gear & tech Archives | Atlas & Boots

10 Christmas gifts for travellers

21st December 20204th November 2020 by Kia

Our annual list of 10 Christmas gifts for travellers, be they bookworms, shutterbugs, adrenaline junkies or culture vultures

I welcomed 2020 with friends in Milan. It was going to be a big year for me and, in some ways, it was. Take It Back came out in paperback in March and its follow-up, Truth Be Told, was out in September. I launched Asian Booklist, a non-profit organisation that helps readers discover new books by British-Asian authors and I finished the first draft of my next novel – all while running Atlas & Boots.

How to choose a tent: a buying guide

21st October 202021st October 2020 by Peter

Atlas & Boots

Our comprehensive guide on how to choose a tent will ensure dry and comfortable nights whatever the weather

If you ask me, time in a tent is time well spent. I’m usually at my most content when under canvas. With the distractions of modern life left behind, I find that camping has a detoxifying effect on me. At the end of a day on the trail, I pitch my tent, eat, drink, sleep. In the morning I strike my tent and then repeat. It’s a simple but good life.

Highlander Velebit gear list: what’s in my pack

21st December 20207th October 2020 by Peter

Atlas & Boots

Our Highlander Velebit gear list includes everything you’ll need for five days of hiking across Croatia’s highest mountain range

I recently completed the Highlander Velebit, a 104km 5-day trek across the Northern Velebit and Paklenica national parks in Croatia. The Velebit is one of Highlander Adventure’s collection of organised treks and therefore requires a slightly different mix of gear than what I’d pack for an independent trek.

Best hiking apps of 2020: 14 outdoor options

16th October 20207th March 2020 by Peter

Helen Hotson/Shutterstock

We take a look at the best hiking apps for a range of users, from weekend warriors seeking a view to hardy thru-hikers plotting a route

Hiking apps never used to feature in my outdoor adventures, but times have changed. Now, every Ordnance Survey map comes with a digital version available to download onto my smartphone or tablet.

Aconcagua gear list: all you need for summit success

21st December 202026th February 2020 by Peter

Atlas & Boots

Our complete Aconcagua gear list includes everything you’ll need to summit the highest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemispheres

Aconcagua in Argentina, at 6,961m (22,837ft), is South America’s highest mountain and one of the seven summits (the seven peaks that make up the highest point on every continent).

I recently returned from climbing Aconcagua with Acomara Aconcagua Expeditions. A good trekking company will issue you with a detailed kit list, but I always like to see what other people have used.

Useful travel gadgets: what we’re using in 2020

5th March 202023rd January 2020 by Peter

From practical solutions for everyday problems to highbrow electronics for luxury on the road, here are our favourite useful travel gadgets of 2020

The modern traveller rarely leaves home without a range of gadgets and accessories. Despite years of travel and streamlining my gear, I still pack a healthy number of gadgets.

Unless I’m going completely off-grid, there are certain (usually electronic) luxuries I don’t want to be without. I want to take thousands of photographs, listen to music, watch a movie, stay in touch with my family and most importantly of all, keep track of England’s latest batting collapse (a form of self-harm I’m sure).

K2 base camp gear list: all you need for a successful trek

21st December 202023rd October 2019 by Peter

One of the most important tips for trekking to K2 base camp: warm clothing!

Atlas & Boots

Our extensive K2 base camp gear list includes everything you’ll need for this epic trek to the second-highest mountain on Earth

Having just returned from my K2 base camp trek in Pakistan, I thought it would be helpful to share my complete K2 base camp gear list as a point of reference for future trekkers.

How to choose a down jacket

11th April 202031st August 2019 by Atlas & Boots

Atlas & Boots

A beginner’s guide on how to choose a down jacket that will keep you warm and toasty in the great outdoors

A high-quality down jacket is no longer the preserve of the outdoorsy. Politicians, pop stars and even princesses have been pictured in a ‘puffa’. Of course, a down jacket truly comes into its own when used and tested in the great outdoors.

Arctic Circle Trail packing list: all you need in one place

9th April 202014th August 2019 by Peter

My first night of camping trekking the Arctic Circle Trail

Atlas & Boots

Our detailed Arctic Circle Trail packing list includes everything you’ll need on a trek through Greenland’s wild and remote backcountry

Fresh from my adventure trekking the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland, I thought it would be useful to share my complete Arctic Circle Trail packing list as a point of reference for future trekkers.

This comprehensive list includes everything I took with me including camping and trekking gear, clothing, food and cooking equipment, toiletries, medication and electronics. Where possible, I’ve included links to the gear I took with me for reference.

How to choose a waterproof jacket: a buying guide

21st December 20206th July 2019 by Peter

how to choose a waterproof jacket Haglofs

Atlas & Boots

Our detailed guide on how to choose a waterproof jacket will help you find the gear that best suits your needs

A waterproof jacket is an essential piece of outdoor kit and should be in everyone’s backpack whether you’re hiking, climbing or cycling.

Knowing how to choose a waterproof jacket, however, can feel a bit like alchemy. With so many different fabrics, constructions and features used in outdoor clothing, selecting the right jacket has become a real test.

