interesting thing is, deep down, you often know you’re pushing the limits of what’s acceptable.

And when it goes wrong, you’re there going, “I knew it, I knew it”. It’s a gut feeling.

9. Leave your ego at home

Everest doesn’t care who you are or how many summits you have. You could have 30 like Kami Rita Sherpa, 18 like me, or none. You’ve got to approach that mountain with humility, with your ego in check, with no preconceived ideas about how fast, slow or successful you’re going to be.

I honestly think Everest respects that. We’ve all got ambition but rather than making wayward decisions, getting yourself or somebody else in trouble, it’s how you temper and channel that energy in a positive direction.

10. Respect the environment

Back in 2004, my first year, we got caught on the Lhotse Face. I went into it thinking, “This is nothing compared with a wild day in Scotland, these are a few snow flurries.” But on the Lhotse Face, when it snows, it comes hurtling down.

We got caught at the bottom trying to retreat across the fixed lines and the client completely disappeared in an avalanche. Then this hand came out, I grabbed the hand and pulled him out. Days like that, you should just hunker down in camp to give it a day to settle down.

You need to be respectful of the environment that you’re in and what you’re trying to do and know the consequences. We happily got away with it that year, but it could easily have gone in a different direction.

11. Allow for the uncontrollable

Understand that you’re in it for the long haul and plan for longevity, because you never know what’s going to happen. We were lucky in 2021, we sneaked up Everest on 11 May but then a series of cyclones hit and the next summit after the 12th was 23 May.

What happens if the unexpected or the uncontrollable comes in? It’s not a 100m sprint, it’s a 10,000m. You might bring it home in 5,000m, but plan on the 10,000.

12. Don’t wait for perfection

You can sit at base camp pontificating forever, waiting for the perfect forecast and chances are you’re going to miss the opportunity. The monsoon hits, there’s heavy wet snow forecast, winds pick up, the Icefall starts to melt and everybody goes home. So we don’t over-analyse it.

We’re not constantly waiting for our bodies to be 100%, for the best forecast or for logistics to be in place. More often than not, better is good enough. Certainly on a mountain like Everest where perfect days are few. Sometimes you just gotta go, “You know what? That’s good enough.”

13. Don’t worry about what others think

Ultimately, nobody really cares. One of the biggest inhibitors I think we have as individuals is the fear of what other people think.

And in reality, it doesn’t matter what other people think. It’s what you think. Are you ready? Are you going to have fun? What can you learn from this experience? There’s nothing like experience in the bank to keep you pushing forward.

14. The learnings are on the approach, not the summits

Whenever I get down from the mountain, I give myself a few hours to reflect on what worked, what didn’t work, what can be better, what we did right and, more importantly, what we did wrong.

Summit day is normally relatively seamless, because it has to be. And when things go seamlessly, what are the learnings? It’s when it goes south, it’s like, “Ok, what went wrong? Why? How do we avoid it?” Once we get to the top, what do we actually learn?

It’s the pitfalls along the way that we gain the experience from.

15. In times of crisis, defer to logic

I generally view summit day as one big exercise in crisis management, and in crisis management emotional decision-making doesn’t have a place. I try to base my decision-making processes on hard, logical facts, like the current state of the team, overhead conditions and time.

As soon as emotion slips in, your decision-making becomes clouded, based on conjecture. And that’s where things can start going wrong. It’s taken me a long time to get to that stage, but I think it’s super important. In times of crisis, decision making has to be clean cut and fast.

16. Patience is key

One of the most important traits in mountaineering is patience. The ability to sit in a tent through long periods of time and boredom and having tolerance for those around you.

You can be put in really stressful situations, in very close proximity to somebody else going through their own mental battles. If you overlay your own anxieties and stresses on somebody else, things are quickly gonna go south.

You can start falling out with climbing partners or friends. Having the ability to go with it and go with the suffering that comes with it, is an important thing.

For more on the highest mountain in the world, see our guide to Everest's most iconic features, or read about the man that's just swam, cycled, ran and climbed from the UK to the top of the world.

On 8 June 1924, Noel Odell, a climber and geologist on the third British Everest expedition, scrambled to the top of a small crag at 7,925m and peered upwards. The summit of the world's highest mountain had been enveloped in cloud for more than three hours, but at 12.50pm the sky suddenly cleared and he spotted what he was looking for: two black specks moving across the north-east ridge.

It could only have been his fellow expedition members George Mallory and Andrew ‘Sandy’ Irvine. Moments later, the clouds coalesced and a snow squall enveloped the mountain. The two climbers were never seen alive again.

One hundred years later, this image – of two men seemingly sublimated into the mist – has become part of the Mallory myth. He is remembered as one of the founding figures of mountaineering history, the only climber to partake in all three of the earliest British Everest expeditions, following the first in 1921 and a hasty return in 1922.

A tragic explorer hero who, like Scott in Antarctica, died in the pursuit of an ideal, an extreme geographic point, somewhere far from home. On a US lecture tour the year before, in answer to the question ‘why’, he famously answered, “Because it’s there.”

It’s probably the best known mountaineering quote of all time. A frank, sardonic quip with hints of compulsion and idealism. But still… why?

Mallory was a teacher with a wife and three children who, at the time of the third expedition, had just started a job that, after years of professional stagnation, he felt really hopeful about. Far from snatching the opportunity to return, the expedition committee had to go over his head to secure his leave.

For months before he swithered in indecision. Yet he went. And a century later many others still do. It wasn’t his only attempt to answer the question.

Throughout his life Mallory tried to understand and communicate the lure, describing “moments of supremely harmonious experience that remain always with us and part of us.”

Something of this is understood intuitively by anyone who loves the mountains – but what drew him to such an extreme? And what of that lives on today?

A desire for challenge

Mallory was born on 18 June 1886 in the village of Mobberley, about 15 miles south of Manchester. “He climbed everything that it was at all possible to climb,” remembered his younger sister Annie Victoria (Avie).

“I learnt very early that it was fatal to tell him that any tree was impossible for him to get up.” As a seven- year-old, he scaled drainpipes to the roof of his father’s church, climbed to the roof of the family home and continued as a teenager, scrambling over the buildings of his boarding school, Winchester College.

These roof climbing antics caught the eye of schoolmaster Graham Irving, a keen mountaineer, and resulted in Mallory’s first climbing trip to the Alps, in August 1904, aged 18. Mallory’s first experience of mountaineering was no gentle introduction.

He and Irving spent three weeks traversing glaciers, crossing high cols and attempting summits including Mont Blanc, which they ascended in a ferociously cold wind.

“It was certain,” Irving later recalled, “that he had found in snow mountains the perfect medium for the expression of his physical and spiritual being.” Mallory, apparently, came back elated, despite struggling severely with altitude sickness at the start, getting lost, and contending with the fatal dangers of rockfall and hidden crevasses.

He would return the very next summer. The hardship of the trip seems barely to have registered or, more likely, to have been an essential part of the appeal.

In later life, shortly before the third Everest expedition, Mallory would muse on the thing his sister recognised early: “Everest is the highest mountain in the world,” he said, “and no man has reached its summit.

"Its existence is a challenge. The answer is instinctive. A part, I suppose, of man’s desire to conquer the universe.”

The real feelings of sportsmen

As well as climbing, young Mallory excelled at football, shooting and gymnastics. Later, at university in Cambridge, he added rowing to the list, going on to captain the college rowing club.

In 1909, aged 23, he met Geoffrey Winthrop Young – a fellow roof-climber and, at 33, one of the leading Alpine mountaineers of the time. Young would become a lifelong climbing partner and confidante.

He first invited Mallory to one of his famous Pen-y-Pass climbing parties, held every Easter, and then to the Bernese Alps, where Mallory would demonstrate a striking boldness.

On one occasion, during an attempt on the as yet unclimbed south-east ridge of the Nesthorn, Mallory came up against a difficult and exposed overhang on a pinnacle near the summit. He was leading the group and had edged around the pinnacle on minute holds.

At the final overhang, he lunged upwards, failed to find a hold and fell 12m, caught by Young on a static rope which they later discovered was notorious for its low breaking strain.

Mallory climbed back up, seemingly unshaken, and at 7pm they reached the summit where they witnessed a sunset that he described to his mother as “the most wonderful I have ever seen.”

After this trip, a fellow climber would write of "his prodigious reach, his great strength, and his admirable technique joined to a sort of cat-like agility". Letters from this time sent by friends, acquaintances and would-be lovers rhapsodised about his physique, and George himself seemed to delight in his body and its abilities.

By 1912 he had made six trips to the Alps and numerous forays to the Lake District and north Wales. “Happily, as a sportsman myself, I know what the real feelings of sportsmen are,” he would later write.

The mountains represented a severe testing ground for his physical ability and mental focus, yet it was not only this that appealed. He was conscious too of some hard to define spiritual and aesthetic allure.

Commenting on its inherent dangers, he wrote, “The only defence for mountaineering puts it on a higher plane than mere physical sensation. It is asserted that the climber experiences higher emotions; he gets some good for his soul.”

A career path

The period between 1914 and 1920 saw Mallory’s personal life and the world at large go through a period of utter upheaval. The former, at least, was happy.

In early 1914, he met and fell in love with Ruth Turner. They were engaged in May, married in July and planned to honeymoon in the Alps in August, but it would be another five years before Mallory again visited these beloved mountains.

Six days after their wedding, Britain declared war on Germany. In January 1916, four months after the birth of their first child, Frances Clare, Mallory gained leave from his job to enlist and began the first of many long absences from home.

By privilege and good fortune, he came out of the war alive and physically unscathed, now with two more children, Beridge ‘Berry’ Ruth and John. He had been employed as a teacher at Charterhouse public school before the war, in a role which he found restrictive and uninspiring, and he continued to chafe when he returned.

Despite this, when he was approached about an Everest attempt in 1921, he hesitated. He had just returned from the war and his son John was only five months old.

It was his old climbing partner, Geoffrey Winthrop Young, who convinced him. Not by appealing to his aesthetic sensibilities or the prestige of the climb, but to the prospect of getting out of a boring job.

A symbol of adventure

The first Everest expedition, which took place largely during the monsoon, served ultimately as a reconnaissance mission, with no serious attempts on the summit but a route via the North Col identified.

The second came soon after, departing just three months after the first had returned. Again, Mallory was reluctant. “I wouldn’t go again next year, as the saying is, for all the gold in Arabia,” he wrote in a letter to Avie.

He saw too many difficulties, too many dangers, such little chance of success. In his expedition report he stated that “It is not to be a mad enterprise rashly pushed on regardless of danger.”

Yet the notion of watching other men succeed on the route that he had established, or of leaving a challenge unmet, a job undone, seems to have been too much for him. By the end of November, two weeks after getting home, he was signed up.

Back on the hill, the spirit of the thing seemed to get back into him. “It became a symbol of adventure,” he wrote. “I imagined, not so much doing anything of my own will, but rather being led by stupendous circumstances into strange and wonderful situations.”

Editor's note: Find out the obstacles standing in climbers' way as they attempt to summit Everest.

The compulsion to climb

The reality was much more harsh. Mallory returned from the second expedition despondent, unconfident and bowed by consequence. During the third summit attempt, which he led, an avalanche triggered by the party swept seven Nepali porters to their deaths, bringing the expedition to an abrupt halt.

The avalanche was not the result of foolhardiness but of a lack of knowledge about the snowpack. Still, he and the rest of the team were appalled by the accident. In addition, bitter cold, thunderous wind, snow showers, and the fatigue and dehydration of high altitude had worn the dream down to a chore.

“Whether the summit of Mount Everest, had we attained it, would have aroused in us a quality of emotion worthy of the occasion is impossible to tell,” Mallory reported, “But we experienced certainly nothing of the kind at this highest point we reached. The stupefied brain had remained only capable of turning aside from all else and concentrating on the one grim task of pushing upward.”

He returned home without a job, and without the hoped-for new career, earning a small amount from lecturing fees and magazine articles. For a man with three young children, this was hardly reliable and in 1923 he secured a job teaching history to working people around Cambridge – a role that he was finally really excited about.

When the query about the forthcoming 1924 expedition finally arrived, Mallory, again, oscillated. Len Winthrop Young, first president of the Pinnacle Club, recalls him confessing that “he did not want to return to Everest.”

Yet, in his own words to an old friend, he felt a compulsion. With just two weeks to go before the sailing, he signed the contract.

A way of salvation

The first Everest expeditions took place in the earliest shell-shocked days following a war that killed an estimated 22 million people; born of a country with a calcified class system, particular ideals around masculinity, and imperial notions of conquest.

But the people who climbed it had their own personal reasons for doing so: physical challenge, career opportunity, beauty, scientific endeavour, commitment, loyalty, stubbornness, a sense of spiritual and physical ascension.

In his article The Mountaineer as Artist Mallory tried to put the lure and emotional experience of mountaineering into words: “We set climbing on a pedestal above the common recreations of man,” he wrote.

“We set it apart and label it as something that has a special value.” While climbing "a divine completeness of harmony possesses all the senses and the mind as though the universe and the individual were in exact accord, pursuing a common aim with the efficiency of mechanical perfection."

It was, he declared, “one of the modern ways of salvation". It is tempting and easy to see his death on the mountain in that romantic light – a Grecian figure ascending to the heavens – but it must have been scary, it must have been cold, he surely wished to be home.

He wasn’t, after all, a myth. He was a man with a family and a twice broken leg high on a mountain he had never quite managed to escape.

For more Everest content, here are 16 lessons that 19 summits have taught mountain guide Kenton Cool.

MSR's Hubba Hubba is one of the most enduring designs in recent backpacking tent history. The name has become shorthand for a whole category of lightweight freestanding shelters – the hubbed-pole, double-skinned, two-door format that many manufacturers now copy.

So, when MSR announced they were splitting the range for 2026 into two distinct models – the LT (lightweight) and the HD (heavy duty) – it felt less like a product launch and more like a philosophical statement. You can’t please everyone, so stop trying, and make two tents instead.

The LT is the model for those who’ve always loved the Hubba Hubba’s formula but felt it was being slowly outpaced on the scales by newer two-person tents from rivals like Big Agnes, Nemo Equipment, Sea to Summit and so on. The outgoing Hubba Hubba NX checked in at 1.72kg packaged – still respectable, but the competition had been quietly shaving grams, cutting and shredding like competition bodybuilders.

With the LT, MSR has trimmed that down to a packaged weight of 1.54kg and a minimum trail weight of just 1.36kg. It achieves this primarily by replacing the NX’s predominantly nylon canopy with a mostly micromesh inner, which saves meaningful weight while dramatically improving ventilation.

What you’re left with is a tent that’s lighter, airier and better suited to warm-weather, fair-weather and shoulder-season use – but which asks you to make some concessions in terms of waterproof ratings and cold-weather performance.

For UK and Northern European users especially, those concessions are worth thinking hard about. Is the LT the right Hubba Hubba for British conditions, or should you be looking at the HD? We took it to Eryri (Snowdonia) to find out.

Shape, structure, pitching and internal liveability

The Hubba Hubba LT uses a unified hubbed pole structure in the form of a DAC NFL 9.3mm aluminium pole set, which creates a rectangular footprint with steeply raked end walls that push usable interior volume well beyond what the floor dimensions alone suggest.

Peak height is a solid 102cm, which means six-footers can sit up comfortably. The floor area is a full 2.95m² with no taper at the foot end, which is a genuine differentiator from tents like the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 (which narrows to 107cm at the foot) and makes using two wide sleeping mats side by side a practical proposition.

Setup is a breeze, even in a breeze. The symmetrical layout means there’s no faffing about matching poles to corners or flysheet to inner – the tent goes together the same way regardless of which end you start from. Peg out the corners, slot the pole feet into the aluminium tabs, clip the inner to the pole set, throw the fly over the top, slot the fly tabs into the same corner hardware, peg out the guys and porches, and you’re done.

In practice it takes well under five minutes, even in fading light. The anodised metal corner hardware is excellent – secure, precise and reassuringly solid. This is an area where MSR has an edge on rivals like Big Agnes, whose plastic TipLok buckles feel worryingly flimsy and are easily clogged with mud.

The one persistent frustration is the inner-first pitch, which is a liability when you’re trying to get the tent up in the rain. To be fair, it goes up quickly enough that the inner rarely gets soaked, but it’s a structural decision that favours dry-weather camping over the kind of conditions you may often encounter on weekend wild camps or multi-day trips.

Inside, the LT is a genuinely pleasant place to be thanks to the rectangular footprint and spacious interior. The two new full-width mesh pockets at each end seem to be an obvious lift from the Copper Spur’s ‘shelf’ concept, but they work brilliantly for keeping kit off the floor. A pre-strung overhead gear line works well for drying damp socks and other kit. Small triangular pockets above each door are a good place to stash a head torch, creating handy illumination.

Waterproofing

Waterproof ratings of 1,200mm for the fly and 1,800mm for the floor seem low by current standards – the outgoing NX had 1,200mm and 3,000mm respectively, and the new Hubba Hubba HD bumps both figures to 3,000mm and 6,000mm.

MSR’s counter-argument is that waterproofing is about more than raw hydrostatic head figures – their DuraShield polyurethane and silicone coatings, high-density thread count, and steep sidewalls that shed rain efficiently all contribute to real-world performance beyond what the headline numbers suggest.

Question is, does it still do the job? On test, yes. During an early spring wild camp at around 600m in Eryri, the LT kept us dry. Moisture didn’t seep up through the bathtub floor despite the pressure of two sleeping bodies and a soggy Border Collie on damp ground – though I’d still strongly recommend using MSR’s universal footprint (around £50, just over 200g).

That 1,800mm floor rating will give some users pause, particularly anyone planning to pitch on saturated or boggy terrain (we were careful to hunt around for dry ground). Besides, the footprint also protects the groundsheet from wear and tear – and this is a £560 tent, so you’ll want to baby it.

I’d be cautious in recommending this tent for prolonged use on multiple rainy and windy nights, exposed sites higher up, or basically anywhere you’d normally want a true three-season shelter in the British sense of the phrase. For those uses, the Hubba Hubba HD is the more sensible choice, or indeed a heavier but sturdier alternative like the MSR Tindheim 2 or Access 2.

