Equipment Reviews
Read More
Canon 5DS-R
Canon 16-35 f4.0L IS
Canon 50 f1.2L
Lensbaby Composer Pro with Edge 80 optic
Canon 135 f2.0L
Canon 200 f1.8L
Canon TC 1.4
Canon TC 2.0
Canon EF 25 extension tube
Really Right Stuff BH55 ballhead
Gitzo 1325 tripod
Really right stuff MH02 monopod head
Gitzo 5541 monopod
Manfroto 209 mini table tripod
Previously owned equipment
Canon 30D
Canon 1Dmk3
Canon 50 1.4
Canon 24-105 f4.0L IS
Canon 85mm 1.2L (not shown)
Canon 180 f3.5L Macro
Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS
Canon 600 f4.0L IS (almost makes the 200 1.8 look small !!)
Canon WFT-E7B version 2 (not shown)
Canon 5DS-R
After shooting with a 1Dk3 for quite some time, I found I never use burst mode even for birds in flight as I prefer to simply time a single shot and see what is going on.
So given the burst rate was of no interest my major priority was improved image quality and resolution. I had previously been unable to print some images as large as I would have desired due to the lower resolution.
50mp full frame no longer has that issue!!
The camera has been great, a lovely bright viewfinder, a great menu system feels robust without being too heavy. The ability to limit shutter speed and iso range for auto iso is great (I'll take credit I suggested it to Canon a few years ago!)
Its fitted with a battery grip and RRS L Plate that is really solid and clamps both battery grip and body together into a single unit.
things that aren't so great..
- the resolution is so high it makes shooting handheld a challenge in all but the best light.
- the battery life is terrible.. the 1Dmk3 could live on a single battery for a few days of shooting at least, but now I always charge both batteries every evening if away and shooting.
- the focus screen cannot be changed. I would have like to put in a precision focussing screen to aid in getting focus but I guess with the move to live view Canon don't feel focus screens are so necessary.
Canon 16-35 F4.0L IS
This is an odd lens for me... it was purchased as a flexible and lightweight lens for landscapes. The IS is nice as I may not always have the most solid tripod or support and the 77mm front thread was very appealing as all my filters are 77mm and I have a large selection of ND's and ND grads etc.
Images are sharp and well saturated, but i find I never shoot wider than 24mm and 90% of the time will be at the 35mm limit.
I also find that for landscapes I sometimes want greater control over the focal plane thru a tilt lens.
Canon 24 TS-E f3.5L
Ahh the beast! this really is a gorgeous lens.
Ultra sharp and delivers shots that no amount of post processing will ever achieve.
Its perhaps a little wide for me much of the time, but it accepts the 1.4x TC with no discernible reduction in IQ so its actually a pretty flexible lens.
I don't often use the shift feature to be honest, maybe a little here or there, but it's easily done in post processing instead.
I may drop the 16-35 and just use this for landscapes instead, but i would need to purchase a whole new set of 82mm grad filters!!
Canon 50 f1.2L
The lens that lives on the camera 80% of the time. Such a versatile lens, not ultra sharp but certainly not what you would call soft.
but that versatile focal length combined with delicious bokeh is really what makes this a lens to keep returning to.
It also takes an extension tube with great effect to become a pretty usable pseudo macro lens.
you will note all my lenses have UV or clear filters on the front. This is partially to protect the front element, but more because I use screw in filters a lot so the thread being used is a filter not the lens itself. I'm in the process of upgrading all my filters to the B&W UV MRC Nano as they are simply the easiest to clean and seem resistant to dust.
Lensbaby Composer Pro with Edge 80 Optic
One of my favourite lenses! this edge 80 optic is a simple pure flat plane optic so if the lens baby is centred you will be able to shoot like its a normal lens, no soft edges etc. but if you tilt the body then the focal plane flips like a tilt shift lens.
The image quality is pretty good but it does need a UV filter on it.
it also has an in built macro mode which works really well. Unfortunately whilst the lens rear element is deep enough to take teleconverters or the extension tube, because there is no electrical interface the camera won't take the shot. I guess i could tape over the TC contacts, but there must be a better way!
Hopefully Lensbaby will release a 24 or 35mm version of the edge optic as this would allow me to replace my heavy but gorgeous 24 TSE with something far more convenient.