Everest base camp kit list: all you need for a successful trek

10th April 202015th May 2019 by Peter

The summit of Mount Everest seen from base camp

Atlas & Boots

My comprehensive Everest base camp kit list includes everything you’ll need to reach the foot of the highest mountain in the world

Having just returned from my Everest base camp trek in Nepal, I thought it would be useful to share my entire Everest base camp kit list as a point of reference for future trekkers.

I joined a G Adventures 15-day trek to base camp, which includes 12 days of trekking: eight to ascend to base camp and four to descend back to Lukla.

The ultimate guide to packing light

11th April 20206th April 2019 by Kia

ultimate guide to packing light feat image

Some would argue that overpacking is a rite of passage, but there is an easier way. Here are 12 tips for packing light

I started our big trip across the South Pacific and South America with a 45-litre backpack weighing 13kg. Over the course of the trip, I managed to drop a fair bit of weight and get my bag down to 10kg. Evidently, I had failed in packing light from the start.

In some ways, overpacking is a rite of passage: you have to do it to learn how not to do it. Of course there is an easier way. By gleaning advice from other travellers and being strict with yourself, packing light will become far easier. Here’s where to start.

A complete travel photography gear guide

29th September 20209th February 2019 by Peter

We’re often asked about the gear we take on our travels. In response, we have written a detailed and complete travel photography gear guide

I have been involved in film or photography throughout the course of my career: initially as a camera operator, video editor and AV engineer, later as a teacher in digital media, and now as a travel blogger.

I’ve sold stock images for several years on Shutterstock and iStock by Getty Images, and my photography plays a prominent role throughout our travel blog and social channels, particularly Instagram.

Photo backup: how to keep your memories safe

11th April 20202nd February 2019 by Peter

After learning the hard way, we share our tried and tested photo backup systems to help you keep your photographs safe

It was in the Cotopaxi region of Ecuador that we met Michael, a fellow backpacker who had spent the previous weeks on a surfing trip of a lifetime. Earlier in the day, Michael’s GoPro had dislodged from its extender during a jump into a waterfall and sunk to the depths below.

Best sailing books: 25 tales inspired by the sea

6th April 202024th November 2018 by Peter

A list of the best sailing books including memoirs, novels and biographies, constituting the most fascinating nautical tales ever penned

After recently compiling a list of the best sailing movies we’ve seen, I was prompted into some related reading. Fresh from a delivery of sailing bestsellers (and less-sellers), I’ve put together a list of the best sailing books.

The list covers everything from epic voyages, tales of survival, investigative biographies and sailing manuals – with a few coffee table reference books thrown in.

How to choose a backpack: a beginner’s guide

24th June 202013th October 2018 by Peter

Our beginner’s guide on how to choose a backpack will help you make the best choice for your backpacking needs, ensuring comfort and reliability

Whether you’re on a day hike through gently rolling hills or an extended expedition crossing an ice shelf, knowing how to choose a backpack most suited to your trip will make it infinitely more enjoyable. There are myriad options available and it can be a confusing affair, but getting it right will ensure comfort and reliability day after day.

Best-selling camping and hiking gear

24th December 201920th January 2018 by Peter

We take a look at popular outdoor retailers’ best-selling camping and hiking gear of the year

In general, I don’t tend to spend much money on clothing and non-photography related gadgets. I am comfortable enough loafing around in jeans and a t-shirt. On top of that, I hate shopping with a vengeance. If I really focus, I can avoid shopping malls for most of the year, succumbing only in the lead up to Christmas.

Elbrus kit list: all you need to climb Europe’s highest peak

9th April 202015th November 2017 by Peter

Our comprehensive Elbrus kit list includes everything you’ll need to conquer Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe.

Mount Elbrus in Russia, at 5,642m (18,510ft), is Europe’s highest mountain and a member of the seven summits, the highest point on every continent. Having just returned from climbing Mount Elbrus with specialists 7 Summits Club, I thought it would be useful to share my entire Elbrus kit list as a point of reference for future climbers.

10 essential sailing apps

1st June 20207th October 2017 by Peter

Pixabay

A list of essential sailing apps used by professional sailors to navigate their way across the seas

During my recent tall ship sailing adventure, I picked the skipper’s brains about the essential sailing apps he uses for navigation, ship tracking, weather and tides.

Stefan, the owner and skipper of the Lady of Avenel, stands at the helm with his tablet mounted nearby. “Is this the future of sailing?” I asked him. “Never mind the future of sailing, this is the here and the now,” he responded wryly.

12 cycling accessories we want for our next trip

24th December 201929th July 2017 by Peter

Having just returned from our first cycling trip – a tour of Myanmar – we look at useful cycling accessories we’d like for our next trip

We had an amazing experience on our cycle tour of Myanmar, but one thing we noticed was that we weren’t kitted out very well compared with fellow cyclists.

We are far more prepared for our hiking, climbing and mountaineering escapades than we are for adventures on two wheels. It didn’t stop us having a great time, but a few of the below cycling accessories would have made our days in the saddle just that bit easier.