Condensation

This is the LT’s ace card. The entire upper portion of the inner tent is solution-dyed 20D polyester micromesh – i.e. the majority of the canopy above the solid nylon bathtub walls, including two generously sized triangular end panels and the upper sidewalls.

This, combined with two kickstand vents in the fly (one at each end, propped out and secured with Velcro), a roughly 10cm fly-to-ground gap running all the way around, and two-way zippers on both fly doors, creates excellent airflow throughout. On multiple nights of use in varying conditions, condensation on the inner was minimal – a meaningful improvement on the older NX, which managed the issue adequately but fell short of standout.

The trade-off is obvious and worth stating plainly: a mostly-mesh inner is cold in low temperatures. If you’re camping in autumn or pushing into early spring with overnight temperatures dropping close to or below zero, the LT is not the tent you want. You’ll be relying heavily on your sleeping bag to compensate for a shelter that makes no meaningful effort to retain warmth. In those conditions, the Hubba Hubba HD’s more solid fabric canopy construction would be far more appropriate.

Wind protection

The LT’s hubbed pole structure handles moderate wind competently when pitched with an end wall facing into the prevailing breeze. However, the revised geometry has given the LT steeper, larger end walls than the NX, which creates excellent headroom but also more surface area for side gusts to push against.

On our Eryri test, we experienced one pretty gusty overnight spell – the tent buffeted and flexed without drama, stayed pegged down well, and we had no concerns about structural integrity. Guy out the end walls and vestibule points with the supplied lines and the tent stands firm reassuringly.

That said, the substantial fly gap that helps ventilation so effectively becomes a liability in cold, windy conditions. Draughts can whistle under the fly and, while the extended bathtub floor of the inner prevents the worst of it, the LT is not a warm tent in the wind. The mostly-mesh canopy compounds this.

Dedicated wild campers who like a summit view will find more appropriate shelters elsewhere – the MSR Tindheim 2 and Access 2 being the obvious in-brand alternatives – but for valley camps, sheltered moorland, and most backpacking routes the LT handles what you’re likely to throw at it.

Weight and packed size

At 1.36kg trail weight – a figure it shares with the rival Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 – the Hubba Hubba LT is competitive without quite reaching the extreme end of the lightweight category. The even lighter MSR FreeLite 2 is a more dramatic 1.15kg, though it’s a more spartan shelter as a result.

What the LT offers, unlike any of those alternatives, is a genuine rectangular footprint with serious headroom and 2.95m² of floor area – a space-to-weight ratio that’s hard to match in a freestanding, twin skin design.

The redesigned stuff sack is a welcome upgrade on the older NX drawcord closure. The new rolltop system with twin webbing compression straps means you can really cinch the tent down into its 51x14cm packed form without fighting a flimsy drawcord. It’s long and slim, which works well for slipping into a pack side pocket, though it may be marginal for bikepacking without separating poles and tent body.

Features

The overall feature set is decent. Eight MSR Mini Groundhog stakes are included – these are light and reasonably strong, though only 15cm (just under 6in) long. Guylines are reflective and generously long, with line-loc runners for easy tensioning. But to use them all, you’ll need at least two extra pegs. This is a good opportunity to supplement the supplied set with a couple of longer pegs for exposed camps too.

Internal organisation is much improved from the previous Hubba Hubba NX. Full-width overhead mesh pockets at both ends provide excellent ‘shelf’ storage for phones, books, glasses and the rest of the small camp detritus that would otherwise clutter the floor. The clothesline is a practical addition. Cable ports in the corners allow headphones or charging cables to run where needed without everything becoming a tangled mess.

The metal corner hardware deserves another mention. The anodised aluminium construction is precise, robust and easy to use – a significant step up from the plastic components found on several rivals. There’s nothing here that feels like it’s going to give up without a fight. MSR backs the tent with a three-year limited warranty, which is reassuring given the premium price tag.

The vestibules are the one mild disappointment – at a combined 1.48m² for both sides, they’re functional rather than generous, offering enough room for walking boots and a backpacking pack per side but no great luxury. For me, the Nemo Dagger’s ‘landing zone’ tub feature, which gives you dry storage in the vestibule area, is still the standard-setter here and the Hubba Hubba LT doesn’t quite match it.

Price and competition

The Hubba Hubba LT is now priced at a UK RRP of £560, which ain’t cheap. But compared to popular rivals, it’s around the same ballpark. For example, it’s the same price as the Nemo Dagger Ridge OSMO, a recent LFTO ‘Best in Test’ winner. Another one of our current favourite lightweight backpacking tents is the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 XL, which is £600 RRP. A third option is the revised Sea to Summit Telos EVO TR2, which is £550.

What else should you consider? If you like MSR as a brand, and are ultralight-curious, we’re big fans of the MSR FreeLite 2. At just 1.15kg, it’s a minimalist, super lightweight tent with a similar design to the Hubba Hubba. You get less space and protection, and fewer storage options inside, but it delivers an almost unrivalled space-to-weight ratio for a double-skinned tent. Despite the ultralight weigh-in, you get two good-sized porches, two side-entry doors, generous head room, near-vertical walls, and a rectangular inner footprint with impressive width and length and no tapering at the foot end.

It’s all quite remarkable considering the weight – a gram counter’s dream and ideal for long-distance hiking. It costs £580 at full RRP, which is £20 more than the Hubba Hubba LT, but shop around and you’ll find it cheaper. It’s a tempting prospect – after all, if you’re considering going light, why not go even lighter?

Final verdict

A refined lightweight shelter that handles the balancing act of space, weight and features better than most. The true rectangular footprint and generous peak height make it one of the most liveable double-skinned freestanding tents at this weight, the ventilation is excellent, and the quality of materials and hardware is top notch.

It’s easy to pitch, a pleasant and airy place to be in fair to moderate weather, and a proper upgrade on the outgoing NX for warm-weather backpacking.

However, low HH ratings and mesh-heavy construction make it best suited to spring and summer use, or shoulder-season trips where you’re picking conditions carefully. For UK users who spend much of their tent time in the Lakes, Scottish Highlands or North Wales in potentially foul weather, the Hubba Hubba HD is the more natural choice. But if you’re a fair-weather-leaning, weight-conscious backpacker in search of a truly liveable two-person tent, the LT is hard to beat.

Still working on your ultimate backpacking setup? Take a look at our pick of the best camping accessories.

About the author

Matt Jones is a freelance journalist based in the heart of Eryri National Park (Snowdonia). He was previously editor of Scouting and Walk magazines, and is a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek. Matt’s been one of our main gear testers for the last couple of years and is the first person we call with any complicated kit queries that need in-depth and forensic analysis.

There’s nothing like the London Marathon for making you believe, however briefly and dangerously, that running is the greatest thing humans have ever invented.

Last weekend, tens of thousands of runners poured through the capital, crowds packed the pavements, finish-line emotions spilled all over The Mall and at least half the country seemed to come away thinking: go on then, maybe I could do that.

That’s the funny thing about marathon season. Whether you ran it, watched it, tracked a mate on the app or spent Sunday morning telling yourself you could absolutely do it if you just sorted your knees out, it has a way of getting under your skin. And once that itch starts, the best thing to do is give it somewhere to go.

Of course, you don’t have to dive straight into another road marathon. In fact, we’d argue trail races are usually more fun anyway. There’s more mud, better views, fewer watch-obsessed elbows and a much higher chance of ending the day eating chips in a field wondering why your socks are full of gravel.

Still, we’re not snobs. From airport runway runs and zoo 10Ks to scenic city halves, mountain ultras and full-blown multi-day adventures, there are brilliant events out there for every type of runner. Whether you’re chasing a PB, stepping up a distance or just looking for a reason to keep training after the London buzz fades, here are some of the best races to get in the diary for 2026 and beyond.

Run Gatwick Half Marathon & 5K

Date: 10 May 2026
Location: Gatwick, West Sussex

If you’re bored of lapping city centres, this one’s a proper novelty. Set on closed roads near Gatwick Airport, the route puts you right under the flight path, with planes taking off overhead as you run.

It’s a good post-marathon option if you want a big-event feel without immediately committing to another 26.2 miles. With half marathon and 5K options, it works for runners chasing a sharp effort, beginners looking for a memorable first race and anyone who just enjoys the idea of racing somewhere a bit odd.

Find out more

Race The Train

Date: 15 August 2026
Location: Tywyn, Wales

One of the UK’s strangest and most iconic running events, Race The Train is exactly what it sounds like: you run across mixed terrain while trying to beat a steam train.

The main Rotary Challenge is around 14 miles, with shorter race options also available, so you don’t need to be an ultra-hardened mountain goat to get involved. Expect road sections, farm tracks, trail, uneven ground and a wonderfully chaotic sense that this whole thing probably started as a pub conversation that got badly out of hand.

It’s a brilliant choice if you want something memorable that still feels like a proper race.

Find out more

RunThrough Colchester Zoo Stampede 10K

Date: 17 May 2026
Location: Colchester, Essex

Running through a zoo sounds gimmicky, but in practice it’s a pretty joyful way to rack up 10K. The race starts inside Colchester Zoo before heading out onto closed roads and finishing back inside the zoo.

That makes it a strong option if you’re bringing family along, easing back into events after a marathon block or just want a race that doesn’t take itself too seriously. You still get a chip-timed 10K, but with far more rhino-adjacent atmosphere than your average Sunday morning road race.

Find out more

Run Bournemouth

Date: 10–11 October 2026
Location: Bournemouth, Dorset

Sea views, flat roads and a genuinely relaxed weekend feel make Run Bournemouth an easy one to recommend. The event spans multiple distances, including the Bournemouth Half Marathon, Supersonic 10K, 5K and junior races, so it’s well suited to groups of mixed abilities.

It’s also a good autumn target if you’ve come out of marathon season with decent fitness but want something more manageable to work towards. Treat it as a race, a seaside weekend or a useful excuse to keep running through summer.

Find out more

RunThrough Women's Run Series - Heaton Park

Date: 17 May 2026
Location: Manchester

Part of a growing push to make running feel more welcoming, this women-focused event is all about confidence, community and getting more people onto start lines.

The distances are manageable, the atmosphere should be supportive and Heaton Park gives the race a greener feel than a standard city-centre course. It’s a good pick if you’re building back up, stepping up from parkrun or looking for an event that feels encouraging rather than intimidating.

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Royal Parks Half Marathon

Date: October 2026
Location: London

If the London Marathon is the full street-party epic, the Royal Parks Half Marathon is the scenic, slightly calmer alternative. The route threads through four of London’s Royal Parks, combining big capital-city sights with long stretches of greenery.

It’s still a major event, and a very popular one, but the half marathon distance makes it a more approachable next goal if you’ve been inspired by marathon season without wanting to surrender your entire life to Sunday long runs.

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Royal Windsor Triathlon

Date: 14 June 2026
Location: Windsor, Berkshire

Not technically a run, but that’s sort of the point. If marathon season has left you craving a fresh challenge, a triathlon is a great way to reset your training without losing your fitness.

The Royal Windsor Triathlon offers sprint, standard and relay options in a pretty spectacular setting, with the run section forming the final sting in the tail after the swim and bike. It’s a strong option if you’re curious about multi-sport but don’t want to leap straight into anything too wild.

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Inflatable 5K obstacle run

Date: Multiple dates across 2026
Location: UK-wide

This is less about pace and more about having a laugh. Expect giant inflatable obstacles, plenty of chaos and very little need to worry about your kilometre splits.

That makes it ideal if you’re coming off a serious training block and want a low-pressure event that reminds you running doesn’t always have to involve gels, spreadsheets and a mildly alarming relationship with your Garmin.

Find out more

RunThrough Newcastle Half Marathon

Date: 12 July 2026
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Flat-ish, fast and set on closed roads, the RunThrough Newcastle Half Marathon is a good summer target if you’re chasing a PB or building towards an autumn marathon.

Starting and finishing at Kingston Park Stadium, the course heads out around countryside lanes near Newcastle Airport and Dinnington. It’s a tidy option if you want a half marathon with proper race-day atmosphere, but without the full logistical circus of a major city marathon.

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Halifax Urban Trail

Date: 2027 date TBC
Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire

A genuinely fresh concept, Halifax Urban Trail takes the idea of a trail race and drags it indoors, upstairs, through corridors and into some of the town’s most historic buildings.

The inaugural 2026 event took place on Easter Monday, with next year’s details still to come. If it returns in the same spirit, expect a route that’s just over 10K and completely different to your standard road or trail race. Less “views from the ridge”, more “why am I sprinting through a civic building?” Which, frankly, sounds excellent.

Find out more

Altra 13 Valleys Ultra

Date: 25–27 September 2026
Location: Lake District National Park

If marathon season has left you wondering how far you can actually go, this is where things get interesting. The Altra 13 Valleys Ultra is one of the UK’s standout trail events, linking together some of the Lake District’s most dramatic landscapes across a seriously ambitious weekend of racing.

Crucially, you don’t have to go all in. The event includes four distances, with the 2 Valleys Trail offering a 22K entry point and longer options stepping up through proper mountain territory. It’s trail running at its most scenic, demanding and, depending on your relationship with climbing, emotionally complicated.

Find out more

MBNA Chester Marathon & Metric Marathon

Date: 11 October 2026
Location: Chester

If you’re not ready to leave marathon training behind just yet, Chester is a smart autumn follow-up. The MBNA Chester Marathon has a strong reputation among runners and its route crosses both England and Wales, giving it a pleasingly distinctive hook beyond the usual “flat and fast” promise.

There’s also the MBNA Chester Metric Marathon, which covers 26.6km and sits nicely between half marathon and full marathon distance. That makes the weekend a strong shout whether you’re chasing a full marathon PB or looking for a stepping stone towards 26.2 miles in future.

Find out more

London Landmarks Half Marathon

Date: 4 April 2027
Location: London

One of the UK’s most in-demand half marathons, and for good reason. Closed roads, iconic sights and huge crowd support make the London Landmarks Half Marathon feel more like a rolling street party than a standard race.

If the London Marathon has left you craving that capital-city atmosphere without committing to the full distance, this is an obvious one to aim for. Just be prepared for the ballot, because plenty of other runners will have exactly the same idea.

Find out more

For Rangers Ultra

Date: 7 September 2026
Location: Laikipia, Kenya

For something completely different, the For Rangers Ultra is a serious multi-stage adventure across Kenya’s Laikipia region. Organised by Beyond The Ultimate, the event covers roughly 230km over five days and supports conservation work linked to the rangers protecting endangered wildlife.

It’s clearly a major step up from a local 10K, but if you’re looking for a race with a bigger sense of purpose, this is about as meaningful as running goals get. Huge distance, remote landscapes, a powerful cause and the sort of finish-line feeling you’re unlikely to forget in a hurry.

Find out more

What to do next

Marathon season isn’t an endpoint. It’s a springboard. Whether you fancy a quick 10K, a faster half, a silly obstacle run or your first taste of trail, the key is to lock something in while the motivation’s still there.

Entering a race is brilliant because it gives your running a shape. Suddenly, training isn’t just something you vaguely mean to do when the weather behaves and your legs feel cooperative. It has a target, a deadline and a reason behind it. That can pull everything into focus, adding a bit of structure and intention without stripping away the fun.

That said, races aren’t the only way to give your running more purpose. Our Run 1000 Miles challenge is built around the same idea: giving you a clear, motivating goal that keeps you moving across the year, whether you’re training for events, building consistency or just trying to make running feel like part of your life again.

Join Run 1000 Miles and you’ll get a discount at SportsShoes.com, access to our 12-week marathon training plan, the monthly Run1k newsletter and our custom mile tracker, which helps you stay on target throughout the year.

Go for a walk on any popular trail and you’ll see it. Tucked behind rocks, caught on bracken, strewn across the ground. Used toilet paper is one of the most persistent forms of litter in the outdoors, and it can take anywhere from one to three years to break down.

Some of it is left carelessly, by men and women alike. But a lot of it is left by women who simply don't know what else to do. They've had a wild wee, they don't want to carry used tissue in their pack, and so it stays.

This isn’t something we tend to talk about openly. But avoiding the conversation doesn't make the problem go away. It just leaves women feeling uncomfortable and underprepared, and for some, it's enough to put them off longer walks, remote routes or trips without guaranteed facilities.

So here goes. Going for a wee outside can, for many women, be problematic. Drip-drying is unpleasant. Carrying used loo roll is awkward. Leaving it behind is bad for the environment. And for a long time, there hasn't been a satisfying answer to any of this. There might be now.

“Never drip-dry again”

Wild Wipe launched last week with a simple promise: no more drip-drying. Founder Caitlin Dean, a keen outdoorswoman, was “tired of damp underwear, discomfort, and having to pack out soggy loo roll on every hike”.

Caitlin started her career as a nurse, and she speaks of other women coming to her for advice on hikes, as they were developing urinary tract infections after too many drip dries. "That's when I decided to make my own solution," she says.

Her first prototype, a sanded-down credit card, worked well enough to develop into a properly designed product. The result is a small piece of recycled plastic, shaped like a guitar pick, that works like a squeegee: rather than absorbing moisture, it removes it. The brand refers to it as a "squeegee for your vageegee".

After use, you rinse if you can, then store it in the antimicrobial case it comes with. The case opens out fully, so you can give it a proper wash with warm water and soap when you get home.

Does it work, and could it catch on?

Caitlin believes the impact could be far-reaching. “In years to come 50% of the population will wonder how we ever lived without them,” she wrote on LinkedIn.

After having tested one on a spring hike, I almost share her optimism. Although a piece of plastic is never going to rival loo roll for absorbency, the Wild Wipe is undeniably better than drip-drying.

Some hikers may be put off by the "ick factor", but the design addresses this carefully: a raised ridge separates the grip from the wiping edge, directing run-off away.

The main downside is that it doesn't dry well inside its case between uses, so if you can't air it out before putting it away it'll still be damp next time.

A broader impact

The environmental argument is complicated. On the one hand, toilet paper production is a significant driver of deforestation globally. And reducing the amount of loo roll left on hillsides has an obvious environmental benefit. But on the other, replacing a paper product with a plastic one, even if it's recyclable, isn't a straightforward win.

The company describes the Wild Wipe as "created to be as low-impact as possible”, with recyclable packaging and a design intended to last for years.