Canon 135 f2.0L
My newest addition! The fabled 135 f2.0L has been on my wish list for quite some time.
I actually sold my 180 f3.5L Macro to fund this lens. My logic is that if I'm travelling light I can simply take the 50mm and this 135mm to cover most things. both have amazing IQ and fast maximum apertures for isolating subjects. the 135 has the other benefit of accepting TC's and extension tubes so for just a small increase in carried equipment I would have..
50mm f1.2
50mm f1.2 macro
135mm f2.0
135mm f2.0 macro
190mm f2.8 with 1.4x TC
270mm f3.5 with 2.0x TC although that would be a rare occurrence.
both the 50 1.2L and this 135 f2.0L take a 72mm filter and the same hood can be used on both (though its not quite perfect on the 50mm) this means I can simply swap lens caps and filters across when I want to change focal length.
did I mention... this is sharp!!!!! noticeably sharp. I would put it up with the 24 TSE and the 200 f1.8 from my collection.
Canon 200 f1.8L
My little cannon! such a versatile lens (even if it is huge and weighs a ton!).
A beautiful portrait lens and has been my go to for this purpose until purchasing the 135mm. I suspect the 200 will still get plenty of use though when I'm feeling like a workout!
Its so fast, and so sharp it takes TC's without hesitation.
280mm f2.5 with a 1.4x TC
400mm f3.5 with a 2.0x TC
560mm f4.5 with stacked 1.4x and 2.0x TC's
i must admit autofocus hunts a little with the stacked TC's but IQ is still pretty useable and it's such a flexible spread of focal range I sold the 600mm f4.0
Its fitted with a Really Right Stuff footplate so that the hood can be inverted and left on the lens for storage.
only downside I have found is the minimum focussing distance is rubbish at 2.5m.
Canon 400mm f2.8L mkii
A beast of a lens... incredibly sharp wide open and takes a 1.4tc really well with a little micro adjustment.
It's REALLY heavy but let's be honest this isn't a lens to be handholding anyway... balances pretty well on my monopod, but I'm tempted to get a kirk or RRS foot for it I can find one as it will be that bit more secure.
Canon 1.4x Teleconverter mk2
A really great little addition to the bag/pocket.
works with four of my lenses (shame it won't work with the 50mm f1.2!!)
no discernible reduction in IQ and so small and light its easy to justify taking with you.
The only issue I have had with these is the front cap interface doesn't seem great, its not often you put a cap on the camera body so its not something you notice, but with all the TC's and extension tubes the front cap is always loose. Note canon supply 2 different depths of front cap for the TC's so i bought a second deep one to use on both. otherwise you always have the wrong one!
Canon 2.0x Teleconverter mk2
A useful addition but one that I use with caution. really this only sees service on the 200 f1.8L which has a surplus of aperture and IQ to tolerate the degradation this brings.
I've actually got a pretty sharp copy but its definitely not in the same league as the 1.4x TC.
Lensbaby Macro extensions
Unfortunately regular extension tubes won't work with the lens baby as the contacts need to think there is either no lens at all, or an extension tube and lens. they are pretty simple bits of kit though and really make a difference to the edge 80 optic. A really good bit of kit.
the only downside is the smaller 8mm unit is so shallow its quite difficult to remove from the lens. not impossible though and its never done in a rush anyway.
Canon EF25 Extension Tube
A great addition to my little collection of lenses and gear. Bought to compliment the 135mm f2.0L but also works with great effect on the 50mm f1.2L also! A simple bit of kit, but really worth having in the bag.
I will probably purchase a cheap dumb non canon extension tube to use with the lensbaby and 80mm edge optic. the combination of small size, macro and tilt would make for a very useable bit of kit.
Filters (Formatt and B&W)
My filters... at least the ones i can find.. filters are like lens caps they just seem to disappear!
I have a selection of Formatt filters all 77mm in varying ND grads, ranging from 0.3 to 1.2 stops and soft edge, hard edge, 30% 50% etc.
I also have a couple of the solid ND filters in 10 stop and even a 40 stop version.
I do use circular polarisers sometimes, but not so often.
