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Buying Guides

In the mountains, what you wear makes a big difference. To help you pick the right products for your chosen discipline we've created our guides, to help you stay protected from all the mountains can throw at you.

Sleeping Bags

This sleeping bag buying guide is designed to help you navigate the sometimes tricky decisions involved in buying a Sleeping Bag. In this guide we’ll cover everything from temperature ratings and weight, the difference between Down and Synthetic insulation, to our specific fits and Sleeping Bag ranges.

 

Sleeping Mats

The best sleeping mats are warm, comfortable, lightweight, pack down small, and are reliable: they are every bit as essential as a good sleeping bag.

 

Waterproofs

Waterproof clothing is deceptively complex: while it’s easy to make something waterproof it isn’t so easy to make it comfortable to wear. With terms like hydrostatic head, breathability, MVTR, RET, PFCs and DWRs there is a whole host of unhelpful jargon about waterproofs. This guide will cut through that and tell you what you really need to know.

 

Soft Shell

Soft shell clothing is more windproof than fleece clothing and more breathable than waterproof clothing. Its windproofness, stretch and durability makes soft shell ideal for use in the mountains but ‘soft shell’ is a broad term, covering everything from featherweight fabrics to burly and butch ones so it can be a bit confusing.

 

Gloves

This guide aims to highlight the key aspects of glove design, what pair might be best for your needs, specific features of Mountain Equipment gloves, and how to care for your gloves in the long term.

 

Packs

Packs are one of the icons of mountaineering. A climber heading for the summit, their world on their back. There’s a huge difference between the various packs out there, though, and this guide will help work out what you do - and don’t - need.

 

Synthetic Insulation

Synthetic insulation works best when you need it the most. It thrives in bad conditions, where its superior water resistance and real-life durability are most important.

 

Down clothing

Owning a down jacket used to mean that you were a climber or mountaineer, but what was once a niche and specialist product has become a global icon. Not all down jackets are made equal, though: there’s a huge difference between a down jacket designed for strutting down a catwalk and a down jacket that will really work on the hill.

 

Fleece

The fleece is an outdoor wardrobe staple, being longer lasting, easier to care for, and more breathable than practically any other midlayer option. Incredibly versatile, whether you are climbing hard routes in the Greater Ranges or recovering from a tough day out, your favourite fleece can go with you anywhere. But there’s more to a fleece than just the fluff it’s made from, and here we’ll show you what to look out for.

 

Layering Guides

The traditional layering system comprises several layers which can be worn separately or in combination to allow you to regulate your comfort when the weather or how hard you’re working changes.

 

Scottish Layering Guide

Layering clothing for Scottish winter climbing is really difficult. Very changeable weather and stop/start activities like climbing and belaying mean that clothing has a really hard job to keep you warm and comfortable.

 

Ski Touring Layering Guide

Dressing for ski touring is best approached with the same mind-set as mountaineering, where lightweight, comfortable, and adaptable layering systems trump the very protective but heavy and cumbersome clothing usually used for piste skiing.

 

Help & Advice

Size Guides

Product Care & Repair