THERMOBALL TRACTION V MULES

Like walking on a cloud.

THERE’S NOTHING BETTER AFTER a long day in the outdoors than to get out of the shoes or boots that have been imprisoning your feet for hours. In summer, around camp, it’s easy to slip into thongs or even tramp around in bare feet. But in winter, when your feet still need a bit of warmth, many people simply stay in their shoes or boots. Crazy! That’s why I’ve long been a fan of insulated booties, and why I can’t, for the life of me, understand why more people don’t take them on trips.

gear—and the standard top entry. The options are really in your hands.

The Manaslu also has one of the most spacious hood compartments I’ve used on a pack. There’s no faffing about to manoeuvre your items into the space available. The zip on the hood provides access to a large, roomy opening in which you can store what you need for the day. Kitted out with YKK zips—which Wild’s Editor James insists are top notch—(Ed: they absolutely are!) all with large grabbable toggles, you won’t have to worry about them breaking on you. Sure, the zips add a few grams, but that’s the trade off with having so much choice.

I’m a big fan of the front grab handle. It offers an easy solution for your hiking buddies to help hoist your pack onto your back, or for you to swiftly shimmy your pack around camp as needed. It’s not essential, but neither are hip pockets—and it has those too! Just don’t try to add too many snacks; a couple of muesli bars and the pockets are close to their limit. Conversely, the stretchy mesh side pockets are exactly that—super stretchy, and huge too; stashing away water bottles of any size is really easy. I do wish that the front stash pocket had

Recently, I scored a pair of The North Face’s Thermoball Traction V Mules. I’ve worn them most days since (even in May, my house is like an icebox). Now, I’m going to steal a line from a review I read online, and full disclosure, it’s one from TNF’s own website, but it’s a line I wish I’d written myself because it’s so true. Titled ‘It feels like I am walking on a cloud’, Miles writes, “These are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. It’s like wearing a puffer jacket on your feet.” Man, is that ever spot on! I just would have added similarly stretchy fabric, or a larger opening, rather than its sewn-in design with two smaller side-entry points. I’m used to shoving my rain jacket down the front of my pack when not in use, but it’s a bit too bulky to easily stow away here. It would be perfect for stashing a map, a light wind jacket, or even rubbish you might find on the trail (like the shiny helium balloon that we traipsed upon thinking we’d found some mystical berries).

One thing to be aware of is that the sternum strap uses a T-bar toggle held in place by tension; on Day Two, as I took my pack off, the sternum strap dropped off. Luckily, it was found after a quick search around camp. I didn’t have this problem again, but it’s something to be cognisant of. (Unless you’re the rare person who doesn’t like using chest straps, in which case you can easily remove it entirely.)

All in all, though, I really love this pack. It’s comfortable with a great amount of padding, ideal for a range of trip types with its extendable lid, and it has a large top-hood pocket to stash any goodies you may desire. Oh, and there are the trekking-pole and ice-axe attachment points for winter enthusiasts as well. In short, if versatility is what you’re looking for, then the Manaslu could be a winner for you, too.

MARTINE HANSEN

that they’re super toasty and warm, too. Oh, and grippy as well.

Not only are they comfortable, the backs are collapsible, meaning you can slip into and out of them like a pair of regular slippers. Or you can pull them up when you need a more secure fit. Speaking of times when you want a secure fit, that’s precisely when you’ll appreciate the rubber soles, as they provide far more grip than many other hut booties. Yes, the soles come with a weight penalty; I have other booties that weigh less. But they also don’t have grippy, durable soles that can be worn on damp surfaces. Speaking of which, the Thermoball insulation works even in the wet. That’s if they even get wet, mind you; the Traction V Mules are treated with a non-PFC DWR finish. One last thing to note is that if you need something that extends a little higher, say for apres-ski touring, you can get Thermoball Traction Booties as well. Now I just need to score a pair of them too.

JAMES MCCORMACK

AGAIN, WE’RE APPROACHING that time of year when every man and his dog is wearing a puffer jacket. (Did you know, BTW, that you can actually buy down jackets for dogs? My mind is blown.) But what if, like me, you don’t care as much for keeping up with the latest fashions, and you just want a no-nonsense down jacket that does the basics well? The Peak 700 from Mountain Designs offers exactly that: everything you need, and nothing you don’t.