I have just ordered a sensei brass 72-77mm step up ring so i can use these on the 50mm and 135mm lenses also.
all my lenses have B&W UV MRC nano filters on them to protect them and have a bit more resilience to moisture.
Lowe Pro Filter case
A really useful case. holds six 77mm filters in a padded case. I have two which covers all my filter needs.
Canon WFT-E7 B (Version 2)
A wifi transmitter/receiver for the 5DSr. I purchased this with two intentions, one was to enable use of the Helicon Remote software for automated focus bracketing and the other would be to setup the camera at a distance for wildlife shooting then do remote triggering and focusing.
After much frustration with IP syncing I finally got the unit working with the camera and my iPhone/iPad/Macbook Pro.
Unfortunately the wifi kept dropping out after each few shutter releases or every 5 mins.
even when it was working the helicon remote software didn't work as cleanly as hoped either.. so I've returned it for a refund. Note : i only paid 200 for this and it still wasn't worth keeping.
Canon 580 EXii & TTL Pocket Wizards
A nice powerful flash unit.. I don't often use active lighting but on a few occasions a little extra kick is needed and this does the job..
Either connected through the cable or the pocket wizards..
It's a shame the flash unit doesn't use a rechargeable battery like that from a camera.
Apple Macbook Pro
2.5 GHz i7 with 16Gb 1600Mz DDR3 Ram
NVidia GeForce GT750M 2GB Graphics Card
1Tb SSD storage
Ancillaries
- 1TB Sandisk Extreme SSD in a USB 3 remote case.
Software. in order of typical workflow.
Import from camera to folder 'Lightroom Images in an appropriate sub folder'
Adobe DNG converter. an annoyance but a necessary evil to avoid having to pay a monthly adobe fee.. simply converts the Canon raw files into a DNG format, I then delete the original Raw files immediately to prevent duplication.
Adobe Lightroom 5
My main photo sorting and processing software..
I don't take a huge quantity of images so I use lightroom to review the images and 'delete from disk' those which I'm not going to take forward for processing, The compare feature is really good when you are checking the focus or sharpness between two similar images, like a portrait checking the eyes.
It's quick and great for the bulk of processing and retouching.
The selective zone for light balancing is really quick and intuitive, the spot healing tool also works well.
The lens / perspective correction works well but its always wroth trying the different options as auto can be a little too aggressive at times.
The only issue I have with it is the inability to import 5DSr Raw files, you ned to run the files through Adobe DNG converter first.
If I'm going to do more detailed colour correction work then I tend to drop into one of the Nik plug-ins
Color Efex Pro 4
This is a great tool, allows quite subtle colour adjustments either selectively or globally.
Silver Efex Pro 2
A great tool for black and white conversions. Most of the presets are too aggressive for my liking but it's possible to tailor and save your own more subtle presets.
Once processed I save into a 'processed not tailored' folder as a 16bit ProPhoto Tiff file. (huge files unfortunately around 300Mb)
From this point i decide whether the image will be for print or for the website.
Adobe Photoshop Elements 13
Is used for the website processing by adding a border and copyright watermark before export as a sRGB JPEG with low sharpening.
for prints I use the Nik Sharpener Pro 3 plug in and add a little more sharpening before exporting as Adobe RGB (1998) JPEG.
Helicon Focus Pro.
This is an awesome little bit of software... it enables the stitching of multiple images with different focus points to increase the depth of field achievable (as used for many of the equipment review images).
Gitzo 1325 carbon tripod
Possibly a little bit of overkill of many of the shots I take, but I wouldn't consider using anything else.
It's not that heavy, I can certainly live with the weight for the ease of use and the stability it offers.
I have been looking at 'travel tripods' but for the weight saving of 1-1.5kg I would rather have the ease and confidence this brings me.
It's a tank of a tripod.
the only downside is the leg locks rotate so you can sometimes undo a leg section when you want to tighten another. Shame Gitzo don't offer an upgrade for old tripods.
Really Right Stuff BH55 ballhead
The beast of a ballhead... this is just right!
it requires no maintenance other than a rinse under the tap when its really grubby. the huge knob enables easy use in the cold wearing gloves etc.
the lens/body mounting is quick release and whilst I was initially nervous about it becoming undone, its been faultless and I actually have more confidence in the lever than I would in a screw clamp solution.