But whether the overall environmental footprint is lower than loo roll is difficult to calculate with any certainty, and will depend on how it’s manufactured, how long individual products last and how they're eventually disposed of. A tool used hundreds of times is one thing; a forgotten novelty replaced after a season is another.

There’s a humanitarian angle, too – and here the case is clearer. While the retail cost is £13.99, products are available at near-cost pricing for NGOs and community projects working with women and girls in low-resource environments. If adopted in places where access to safe, reliable hygiene options is limited, the Wild Wipe could make a difference well beyond the hiking trail.

Verdict

The Wild Wipe won't be for everyone. If you've already got a system that works, you probably don't need it. But for those who don't, it offers something that hasn't existed before: a clean, reusable, pocket-sized solution to a problem that gets talked about far less than it should.

It won't single-handedly solve the toilet paper litter problem either. But if it gets more women outside, more comfortable and more confident on the hills, while leaving less litter behind in the process, that's a pretty good start.

It's been a remarkable week for marathon history. On Sunday, Sabastian Sawe became the first person to complete 26.2 miles in under two hours in a sanctioned race, crossing the line at the London Marathon in 1:59:30.

Now, just days later, a second marathon world record has been confirmed in rather different circumstances: not on a flat London street in spring sunshine, but on the slopes of the world's highest volcano, nearly 7,000 metres above sea level.

Five runners have set two Guinness World Records by completing a full marathon on Ojos del Salado, a 6,893 metre volcano in Chile. The World's Highest Marathon, completed on 11th February, was officially confirmed by Guinness World Records this week, with the team claiming the records for Highest Marathon and Highest Marathon Distance Run (Team).

Speed vs survival

Where Sawe's London record was about speed, this one was about reaching the finish line at all. Of the eighteen runners originally selected for the attempt, only five reached the start line. Those five then ran through the night, descending 42.2km on one of the most remote and inhospitable mountains on Earth.

The conditions were brutal, even by the standards of extreme endurance sport. After nearly two weeks of acclimatisation, the team did an 11.5-hour overnight climb just to reach the start line, battling winds over 100kph and a windchill of -30°C.

The event was created and organised by BecomingX, a personal development company whose previous project, the World's Deepest Marathon, took place more than a kilometre below sea level.

“I can’t explain how much it took out of me”

All five runners at the start line made it to the finish. BecomingX CEO Paul Gurney, TV adventurer Aldo Kane and record-breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont crossed first, in a time of 16 hours and 34 minutes. Seven-summitter Sibusiso Vilane and ultra-marathon runner Sara Storey finished 90 minutes later, having spent over 28 hours on their feet.

Kane, who has built a career around high-risk expeditions, said it ranked among the hardest things he has ever done. "We had such incredibly difficult conditions to climb Ojos del Salado before we'd even started the marathon," he said. "Even moving at that altitude is so draining. I can't explain how much it took out of me and the team to pull that off."

The logistics of an event at this altitude are difficult to overstate. At nearly 7,000 metres, oxygen levels are roughly 40% of those at sea level. Every step requires significantly more effort than it would at lower altitude, and there's a constant risk of altitude sickness, frostbite and exhaustion.

A support team of guides and staff followed the runners throughout in a fleet of Ford off-road vehicles, reaching as high as 5,890 metres to provide medical support and critical aid.

Redefining what's possible

Paul Gurney, CEO of BecomingX, said the official recognition marked a significant moment for the project. "This challenge was about redefining what people believe is possible. To have this officially recognised with two Guinness World Records is an incredible moment for everyone involved and will hopefully encourage others to challenge themselves to achieve something extraordinary."

For anyone who wants a closer look at what the attempt actually involved, a documentary is in production, supported by Ford and produced by Chrome Productions.

Mosedale is Way Out There. It’s the farthest-flung of the Lake District's five classic mountain horseshoes, and unless you happen to live on Cumbria’s west coast, it’s a journey just to get to the start.

But what a starting point it is: Wasdale Head, perhaps the most iconic base camp in the entire national park. Today is not about the obvious big beasts that glower down on Wasdale. Let others race off for Great Gable and the Scafells.

Instead, shift your gaze northwards, and there you’ll find Mosedale: a vast yet secluded side-valley, hidden from view until you’re right in its maw. It’s quite the maw, too: Mosedale has possibly the steepest, sheerest sides of any Lakeland valley.

It’s a bathtub in the mountains, with the vast south face of Pillar down where the taps should be. The seclusion and steepness can make Mosedale feel a bit foreboding at first, but hold your course and your courage; it’s going to be spectacular. I mean, just look at this photo...

The classic Mosedale Horseshoe consists of four main summits: Pillar (the highest point), Black Crag, Scoat Fell and Red Pike. There is an optional out-and-back detour to Steeple for seekers of completeness, but as the main route is already 10 miles long with some big ups and downs, many prefer just to gawp at Steeple (it is very gawpable), rather than adding to the exertion by climbing it.

Time it right and the sun will break over the Scafells, and the deep, dark bathtub will fill with golden light.

Unusually for a horseshoe, this one starts with a walk into the valley. It’s a great way to start a big day: a pleasant leg-stretcher along the glaciated valley floor, warming up the muscles for the tougher stuff ahead.

Eventually, the gradient stiffens and the path jinks to the right, embarking on a steady climb to Black Sail Pass. Time it right and as you ascend, the morning sun might break over the Scafells behind you, and steadily the deep, dark bathtub will fill with golden light.

At the head of the pass, the most extraordinary view unfolds into the quieter end of the Lake District. Beneath you is Ennerdale; a deep, long, remote valley which has gone through a century of transition from wildness to forestry and back into carefully managed wildness.

On the other side stand Hay Stacks and the High Stile range, looking nothing like they do from the Buttermere valley. To the south-east, the great crags of first Kirk Fell and then Great Gable steal the show.

But our attention turns north-west, to the immense shoulder of Pillar and the start of our horseshoe. A little further up the ridge, at Looking Stead, we’re faced with a choice. The main path carries straight on up, plodding directly to the summit of Pillar. It’s fine. It’s good. It’s interesting. But… if you’ve a yen for some fun and games; a thirst for adventure; a desire to see truly extraordinary things, there’s option 2: the High Level Traverse. Guess which way we’re going?

Pillar talk

The High Level Traverse is one of the great thrill rides of the Lake District. It’s a path which threads its way across a series of shelves on the north-east slopes of Pillar, gaining height gradually (at least until the final bit when things get steep). Climbers use it to reach the crags which scar this side of the mountain – and principally to reach one super-famous feature which we’ll get to shortly.

For walkers, it’s a chance to enjoy breathtaking drama without existential danger. It’s rough and ready, requiring occasional deployment of bottoms and hands, but never overtly murderous. (The path is clearly marked on OS maps but not with the name High Level Traverse, despite the moniker having first appeared in guidebooks almost a century ago.)

The first major landmark along the path is Robinson’s Cairn, a fine lookout spot at which the main crags of Pillar are revealed. It commemorates John Wilson Robinson, a pioneering fellwalker and rock climber. The dedication reads: ‘He knew and loved as none other these his native crags and fells, whence he drew simplicity, strength and charm.’

The second landmark is Shamrock Traverse, an upward-tilting platform which carries the path, woozily but safely, over the top edge of a sheer crag which falls away to the right.

The third and final landmark is what it has all been leading to: Pillar Rock (above). You’ll see it coming closer all along the traverse, but at the end of Shamrock it’s revealed in all its glory. A vast,
free-standing turret formed of andesite lava and rhyolite, Pillar Rock has no easy comparison, neither in the Lakes nor beyond. For 200 years, climbers have tested their mettle upon it.

It’s also the reason this mountain is called Pillar. There is no angle from which the mountain itself looks like a pillar, but if you’re down in Ennerdale looking up, Pillar Rock looks like it rules the universe, masking the rest of the mountain behind its sheer, grey spire. Little wonder that it would entice William Wordsworth, who gave it a starring role in his 1800 pastoral poem The Brothers. A priest in the poem describes it thus:

‘You see yon precipice; it almost looks
Like some vast building made of many crags,
And in the midst is one particular rock
That rises like a column from the vale,
Whence by our Shepherds it is call’d, the Pillar.’

The point of the traverse has been to bring us to this moment. Crucially, we come to gaze, not to climb. Pillar Rock itself is reserved for people like John Robinson, with bravery and finely honed climbing skills and bleeding fingertips and a decent supply of rope. But we’ve stood in its orbit, and made the journey to see it, and I think that’s adventure enough for any walker.

Upwards and onwards

Behind Pillar Rock, things get a bit steep. The path climbs the rough northern crest of Pillar itself; there’s no actual scrambling in the technical sense, but you’ll likely find yourself putting hand to rock once or twice for stability, and pausing for breath quite a bit. Which is fine, because the view aft of Pillar Rock only gets better as you get higher.

Just as you’re wondering if that easier route from Looking Stead might have had its merits, the trickiness ends. The ground levels out and you reach the summit plateau of Pillar; a vast, grassy promenade which looks like it could support a decent game of cricket. At 2927ft (892m), Pillar is the eighth highest mountain in the Lakes, and the highest point reached on any of the five horseshoes. The seven higher peaks are all standalone mountains. Most of them can be seen from the top of Pillar, not least the Scafells, which look their noblest from here.

But this is a horseshoe, not a single-serving summit. Breath caught, moment enjoyed, sandwich scoffed, it’s time to continue the journey. A steep, stony descent leads to Wind Gap, which like its near-namesake Windy Gap on Great Gable, can become a blustery place when the isobars close in. There’s good news at this point though: you’ve now completed the most intense ascents and descents of the day. Everything that follows is undulation, starting with the gentle ascent to Black Crag.

On its summit, you stand at the true head of Mosedale, with an arrow-straight view down the valley towards Wasdale Head. You can also gaze across the gloomily-named Mirk Cove at Steeple,
whose fine craggy outline protrudes from the bulky mass of our next destination, Scoat Fell.

I love the name of Scoat Fell. There’s not a lot of agreement on a meaning for ‘scoat’, but there are theories it may derive from the Norse skalli, meaning bald. If true, it would share the etymology of Scafell across the valley, both names being variants on ‘bald mountain’.

You may find yourself in a flow state. One fell follows another with delightful logic; enough for satisfaction but not over-exertion

By now you may find yourself in a flow state. One fell follows another with simple and delightful logic; enough up and down for satisfaction but not over-exertion. If you’re alone, this is fantastic thinking time. If with companions, it’s when conversation flows in easy, natural rhythms. Tom and I flitted from managing joint pain to the life and times of Bob Marley.

Scoat Fell also marks the biggest turn on the route, a hefty pivot southwards onto the western arm of the horseshoe. The destination now is our the final peak of the day, the cliff-edged Red Pike.

Here Tom had an epiphany, finding a flat, grassy veranda that he decided would be perfect for a wild camp, with a sumptuous view of the Scafells for sunset and sunrise.

“I must have been round this route a dozen times but I’ve never noticed this before,” he enthused. “Note to self: come back with tent.”

That’s the power of the fells: no matter how much of a veteran you are, they can still surprise you.

The big drop

The descent to Dore Head brings us to one of the most fascinating moments of the walk. Look up Wainwright’s guidebooks and you’ll find him cheerfully advocating a direct descent down the near-vertical cleft which drops from Dore Head down to the floor of Mosedale. It was once revered as the best and fastest ‘scree run’ in the Lakes.

I remember doing it with my parents back in 1988. Thrilling insanity: 1150ft of altitude lost in a quarter of a mile – and about ten minutes, as the tiny stones of shifting scree carried our feet downwards. It wasn’t walking, it was surfing.

Sadly, the impact of a few thousand people doing that over several decades is now obvious: the chute is denuded of scree; the descent at best horrid, at worst unsafe, and always erosive. In fairness, Wainwright had noticed this was happening by the time of his 1984 coffee-table tome Fellwalking with Wainwright – but he was still suggesting it as a route, and it still shows as a path on OS maps to this day. It’s nonsense though. One look from the top lip will make your mind up. Nah.

Neighbouring Yewbarrow is no option either, thanks to the gnarly buttress of Stirrup Crag which blocks off the summit. Instead, the modern-day descent off the horseshoe lies to the south-west, where a gentle path skirts the lower flank of Yewbarrow through the slightly sombre valley of Over Beck.

It debouches at the shore of Wast Water, and the final mile of the day follows the road back to Wasdale Head, where the world-famous inn awaits. (It may be the finest end-point of any Lakeland; have fun finding out whether you agree with me on that.)

On that final stroll along the road, I come back to those words written of John Wilson Robinson, and their suggestion that walking in these fells imbued him with ‘simplicity, strength and charm’. I’d like to hope that a love of walking bakes those things into all of us, somehow.

But I also reckon those words sum up the appeal of these horseshoe walks, too. The simplicity of following a logical route. The strength of the mountains crossed; their quiet sturdiness and inscrutability. And of course, the charm: the mesmeric appeal of walking in the hills and uncovering the stories they tell. The charm that keeps us coming back time and again and seeing places anew, as Tom did on Red Pike.

At this point, I realise there’s another common object that is often pictured as having the same shape as a horseshoe, and it’s apt in this context. A magnet. The Mosedale Magnet? It works just as well for me.

View and download our epic Mosedale Horseshoe route via OS Maps HERE

Two hikers go on a trek into the hills; one is wearing a base layer, mid layer, and a waterproof outer layer, the other is wearing a t-shirt and a thick jacket. While standing in the car park, hiker number two is very happy with their thick jacket, but they soon regret their wardrobe choice as they march up the hills.

The thick jacket traps too much warmth and they overheat. But as soon as they remove it, they’re too cold. Meanwhile, hiker number one is very comfortable. The layering of lighter garments makes it easier for the body to move perspiration away from the body, and it's easier to regulate body temperature because they can remove or add layers without quickly getting too cold or hot.

One of the first pieces of advice you’re told about hiking is 'layer up'. And the first piece of a layering system is the base layer. This is our guide to the best base layers to make your hiking experience much more comfortable.

Best hiking base layers at a glance

Best base layer overall: Runderwear Seamless Baselayer

Best technical base layer overall: Fjällräven Abisko Day Hike

Best value base layer: Craghoppers NosiLife Abel Long Sleeved T-Shirt

Editor's note: This article was last updated on 27 April, when we added a new option – the Runderwear Seamless Baselayer – and checked all other options are still in stock.

How we tested

All of the products included here have been tested by our expert gear team, including group editor Oli Reed, digital writer Evie Nichols and former senior writer Chris Williams.

Oli has been hiking all his life and has been testing kit professionally for over 15 years. Evie has been camping and hiking around the world since childhood, while Chris grew up exploring his native New Zealand.

We test base layers for performance, comfort, breathability, versatility and durability. We find out if their features and designs work in demanding real world environments, and also look at other important things such as sustainability and value for money.

Product scores are given as a star rating out of 5, with 5 being genuinely class leading, 4.5 being one of the best around, 4 being better than average, 3-3.5 representing average and anything below best avoided.

Check out how we test out kit for more info.

Best hiking base layers reviewed:

What to look for in hiking base layers

What fabric is best for base layers?

Merino

Merino wool is soft and comfortable, regulates temperature superbly and is naturally anti-bacterial, meaning it resists odours even after prolonged wear. However, it is more expensive and less durable than synthetic fabrics. Check that the wool is responsibly sourced.

Synthetics

Synthetic base layers are usually made from polyester, polypropylene or polyamide (nylon). These fibres wick moisture well, dry quickly and are very durable. Their major downside is that they start to smell after prolonged wear, though many brands now use anti-odour treatments to guard against this.

Bamboo

Bamboo is even softer than cotton, with superior wicking and warmth for weight. However, its main benefit is its sustainability. It is a fast-growing natural fibre that is far less resource intensive to produce compared to merino wool. Nor is it derived from petrochemicals like synthetic fibres.

Hybrids

Hybrid base layers use a blend of yarns to maximise the benefits of different fibres or feature zoned construction, employing fabric panels of different types.

Why not cotton?

Cotton absorbs moisture and then holds onto it, keeping it next to your skin. This lack of wicking and slowness to dry may not be a problem when the weather is warm, but if the temperature drops or the wind picks up it can become chilling very quickly. Cotton is best avoided in the varied and changeable climate of the mountains.

What makes a base layer more comfortable?

Garment patterning and design can make a huge difference to comfort, as well as freedom of movement. Look for flatlock stitching and offset seams to reduce chafing or irritation.

What makes a base layer breathable?

This depends on various factors, including fabric type and quality, weight and weave. But lighter base layers are generally more breathable and therefore better suited to high-output activities.

Are base layers all the same thickness?

Base layers are generally classed as lightweight, midweight or heavyweight. Fabric weight is sometimes expressed in gsm (grams per square metre). A higher gsm usually means a thicker and more durable fabric.

Are all base layers anti-odour?

Natural fibres like bamboo and merino are naturally odour resistant. In contrast, synthetic layers were once notorious for their pong. But fabrics are now often treated with anti-microbial technologies such as Polygiene to help prevent the growth of odour-causing bacteria.

Should I get a base layer with a zip?

Quarter or half zip-neck layers offer some ventilation and typically have a raised collar for added neck protection. But crew necks are usually cheaper and can feel more comfortable when worn as part of a layering system.

Are thumb loops necessary?

A useful but often overlooked feature, thumb loops help to stop sleeves riding up and exposing your wrists in colder conditions.

About the authors

Oli Reed is the group editor of LFTO, Country Walking and Trail magazine. He's been hiking extensively for all of his life, has an intimate knowledge of British mountains and has tested hundreds of pieces of kit over the last two decades.

Evie Nichols is LFTO's hardy digital writer and kit tester, who has a real soft spot for long distance trails. She's hiked and camped all over the world, and knows what separates an average product from an excellent one.

Chris Williams is LFTO's former senior digital writer, though he still does work for us in a freelance capacity. He's spent years testing and writing about products, with his native New Zealand being an excellent testing ground.

A common question I was asked of sleeping bags in my retail days was ‘Which sleeping bag can be used all year?’ The answer is none. Heading out in high heat? Grab yourself a summer sleeping bag.

The closest you get to a year-round option is a three-season sleeping bag, suitable for use from spring through to autumn. Then you get dedicated winter sleeping bags and summer sleeping bags.

