Kit Test

An Army Reserve adventurous training weekend doesn't come around all that often so when one did this weekend I took the opportunity to test out some new purchases:

Inov8 Terrafly-343-GTX    purchased from www.sportspursuit.com (sorry Martin) £59.70 plus p&p

Under Armour 3/4 Leggings  purchased from Likeys (am I forgiven?) £29.99 plus p&p

Saturday 7th Sept

Scene of much dampness!

As Snowdonia weather goes it wasn't really that bad. It certainly was raining but it was coming straight down as opposed to sideways and peeling off bits of your face. Also it wasn't torrential rain but that fine rain that gets you wet- very wet!! 

Clad from head to toe in goretex including the aforementioned trail shoes we set off from Llyn Ogwen up towards Llyn Bochlwyd, scrambled up to Bristly Ridge, skirted round Glyder Fawr and back down Y Gribin to the start point. 

At the Ogwen visitor centre I stripped off my outer layers and, although my golfing waterproofs turned out to be not so, my feet were bone dry. The shoes had been comfortable, sturdy, flexible with good grip on some tricky underfoot conditions. I had just one pair of trail socks and was very pleased to find not the slightest trace of a blister. 

Cantilever stone with Laney

The 3/4 leggings had proven of equal worth with no evidence of chafing on my more susceptible areas and were so lightweight and comfortable that I hardly noticed they were on.

Such quality deserves reward so, once all bodies were safely down, we headed back to base via the Pen Y Gwryd Hotel for a couple of swifties and to view some of the climbing history that the hotel is famous for. 

Sunday 8th Sept

I decided today to avoid the crowds so, whilst groups went off mountain biking, wall climbing and kayaking, I took myself and my new kit off to Newborough for a trot around the forest trails. The heavy rain that morning had ceased as I arrived at the car park but had left plenty of evidence that it had been around, which again out the Inov8s to the test. And once again they came up trumps.

All in all I am extremely pleased to have 2 quality items which will serve me well over the coming weeks and on the Beacons Ultra in November.

Another plus form the weekend is that the curious knee pain that has bothered me for about the past 6 weeks seems to be easing. I think I can chalk this up as a good weekend.