Gitzo 5541 monopod
My 'little' monopod ! haha this thing is a monster. but actually not that heavy (all things are relative I guess).
the top section with the foam padding is almost too big for my hands to take a comfortable grip, but if you are after a solid and tall monopod this should be top of your list.
After trying the big foot and various monopod feet with folding legs I have decided to try and fit my little manfroto to the bottom of this. It will require a longer thread on the manfrotto but I'm getting that machined up and I should then have a pretty stable lightweight solution. I'm also thinking I will affix guy lines to the top of the monopod under the mouting plate so I can guy the pod out like a mast or a ultra light tripod in an emergency.
Lightweight support kit
well I now have the modified mini tripod that fits the monopod (and still fits the other heads direct).
Its actually a really stable little setup.
fully retracted it takes minimal thought or time to stabilise, with the first extension it becomes a nice low chest height requiring a little while to stabilise and remote shutter or 10sec delay. At higher extensions it needs additional support from either a person, or maybe guying on softer ground.
Really Right Stuff MH02 monopod head & Manfroto 209 table tripod
My monopod head, again RRS with a lever release. they just make such nice kit! insanely expensive but well thought out and engineered.
this is shown sitting on my manfroto table top tripod. This was I admit a surprise. I bought it in an emergency as I needed a tripod in NYC and didn't want to spend a lot. but this is absolutely rock solid! there are no clips or catches simply three metal legs that hinge against a solid metal plate. Great stuff and with this little MH02 its almost pocket size.
Peak designs camera strap
Hmmm.. when will I find a strap i really like.
not quite yet. this is perhaps the closest I've come, but there are a few oddities.
Its would be logical that the buckles would be on the outside of the strap, but that puts the grippy side of the strap also on the outside so the strap slides off your shoulder. I have bodged it by twisting the strap over, but that prevents the quick changing of length.
the flip over silver pieces on the buckles also don't actually do anything.. I had assumed they were some kind of grip or cam release that would lock the strap in place at set length.. but they don't they are simple for show which is a shame.
but i do like the attachment mechanism to the camera. you get little discs on loops that fit to the camera or lens and these discs are slotted into the sprung catches on the strap.
I tend to have the strap attached to the two side points on the camera so I can have the camera in my hand by my side.
Think Tank belt pouches
part of a set with a harness, but since the increase of terror attacks in cities around the world I no longer feel brave enough to walk around with a harness and bunch of bulging pouches around my waist. shame really as they were great and comfortable.
but i still use one on my regular belt if I'm travelling light. 1.4x TC or 25mm extension tube in the bottom then either 135mm or 50mm with the other on the camera.
Gura Gear shoulder bag
A good bag... but not great.
My hopes were high after owning the Kiboko from the same company, but this really doesn't have the same level of thought or detail in it.
features on the Kiboko like the tubular handles or the loop zip pulls are missing from this bag..
The material and build quality remains top notch though. and the layout works well for my kit with the rear taking a 15" macbook pro. whilst the central compartment will take any of my lenses including the 200 f1.8L !
typically though it will have the 24 TSE, 50 1.2L, lens baby with 80mm, 135mm attached to the body.. then there is space left for the extension tube and 1.4x TC.
In the front pocket I will have a set of filters in the smaller pocket and my amazing Bose noise cancelling headphones in the main compartment.
Gura Gear Kiboko Rucksac
A GREAT bag! an absolute monster as I always fill it, but it can either take all my camera gear, with tripod on the outside or...
half fill with camera gear and then use the other half for camping gear and a few clothes for a nights wild camping,
the harness is pretty good considering its got no framing.
this really is an exceptionally well designed bag and tough as nails too!
Think Tank Retrospective 10
My newest camera bag. Whilst I have stopped utilising camera bags for the most part choosing instead a simple pouch on my belt for an additional lens, there are times when I want to carry maybe a few lenses and also have the ability to hide the camera away during a meal for example. So this bag is my hope for that purpose..