Summer sleeping bags incorporate two types of sleeping bag: simpler options for family camping and super lightweight options for summer treks and bikepacking.

Below, we go into detail of the best summer sleeping bags for all types of campers, explaining why each option has made our shortlist.

Jump to: How we test summer sleeping bags | Buying advice | Comparison table

What are the best summer sleeping bags of 2026?

Best summer sleeping bag overall: Sea to Summit Spark

Best value summer sleeping bag: Deuter Orbit 0

Best lightweight summer sleeping bag: Alpkit Pipedream 200

How we tested the best summer sleeping bags

Chris Williams, our senior staff writer, compiled this piece using wider recommendations from the Live for the Outdoors team. Every sleeping bag in this guide has been tested in the field by one of our team of experienced gear testers — not just unboxed and assessed on a desk.

That means we've taken these sleeping bags on everything from wild camps in the Scottish Highlands to backpacking trips in the Lake District, including mild summer evenings and unexpectedly cold nights that pushed bags toward their lower limits.

We assessed each bag across a consistent set of criteria: Weight and packed size were assessed together; Features covers everything from zip quality to hood design, draft collars and compatibility with quilts or other sleep system components. Performance is warmth relative to the stated temperature rating, interior comfort and freedom of movement, and how well the fill holds up after repeated compression; Value considers what you're actually getting for the price – a £300 bag needs to justify itself against a £150 one in a way that's meaningful on the trail.

For more info, check out how we test gear

The best summer sleeping bags in detail:

Comparison table

What to look for in a summer sleeping bag

Insulation: Down or synthetic – down is lighter and warmer, synthetic is cheaper and more hydrophobic. High-performance and super lightweight sleeping bags generally use down insulation often treated with a hydrophobic finish. Family camping sleeping bags are usually synthetic-filled. But synthetic insulation is continually improving and some synthetic-insulated sleeping bags are suitable for hiking and trekking.

Shape: Sleeping bags are generally a rectangular or mummy shape, with some having an in between tapered cut. Mummy-shaped sleeping bags save weight and are the most efficient for insulating. But they can feel restrictive. Rectangular sleeping bags address the issue of claustrophobia but are more bulky and less efficient.

Size: Sleeping bags usually come in Long and Regular sizes. But some brands offer more choice, with women’s specific and wider options.

Fabric: This will be nylon or polyester. Nylon is lighter and stronger and used on higher end sleeping bags. Polyester is cheaper but can be softer and feel more comfortable. Sleeping bag outer fabrics are sometimes finished with a water-repellent coating to help fight against damp.

Weight and packed size: The very lightest summer sleeping bags can pack down to very little indeed. These are ideal for those embarking on lightweight treks. For family camping trips, this isn’t such a priority. But, if you’re after a multi-purpose sleeping bag to bring on the trail, weight and size are high priority.

Temperature ratings: Comfort and Limit temperature ratings are a guide, indicating the suitable temperature range for women and men respectively. But it’s more important to know yourself. If you feel the cold, get something warmer. It’s a rule of thumb to opt for something a bit warmer than you need anyhow.

Zips: Zip length impacts access, weight, and insulating ability. Full-length zips make for easy access and good ventilation but add weight and compromise insulating efficiency a bit. Shorter zips save weight and improve insulating efficiency. Some sleeping bags also allow for zip coupling with other sleeping bags.

Hood: Adjustable hoods are good for versatility. They mean you can make the hood more close-fitting if there is a cold snap.

Sleeping bag care and maintenance

Down sleeping bags need to be stored in their bigger storage sacks when not in use to allow the down to loft. They also need to be cleaned with dedicated down wash, instead of regular detergent.

Synthetic sleeping bags don’t need a separate storage bag but should also be cleaned with a dedicated outdoor gear cleaner in order to keep the fabrics breathable and maintain water repellency if it has it.

About the author

Chris Williams, our senior staff writer, compiled this piece using wider recommendations from the Trail and LFTO team. Chris is an outdoor journalist originally from New Zealand, but he now lives in Yorkshire and loves charging about the dales, testing all sorts of gear to bring you only the best of the best when it comes to reviews and recommendations.

Say it out loud and it sounds pretty crazy – 270km through the Sahara Desert on foot over seven days. But that’s exactly what competitors took on in the 40th edition of the Marathon des Sables (MDS).

Montane athlete Katy Parrott was one of them, and admits the event can feel as brutal as it’s depicted in the media.

You see, the MDS has long been referred to as the ‘world’s toughest footrace’. It’s hooked in elite endurance athletes and household names over the years, including people like former Olympic rower James Cracknell, former pro footballer Luiz Enrique and TV presenter Ben Fogle.

It’s typically a 250km mission, though to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026, organisers decided to up that to 270km. The event takes part in the Saraha Desert in Morocco, routing runners over sand dunes, rocky trails and a variety of technical terrain. It’s spread over six stages, with the fourth (an epic 100km) taking place over 48 hours.

Competitors sleep in rustic, desert-style bivouacs each night (more on that shortly), while there are water checkpoints every 10km. Aside from that, runners must be self-sufficient in every other way, carrying their entire food rations for the week in their running packs.

Jumping in feet first

So what compelled Katy to take on such a challenge this year? “I committed to it back in August. My friend turns 40 next month and she wanted to do the 40th edition to align with that. She said, ‘hey, who can I get to join me?’ I’m one of those people that will just say yes.

“But it’s a bucket list event. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for years. So when the opportunity to came along to do it this year I had no reason not to. I jumped in feet first.”

Katy is certainly no stranger to physical and mental challenges – her first taste of it came when she competed in the BBC’s Special Forces: Ultimate Hell Week programme, making the final and showing herself what she’s capable of when pushing to the limit.

Since then, she’s took on numerous ultramarathons of distances between 50-200km (including the Arctic Ultra), plus fastpacking expeditions and mountaineering trips. But the Marathon des Sables is a different proposition altogether thanks to its energy-sapping sand dunes, brutal winds and scorching temperatures.

Sun, sand and storms

The thermometer has hit in excess of 50ºC degrees in past events, so many competitors undertake heat adaptation training to help them prepare for the balmy conditions. But that’s sometimes easier said than done.

“I did a session at the Altitude Centre in London,” Katy says, “but that was a while back. Unfortunately I live down in Devon, so it’s not really accessible for me. The best I could do was find a treadmill in my gym that was directly under a heater. I’d just plonk myself on there for a couple of hours and get as hot as possible, then get in the sauna afterwards.”

Fortunately for competitors, temperatures at the 2026 MDS didn’t quite hit the heights of previous events. The highest temperature Katy experienced this year was around 36ºC –  still high, but “quite a blessing”, she admits.

The heat is just one of many hurdles at the MDS, though, and the reality of that was very much driven home on Katy’s rest day after completing the 100km stage four in the first 24 hours.

“It was meant to be a really nice rest day, but we had ridiculous sandstorms. We were lying in our tent – and I say tent, it’s basically a carpet propped up on sticks, Bedouin-style, with no front or back – and we were getting absolutely covered in sand. There was literally a sand dune inside our tent.

“We had to get the Berber guys to take down one of the sides of the tent so we could actually function and try to sleep.”

The power of the desert came back to haunt competitors again on the final stretch of the race and it was brutal.

“The final 3km was a sand and rainstorm, so that was another lovely surprise. The raindrops were massive – like big pellets of water. And the sand was blowing off the dunes. At one point we climbed up a dune and the sand was hitting so fast it felt like getting hit by needles. Because your legs and arms are exposed, anything hitting your skin was really sore. At one point I think the whole finish line had blown away.”

Besides the wind?  “The sand dunes were probably some of the tougher parts, but also some of the most rewarding” she admits. “A couple of days had massive climbs up huge dunes, and the views from the top were breathtaking. And with every climb there’s a descent – so being able to absolutely send it down the dunes was always really good fun.”

Of course, the sand inevitably ended up everywhere. “I felt like I was blowing sand dunes out of my nose every day, your ears just get clogged with sand and you wake up and your mouth is full of sand.”

Gearing up for greatness

With runners needing to be self-sufficient for everything apart from water, this means carrying a lot, but it also means some tough decisions on what you do actually take.

Katy was using the Montane Gecko 20L pack alongside the Montane Trailblazer 3L waist pack. In it, she had to squeeze in a sleeping bag, inflatable sleeping mat, small medical kit, small survival kit (with a compass, small knife, lighter, signalling mirror and survival blanket), a spare set of clothes and her Montane Anti-Freeze Lite down jacket for the evening.

But the truth is, most of her pack was filled with the seven days of food that she’d need to be self-sufficient throughout the race.

“You had to prove that you had 2,000 calories a day minimum. I had muesli for the morning – they’re about 400 calories. In the evening I’d have a 1,000-calorie dehydrated ration pack."

Throughout the day, Katy would snack on things she knew she'd actually want to eat, which meant more real foods over nutrition like energy gels.

“I had things like Hula Hoops, because I like salty stuff, and gingerbread, because I just bloody love gingerbread. Plus, real meal bars full of good natural ingredients and things like salted peanuts.

“During the day I’d put all my daily snacks, hand sanitiser, toilet paper, sun cream and electrolytes into my front pouch so it was easily accessible. Then we had to carry 1.5L of water, which you could then refill at each of the checkpoints.”

With so much food to carry the weight quickly added up, with Katy’s pack weighing a total of 9kg on day one, plus around 1.5kg of water.

“It was tempting just to eat all my food to make my pack as light as possible,” Katy admits, “but I had to be pretty strict with. I’d labelled each day in a separate bag so I was nice and disciplined.

Not that that was easy… “Because I was getting in around 1pm most days, I’d then have my thousand-calorie ration pack right after I’d got my shoes off, collected my water and done any admin. But then I was hungry again by the evening and be like, ‘oh crap’. But we were going to bed pretty early, so it didn’t bother me too much.”

The power of community

Despite having the moniker of the ‘world’s toughest footrace’, Katy admits the event doesn’t really feel like a race. “It feels like an event where people look after each other. The camaraderie of sleeping under a carpet with seven strangers – they quickly become your family for the week…

“You're just stripping back to basics. There's no privacy, there's no real dignity, you’re just pulling together like communities would have lived in the past, where you're all looking after each other, you're all eating together, you're all sleeping together, you're all pooing in a bag together. You very quickly become very close with the people that you're surrounded by.

That sense of community was a running theme throughout the entire event and it’s something that Katy is clearly effusive about.

“There’s something really special about it. Meeting people from all nationalities, the support around the bivouac… it was incredible. Every day we’d go down to the finish line and clap in the final people coming through. Whether you crossed first or last, everyone gets celebrated.”

Quickfire questions

Best piece of kit you had with you?

I think it was my little waist pack. The Montane Trailblazer 3. It was just amazing for grab and go stuff, essentials for the day.

One thing you wish you took or left behind?

I took little hotel spa slippers because they weigh nothing, but they were absolute garbage. I would have swapped them for some proper sturdy flip flops or sliders for camp life.

Worst thing about running in the desert?

How the soft sand just saps your energy and you feel like it’s two steps forward, one step backward.

Best thing about it?

Just being out in nature, proper wilderness, and being able to be truly feral. Also, the digital detox. I had my phone with me for pictures but I left it on flight mode the whole time, just to be truly present and just disconnect from all the noise.

By the end of it, was there anything you couldn’t stomach for much longer?

I was really sick of sweet stuff, like electrolyte drinks. I just wanted a lovely cup of English breakfast tea.

Biggest pick-me-up from a food or drink perspective?

My little gingerbread chicks. They were like chick-shaped gingerbread with a little face on, for Easter. They were very lightweight but very calorific. Every day I’d get my chick out and be like, ‘it’s time for the chick’.

Sum up the whole experience in one sentence…

It’s the most magical, extraordinary experience of a lifetime, which pushes you in ways you didn’t know, but also, it’s like a proper reset of getting back to basics.

Keep up to date with all of Katy's adventures by following her on Instagram.

When window shopping in an outdoor gear store, it’s easy to gaze longingly at top-end waterproof hiking jackets. But few of us really need a £500 mountain shell, especially if our weekends are more wet hillwalks, dog walks and changeable day hikes than full winter epics. The good news is that the best budget waterproofs can still keep you dry, comfortable and safe without emptying your bank account.

Some would argue that ‘cheap and waterproof’ is an oxymoron and, of course, for the most part, you do get what you pay for. A £20 pac-a-mac might keep you dry for half an hour in a downpour, but spend a little more and you’re into proper budget hiking jackets that can cope with real rain.

The bottom line is that most of us don’t want or need to spend big money on a feature-rich winter waterproof jacket, or a super high-tech lightweight waterproof. But spending more than £50 is usually wise if you want a reliable cheap hiking jacket for regular hillwalking. Below, we’ve picked out the best value hiking jackets we’ve tested, focusing on waterproofing, comfort, features and real-world performance.

Shortlist: Best budget waterproof jackets at a glance

Best budget waterproof jacket overall: Craghoppers Dynamic Pro III

Highly recommended budget waterproof jacket: Berghaus Paclite Dynak Jacket

Best waterproof jacket under £150: Rab Downpour Eco Jacket

How we tested

In this round-up, the team at LFTO have selected the best budget waterproof jackets under £200. That’s still a relatively hefty upper limit, but we’ve tried to avoid that age-old risk of ‘buy cheap, pay twice’.

Recommendations have come from our editor Oli Reed, gear editor Ben Weeks, our freelance testers Matt and James, plus LFTO writers Chris Williams and Fliss Freeborn. Each member of the team has years of outdoor experience and tested these jackets during various downpours over winter and spring. Read how we test gear for more info.

Each jacket selected, except one, has a hydrostatic head rating of 15,000mm or higher, with most reaching 20,000mm or above. That’s a solid sign that a budget waterproof can cope with proper rain. We’ve also looked for practical wet-weather features, including visored hoods, zipper stormflaps, durable fabrics, pit zips, useful pockets and sealed seams.

Editor’s note: This article was last updated in April 2026, when we added two new lightweight jackets to help you combat those spring showers.

Best budget waterproof jackets reviewed:

What to look for in a budget waterproof jacket

Can I get a budget waterproof jacket with Gore-Tex?

Yes, but your options are limited. In most cases with waterproof jackets under £200, you can forget about Gore-Tex. At the lower end of the price range, brands most often use their own waterproof membranes, which helps keep costs down. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as some proprietary fabrics are genuinely good. It’s just worth being realistic about what you’re buying.

Gore-Tex Paclite is the version you’re most likely to find in budget hiking jackets. It’s light, packable and very waterproof, but it’s not as tough or comfortable as the premium 3-layer Gore-Tex fabrics used in more expensive mountain shells. For day hiking and general hillwalking, though, it can still make a lot of sense.

Is a budget waterproof jacket less waterproof?

Generally, yes, but not always. Cheap hiking jackets usually carry fewer features, and some have lower waterproof ratings than high-end options. However, plenty of budget waterproofs still have the numbers needed for proper hill use.

For a waterproof jacket that can fend off sustained rain, look for a hydrostatic head rating of at least 15,000mm. A 20,000mm rating is better, especially if you regularly walk in exposed hills, heavy rain or windy conditions where water can be driven hard into the fabric. Anything much below 10,000mm is usually better kept for everyday wear, travel or occasional light showers.

Most affordable waterproof jackets are made from polyester because it’s cheaper than nylon. Nylon is used in more expensive jackets because it’s usually stronger for its weight, but polyester is still a good option if the jacket is well made. Fully taped seams are non-negotiable, as even a high waterproof rating won’t help much if rain can sneak through the stitching.

How should a waterproof jacket fit?

Opting for a regular fit or something slimmer depends on how you’ll use your jacket. If you’re a summer hiker and don’t need to layer much underneath, you can go for something with a more athletic cut. For 3-season and year-round hillwalking, a slightly roomier fit is more useful, as it gives you space for a fleece or lightweight insulated jacket underneath.

Make sure you can lift your arms without the hem riding up too far, and check that the sleeves still cover your wrists when you’re using trekking poles. The hood matters too. It should move with your head, cinch down securely and ideally have a stiffened peak to keep rain off your face. A cheap hiking jacket that fits well will usually perform better than a technically superior one that leaves gaps at the cuffs, neck or hem.

What are 2-, 2.5- and 3-layer constructions?

Whether to go for 2-, 2.5- or 3-layer construction is a common question. With budget waterproof jackets, once the price gets under about £170, there aren’t many 3-layer jackets to be found. A 3-layer construction is usually the most durable and best suited to harsh conditions, but it’s also the most expensive.

The 2- and 2.5-layer approaches are more widely used in budget waterproofs. That’s partly for cost reasons but also because not every jacket needs to be suitable for serious mountain use. 2.5-layer waterproofs are generally quite lightweight and good for stashing away in your pack until you need them. They can feel a bit clammy against bare skin, but they’re a popular option for walkers who want low weight at a lower price.

Two-layer waterproofs vary a lot in performance, depending on how they’re made. Some are very weatherproof, warm and comfortable, while others are better suited to everyday use. If you’re buying a budget hiking jacket for regular mountain days, don’t look at the layer count alone. Check the waterproof rating, hood design, ventilation, weight and overall feature set too.

What features should I look for?

Even cheap hiking jackets should still have the basics covered. Look for Velcro-adjustable cuffs, a drawcord hem, fully taped seams, a secure adjustable hood, a stormflap or water-resistant main zip and pockets you can actually use with a rucksack on. These details make a big difference when the weather turns.

Pit zips are especially useful on budget waterproofs because cheaper membranes can be less breathable than premium fabrics. If you run warm, walk quickly or climb steep hills, extra ventilation may matter more than shaving a few grams off the weight. A slightly heavier jacket with good pit zips can often be more comfortable than a lighter one that traps heat and sweat.

Finally, think about where you’ll use it most. For lowland walks, commuting and travel, a lighter, more packable jacket may be best. For long hill days, rough weather and winter walking, it’s worth prioritising a better hood, tougher fabric, more reliable waterproofing and enough room for layers. That’s where the best value hiking jackets earn their keep.

Waterproof jacket care and maintenance

Care and maintenance are vital to jacket performance and longevity. Some of our favourite gear care products come from Grangers and Nikwax. Their products are both effective and PFC-free.

