IronRun - Mud, Sweat and Aching Limbs

It's been four days, and I'm sitting here in the office, and my hamstrings, calf's, thighs and most other muscles for that matter are still a little sore. It's been four days since myself, Ian, John and Katie from the office took on the behemoth that is and was IronRun. We'd all put in a decent amount of training over the last few months, some more than others I have to admit. But by the time Saturday came around we all felt ready and excited for the challenge ahead. The IronRun course consisted of 7 miles of off country terrain, 52 different obstacles and a hell of a lot of mud! A lot of us had only really concentrated on trail and road running to get ourselves prepared, but in hindsight, a bit more upper body and specific leg work wouldn't have gone a miss!

And we're off!

The hour or so before the start dragged somewhat, as soon as we had arrived on site we were ready and raring to go! Once we'd registered ourselves, got our numbers and handed in our disclaimers signing away our bodies to the whims of the course, we headed over to the start point to stretch and hydrate. We thought it might be wise to get ourselves to the front of the pack for the actual start of the race, avoiding any possible bottle necks that might build up over the first few obstacles. We were a bit of a walking advertisement for Salomon as well, we all turned up in some form of Salomon trail shoes! The first couple of kilometres were fairly easy going, over grassy and flat terrain. Then the first obstacles hit, a few jumps, cargo nets and then a dip into a cooling river and a climb up the hill. It was at this point we started to feel our muscles being tested, the majority of the course from around 3 miles onwards mostly consisted of inclines and swamp like conditions, which sapped the energy in your legs and then some! The obstacles kept coming; tyre runs, A-frames, spider traps. We seem to be in agreement of our favourite obstacle though, the water slide. The quickest way to get down a hill, lie back and let the slide do the rest of the work! Until you hit the mud pond at the bottom however, then it was up to us to get ourselves off our backsides and continue running...

One thing in particular that hits you at this type of event is the camaraderie between participants, if someone falls over there's always a helping hand to get them back on their feet, I was even helped by two 118 runners (afro hair and all) as I slipped on the cargo nets!

Nearly there

We all predicted at the start, that at some point during the middle of the event our bodies would just acclimatise to the conditions and get into a rhythm. It's the same with long distance running too I've found, once your body get itself into that natural rhythm, you don't have to think about it anymore, and invariably any aches and pains you have tend to push themselves to back of your thoughts as you plow on. There were a couple of drinks stops on the way round too, which were much needed, especially as the sun was out all day and temperatures were hitting around the 20C mark at some points. But to be fair we had the cooling aid of gallons and gallons of mud at our disposal, if it's good enough for elephants it's good enough for us!

We've done it!

Unless your an elite athlete, the majority of people aren't two concerned about their race time, it's more about enjoying it and just making it to the finish line! We all helped each other around the course and finished at the same time as well, so it was more of a group effort all in all. The finish line was a tad cruel mind, having to climb up a 3 storey haystack and then down to finish the race, but quite frankly, it was all worth it!

Muddy and knackered, but well, well worth it!

It's pretty awesome to be able to say "I completed the IronRun", but it might not even be a one off, at this very moment we're waiting with baited breath for the announcement of the next one! The only downside is that there wern't any proper showers to clean ourselves off in after the event, there was a hose to get the worst off, but to be fair, it just made that hot shower when we got home even sweeter!

The Merrell Pack - Urban Training

The Pack lives by one rule: get together and get outside. We are a wildly active group of outdoor athletes, seeking adventure, excitement and togetherness. If you live to get outside, you've always been a part of The Pack. Only now, you can make it official. So trust your instincts. Embrace The Pack mentality and 'Get Outside' with Merrell!



Make the city your gym!

Classics for this Autumn/Winter

Seeing as the Autumn chill is now very much upon us, I thought we'd look at two absolute classics this morning. They've been keeping us warm for many a year, the Rab Neutrino Endurance Jacket and the Mountain Equipment Classic Lightline Jacket. Their both really the standout pieces for their respective brands and are sure to keep you warm and toasty whatever the UK weather has to throw at you, as well as nippier conditions abroad.

Let's kick off with the Rab Neutrino. With 220g of White Goose Down with a 750 fill power theres every chance you won't be able to tell it's winter outside at all. The outer of the garment uses Pertex Endurance, an incredibly lightweight fabric that keeps the wind, wet and snow out. It's been given a 1000mm hydrostatic head, so it is technically a waterproof fabric, so light showers and obviously snow-drift won't be a problem. The inner fabric uses a Pertex Quantum inner, which again is super lightweight and has an excellent weight to strength ratio.