Thus far it seems excellent.. Its wonderfully subtle and casual looking, its large enough to take decent lenses whilst stopping me from ever making it to heavy to carry. the strap is supper comfortable and grippy on your shoulder. In terms of what it will take... thus far I have been having the main compartment split into three.. 80mm lens baby edge in the one side with macro adaptors, the camera body with 50mm attached in the centre and the 135mm in the third section. Any of these lenses could be on the camera but the 50mm is the most frequently used for myself.
The central section incorporates nice supporting pads to keep the body at the top of the bag for easy access and quick use.
There is then a wide front pocket big enough for an iPad.
there are a few other pockets and zipped areas, but other than keeping a spare lens cap and cleaning cloth I try to travel pretty light with this.
National Geographic Medium shoulder bag
A good lightweight shoulder bag... it was ideal for my early and lighter equipment and would easily and comfortably carry my 30D with a 24-105 and maybe a 70-200 also with room left over for other assorted bits and bobs.. but with the lightweight came the compromise, there is virtually no padding in this bag and the bag flops around and falls onto its back and front when placed on the ground. I used to keep a kneeling pad in the rear pocket to stop my hip from getting bruised as I walked along.
I like the bag, but the design is a bit too fussy with too many buckles and features for my liking.
The main compartment is accessed via a zip, and because of the floppy nature of the bag, the zip often proved to be a two handed affair as the material would bunch rather than the zip move.
Lowe Pro Magnum AW
A lump of a camera bag.. hefty thick cordura material and padded everywhere. This bag offers great protection for your kit, but then it does weigh quite a bit even empty.
Space wise it offers two pockets, a large central area big enough for a pro body with 70-200 attached or a 200 1.8 plus a couple of other smaller lenses. the front pocket is also pretty big for filters and cable release triggers etc.
The major issue is that it just looks so much 'camera bag' it attracts attention and invites thieving fingers..
Pelicases (1510 & 1150)
Solid transit for expensive gear... but they are heavy and really eat into your weight allowance so I tend not to travel with these much on airlines.
Keencut - Ultimat Futura
A mount cutter for picture framing. Short of the computerised CNC options this is the best you can get..
I had a Keencut Laser mount cutter before which holds the same basic architecture of a lifting horisontal, a vertical square and a sliding cutter that cuts the bevel.
The differences are all the little niggles with the laser have been addressed and this just works faultlessly every time!.
The laser would require periodic adjustment of the vertical element to ensure it was square to the horisontal cutting beam. it would require careful calibration of the over an undercut with every blade change or change of mount board thickness. The major issue though was that the laser had a tendency to bend the blade slightly at the start of each cut and as a result the finished mount was never quite as sharp and precise as you would hope.
So, I now have this unit and I have to say it thus far has proved perfect.. the vertical arm has no adjustment, but simply hooks in place and is totally square every time. The cutting head is on bearings for an effortless smooth cut.
the blades are in a magnetic cartridge for quick and perfect blade changes without the need for recalibration. there are multiple cartridges so you can have a set for each mount board thickness.
there is a vertical cutter which my old laser never had, so I'm able to trim down the outer dimensions of the board and ensure they are perfectly square every time.
Overall I love it !! I have gone for the slightly larger 48" option which will take whole A0 boards in a single cut which makes it easier also.
Morso F Moulding Guillotine
The ultimate home picture framing setup.. it's a bit of a beast of cast iron and 3m wide.. but what a lovely tool to use. it creates perfectly square and precise mitres every time, it creates minimal waste and no dust unlike the previous setup I had of a logan mitre saw and hand guillotine.
a really great purchase that will last me forever... i just need to find a house big enough to find it a home now! :)
The North Face : Solo 12
Stability : 5/10
Ease of pitch : 7/10
Comfort : 4/10
Ventilation : 3/10
Packed size : 9/10
Quality : 6/10
Weight : 10/10
A 3/4 man ;) single skin tent... basically a luxury bivy, but it's remarkably good in severe weather now its got a few extra guying points sown in place.
I've tried bivy bags and just don't manage to sleep in them for the thought a bear is going to come in the night and eat my face.. but inside a tent I'm fine :)
Ventilation is the weakness of this tent though... it has vents at the bottom ends and at the top, the issue is that once you put a sleeping mat and bag in the tent the lower vents are effectively blocked so its not ideal. it would also be good if there were some option for mesh on the door so you could open it up in the summer, I might make that modification at some point.