Grangers Performance Wash or Nikwax Tech Wash (below) are both far better at cleaning waterproof gear than standard washing detergent because they help maintain the fabric’s DWR coating. If you want to rejuvenate your gear’s waterproofing too, grab one of the Grangers or Nikwax kits.

And if you want to save yourself more money over the medium and longer term, remember to repair, not replace. If your jacket zip breaks, a seam needs fixing or your jacket gets torn, investigate repair options. More often than not, you can get your jacket repaired as increasing numbers of outdoor retailers and outdoor brands are introducing or expanding their gear repair services. Use them, they save you money and promote sustainability.

About the author

James Forrest tested many of the waterproof jackets recommended here and compiled the article using recommendations from the LFTO and Trail team. James is a freelance gear tester and a prolific peak-bagger and wild camper who’s climbed hundreds of mountains in the UK and abroad. James gives his gear a serious thrashing on every trip.

Jonathan Acott is a man on a mission. The endurance athlete, performance coach and board-level manager has survived cancer six times, but despite living with missing organs, permanent nerve damage and a compromised immune system, he plans to run the entire London Marathon in a suit of medieval armour.

This brutal challenge will see him run 42.2km (26.2 miles) wearing the 27kg metal outfit in a Guiness World Record attempt this Sunday.

With the weather forecast showing sunshine and temperatures up to 19ºC, the suit of armour is likely to turn into a ‘heat box’, which is bound to be uncomfortable no matter how good your running shorts or running top are!

As if that and the weight wasn’t enough, Jonathan’s joint mobility is also going to be severely restricted by the suit. Throw in chafing, cumulative fatigue and a loud racket and you can see just how much of an effort this is going to be.

Jonathon knows a thing or two about endurance challenges, though, as he’s previously completed Ironman France, ran a marathon on each of the seven continents and summited Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa.

“For me, movement is a celebration of life,” Jonathan says. “My motto is, ‘As long as I’m moving, I’m living.’ I went from shuffling down hospital corridors to chasing world records because I refuse to let my diagnosis define my limits.”

Purpose over pain

So why the steel suit? Talking about the purpose behind the idea, Jonathan said: “The weight of the steel is a metaphor for the weight we all carry. Most people spend their lives trying to avoid friction. I run straight into it to show that, no matter the armour life forces you to wear, radical agency is always possible.”

The armour is a physical manifestation of the psychological suit he built through 20 years of surgeries, chemo and recovery.

Alongside the challenge, Jonathan is raising funds through his charity, The Gift of Go. He wants to raise awareness for what he calls ‘the Ordinary Elite’ – essentially everyday people facing incredible challenges.

Jonathan is using sports supplement CuraNZ to help him through training and racing. CurraNZ, made from New Zealand blackcurrants, is designed to support endurance, performance and recovery.

The Jetboil TrailCook 2.0L is built with shared meals in mind – the perfect bit of kit for adventurous groups who like sitting down for proper meals outdoors.

With enough capacity to comfortably feed two to four people, it feels at home on road trips, remote base camps, and those slower, more social nights outdoors where food actually matters.

The self-centering pot support keeps everything stable, while the ceramic-coated FluxRing pot makes both cooking and cleanup refreshingly low-effort. Small touches like the easy on/off lid and integrated igniter remove the usual campsite friction, so you spend less time fiddling and more time actually enjoying where you are.

Performance-wise, Jetboil’s regulator gives you real control over the flame, meaning you’re not stuck with a single blast of heat. You can bring water to a rapid boil just as easily as you can simmer or sauté, which opens the door to proper meals rather than just rehydrated packets. Then when it's time to break camp and leave, the whole thing packs up inside itself for easy transportation.

For your chance to win this £220 stove camping light, all you need to do is sign up to the LFTO newsletter using the form below and keep an eye on your inbox for outdoor inspiration, expert advice and exclusive competitions.

Though it had fairly niche origins in the ultralight backpacking community, the trekking pole tent is now a well-established concept that has many upsides: ditch the poles, save the weight, use the sticks you're already carrying. Simple enough in theory.

In practice, most designs ask you to sacrifice ease of pitching and overall stability to achieve that weight saving. What’s more, many are single-skin or hybrid shelters, which often come with condensation issues – which is why many curious backpackers try one, end up wet and cold, and then quietly go back to one of the many highly-rated one-person tents.

Back in 2016, when US brand Sierra Designs first started working with renowned American thru-hiker Andrew Skurka, they took a different view. They came up with the High Route 1FL, a double-skinned design with a full separate inner canopy that used an asymmetric offset configuration – trekking poles placed at opposite corners rather than end-to-end or at either side. This generated more interior volume than a standard trekking pole tent without adding a gram to the packed weight.

The High Route 3000 is an evolution of that same concept, though tweaked to make it better suited to UK-style conditions. The result is a 1.08kg shelter with genuinely liveable headroom, multiple versatile pitching configurations, and a sub-£300 price tag.

It's not without its quirks. But for the solo backpacker who's already committed to trekking poles, the High Route 3,000 is one of the most compelling shelters in this category.

Shape, structure, pitching, and internal liveability

The High Route 3000's defining characteristic is its asymmetric offset structure. Rather than the symmetric head-to-foot or side-to-side pole placement you see in most trekking pole designs, this tent uses two poles at opposing corners of the shelter. It looks ungainly from the outside – a slightly lopsided trapezoid that will confuse anyone expecting a conventional shelter – but the geometry is intelligent and purposeful.

The offset placement pushes the peaks of the tent outward and upward, generating 114cm of headroom in tarp mode and a very liveable 102cm with the inner clipped in. That's comparable or better than many conventional poled wild camping tents.

The inner itself is roomy for a solo shelter in terms of length (259cm accommodates six-footers easily), and the width of 107cm is also decent. This allows you to use a wide inflatable mat (see our pick of the best sleeping mats here). Though the end-walls slope slightly, there's enough room to sit up, eat, change layers and generally behave like a human being rather than a sardine.

Admittedly, on first encounter, pitching the High Route 3000 proved a bit of a headscratcher – the offset layout demands a different approach. The sequence involves staking out the four corners first, then using the trekking poles at their designated diagonal corners to tension the flysheet, before securing the inner with side-release buckles.

Getting the pole angles right, the corner stakes in the correct positions and the flysheet taut is a process that merits a practice run on the lawn before you take it to the hills. And I'd stress that firmly: this is not a tent to pitch for the first time at dusk on a Scottish mountainside. Secure peg placements are non-negotiable – like all non-freestanding tents, the structure relies entirely on tension, so soft or stony ground demands care in selecting your pitch spot. When correctly anchored, it's a stable and sturdy shelter.

The double-wall design offers three configurations. Outer-only gives a lightweight tarp-style shelter for dry nights or fast camps. All-in-one pitches fly and inner together, ideal for setting up in the rain. Inner-only provides a fully enclosed bug shelter for warm, benign nights. It's worth noting that if you intend to pitch inner-only, the setup sequence differs slightly from the full pitch – the trekking poles need to go the other way up.

Waterproofing

The 3,000 designation in the tent's name refers to its upgraded 3,000mm hydrostatic head (HH) rating – the key improvement over the original High Route FL, which had a lower-rated fly. Both fly and floor are 3,000mm HH, with a PFC-free DWR treatment on the fabrics.

On test in sustained rain and overnight damp conditions the High Route kept me thoroughly dry. The generous gap between flysheet and inner – a natural consequence of the offset pole geometry and vertical walls – means that even in humid conditions the inner stays clear of the fly's condensation, which is a practical advantage the design earns without really trying.

The fly doors feature external storm flaps, and the main vestibule door can be staked open to increase covered porch space and airflow. Seams are factory-taped on the floor, which is reassuring on wet ground, though I'd still suggest a footprint for rough or stony terrain over extended use.

Condensation

This is one of the High Route 3000's better qualities. The offset pole geometry creates a gap between inner and fly across the whole shelter rather than just at the apex, allowing air to circulate freely. The strutted vent at the top of the main door is a considered addition – you can prop it open to help airflow. On test, condensation was minimal and never an issue that transferred to the inner or to your sleeping bag.

The all-mesh inner of the original High Route FL has been partially replaced in this version with more fabric panels, adding warmth and reducing draughts for UK conditions. There's still enough mesh for effective insect protection and airflow in warmer weather, but the inner doesn't leave you feeling exposed on a cold night. It's a sensible recalibration for Northern European use.

Wind protection

A non-freestanding tent lives or dies by the quality of its peg placements, and the High Route 3000 is no different. Properly staked and tensioned, it's a stable and composed shelter in moderate wind. The vertical sidewalls can occasionally catch the wind, but since they are reinforced by trekking poles, they stand firm.

The main vulnerability, as with any non-freestanding design, is poor ground. On soft or rocky terrain where pegs won't hold firmly, the tent loses tension quickly and the flysheet can become noisy and unstable. Two additional guyline attachment points on the fly allow you to add lines for extra security in exposed positions, and enough pegs are supplied to enable you to stake it out fully.

Weight and packed size

This is where the High Route 3000 earns its stripes. At 1.08kg with no poles to carry (only the tent's own fabric and hardware), it's impressively light for a double-walled shelter with this much interior volume. The stuff sack is a compact 40x16cm – a manageable parcel that slides easily into a backpacking rucksack. If you're already carrying trekking poles, the weight saving over a conventional poled shelter is a genuine, real-world advantage – not an engineering abstraction.

The obvious caveat is that the design is reliant on trekking poles being part of your kit. So, this is a shelter for committed trekking pole users only. Having said that, in my experience, virtually all experienced backpackers use trekking poles on their trips.

Features

Interior organisation is arguably the High Route's weakest area. A single small mesh side pocket is the only dedicated storage inside the tent. This means that organising the clutter of a solo camp requires more discipline than in a tent with proper overhead storage.

Admittedly the main door and porch – extended zip, easy to use with one hand, straightforward in the dark – is excellent. It’s braced with a trekking pole and has two side-release buckles to stop the vestibule buckling in the wind.

The secondary 'gear garage' half-zip door is useful as an access hatch, but too small to use as a practical entrance or exit point. Some users will doubtless find the '1.5 door' concept frustrating; others might grow to appreciate it. Either way, it requires a period of adjustment.

Sustainability

Sierra Designs has made some meaningful moves here. The fly and floor fabrics carry a PFC-free DWR treatment, which is increasingly standard at this level but still worth noting. Beyond that, the brand doesn't make specific claims about recycled content in the High Route's materials – a gap that rivals like the Wild Country Halny Elite 1, with its 100% recycled PFC-free fabrics, are starting to make look conspicuous.

The trekking pole design does carry an inherent sustainability argument though: removing a dedicated pole set from the equation means fewer raw materials in manufacture, less hardware to fail or replace over the tent's lifespan, and a lighter, smaller package to ship. It's an indirect credential rather than a certified one, but it's a legitimate point in the tent's favour.

Price and competition

At £300, the High Route 3000 is good value for what it offers. Direct competitors in the trekking pole category – such as the Durston X-Mid, Zpacks Duplex, Tarptent Stratospire and Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo – are generally either more expensive, less weatherproof for UK conditions, or both. For a double-walled, 3,000mm HH shelter at 1.08kg, the price is fair.

Compared with conventional poled solo shelters at a similar weight and price, the High Route 3000 holds up well. The Vango F10 Helium UL1 (£215) is cheaper, and arguably better suited to exposed conditions, but considerably narrower and lower inside. The Lifesystems Solo Peak (£230) beats it on weight but can't come close on interior width or headroom.

For a double-walled, fully featured shelter with 3,000mm HH ratings, 107cm of interior width and sub-1.1kg carry weight, £300 is a fair ask – provided trekking poles are already part of your kit.

Verdict

An ingeniously designed solo shelter that solves the headroom problem endemic to most trekking pole tents and does it without adding weight or bulk. Airy, stable and practical once you've learned its idiosyncrasies, the High Route 3000 is an excellent choice for experienced solo backpackers who use trekking poles as standard and want a versatile, lightweight shelter for three-season use in the UK. Just do yourself a favour: pitch it in the garden first.

Want to go even more lightweight? See our list of the best bivvy bags, tried and tested by our expert gear team.

About the author

Matt Jones is a freelance journalist based in the heart of Snowdonia National Park, he’s a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek. Matt’s been one of our main gear testers for the last couple of years and is the first person we call with any complicated kit queries that need in-depth and forensic analysis.

If you believe it’s about the journey, not the destination, you’re in good company. Mountain horseshoes are the walks for you.

Most mountain days are built around a single objective. Think Scafell Pike, Helvellyn, Skiddaw or Great Gable – towering icons of the Lake District and all superb outings. But each one revolves around a solitary goal. You spend hours working towards one distant cairn, wall shelter or trig point, enjoy a brief spell at the summit, then turn around and retrace your steps.

The Lake District horseshoes are different.

These five classic routes – named for the sweeping arcs they trace around some of England’s most beautiful valleys – aren’t about one summit. Instead, they link a chain of peaks into one endlessly engaging circuit, delivering interest from start to finish. You gain your height early and hold it, rising and dipping along the skyline in a rhythm that keeps things lively.

The high points don’t come in a single burst – they’re scattered generously throughout the day. A cardiograph rather than a pyramid. Tapas rather than roast beef. A journey, not a destination.

And right now is the ideal time to experience them. These are big days out that demand long hours of daylight, and as we approach summer, you’ll have up to 16 hours of it to play with. The fells are at their most vibrant too: valleys flecked with wildflowers, ridges glowing green, birds of prey wheeling overhead.

Time it between the end of the May half-term and the start of the summer holidays and you might even enjoy them without the crowds.

These, then, are the classic Lake District horseshoes: Newlands, Coledale, Kentmere, Fairfield and little-known Mosedale, which is arguably the most spectacular of the lot.

1. The Newlands Round

SUMMITS: Cat Bells, Maiden Moor, High Spy, Dale Head, Hindscarth/Robinson

Any walk that begins with the words ‘Cat Bells’ is going to be a winner. Newlands does indeed start with Cat Bells – but in this case, the most universally popular fell in the Lake District is just the amuse-bouche of the meal.

The round forms a high crest between the quiet valley of Newlands and the far larger Borrowdale. It’s a lop-sided horseshoe, far longer on its outbound eastern limb than it is on the return stretch to the west. At the head of the spectacle is the round’s highest point, the aptly named Dale Head, which at 753m dominates the scene all the way around.

The classic circuit starts from Little Town in the Newlands Valley, and first climbs to Hause Gate on the western rim of the horseshoe, where a stunning panorama over Derwent Water and Borrowdale is revealed. The summit of Cat Bells is a short detour from here, but you’d be mad to skip it, even if it’s crowded. It is indeed a special place. Once you leave Cat Bells and start the horseshoe, you’ll almost instantly see the crowds falling away.

The long, gentle ascent over Maiden Moor and High Spy is hillwalking at its least gruelling and most spectacular, as the fells of the central and southern portions of the Lakes build around you. Then comes the chunky down-and-up to reach Dale Head; be sure to enjoy some respite at the secluded waters of Dalehead Tarn before the biggest climb of the day.

The summit cairn on Dale Head is a proper mountain landmark, but the real reward is the sweeping view down the Newlands Valley – a landscape of impossibly green pastures in summer, framed by elegant ridges and sheep-scattered hillsides.

Newlands is also unique in offering a choice of descents, thanks to the near-twin mountains of Hindscarth (flat top) and Robinson (rounded top). Both throw long, elegant ridges back down to Little Town, and you can take your pick of either. As steady and spectacular mountain descents go, both are winners.

The hills are great of course, but for many, it’s the Newlands Valley itself that gives the walk its soul. A place so beautiful it feels almost fictional, and where you half expect Beatrix Potter’s characters to appear around the next corner.

Walk it yourself: Newlands Round route guide

2. The Coledale Round

SUMMITS: Barrow, Outerside, Sail, Crag Hill, Hopegill Head, Grisedale Pike

Open Alfred Wainwright's 1984 opus Fellwalking with Wainwright and you’ll hear him diss Coledale something rotten. ‘Nobody ever goes into raptures about Coledale,’ he opines. ‘It lacks the characteristics of other Lakeland valleys, being without a farmstead, trees and green pastures and having no sylvan corners, no sinuous curves and no lovely paths… Coledale is without charm.’

In fairness, there is some truth to his saltiness when it comes to the deep confines of the valley itself, a valley that is silent, arid and scarred by the ruins of an old barytes mine. And he does go on to acknowledge that the walk around the peaks of Coledale is really good. Which is, for us, the most important bit.

But we’d also argue that Coledale has plenty of charm. The Coledale Round is possibly the most varied of the horseshoes, thanks to the contrasting shapes of its component mountains. There’s the pyramidal grandeur of Grisedale Pike; the sharp and sheer cliffs of Hopegill Head (it almost looks like Snowdon from some approaches); the incredible hulk of Crag Hill, and the happy-dog-sitting-by-a-fire outline of Barrow.

The round has magnetism too. If you’re driving into the Lakes along the A66 from Penrith, and once you’ve got over the exhilaration of seeing Blencathra, it’s the Coledale Round that next draws your eye: it’s the big, roundy-pointy stuff that rises imperiously to the west of Keswick.

AW’s dismissal also does a disservice to lovely Braithwaite, where the Coledale Round starts and finishes. It’s the village antidote to Keswick; a community that feels real and authentic. With two fine pubs (the Royal Oak and the Coledale Inn) plus Jasper’s coffee house and a village shop, this place does not lack charm, sir. And hey, it’s no coincidence that Coledale sounds like Cold Ale.

We also reckon Wainwright does the walk the wrong way round. He starts with the long, solid slog up Grisedale Pike, reasoning that he should get the hardest climb out of the way first. Why not go the other way, and turn the hardest climb into the quickest descent? Take your walking poles and it becomes a brilliant finale. Conversely, the much easier ascent of Barrow’s grassy north-eastern nose is a delight.

Then there’s Sail. The ascent of Sail used to be a tough climb – one that turned the upper edge of the fell into an ugly, eroded scar over time. Thankfully for our legs and the hill’s good health, it became the subject of one of the finest path repair projects in the national park. The banked ‘squiggles’ have rescued Sail’s ecology, made the ascent much easier, and become the stars of countless posts on Instagram.