Let’s start with the most important feature—warmth. When, at the start of April, I found myself snow camping in the Jagungal Wilderness in -4°C conditions, this jacket provided me with the cosy, reassuring, comforting embrace of a loved one. (And when my sleeping bag packed it in, it came to the rescue too.) Aiding this is the tricot lining in the collar and pockets, the sewn-through baffles which keep the down well positioned, and the adjustable hem and elastane cuff and hood bindings that provide an extra snug fit. The scuba-style hood also makes a big difference when the mercury drops, while the DWR finish ensures it holds its own in windy and drizzly weather.

At a bit over 500g, the Peak isn’t an ultralight jacket, but it sure is lightweight for its relative warmth. Similarly, with 700 loft, it’s not the most compressible jacket you’ll come across, but it does a remarkable job of squeezing into the internal, chest-pocket stuff sack. However, if you want to maintain a functioning zipper in the long run, I’d suggest using a separate compression sack.

The Peak 700 cuts the BS and provides an affordable, reliable option for the impending cold weather. And hey, it’s still good for that bit of pizazz if you want to wear it out for a coffee, too.

RYAN HANSEN

Intended use: Winter hiking/camping

Fill: Vibram 90% goose down; 10% feather

Loft: 700

Weight (as tested):

545g (M)

RRP: $ 399.99

More info: mountaindesigns.com

Weight (as tested): 156g (incl. battery)

Battery: Rechargeable

18650, 3.7V, 3200mAh

Burn times (claimed):

Turbo (1,500L): 30sec

High (750L): 4hrs

Med (300L): 5hrs30min

Low (30L): 28hrs

Strobe (1,500L): 4hrs

Distances in metres

(claimed):

Turbo (1,500L): 129m

High (750L): 91m

Med (300L): 58m

Low (30L): 18m

Strobe (1,500L): 91m

RRP: $158.95

More info: nebotools.com.au

WAY BACK IN THE OLDEN DAYS (yes, it was the 1990s), I got my first ever headlamp. It was a Petzl Zoom, and it was wondrous. I no longer had to walk around holding a torch in my mouth when I needed both hands free to do stuff around camp, and I could even wear it (on my head, that is) if I was caught out backcountry skiing and had to make my way home in the darkness. The thing was, though, it was—so I’ve been told—about 25 lumens; wouldn’t it be awesome, I thought at the time, if it was just a bit brighter?

I’ve since owned headlamps that were 80 lumens, 100 lumens, 200 lumens, 350 lumens and 400 lumens, and every time, I’ve rejoiced in the increased brightness. But I’ve also every time still had that exact same thought: Wouldn’t it be awesome if it was just a bit brighter?

Recently, however, I got myself a Nebo Transcend 1500 headlamp. For the first time, I’m not asking that question. Wow, how bright is 1,500 lumens! It’s like walking around with car headlights attached to your forehead. Honestly, I quickly realised I won’t often need 1,500 lumens. Perhaps that’s just as well, because to avoid overheating, the Transcend (in what Nebo calls Turbo mode) offers 1,500 lumens only in short bursts of 30 seconds before it reverts to just— just! —750 lumens. But 750 still feels incredibly bright, and it still turns, pardon the cliché, day into night. I’d honestly be excited to go backcountry skiing after dark if only for the sheer joy of experiencing the Transcend 1500’s output on snow.

Of course, you don’t always need 750 lumens, either. A quick rotation of the mode selector (which, incidentally, is super easy to operate), lets you dial it down to either 300 lumens or to 30, the latter being perfect for around camp.

With its housing made of aircraft-grade aluminium, the Transcend 1500 feels incredibly solidly built. Yes, that does increase the weight, to the extent that it won’t be perfect for everyone, nor for fast and light trips where you’re counting every gram. I wouldn’t take it trail running, either; it’d bob around too much. But it’s still light enough that I’ve worn it for hours at a stretch and simply forgotten I was wearing it.

A few other things about the Transcend 1500: It’s waterproof (IPX7); the battery is not only rechargeable, but replaceable, meaning you can carry spares if you need longer burn time on a trip; and with the headlamp strap being easily removable, plus with its magnetised base, it doubles as a mini work lamp. Honestly, it’s really handy in this respect.

So will headlamps get any brighter from here? Knowing the outdoor industry, they likely will. But if so, it’ll be a progression that’s likely unnecessary.

JAMES MCCORMACK