Being single skin it also gets hot in summer and cold in winter.
It packs down really small and only weighs less than a kilo so it's a keeper but doesn't see much use.
Terra Nova : Southern Cross 1
Stability : 7/10
Ease of pitch : 7/10
Comfort : 7/10
Ventilation : 7/10
Packed size : 9/10
Quality : 7/10
Weight : 8/10
My new one man four season tent.
This was purchased to replace the Terra Nova Solar Ultra 2 below..
It's only had a single night on the hills so far, just off the summit of Corn Du in the Brecon Beacons in December. but it was a windy night and it performed great!.. easy to pitch all in one.. peg out one end first with two pegs (I'm using MSR Mini Groundhogs). Then install the red pole but leave the tent unclipped. Peg out the other end. Lie on top of the tent and make sure it's flat enough. Then install the blue pole and peg into place. Clip the outer to the red pole... guy it out and that it done.
Mine has the groundsheet also which is a great addition..
I will be adding a sierra designs grip clip to the centre of each panel to allow guying out of the panels centres also. but the tent really was very quiet even without these.
space wise, the tent is a comfortable true one man tent. my pack, cooker and boots sit in the porch whilst my mattress, sleeping bag and camera gear come in the inner with me. It is tall enough for me to sit up.
Disappointments with the tent.. only a few.
The tent is rated as four season, but comes with a part 1/3 mesh door on the inner.. it would have been nice to have the choice with a double door arrangement.
As true with all terra nova tents I've pitched, they seem to be designed for perfectly flat pitches, the peg loops just aren't long enough to accommodate uneven terrain, so i loop an extra cord through them to extend them.
The only other minor frustration is the lack of a gear loft inclusion.. there are attachment points, but no gear loft itself and given the strange shape it will probably be necessary to make one myself, surely a scrap of material with a few cords wouldn't break the budget..
Note since I have the groundsheet with this, it does make the tent almost impossible to squeeze into the original bag.. with cold wet hands it's a frustrating affair.. so I use a sea to summit compression bag.. it also gives some straps to attach to where the original bag is literally a tub so nothing to hook onto.
I was nervous buying another Terra Nova tent after my experience with the Solar Ultra, but whilst the quality isn't up with the Hilleberg, I've been really impressed with the Southern Cross it seems like a very good balance of performance, quality and cost.
Terra Nova : Solar Ultra 2
Stability : 6/10
Ease of pitch : 4/10
Comfort : 8/10
Ventilation : 6/10
Packed size : 9/10
Quality : 5/10
Weight : 10/10
A bit of a disappointment this.. I opted for this to try and reduce my pack size and weight... the design is semi freestanding with nice clean lines and decent end to end ventilation. I was always aware that the pitch inner first would be an annoyance for me but the insane light weight seemed like an acceptable trade.
Good points, the tent really is crazy lightweight. and packs down small, particularly if you split the poles and fabric. The space is really spacious for one man and lots of kit and the end porch gives a better place to cook I always think than a side porch. The door configurations allow plenty of configurations to provide shelter from changing wind direction.
The negatives.. well it's a sod to pitch. the inner goes up in seconds.. but to try and align the outer is nearly impossible even in the garden on the middle a summers day.. pitching in the wind and rain in falling light and I never managed to get a square tight pitch. The outer always felts just too small for the inner. I think the Cuban fiber fabric is the issue here, it just doesn't have any elasticity or give to it.
The other issue was one of durability. On my third ever proper pitch (i.e. not in the lounge or garden) I was up in the Scottish highlands wild camping and the outer fly tore in two places along the weld seams. I hadn't caught it on anything and was simply pegging it out in a moderate breeze. I ended up sleeping exposed in just my Crux torpedo sleeping bag for the remaining two nights.
Terra Nova did manage to effect a good repair and reinforcement on the tent for 45ukp but on a 1300ukp tent I had expected more and felt this was always a design/manufacturing issue more than reasonable wear and tear.
The other issue was the light.. with a virtually clear outer (which does look very cool) it does mean that sleeping with an eye mask is essential as the sun comes straight through in the morning.
It's now found itself a new home with a new owner who will hopefully have better luck with it than myself.
Hilleberg : Allak
My two man four season tent.