Crag Hill, the capital mountain of the round, has gone through a bit of an identity crisis. It was formerly called Eel Crag (and is listed as such by Wainwright) but underwent a rare name change by OS at the turn of the century, with Eel Crag now more accurately applied to the cliffs on its northern flank. Neither name is especially inspiring, but at 2753ft and offering superb views in all directions, Crag Hill makes a fabulous centrepiece to this walk.

So, with due deference to the Old Master, we're proud to go into raptures about Coledale. Try it yourself, and you might too.

Walk it yourself: Coledale Round route guide

3. The Kentmere Horseshoe

SUMMITS: Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick, Thornthwaite Crag, High Street, Mardale Ill Bell, Kentmere Pike, Shipman Knotts.

The Quiet One. The Big One. The Roman One. The One with the Tower. The Kentmere Horseshoe lives up to all of those definitions, and you’ll probably find your own for it too.

It’s the Quiet One because it sits in splendid isolation at the eastern edge of the national park. The Kentmere Valley is accessed only by one small lane, which branches off unobtrusively from the village of Staveley while everyone else has their eyes fixed on Ambleside and the Langdales and all that.

It’s the Big One because it’s the longest of the horseshoes: a full-on 13-mile epic which substantially outstrips the others and crosses eight summits. And although it respects the ‘get up, stay up’ principles of a horseshoe, there are some big ascents and descents along the way.

The shapely peaks of Ill Bell and Froswick are separated by noticeable Vs, and the later drop in height to Nan Bield Pass, followed by the climb to the shoulder of Harter Fell, is enough to take it out of anyone. So yes, it’s no slouch – but it's also epic.

It’s the One with the Tower, thanks to the 14ft stone obelisk (above) that stands atop Thornthwaite Crag; arguably the most distinctive adornment on a Lakeland summit aside from that cake of a cairn on Scafell Pike. It’s believed to have served as a lightless beacon for shepherds, guiding them even in mist to this bearing-finding summit, which stands at the interlock of four valleys and three major mountain massifs.

And it’s the Roman one because of High Street, so named for the very obvious line of a Roman road which stretches along its vast upper plateau. Built to allow speedy passage between two forts (Brocavum near modern Penrith and Galava at today’s Ambleside), the road was later adopted by locals as a place for gatherings, horse races and ‘tattie-pot suppers’.

So yes, it’s tough, it’s out of the way and it’s made up of mountains which may not be household names (although how lovely is the name Froswick?). But perhaps that all makes Kentmere the connoisseur’s horseshoe. It also makes the feeling of having completed it all the sweeter.

Walk it yourself: Kentmere Horseshoe route guide

4. The Fairfield Horseshoe

Summits: Low Pike, High Pike, Dove Crag, Hart Crag, Fairfield, Great Rigg, Heron Pike, Nab Scar

If you were compiling a list of the Lake District’s finest horseshoe walks, you’d need a ruddy good reason not to put Fairfield at the very top.

As you've read from the descriptions above, there are plenty of others that make a strong case, but few who have walked all three would find many criteria capable of dethroning this superb circuit above Ambleside.

Fairfield’s 873m summit forms the high point and natural centrepiece of the walk, standing proudly at the head of the deep, south-facing, U-shaped valley of Rydal. The surrounding ridges sweep out in a dramatic arc, linking eight distinct tops (all Wainwrights) and defined by steep, characterful slopes on either side.

It’s the clean lines and striking symmetry of both the valley and its enclosing fells that give this horseshoe its unmistakable character. Once the ridge is gained, the route offers excellent high-level walking with relatively little additional climbing, allowing you to fully appreciate the scale of this special landscape.

Views are impressive throughout but become truly outstanding along the main ridge. For this reason – and because the descent from Fairfield’s broad summit can be confusing in poor visibility – clear conditions are strongly recommended. As the steepest ground lies on Nab Scar’s south-east ridge, the most logical strategy is to walk the route anticlockwise, saving the toughest gradient for the descent. That approach also means you'll get views like the one above on your way back down, with the silvery waters of Lake Windermere stetching into the distance as far as the naked eye can see.

The best thing about this route? It just feels big. Big fells, big valley, big crags, big views, with big and broad-backed spurs that first climb away from Ambleside, then return back to civilisation with England's biggest natural lake as a backdrop. What a walk.

Walk it yourself: Fairfield Horseshoe route guide

5. The Mosedale Horsehoe

SUMMITS: Pillar, Black Crag, Scoat Fell, Red Pike, Yewbarrow (optional detours to Kirk Fell and Steeple).

Mosedale sits way out west, further-flung than the other horseshoes, beginning at Wasdale Head beneath the glowering giants of Great Gable and the Scafells.

But this day turns its back on the obvious prizes. Instead, it heads north into a vast, hidden side-valley – a steep-sided bathtub of a place, with the immense south face of Pillar where the taps should be. It can feel dark and brooding at first. Stay with it. This is going to be spectacular.

Unusually for a horseshoe, the route begins with a gentle walk into the valley before climbing to Black Sail Pass, where Ennerdale suddenly unfolds in wild, spacious contrast. Then the real business begins: the long shoulder of Pillar rising ahead, and a decision at Looking Stead.

You could plod straight up to the summit. Or you could take the High Level Traverse.

The traverse is one of Lakeland’s great walking experiences: a rough, narrow path threading across Pillar’s north-east slopes, occasionally demanding a hand to rock but never tipping into true scrambling. It leads to the extraordinary Pillar Rock – a freestanding turret of volcanic stone that gives the mountain its name and has drawn climbers (and even Wordsworth) for over two centuries. We come to gaze, not to climb – and that is adventure enough.

Above, the ground steepens briefly before easing onto Pillar’s broad, grassy summit plateau – at 892m the highest point on any of the five horseshoes in this article. From here, the intensity softens. A sharp descent to Wind Gap gives way to a flowing rhythm over Black Crag and Scoat Fell, where the great arc of Mosedale finally reveals itself. Steeple tempts from the side, beautifully gawpable, but optional.

Red Pike marks the final turn and the last high drama, its cliffs poised above Wast Water and the Scafells. Then comes the big decision at Dore Head. Once, walkers hurtled straight down the scree chute into Mosedale in a rush of sliding stones and reckless joy. No longer. The modern line sensibly skirts Yewbarrow via Over Beck, emerging gently at the lakeshore for the road walk back to Wasdale Head – and perhaps the most satisfying pub finish of them all.

Mosedale has simplicity of line, strength of character and undeniable charm. It may be the most remote of the horseshoes, but like a magnet, it pulls you back.

Walk it yourself: Mosedale Horseshoe route guide

Rooftop tents come in all shapes and sizes, but the one thing most have in common is that they’re perfect for two people. That’s certainly what we’ve found while testing models for our guide to the best roof tents.

Then, a few years ago, the TentBox Lite XL came along, with space for up to four adults – if you don’t mind a tight squeeze – and we thought we’d seen the upper limit in terms of size and space for this unique type of camping. We were wrong.

RoofBunk has gone one better with its Explorer Super XL – a soft-shell roof tent so cavernous when fully deployed that it could just about sleep five adults, or a family of six (two adults, four kids).

It’s an interesting concept to go so large for a roof tent, since the original appeal for many people was the fact that this type of camping was quick and simple. Two people, with a tent that could fit almost any vehicle with roof bars, capable of travelling fairly light and turning road trips into fun camping adventures.

But RoofBunk is offering something very different with this model – a family camping experience without the hassle of rigging up a gigantic tent when you hit the campsite. We’ve been fascinated by this tent since we first heard about it, so we were delighted to get our hands on it this spring.

So far, we’ve used it for solo adventures and full-on family camping epics – here’s our full review…

How we tested

I’ve had the RoofBunk Explorer Super XL for around a month, after getting it fitted to my Dacia Bigster in early spring. I’ve got the Bigster on long-term test at the moment and it’s a perfect vehicle for this tent, because it’s a large and – crucially – long SUV that can handle the meaty dimensions of a rooftop tent this big.

We drove to RoofBunk HQ near Nottingham and took advantage of their free fitting service. I’m glad we did because it’s a big tent that weighs over 70kg, and as well as ensuring it was securely fitted, we got a great demo on how to use it from RoofBunk owner Pete.

Since then, I’ve used it on a solo overnight campout in the Chilterns, a dad-and-lads trip to the Lake District (one adult, two kids), and we’re planning a family camping weekend in Yorkshire over the first May Bank Holiday (two adults, two kids). So by the time our testing is over, we’ll have given it a proper workout, using almost the full range of available bodies to stuff into it.

Exactly how big is this thing?

Very big. The photos in this article hopefully help bring the scale to life, but here are the headline dimensions:

• Closed size: 225cm (L) x 120cm (W) x 30cm (H)

• Opened size (including canopy): 310cm (L) x 225cm (W) x 130cm (H)

• Sleeping area: 240cm (L) x 225cm (W) x 130cm (H)

All of that makes it the largest roof tent we’ve tested by some distance – and the largest currently available in the UK.

It also comes with a 2.3m telescopic ladder, which gives you a sense of just how tall and substantial the overall setup feels once deployed.

Build quality and weather-resistance

We’ve tested a lot of roof tents over the past few years with varying levels of build quality, but we’re pleased to report the RoofBunk Explorer Super XL is right up there with market leaders like TentBox for this soft-shell model.

The main tent uses a 320gsm ripstop polycotton canvas with a 3,000mm hydrostatic head. On top of that, you get a 600D Oxford polyester rainfly with a 5,000mm hydrostatic head. This stacks up very similarly to the TentBox Lite XL in terms of stats, and basically means you won’t be getting wet while you sleep.

We’ve never used the Explorer Super XL without the attached rainfly and probably wouldn’t unless it was seriously hot, so the protection here feels excellent. The travel cover feels really robust and heavy-duty too, made from a 1,200D PVC material that fits securely over the tent when it’s packed away and is held in place by a zip and Velcro straps.

The structural frame is made from 25mm aluminium tubes, with all zips, loops and attachment points throughout the tent feeling well built and reliable. So all in all, a really solid package in terms of weatherproofing and materials.

Comfort and liveability

This is where the RoofBunk Explorer Super XL is simply unmatched compared to any other roof tent we’ve used. This thing is massive, so it’s incredibly generous in terms of living space, and the comfort levels are off the chart.

The mattress fills the entire interior of the tent and is made from 6cm memory foam (the same as the TentBox Lite XL). For anyone used to sleeping on a camping mattress when they camp, this is a serious upgrade. It feels far more like sleeping in a bed at home than sleeping in a tent, which for us has always been one of the big USPs of roof tents.

In terms of liveability, the first time I used it was by myself and the difference in internal space was immediately obvious. Even with my overnight bags inside the tent with me, it still felt like I was sleeping in a king-size hotel bed on my own.

Fast-forward a couple of weeks to a camping trip in the Lake District with my two boys (aged nine and six), and that extra bit of space really came into its own. Again, we had big bags in the tent with us, as well as extra layers and camping blankets (it dropped close to freezing overnight), and the Explorer Super XL still felt incredibly spacious.

I’m not sure I’d want to go as high as two adults and four kids in terms of total sleepers, so the real test will come in May when the four of us spend two nights in it together. I’ll update this review after that trip.

One feature we all really like is the large awning/canopy that RoofBunk have added to this tent. Rather than just a small panel of fabric propped up above the main entrance, you get a big covered area that completely shelters you while getting in and out. It’s also large enough for two people to sit underneath on camping chairs. The only catch is that it adds an extra stage to pitching the tent, but we’ll come to that below.

We’ve also used the additional Thermal Insulation Pod during testing, which is an optional add-on at £235. This is a soft, padded layer of insulation that clips easily into the inside of the tent and tucks under the mattress, so the whole sleeping area is insulated. It basically creates a snug bedroom inside the outer shell of the tent. This is a great addition if you like a cosy setup, trapping body heat and potentially adding up to 10°C of extra warmth.

Overall, the liveability is excellent and the comfort levels are right up there. You get enough headroom for adults to sit or kneel inside, so although it’ll never match a large, ground-pitched family tent where you can walk around upright, it does an impressive job for something that lives on top of your car.

Ease of pitching

As the old saying goes: if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Because with all of the extra benefits you get with a roof tent as big and roomy as the RoofBunk Explorer Super XL, there have to be a couple of drawbacks. And for us, the first one is pitching speed.

I should start by saying this is still a lot quicker to pitch than a ground-based tent (like one of these family tents), but compared to other roof tents we’ve used, there are a few extra steps that add a small amount of time to the overall deployment.

Like most soft-shell roof tents, you start by detaching the outer cover, unbuckling a few straps, then extending the ladder and using that almost as a lever to unfold the tent. So far, so simple, because within a couple of minutes, you’ve got the basic structure ready to go.

Then come the slightly more fiddly bits. The oversized canopy mentioned above sags around the main entrance when you first unfold everything, so you need to get underneath and attach a large U-shaped bar to the inside of the awning to hold it in place. You then use another telescopic bar to lock it into position and keep the whole structure feeling solid.

Then it’s a case of going around the outside of the tent and attaching the porch and window poles to give the Explorer Super XL its full shape, which again is very straightforward but does take a bit of time. We’ve pitched it three times now and got quicker on each occasion – with the most recent effort taking around 10 minutes, now we’ve got used to the correct sequence.

There are also three guy rope attachment points on the fold-out section of the tent, which we’ve used on all of our trips. I once had an eye-opening experience when a soft-shell roof tent snapped itself shut in a strong gust, so I’ve always used them since – even when no wind is forecast. This only takes another minute or two if you’re familiar with guy lines.

Then, of course, you need to take it all down again before you leave. Using the Thermal Insulation Pod has probably made this slightly tougher for us, because that extra layer of material means you have to work harder to pack everything away.

But essentially, you just do everything in reverse order: remove the guy lines, then the poles, make sure everything is zipped up and secured, then push the ladder up to close it on top of the car. Then it’s just a case of using the straps to cinch it down tight before zipping up the cover to make it fully secure. Again, we’d say around 10-15 minutes to get the job done properly.

One thing we like to do is keep sleeping bags in there, rolled out flat, so they’re ready as soon as you open the tent again – and it saves a bit of space in the boot of the car (here's our pick of the best kids sleeping bags, if you're in need of some).

Portability and compatibility

One thing the RoofBunk Explorer Super XL definitely isn’t is portable.

The installation process involved a mini crane to lift it onto the roof of our SUV – and it’s not a job I’d want to attempt without one. At 72kg, that’s a lot of weight to manoeuvre into place, and you could cause serious damage to your car (or yourself) if you make a mistake.

It takes a while to install properly, too – probably somewhere between 30 and 60 minutes to get everything aligned, tightened and fully secured. So unless you’re very confident, we’d suggest making the trip to RoofBunk HQ to have it fitted by an expert.

Once it’s on, we’d recommend keeping it there for the whole camping season. Not just because it’s a fiddle to remove and refit, but also because you’ll need a decent amount of storage space. It will take up a significant chunk of a garage.

In terms of compatibility, this isn’t a roof tent that will suit every vehicle. When closed, it measures 225x120cm (for comparison, the TentBox Lite XL is 183cm x 120cm), so its sheer size makes it unsuitable for anything smaller than a large SUV or campervan. You’ll also need to check your vehicle’s roof load capacity carefully to ensure it can handle this kind of weight.

I regularly drive a Peugeot 3008, and the Explorer Super XL feels too big for it. The Dacia Bigster is a much better fit. In fact, it feels like a perfect option for a campervan – something you could keep mounted year-round to significantly boost your sleeping capacity.

What’s it like driving with a roof tent this big?

Noisy. I often have extra accessories fastened to the outside of my car – ranging from roof tents, roof boxes, bike racks and the occasional paddleboard – but I’ve never known one to make quite as much of a racket as the Explorer Super XL.

When you’re driving below 50mph, you won’t even know it’s up there, apart from maybe when braking suddenly and becoming aware of that extra weight. But I’ve found that as soon as I edge up towards 60mph, I can really hear the wind whipping around and underneath it. Especially on the motorway.

I should say that I don’t think that’s down to poor design; it’s purely the size and bulk of using a tent this big. It also doesn’t help that my Dacia Bigster has a sunroof, which means the extra noise is amplified because the roof isn’t a single solid panel. But it’s something you simply have to get used to if you’re planning to keep the tent on your car for extended periods.

The big question I get asked by everyone who sees it is: what impact does it have on fuel consumption?

My honest answer is that I’m not totally sure. I didn’t notice a dramatic drop in MPG during my recent drive up to the Lake District, but on the return journey there was a slight decrease (no more than a few decimal points) – although that may have been down to stronger winds on the M6.

I think you have to accept that yes, you will probably see a small drop in fuel economy. The Explorer XL weighs roughly the same as having another adult passenger in the car, and aerodynamically your vehicle simply can’t be as efficient with something this large mounted on the roof. But in my experience, the difference has been minimal.

Our favourite features

Beyond everything already mentioned, there are plenty of smaller details that make this tent feel like a genuinely premium purchase – one that should serve you well for many years.

There are mosquito nets on all windows, doors and skylights, four internal storage pockets, and two large boot bags that hang either side of the ladder so you can stash footwear outside before climbing in or out.

There’s also a USB-powered strip light fitted to the ceiling of the tent, although we obscured ours during testing by installing the Thermal Insulation Pod. If you do decide to invest in this tent, we’d strongly recommend spending the extra on the insulation. It transforms the sleeping area from a single-wall tent into something that feels much more like a cosy bedroom, adding a seriously premium touch.

This is the kind of product you’ll hopefully use for many years, so spending a little extra to maximise comfort feels like a worthwhile investment. In fact, we’ll probably keep using the Insulation Pod through summer as well.

And as mentioned earlier, that extended entrance canopy is a standout feature. Having the ladder fully covered while getting in and out is a real bonus, and the additional sheltered space outside proves invaluable on predictably wet camping weekends.

Value for money and competition

In my opinion, there’s a big difference between something costing a lot of money and being overpriced. The RoofBunk Explorer Super XL unquestionably costs a lot at £1,750 – but when you look at the roof tent market as a whole, that doesn’t make it excessive.

For context, it’s almost £250 cheaper than the TentBox Lite XL (£1,999), despite offering very similar specifications. In fact, the Explorer Super XL arguably gives you more for your money, thanks to its slightly larger footprint, the extended canopy and thoughtful additions like the included boot bags.

