The Expedition Journals

A lot of people ask how I keep things charged on expeditions and multi-day tours. The answer is simple—powerbanks. There are many alternative sources of power; such as dynamo hubs, solar panels, and of course wall sockets; but powerbanks are a reliable and safe way to charge any device. My current personal choice is the Mophie 5000mAh Powerstation Mini Powerbank. The Mophie Powerstation Mini is designed to work seamlessly with your electronic devices. The 5000-mAh battery is a serious power boost—capable of supplying an added 18 hours of use for most smartphones. You can also charge multiple devices at once by plugging one device into the USB-C port and another into the USB-A port; the integrated four-light LED power indicator then displays charging status and the current battery life. The Powerstation mini weighs just 130 grams, and it is super slim and minimalist—you will barely notice it in your pocket or bag. It is also surprisingly inexpensive at just £20-30 retail in many outl...

The Merrell Choprock Sieve shoes are designed for aqua hiking, but I have discovered they are also the perfect footwear choice for sea kayaking and sailing adventures. After a week exploring the South Coast of the UK on various kinds of craft, these outdoor trainers have become my firm favourite footwear choice for paddling and yachting expeditions. Forget sweaty wetsuit boots for kayaking or old-school leather deck shoes for sailing; the Merrell Choprock Sieve shoes allow your feet to breathe, while keeping you firmly planted to the boat's deck or when rock-hopping out of your kayak. The uppers are made from a water-friendly synthetic webbing and mesh, which does not absorb moisture like neoprene or leather. The 'sieve' sandal-like design and Hydramorph™ mid-sole then allow water to escape from the shoe and allow air to ventilate throughout the footbed and uppers to dry your feet within. Your feet are held securely within the Choprock shoes by the webbing strap design and ...

I have been searching for the perfect do-it-all adventure footwear for some time; a shoe for hiking, running, and everyday use. The Merrell MQM Flex 2.0 GTX Shoes may have finally hit the mark. Comfortable, rugged, and waterproof; supplying a stable and secure footing; the Merrell MQM Flex 2.0 are some of the best outdoor shoes I have used to date. Most trail running shoes are too lightweight and non-durable for everyday and hiking wear; while most hiking shoes are too rigid to be used for extended trail runs. The Merrell MQM Flex 2.0 GTX Shoes are designed to bridge the gap and offer the best features of a trail running shoe and a hiking shoe combined. The versatility of the MQM Flex 2.0 comes, as the name suggests, from the flexible sole profile. The shoe is " fast in the forefoot, cushioned in the mid-sole, and protective in the rearfoot ". This versatile composition is the result of the Kinetic Fit BASE insole supplying flexible support, the Air Cushion heel supply...

When it comes to shoes—for running or cycling, fit is 90 percent of the battle in getting a comfortable and injury-free choice. The adidas TERREX Agravic Boa Trail Running Shoes use the unique Boa Fit System most seen on cycling shoes—to give these trail running trainers a precision-level fit. They are fast, featherweight, and offer a comfortable platform for off-road running in dry trail conditions. I recently reviewed the new Suplest Cross-Country Edge+ Pro Mountain Biking Shoes on lifeinthesaddle.cc . The comfort and performance of those shoes was exceptional—thanks to the clever carbon arch wrap support that the Boa Fit System delivered. With Boa now becoming more widely available on trail running shoes, and after a pleasing experience with adidas TERREX shoes in the past, I decided a pair of the new SS20 adidas TERREX Agravic Boa shoes were worth a shot… The TERREX Agravic Boa shoes are sold as " light, fast, and stable trail running shoes—with the Boa Fit System for ...

The Taroko 2 Trail Running Shoes from Chinese brand 361 Degrees are the latest innovative all-terrain running shoes to come out of their highly acclaimed research lab. I had a positive experience with the 361 Yushan trail shoes, so I was keen to test out this new release… Last year, I ran my first off-road marathon in a pair of 361 Degrees Yushan Trail Shoes—they did well… I took line honours, without a single blister or injury, despite having never run further than 25 kilometres before. Since then those shoes have done many runs and races, including last year's Original Mountain Marathon . The OMM was what finally killed the Yushans. Scotland's bogs give shoes a real beating. Since then, I have been lusting after another pair. Then, earlier this year 361 Degrees released the new Taroko 2 trail shoes. I could not resist… 361° was founded in 2003 and has quickly grown to become one of the biggest sports brands in China. Their philosophy is to deliver high-quality runni...