Stability : 9/10
Ease of pitch : 10/10
Comfort : 10/10
Ventilation : 9/10
Packed size : 7/10
Quality : 9/10
Weight : 7/10
Ahhh my wonderful Allak.. This really is a great tent so well thought out and functional in every way.
The good points.. this is the easiest tent to pitch in any weather.. a bit like the Southern cross in high winds I tent to peg out two points into the wind to stop the tent flying away. I then lay on top of the tent and confirm the pitch is reasonably flat. Then I extend all the poles (each pole is identical and can be interchanged with really helps in the dark or foul weather!) and lay them roughly across the tent. then I install the two poles from the pegged locations to opposite ends. the poles fit into short reinforced sleeves at either end. once these poles are in I peg out the other end of the tent so I have four pegs in place and have squared the tent up. I then install the final pole and peg that out. The tent is then clipped onto the poles working from the bottom upwards. then guyed out with the guy lines wrapping around the poles themselves.
Note - apparently the red pole positions should be the upper pole.. I can't say I've ever paid any attention but I will try this next time and see it results in a tighter pitch.. but its certainly tolerant to ignoring this aspect.
the tent itself has two entrances and two porches. the inner is plenty big enough for two persons and kit. It has multiple pockets and great doors on either side that allow solid or vented. the solid is on the inside so you can open for airflow without letting midges in!
Ventilation wise this tent really is exceptional. it has a proper venting system on the roof which is covered by a shield to prevent rainfall entering. you can open the outer doors from top or bottom to increase airflow but I've never found the need.
This is the red label product in the Hilleberg range, the Staika being the heavy duty black label brother.. so it's a bit lighter but still 4 season and capable of a decent amount of snow loading.
If you really want you can double pole the tent out also although I'm not sure how to do the clips in this instance..
In terms of negatives I really can't think of any other than once again even at this price point you have to buy a gear loft separately which is ridiculous.
I do use an Alpkit dry bag with this instead of the original bag.. the original bag was ok, not too tight but the alpkit dry bag is so much more versatile and durable it'll protect the tent better.
VauDe : Mark V Snow
Stability : 9/10
Ease of pitch : 8/10
Comfort : 9/10
Ventilation : 8/10
Packed size : 5/10
Quality : 7/10
Weight : 6/10
My expedition basecamp tent! it's a monster... 3 person, 5 Season i.e. designed for really severe conditions. The poles on this are 14mm! and the internal vestibule has an 8" deep bathtub floor to protect from the elements.
As with my other tents, the key feature is the double skin tent with an external frame. This allows the tent to be put up in one without the tent interior being exposed to the elements.
Other features are fantastic venting, almost vertical sides so you don't rub your face against the walls while you sleep. A built in gear loft (included with the tent, take note Hilleberg and Terra Nova!), lots of pockets and a flyscreen on the outside of the door. This means you can open the door for a bit of extra ventilation without letting the mosquitoes in... Brilliant!
Ventilation is pretty good with a variety of vents, but not quite in the same league as the Hilleberg.
The negative is that this is a bit of a beast to carry.. pack is really quite large and weighty.. but it does make for a very comfortable home.
the other downside is that the bungee clip system whilst being simple and very effective (very quite in extreme winds). does tend to catch on clips as you are pitching the tent so you can get in a bit of a tangle. It also hurts like hell if the bungee flicks back on your cold fingers!
Thermarest Neoair X-Therm regular
my uber air mattress.. this is an essential bit of camping gear!!
It's quite thick about 3" so it's really comfy, it's grippy so it doesn't slide all around the tent.. and its warm! really warm... the Xtherm has layers of reflective foil inside to return your body heat and prevent it soaking into the ground, it works remarkably well and you can really feel it when you lay on it.
I did consider and trial the Exped Down Mat too, whilst the exped is a bit thicker i found the X Therm a little more comfortable and the cascade design warrantee is faultless.
Marmot Helium Membrain
My spring and autumn bag, could be used in summer but would be really hot!
It's an unusual little bag this.. it's quite roomy with a wide cut and doesn't have a neck baffle so its not terribly efficient... but... it's got really high quality fill of 850 rating, box wall construction and it's waterproof too.