You could argue it doesn’t feel quite as slick or as polished as models from brands like TentBox or Thule, but that ultimately comes down to personal preference. Overall, this represents strong value for a roof tent of this size, shape and quality.

Verdict

The RoofBunk Explorer Super XL is a tricky tent to score because it’s so unique. If it were the same size and shape as something like the TentBox Lite XL, it would be hard to recommend it as a better alternative on anything other than value alone.

But that’s the key point.

The Super XL’s entire appeal is that it’s bigger and different. RoofBunk has created something genuinely original here and, while it might not be the most compact, smoothest or slickest roof tent on the market, it offers something few others do: truly generous space.

If you’re a committed roof‑tenting family, we reckon this is the tent for you. For those who prioritise space over sleekness, the Explorer Super XL stands in a class of its own.

About the author

Oli Reed is the editor of Live for the Outdoors, a lifelong hiker and camper, and father to two young boys who would go camping every weekend if they got their wish. They’ve been camping in roof tents together for five years and are showing no signs of slowing down yet!

The rooftop tent may be a relatively recent phenomenon, but over the past five years its popularity has surged. Come camping season, you’ll struggle to drive down the street without spotting one perched on a car roof.

The concept is simple: a folded tent mounted to your roof rack that pops open when you reach camp. They’re comfortable, quick to pitch, free up valuable boot space and, in effect, turn your car into a mini campervan.

But with so many shapes, sizes and price points to choose from, which roof tent is actually the best? And where do you even begin when you’re investing in one of the biggest pieces of camping kit you’ll ever buy? Quality roof tents typically start at £1,000 and second-hand options aren’t much cheaper, so it pays to do your research.

Here at Live for the Outdoors, we’ve been testing roof tents since they first landed in the UK market, and we like to think we know a thing or two about matching the right model to the right camper.

In this guide, our expert team reviews and rates the best roof tents for anyone looking to add a little elevated adventure to their next road trip.

Jump to: How we tested | Best roof tent reviews | Buying advice

The best roof tents at a glance

Best overall roof tent: TentBox Classic 2.0

Best value: RoofBunk Explorer Roof Tent

Best for small cars: TentBox Lite 2.0

Best for families: TentBox Lite XL

Best for stargazing: Thule Approach

How we tested the best roof tents

The roof tents in this article have been tested by three members of the LFTO team: Oli Reed, Chris Williams and Fliss Freeborn. Each tester comes with a very different approach, representing a large proportion of the demographic interested in buying a roof tent.

Oli (above left) has two young boys so usually comes. atitfrom a family angle; Chris is a hardcore hiker who enjoys being able to park up anywhere to make the most of an early start in the mornings; and Fliss is an all-round outdoorsy gal, who's tested roof tents at festivals and campsites as a replacement for a small, portable tent. Each brings their expert opinion to the reviews below.

Editor's note: We updated this article on 21 April 2026 with fresh pricing and made some tweaks to the buying guide. Over the past year we've tested new models from TentBox and RoofBunk, with more reviews planned covering Thule, OEX and Decathlon in spring and summer 2026.

Best roof tents reviewed:

What to look for in a roof tent

What type of vehicle can support a roof tent?

Rooftop tents vary in size, and some are suitable for bigger vehicles only. Roof tents that have folding bases can often be fitted to small cars, while single-piece roof tents (or large models like the RoofBunk Explorer Super XL) will require something bigger.

We've used them on estates, SUVs and the Dacia Jogger below without any issues, and have seen them being used with no issue on cars as small as a Fiat Panda. The key thing is checking the specifics of both your roof tent and car before buying.

Vehicle roofs all have a dynamic roof load limit. You need to know what this is before putting any significant weight on your car roof. Specifically, the dynamic roof load limit refers to the maximum weight a roof can bear while being driven. When parked, the load limit is several times higher.

How easy is it to install a roof tent?

Most roof tents must sit on lateral roof bars (not just factory-fitted side rails!), so you'll need these too. It's easy to find the correct ones for your car by using the online search filters provided by retailers like Halfords. Another trusted retailer would be Autodoc. Roof tent specialists such as TentBox help you find the right ones for your car.

In terms of installation, it's a pretty simple process of affixing the tent base to roof bars, but roof tents tend to weigh between 45 and 70 kilograms, so bear in mind you'll want a helping hand getting these things on and off your car.

How long does it take to pitch a roof tent?

Roof tent setup is a huge contributor to their success. It is incredibly easy. For a foldout roof tent, it takes a minute or two; for a hardshell roof tent, it takes about 30 seconds. Roof tents are so much faster to set up than any other type of tent.

Are roof tents comfortable?

Roof tents tend to have about the same bedroom space as a two-person hiking tent, give or take a few centimetres.

However, in our experience, roof tents offer better liveability and comfort because they feel more like a bedroom, thanks to a proper mattress and thicker tent walls. Some models have extra niceties like skylights, too.

How do roof tents handle different weather conditions?

Being elevated off the ground, one might think roof tents are susceptible to breaking in bad weather, but you needn't worry. We've found they handle windy conditions just fine. Their thick fabrics and metal frames are very strong, although it always pays to try and find a sheltered camping spot if you can.

Likewise with rain, roof tents have held up very well in our experience. The only slight issue in this regard is that roof tents don't have a porch area, so there isn't really a place to put on your boots before heading out (unless you don't mind keeping your footwear in the bedroom with you – but we're not fans).

Roof tents can be used in all seasons, which certainly adds to the appeal.

What is the price range for quality roof tents?

You’re typically looking at anywhere from around £1,000 up to £3,000 or more. Factors like hard vs soft shell construction, build quality, materials and added features all play a big role in that price spread.

Even if you’re new to rooftop camping, it’s worth investing in a well-made tent. You’ll have a far better overall experience, and if you decide to sell it later on, a quality model will hold its value much better on the second-hand market.

How do roof tents affect vehicle fuel efficiency?

Roof tents that collapse down into a sleek hard shell are more aerodynamic and aesthetically satisfying than those that sit under a heavy-duty soft cover. Hard shell roof tents also have a significantly lower impact on fuel efficiency, but they cost more to buy.

Those that use a softshell road cover do have a noticeable impact on fuel efficiency at motorway speeds, we've found. But at under 50mph, they have very little impact.

What are the benefits of hard-shell vs. soft-shell roof tents?

One is improved aerodynamics when closed, which, as we've covered above, lessens the impact on fuel efficiency and reduces wind noise.

Another benefit is that you can leave your bedding inside the tent when it collapses down. Bedding can't always be left inside soft shell roof tents because they fold over to be packed away, so the increased bulk makes them harder to shut

What accessories are available for roof tents?

As standard, roof tents come supplied with a telescopic ladder that allows you to easily and safely access the tent.

Beyond this, accessories include mattress topper pads for more comfort, thermal liners to insulate the tent when it's very cold, awnings, lighting, storage accessories, and security nuts for the attachment bolts.

Do roof tents come with built-in lighting?

Some high-end models do, but most do not.

About the authors

Oli Reed is the group editor at Live for the Outdoors (LFTO) and has worked in the outdoor industry since 2013, testing kit to the max along the way. He knows what sets an okay product apart from a great one.

Fliss Freeborn is a contributing writer to LFTO, but more often than not you can find her outside. She hikes and camps year-round, so knows exactly how a product should perform to keep you warm and comfortable.

Chris Williams is LFTO's former senior writer. He's worked both as a journalist in New Zealand and for outdoor gear brands and has extensive knowledge and experience using and testing outdoor and camping products.

Long days in the hills can be brutal on your knees and ankles – especially when the terrain’s rocky, muddy or just plain unpredictable. Every steep descent sends more strain through your lower joints, and by the time you’re back at the car, you feel the toll. Enter: walking poles (often called trekking poles or hiking poles).

Studies have shown that walking poles can take up to 25% of the weight off your lower joints, when used properly. They also improve balance, help you keep a steady rhythm and can even double as tent poles for ultralight shelters.

That's a big plus on long, steep mountain days. And even for shorter walks, we're complete converts – they're an extremely useful part of your hiking kit, alongside a hiking rucksack and walking boots or shoes.

But finding the right trekking poles shouldn’t feel like a full-time job. The market’s crammed with dozens of models that all look vaguely similar but vary wildly in weight, grip shape, locking mechanisms and price. And with some walking poles costing as much as a decent pair of boots, getting it wrong isn’t just annoying – it’s expensive.

So, to help you make the most informed decision possible, we’ve tested and reviewed the best walking poles for 2026 – including carbon, aluminium, collapsible and shock-absorbing models. Read on to find out our top picks.

Jump to: How we tested | Best walking pole reviews | Comparison table | Buying guide

Shortlist: Best walking poles at a glance

Best walking poles overall: Leki Skytera FX Carbon SL

Highly rated: Black Diamond Pursuit Carbon Z

Best budget walking poles: Lifesystems Trekking Poles

Best women's walking poles: Leki Cressida FX Carbon Lady

Best walking poles under £50: Trekology Trek-Z 2.0 Cork

Editor's note: This article was last updated in April 2026, with six new reviews added and the order of products moved around, with the best at the top. We also added a comparison table under the reviews so you can quickly see the results at a glance.

How we tested

The walking poles recommended here were reviewed by two of regular gear testers Matt Jones and James Forrest, with additional reviews from our experienced outdoors team.

Based in Snowdonia National Park, Matt has walked several long-distance backpacking trails in New Zealand, the USA and throughout the UK. James is an experienced hiker, gear tester and published author who's climbed all 1,001 mountains in the UK and Ireland.

To evaluate each pair of walking poles thoroughly, we use them across a wide variety of terrain and conditions. This includes short, steep, and technical trails where balance and precision matter, as well as longer hillwalks and full-day mountain outings that test endurance and reliability.

By using the poles in real outdoor environments rather than controlled test settings, we observe how they perform under genuine load, impact, and fatigue. This approach allows us to identify the situations in which the poles excel, and where their limitations become evident.

When testing these poles, our main criteria were: features, comfort, construction, performance and value. To break this down, we examined: adjustability and length, material, grip type, shock absorption, weight, tip type, straps and packability.

Read more about how we test here.

The best walking poles in detail

Comparison table

Here you can see a side-by-side comparison of our best-rated walking poles.

How to choose a walking pole

Length

With pole in hand your elbow should be at a 90° angle. In this position, measure the distance from your hands to the ground and you have your optimum pole length. Opt for a pole that will lengthen 5-10cm up or down either side of this for when you’re ascending or descending.

Materials

Carbon poles are lighter and stiffer, but more expensive and can be prone to snapping when put under horizontal pressure. Aluminium poles are generally cheaper and more durable, but heavier. Some poles combine both materials.

If you're hiking over rocky mountainous terrain, it's probably best to go for a pole which has more aluminium than carbon – especially if you're carrying a large rucksack and really depend on your poles. But if you're fastpacking on less rugged ground and not carrying so much, then a carbon pole might be more well-suited to your needs.

Locking mechanisms

Some walking poles use a twist-lock mechanism, while others have a flip-style lock. A twist-lock normally works by tightening the lower end of the pole. A flip-lock, on the other hand, uses levers to hold the pole in place.

The latter is generally more secure, longer lasting, easier to use and less prone to slippage. They are, on the other hand, slightly heavier. Twist-locks are lighter but more prone to slipping over time, especially in wet weather. They can also be a pain to adjust, needing a lot of tightening to remain in place.

Overall, flip locks are best for heavy use on rugged terrain, whereas twist-locks are suited to lightweight hiking and occasional use.

Collapsing mechanisms

A Z-shaped pole is best for compact travel. Rather than poking out of your hiking backpack, it'll use up space inside the pocket or inner compartment. But make sure that the pocket is actually large enough to hold a collapsed pole.

On the other hand, a telescopic pole is potentially harder to transport – but not if you have a pole holder on the outside your rucksack (as many do). Just be aware that if you're flying somewhere, they'll need to fit in your hold luggage.

Weight

The ideal weight of a walking pole depends on your intended use. An ultralight pole typically weighs between 110-230g (per pole), perfect for trail running or fast hiking.

A standard weight pole weighs around 250g, suiting general use. A heavy duty pole weighs 270g+ and is less likely to let you down on rugged terrain with a heavy load.

Handgrips

There's three main options: foam, cork or rubber designs. Foam is the lightest option, but performs badly in wet weather as it absorbs water. It's soft to touch, but will also absorb moisture from sweaty hands.

Cork is heavier but it's excellent for moisture management, as it wicks sweat or rain and won't become slippery. Rubber is the heaviest option and things can get pretty sticky if it's hot, but it's a durable choice.

Other features

Pole tips are usually made of hardened metal such as tungsten or carbide, housed in a plastic body. You can also get steel tips, which are slightly stronger and more durable.

If you’re walking on roads or very rocky terrain, you can use rubber feet over the tips (these will often come with the poles). Rubber tips also help for avoiding damage to your backpack if you're travelling by plane, but equally you could just tape the tips up for transport.

Wrist straps or slings help prevent poles being dropped. Look out for straps that are padded and adjustable for a boost in comfort.

Baskets are the little round discs near the tip which stop the pole from plunging in the ground. Wider baskets are a good strategy if hiking in snow.

Shock absorption – poles with anti-shock systems use a spring or internal cushioning system to absorb the impact of striking the ground. This is super handy for avoiding overloading your joints, making steep downhills a lot more comfortable.

Make sure there's an on/off switch though, otherwise there'll be less energy transfer when going uphill.

Is one or two walking poles best?

Two is best because it gives you better stability going downhill. Two hiking poles also give you more power when going uphill.

Using one trekking pole on the same side of your body can lead to unbalanced muscle development. This can result in extra strain on joints, tendons and muscles. Just make sure that if you do use only one walking pole, remember to switch sides as you walk.

What's the difference between cheap and expensive trekking poles?

Cheap trekking poles usually use lower-grade aluminium, basic plastic locks and simple grips. They work, but can feel heavier, less comfortable and more prone to bending.

Expensive poles use stronger materials like carbon fibre, have more reliable locking systems, better vibration dampening and ergonomic grips – making them lighter, sturdier, and more comfortable over long distances.

Are walking poles a good idea?

Yes. Poles help reduce stress on knees and hips, improve balance on uneven ground and distribute effort across your upper body. They’re especially useful on long hikes, descents and rough terrain.

What's the difference between walking poles and hiking poles?

The terms are often used interchangeably, but they can refer to different intended uses. Some brands label lighter poles for everyday or urban walking as “walking poles,” and reserve “hiking” or “trekking poles” for more rugged terrain.

However, this isn’t consistent across the industry, so the best approach is to check the product description to see what the pole is designed for.

About the author

James Forrest is a prolific peak bagger and long-distance walker who’s one of the most high-profile outdoor writers in the UK. He has been one of our main gear testers for the last few years and has climbed every mountain in the UK and Ireland.

As the former editor of Walk magazine and Scouting magazine, Matt Jones is one of the most respected names in the UK outdoor industry. Now a freelance journalist based in the heart of Snowdonia National Park, he’s a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek.

Lifesystems is a brand most people know for first aid kits, midge nets and survival blankets – the kind of gear you hope you never have to use. So, when they announced the Solo Peak, their first foray into backpacking tents, a few eyebrows went up. It's a bold move into a crowded market of one-person tents, and one where buyers have plenty of proven options to choose from.

Priced at £229.99 and with a packed weight of just 1kg, the Solo Peak is pitched squarely at the lightweight solo backpacking market. The design is a double-skinned, single-hoop tent with an additional short vertical strut at the foot end. The tent is mostly constructed from 20D sil-nylon with fully taped seams and a 3,000mm hydrostatic head on both the fly and sewn-in groundsheet.

On paper, it's a solid spec sheet, based on a proven and much-loved design descended from the pioneering Terra Nova Laser.

In the field, it's a tent that does most things decently well and handles UK weather better than many similarly priced rivals, as well as several others that are more expensive. However, it also makes a few design decisions that are harder to overlook, particularly when you consider what the direct competition offers.

I tested it on a series of springtime wild camps in North Wales, in everything from benign and sheltered spots to genuinely exposed pitches, with sustained winds and heavy rain. Here’s how it fared.

Shape, structure, pitching and internal liveability

The Solo Peak follows a well-established formula: a single aluminium pole forms the main hooped structure, threading through an external sleeve in the flysheet and slotting into sockets at each side. An additional short vertical strut props up the foot end of the fly, creating a slightly raised profile at one end, intended to improve internal space.

The whole thing is non-freestanding – you'll need to peg it out and tension the guylines properly at both ends to get the flysheet taut.

The tent arrives pre-assembled with the inner clipped to the fly, allowing you to pitch it all in one. A couple of other reviewers seem to have had trouble with this, but for me at least it went up easily and quickly, in under three minutes. It's a genuine advantage over inner-first designs, especially if you need to set up when it’s already raining.

Getting the flysheet properly tensioned admittedly take a little effort. As with all non-freestanding tunnel tents, this gets easier with practice, and you’ll soon master the best method. Once it's up and taut, the Solo Peak has a respectably low profile that sheds wind well. It’s better suited to exposed camp spots than taller freestanding designs. The narrow footprint also means it fits into spaces that would defeat a wider tent.

Internal space is honestly quite tight. The inner measures 230cm long and tapers from 76cm at the head to 50cm at the foot – narrower than most competitors at this weight and price. For users under 183cm (6ft) and using a standard mummy-shaped sleeping mat, it's liveable. For anyone taller, broader, or using a wide inflatable pad, it's a squeeze.

The apex height is quoted at 90cm, which isn’t too bad, but in reality the inner peak height measures about 77cm, which is fairly low: sitting up on a thicker air mat leaves your head brushing the ceiling. The foot pole does provide some worthwhile structure at the narrow end, which at least stops the end of your sleeping bag from touching the end wall or the sloped ceiling.

Inside, interior organisation is sparse. There is a single mesh side pocket, which is handily placed but long, thin and narrow, which limits practicality. There are no overhead storage options, no gear loft or drying line. Compared with tents like the MSR Hubba or the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1 – which have full-width overhead pockets – it's a stark contrast.

Waterproofing

This is probably the tent's strongest suit. Both the fly and groundsheet carry 3,000mm hydrostatic head (HH) ratings, with fully taped seams throughout. Some rivals outdo it though. The Vango F10 Helium UL1, for instance, has a 3,000mm fly and a 6,000mm groundsheet, despite being £30 cheaper.