It packs down to virtually nothing and is really light.
I did have a Rab Neutrino 600 endurance before this, whilst the Rab was a more efficient unit in terms of maximum warmth for a given weight (this is a bit lighter).. this does feel better made, it lofts really well and quickly and if I do get caught out and its colder than expected the extra roominess allows me to wear a down gillet or jacket inside to bulk it up.
the zip is just a regular zip but the membrain material is reinforced along the length and doesn't catch in the zip too often.
the addition of a neck baffle would be really nice though.. might find a friendly seamstress :)
Rab Expedition 1000
Yup it's a monster of a sleeping bag! way too warm for most of my trips, but given the bulk of a sleeping bag is primarily from the outer and the zips etc, the additional fill really doesn't add too much to the overall weight or packsize.
This bag is designed for full on expeditions so its again quite roomy.. with enough volume for a big fella wearing clothes and boots if needed. I'm obviously loosing efficiency in having this extra space.. but the upside for me is that I can have the zip open and roll over without an arm or leg being exposed to the air.
Like a lot of the new Rab bags it has targeted fill zones, more fill around the neck and head, chest and feet, but less on the midsection and legs. This is great and quite noticeable as I tend to get prickly legs if i get too hot as I sometimes do in the Crux.
Downsides... the zip does tend to catch if you aren't careful, the material on either side is quite thin and drapey so gets snagged easily. I've never had any damage but its probably only a matter of time.
Crux Torpedo 900
Another beast of a sleeping bag... this one is my goto winter bag... it's made from event material so its waterproof and breathable, its got lots of high quality down an lovely thick baffles on the zip and neck.
The zip is a water resistant affair, which does reduce the draft massively when combined with the zip baffle.
The fit of this is much tighter and the medium size I have fits me perfectly at 5'10" and 65kg
Although the rating on this isn't as high as the Rab expedition 1000 it does feel a lot warmer to me... probably just down to the fit for myself.
The quality here is exceptional though, it feels bombproof and the zip has never once snagged.
The North Face Tent Mules
I've tried quite a few different down slippers and boots but these are the best I reckon... they are the ideal compromise between warmth, comfort, weight and durability.
They are comfy enough to wear all day, they are warm enough without cooking your feet.. they are durable enough to wear for a midnight bathroom break but soft enough to leave on in your sleeping bag if needed for a bit of extra warmth.
Extremities Super Windy Took hat and Marmot wind/waterproof gloves
These are great bits of kit... it was really difficult to find a pair of gloves warm enough for winter use, thin enough for operating a camera and ideally water resistant.. these have done the job amazingly well. the insulation isn't extreme and after a long wait I will probably have my hands in my jacket pockets to keep warm, but whilst setting up, shooting and pitching tents etc these are great.
The hat is super warm too and a great option for those like me who are allergic to wool !
MSR : Windburner Pro 1ltr
A great little cooker.. works with a radiant burner rather than a conduction flame. This combined with the screening makes for a very wind tolerant setup. its also remarkably efficient.
The canister stand is a bit rubbish to be honest, I'll probably get the metal MSR accessory version.
I perhaps should have opted for the larger 1.8ltr version for the improved stability and packing with a 230ml canister, the 1ltr will only take the small canisters which are a bit expensive.
MSR : Windburner pro skillet
A pretty good little addition to the cooker.. a good size I'm a creature of habit so my usual winter mountain meal is chorizo, onion and uncle bens spicy mexican rice. This skillet is just the right size for that.
The only issues are that it doesn't actually lock onto the burner and doesn't incorporate any heat exchanger to better distribute the heat so it does tend to burn the middle of the pan and leave the outer cold. the other niggle is that the folding handle is going to scratch the non stick coating when folded, it could have been made with a silicone coating maybe.
Katadyn Pocket water filter
My heavy duty water filter.. after using a couple of others (Katadyn vario and MSR) with issues of breakage or leakage, i opted for this proven unit...
the downside it is quite heavy.. but then its removing the need to carry so much water on a trip as you can drink from any stream or lake.
it works well with a reasonably quick action and flow rate. I have modified the outlet to provide a quick connect to a camelback tube so I don't have to pull my camelback out of my backpack. Although much of the time I just use a nalgene water bottle these days.