Still, on test, the Solo Peak kept me dry in sustained heavy showers and held up well in some genuinely grim conditions, including overnight Welsh mountain weather with driving sideways rain. Provided it's pitched correctly and tensioned tautly, there was no evidence of seepage through either fly or floor. The low profile also helps; rain rolls quickly and efficiently off the fly, with no large areas for it to pool.

That said, the groundsheet is thin and benefits from added protection, especially on rough or rocky ground. Lifesystems sells a separate footprint (RRP £29.99) and it would be a wise investment for anyone planning regular use on abrasive terrain. It doesn't come with the tent as standard, but if you buy direct from the brand, you can add the footprint and the porch pole set (more on that later) as a bundle for just £8 extra, which is a no-brainer.

Condensation

The entire upper section of the inner tent is bug-proof mesh, with additional ventilation via triangular mesh panels at each end. This is a significant proportion of the overall internal area, and it does an effective job of managing airflow in mild conditions, keeping things reasonably fresh overnight.

The fly also has a small hood at the top of the main door zip, which is stiffened with wire. Beneath this is a zippered horizontal vent, so you can crack it open for airflow, even in light rain without significant water ingress. It's a small but considered detail.

In colder, wetter weather, the mesh inner is more of a drawback. In low temps you can feel the chill on exposed skin and need to rely entirely on your sleeping bag's loft to stay warm. This isn't unusual for a lightweight solo shelter with a heavily meshed inner, but it does narrow the usable temperature window more than some competitors, some of which have secondary fabric flaps that allow you to close up the mesh panels for ‘shoulder season’ use.

The fly sits close to the ground all round, which ensures good coverage and protection. It also helps with heat retention to a degree, but there's only so much that can compensate for a mostly-mesh canopy when the temperature drops. In sustained cold and damp, a little condensation on the inside of the fly can be noticeable, though on test it didn’t drip into the inner.

Wind protection

A properly pegged-out and tensioned Solo Peak handles wind very well. The low profile, angled shape – ideally pitched with the narrower foot end facing into the prevailing wind – minimises the surface area exposed to gusts and keeps the shelter aerodynamically efficient. In testing on Moel Siabod in sustained winds of around 25mph, the tent held firm without drama.

The critical caveat is proper tensioning, but to be fair, this applies to any non-freestanding tent design. A slack flysheet in wind is extremely noisy – the flappy nylon makes sleep very difficult. If it gets wet it can also sag, which again, is a common characteristic of lightweight sil-nylon tents.

The Solo Peak's tensioning system is perhaps a bit fiddlier than most rivals, making it harder to achieve the right level of tautness quickly in deteriorating conditions. Still, the supplied Dyneema guylines are good quality and the Y-beam pegs included are sufficient for the standard setup, delivering reliable holding power.

Weight and packed size

The headline figure is the tent's strongest card. At just 1kg for the full package – poles, pegs, repair kit and stuff sack included – the Solo Peak is extremely competitive at its price point, particularly given its 3,000mm HH ratings on both fly and floor.

Rivals include the Vango F10 Helium UL1, which comes in at 1.2kg, while the Wild Country Halny Elite 1 weighs between 1.19kg and 1.36kg depending on configuration. Within this peer group, the Solo Peak's weight is genuinely impressive. Having said that, it’s not a class leader. The OEX Phoxx UL1 is even lighter at 860g and is fractionally longer inside.

The Solo Peak’s packed size is excellent though: at 32x15x12cm, it's a near-square, compact parcel that straps easily to bikes or disappears into the bottom of a small fastpacking pack without the long, awkward cylinder you get with many solo tents. We even managed to stash it in the front stretch pocket of a backpacking rucksack, leaving the main compartment free for all our other kit. This is a real-world advantage that shouldn't be underestimated for the target market.

Features

This is where the Solo Peak falls furthest short of the competition, and where the value calculation becomes more complicated. The component quality is generally decent – YKK anti-snag main zip, Dyneema guylines, and aircraft-grade aluminium poles and pegs that feel adequate for the job. The repair kit inclusion is sensible and the neutral grey colourway is a thoughtful choice for wild camping, especially if you need to be especially stealthy or discreet.

Beyond that, however, the feature set is sparse. The single interior side pocket is too thin and narrow to be particularly useful. There is no overhead storage, no gear loft, no clothesline. The porch is also long but narrow – useful for walking boots and a squeezed-in pack, but inadequate for cooking without first clearing the space.

To get around this, Lifesystems offers an optional porch pole set (RRP £19.99), which consists of a two-section aluminium strut and an extra guyline with a locking runner. This converts the flysheet door into a usable awning, which is a nice touch.

Similarly, the footprint (£29.99) is virtually essential on rough ground, bumping the total cost slightly (though, if you buy direct from Lifesystems, they do offer you the full bundle for £237.97).

One final thing to note is that although the pole feet are fitted with metal ball joints, they mount into plastic sockets at the base – it functions well, but we always have concerns about the long-term durability of plastic hardware. It's an area to watch over multiple seasons of use.

Sustainability

This area is lacking. There's a complete absence of any sustainability credentials mentioned anywhere. No recycled materials, no PFC-free mention, no detail on environmental commitments. Compared with the Wild Country Halny Elite 1, which uses 100% recycled, PFC-free fabrics throughout, this is a meaningful omission – particularly for a market that is increasingly attentive to these questions.

Price and competition

At £229.99, the Solo Peak is a mid-range pick. It sits in a competitive bracket that includes three very similar tents worth serious consideration.

The Vango F10 Helium UL1 (£215) is almost as light at 1.2kg, has a more elegant Tension Band System for maintaining structural stability in wind, a more waterproof 6,000mm HH bathtub floor, and a bit more internal storage. It's less packable than the Solo Peak, but it's cheaper and in many respects more refined. Most experienced reviewers rate it as the better-engineered tent for UK conditions.

The Wild Country Halny Elite 1 (£270 RRP, target price around £220) is slightly heavier at 1.36kg, and the inner is also narrower, but it offers 4,000mm fly and 5,000mm groundsheet HH ratings, uses 100% recycled PFC-free fabrics, has better internal porch width, superior ventilation and headroom, and Terra Nova engineering heritage behind it. That's a meaningful collection of advantages for a tent that's available at the same price or less.

Lastly, the OEX Phoxx UL1 (around £169 with a Go Outdoors membership) is lighter at 860g and considerably cheaper. If weight and cost are the only criteria, it wins. It is, however, similarly spartan inside, with minimal porch space and cramped interior dimensions, though fractionally more length.

The honest summary is that the Solo Peak is pretty good – it's a capable first tent from a brand new to this market. But in a category full of tents with longer design pedigrees, it has ground to make up on features, liveability and, for the eco-conscious buyer, sustainability.

Lifesystems has done the hard part by getting the performance, build quality, weight and packed size right. The next iteration needs to sort the details, ideally without bumping the price, to make it a more compelling proposition overall.

Verdict

A solid debut from a brand new to backpacking tents, and better in wet and windy weather than many rivals. The 1kg packed weight and 3,000mm ratings on both fly and floor are legitimate selling points, the packed dimensions are excellent for bikepackers and fastpackers, and all-in-one pitching is a sensible choice for UK conditions.

But the cramped interior, limited internal storage and some other niggles mean it falls short of the best in this bracket. There are more mature, more feature-rich designs at a similar price point, which deserve serious consideration before you commit. Buy the Solo Peak if the packed size matters above all else and you're heading out fast and light – but go in knowing what you're trading away.

Want something a little bigger? See our list of the best two-person tents.

About the author

Matt Jones is a freelance journalist based in the heart of Snowdonia National Park, he’s a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek. Matt’s been one of our main gear testers for the last couple of years and is the first person we call with any complicated kit queries that need in-depth and forensic analysis.

No doubt you've heard by now that regular old road running is a bore, a chore, a monotonous grind that turns your kneecaps into ticking time bombs. Well, the rumours are true. Welcome to your new favourite hobby – let's talk about the best trail running shoes of 2026.

When you hit the trails, you'll need footwear that can stand up to rough and changing terrain. Not only does your shoe need to be durable and high-traction, but it's also got be cushioned and protective.

This is no easy feet – sorry – which is why we at LFTO test dozens of pairs per season. We even enlisted a women's running coach to test and review the 10 best women's trail running shoes, just to cover every base!

We also test so much because there are so many different approaches to the humble trail shoe. You might want a hardy, stiff, distance-ready ultra trail running shoe to carry you through an all-day training session.

Or (perhaps more likely) you're in search of a versatile road-to-trail running shoe that provides maximum comfort from pavements to park runs to the peak of Snowdon.

How we tested the best trail running shoes

The trail running gear we review always undergoes rigorous real-world testing, usually from Milo Wilson, LFTO's self-appointed running guru. The shoes in this roundup were also reviewed by Lily Canter, ultra woman and running coach, and James Forrest, the most prolific gear tester this side of the Mississippi.

As soon as a new trail shoe hits the scene, we allocate one of our expert gear testers and force them out of the office and into the hills.

We do occasionally destroy shoes in our testing, but these don't make the 'best of' list, naturally. Anything that appears in our roundups has survived some serious miles on a range of different terrains and distances.

We consider myriad factors when testing and reviewing trail running footwear, from the obvious, such as comfort and performance, to the less obvious and intricate, such as sustainability. Read more about how we test our trail running gear.

Best trail running shoes at a glance:

Best in test: Arc'teryx Norvan LD4

Best value: Asics Gel-Venture 10

Best road-to-trail running shoe: Scott Kinabalu Trail

Best ultra trail running shoe: Brooks Cascadia 19

Remember to account for your own personal running gait, foot size, and comfort level preference when choosing the best trail running shoe for your needs.

We've reviewed some excellent lightweight running shoes but if you're a runner who needs that bit more support and cushioning in a shoe, then consider a chunky option. Plus, it never hurts to peruse our roundup of waterproof trail running shoes.

Equally, if you prefer to have a good level of ground feel as you run, then we'd recommend you lean more towards minimalist trail running shoes than ones with a high stack and drop.

If all this sounds like jargon to you, why not take a look at our guide on how to choose trail running shoes to better understand the best style of shoe for your feet.

Editor's note: This is one of our most regularly updated articles, with new releases added throughout the year as the weather – and resulting trail conditions – changes. The last update was April 17 2026 where I added 6 new shoes in after a spring of hard testing.

The best trail running shoes reviewed:

How to choose the best trail running shoes for you

Carbon: For many of us, the summer or dry spells are all about running that bit quicker, and there's no argument carbon provides runners with more response on the harder, more uniform trails this season provides. Some will run faster, while some will benefit from the reduction in impact carbon provides. Yes, there's a cost, but it's well worth the investment.

Breathability: In the same way you'd look for fabrics that breathe in t-shirts, go for materials that allow air and water vapour to escape from inside the shoe while also allowing cooler air from outside to enter.

Weight: Of course, there's no definitive weight in a running shoe as more than any other product, it's very much individual. But, as a general rule, summer shoes are lighter and swifter feeling, so you'll be thinking of shoes that weigh less than 300g for that rip-roaring 10km PB.

If you're thinking long distance though, think about additional cushioning and, therefore, in some, but not all, additional weight, bringing the shoes into the mid-300s.

Toe box: The rocks will be there year-round, so look for protection in that department.

Drop: There's almost a generational gap here. Older shoe models work off an 8mm-12mm drop for a higher, more cushioned ride, while many of today's shoes come in at around 4mm-6mm for a closer-to-the-ground, faster feel. As with any shoe advice, it's always about what feels good personally.

In theory, it's worth progression to lower drop shoes as they do feel quicker (half the job), but it can be at a cost for your calf muscles. There are lower drops as well, with 0mm replicating barefoot. The jury is out at the moment as to what is best!

Midsole: EVA, PU, TPU or Pebax are the foams of choice for most brands. All offer softness and flexibility to different degrees.

Fit: There's the traditional lacing system, of course, but the Salomon system and the Boa fit in a variety of brands, including La Sportiva and Adidas do offer superb stability on rough, steep terrain. Consider the surfaces you'll be running. Tough descents and contouring lend themselves to this new fit system.

Lug length: Summer shoes will offer less in the grip department, so lugs around 3mm at the most, while winter shoes go all the way up to 6mm and even beyond on occasion. Rubber, of course, wears quicker, so longer lug-length shoes need to stay strictly off-road!

If you want even more info, take a look at our full guide on how to choose a pair of running shoes.

Get discounts from Run 1000 Miles!

A lot of the shoes we recommend above are available, usually at a great price, on Sportsshoes. So remember, if anything caught your eye, you can save 15% on trail running gear by signing up to our Run 1000 Miles Challenge.

Are trail running shoes worth it?

If you're planning on exploring more off-piste than your usual pavements and local park, then we'd highly recommend you invest in a pair of trail running shoes like those reviewed above. As you transition from road to trail, you’ll find you need extra help in stabilising your feet and pushing off from the ground as you run.

In any case, good footwear is really important for the health of your joints and injury prevention. We believe you should always be in a decent pair of shoes, which is why our editor spent months getting his two sons to try loads of kit and whittle down a list of the best kids' running shoes.

This is because trails can be wet and slippy, with loose terrain and unpredictable bumps and dips. You need running shoes with extra protection to ward off errant rocks and roots, and lugs along the outsole (grippy spikes on the bottom) to latch onto the ground and help propel you forwards as you enjoy the trail.

The more off-road and wild you get, the more likely you’ll need longer lugs and more protection from the elements. You may even want to consider a semi-aquatic shoe like the Vivobarefoot Hydra for when the trails get boggy after a good British watering.

If you’ve got lofty ideas of building up to the longer distances, you should definitely consider grabbing a stability-focused long-distance trail running shoe with a bit of extra cushioning (we've just spotted a discount on the Brooks Cascadia 18, which fits the bill nicely!) to keep you comfy as the miles stack up.

Can you use trail running shoes on the road?

Many trail running shoes will not feel comfortable to wear on the road for extended periods of time. This will especially be true for those with long lugs along the bottom, which will dig into the soles of your feet as you run if the shoe has a slim midsole. Thankfully, there’s a specific category of trail running shoes emerging in recent years called road-to-trail.

It’s in the name, but these handy run shoes strike the perfect balance between cushioning, midsole impact absorption, and grip, to deliver a shoe that can cope with extended sections of road running as well as some mildly muddy and gentle trails. These days, mostly everyone will need to contend with both road and trail on their everyday run routes, so investing in a road to trail shoe can make your runs much more enjoyable and smooth.

Are trail running shoes good for hiking?

Trail running shoes are good for some types of hiking when you want optimal speed and agility (even if you aren't running), such as fastpacking or short, sharp treks. Trail running shoes are lightweight and have grippy soles - key traits for these types of hikes. However, trail running shoes lack the durability and support needed for long distance or technical hikes, where walking boots are much better.

How trail running shoes should fit

The size you choose for your next pair of trail running shoes really depends on what distance you're planning to run. Now we’re not suggesting you go crazy and order several sizes up from your usual digits, but it’s worth bearing in mind that as you run, four-times your bodyweight goes through your feet upon impact with the ground. That’s basically like repeatedly hitting the soles of your feet with a frying pan for the duration of your run.

Obviously, this is going to have an impact on your feet - they will swell. So to ensure you remain comfortable and rub-free, it’s worth sizing up 0.5-1 sizes on what you’re normally used to wearing, especially if you’re planning on running long distances. Other than that, make sure if your feet are particularly wide you get a wide-fit shoe or look at brands like Altra whose shoes are designed with extra room in the toe-box. Equally, if your feet are extra narrow, you’ll need slimmer shoes like some Salomon ones, in order to still be able to achieve that locked-in, blister-free fit.

When to replace trail running shoes

When it comes to deciding when to replace your trail running shoes, you may be tempted to follow the same rule you would with your road running shoes. That is that typically, we replace running shoes every 500-800km. However, since trail running shoes are (sometimes literally) put through the wringer much more when out on the trails, you may want to adjust this depending on how much you’ve managed to wreck them in the good muddy stuff.

Other factors to take into account when considering the right time to replace your trail running shoes are whether the midsole has been substantially flattened from repeated impact, and how worn the lugs are along the bottom. Trail shoes are first and foremost used to give you traction when running along slippy and unpredictable terrain, so if the main component that provides traction is worn out, it’s probably time to reinvest in another pair like those we've reviewed above.

Caring for your trail running shoes

Outdoor footwear gets a hard life. If you want to keep yours performing as well as they can for as long as possible, a little TLC is needed. Keep fabrics clean to maintain breathability, and waterproof fabrics need reproofing every so often to maintain water repellency. Here are the products we'd recommend to help extend the life of your running trainers...

About the authors

The shoes in this roundup were tested and reviewed by three legendary trail runners who spend most of their lives on the move: LFTO's own Milo Wilson, ultra woman Lily Canter, and mountain man James Forrest. The article as a whole was authored by Milo – hi there! Ahem–

As Live For The Outdoors' full-time trail running tester, writer, and guru, Milo leads our gear coverage and destroys shoes year-round in some of the UK’s most technical terrain. He specialises in shoes that can handle rocky ridgelines, mountain scrambles and long days far from civilisation, where he is most comfortable.

A nimble feel and reliable grip matter most to Milo, which is why he's such an obsessive champion for the Merrell MTL Longsky 2 Matryx. His reviews are rooted in deep testing knowledge, a critical eye and a slightly masochistic love of scrambling into remote places.

James and Lily are both full-time outdoor writers, ultra-endurance athletes and published authors.

James, based in the Lake District, is an ultralight gear obsessive who fastpacks up fells for fun, and rates maximalist trail shoes like the Hoka Speedgoat 6 that are light, cushioned and capable of serious elevation. He holds a record for climbing all 446 mountains in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Lily is a hardcore ultrarunner with a preference for no-nonsense, high-performance footwear with plenty of durability for going the distance – the Scarpa Spin Planet was a recent favourite of hers. She recently completed the 190-mile Northern Traverse and is the author of Ultra Women: The Trailblazers Defying Sexism in Sport.

Between them, the trio have tested hundreds of trail shoes across every type of terrain and condition. If a shoe’s in this list, it’s because it earned its place.