The Neutrino Endurance has been made with a stitch through baffle construction. Spec wise, the jacket comes with a fixed down filled hood with a wired peak plus adjustable velcro cuffs and a hem drawcord. You've also got a few pockets to play around with too, with 2 handwarmer pockets and 1 internal security pocket. A 2 way water resistant YKK front zip with internal down filled zip baffle ensures the chill and snow won't make it's way in.

The jackets lightweight construction means the Neutrino only weighs in at 625g. We've got an array of colours in stock; Electric Blue, Black, Zest, Twilight, Cayenne and Mango.


The Mountain Equipment Classic Lightline Jacket is another stellar piece. This iconic jacket is ideal for British Winter's and Alpine use. It's got a 90/10 365g pure down fill, with a fill power of 675. The stitch through baffle construction ensures that weight is kept down and a Drilite Outer provides totally windproof and water resistant protection. Theres also an adjustable, stud-off hood, so if you don't fancy wearing it you can always pop it to one side while you venture on out.


2 zipped handwarmer pockets provide an ideal place to keep smaller essentials, and obviously somewhere to stick your hands if you don't happen to be wearing any gloves. For keeping more valuable items safe you always have an internal security pocket and to provide the best fit possible the Lightline has adjustable cuffs and a dual tether hem drawcord.


Like the Neutrino, the Classic Lightline still weighs in fairly light at 770g. We've currently got four colours in stock; True Red, Cobalt/Midnight, Light Ocean/Ocean and Black.

Decisions, decisions....

Big decision ahead now. It seems everyone in the office has a Mac except from me. Now I've always been a PC man myself. I did use a Mac briefly when I was up at Uni in Liverpool, but found it somewhat confusing, I guess that's down to the fact I've been a Windows user all my life and the interface is preeeetty different.


The big decision revolves around the fact that my newest laptop's only 6 months old and within that time I've already managed to dislodge the 'P' key and the 'Q' key. Not entirely sure how, maybe my subconcious is trying to spell out some obscure message to me through the broken keys?

Anyway, everyone agrees that a MacBook is the way forward and I think I'm convinced. Aparently you encounter literally NO problems at all and the whole thing goes at warp speed, which is some upgrade from a PC, if it's true...

Thing is, do I shell out nearly another grand when I have a PC that works?

Am I a PC? We'll soon find out.

Liverpool Get's Faced!

Some good news for all those based in the North West! A new North Face store is due to open in Liverpool this month!

I'm a pretty big fan of Liverpool myself, having been to university there, never did find many proper outdoor shops, maybe I wasn't look hard enough? It's going to be on Paradise Street, so it looks as though it's going to be part of Liverpool's newest shopping precinct 'Liverpool One', which has close enough to every shop you could ever need.

It's also got Bold Street very close by, which is where you can find a plethora of bars and resturants to keep you entertained. Although I wouldn't recommend having a bit of a tipple before tackling the climbing wall at the TNF shop opening!

In all seriousness though, I couldn't recommend a trip to Liverpool enough, fantastic museums, vibrant culture and of course the nightlife's rather good too! I think a lot of people unfortunately stereotype the place, but if you make a trip up there yourself I can assure you it'll completely blow those stereotypes away! And I've managed to get through an entire blog about Liverpool without mentioning the Beatles, Waheey...Oh.

Vango Maritsa 700

Stef writes:

I'm only going to a little festival this year, but if I were to attempt a monster weekend with a bunch of mates (and a combined budget to match) I'd plump for the Vango Maritsa 700 tent.

Designed for a maximum of seven people sharing, this sturdy steel-poled tent consists of 2-3 bedrooms (one two-person, the other five-person, which can be divided into a three-person and two person) and a large living space with porch. More ideally suited to the medium sized/larger family than a festival, but I'm not quite at that stage myself...
Although heavy at just over 40kg, the tent is remarkably easy to erect and should take less than an hour in rain or shine. There are three mesh doors and a number of vents to reduce the risk of condensation. Two cable entry points are in convenient locations, with hanging organisers and storage pockets throughout.
A drop down groundsheet in the inner porch is the perfect place for boots, wellies and river-sodden pets.

A bonus for all fashionistas and those who just like to be organised; the smaller bedroom can be used as a walk-in wardrobe! Ideal for longer camping trips and excursions involving varying types of outfit.

With a wheely bag including, the Maritsa is the perfect tent, for family or for friends. You can download the pitching instructions direct from the Vango website.

Stay up to date with everything Outdoorkit & outdoors related with us on Facebook and Twitter!

April News

We've had a very exciting week here at the OutdoorKit HQ!
First of all, we've had our new courier packs delivered - modelled here by the lovely John;


The vast majority of your orders will now be sent in these brand new bags! Look out for them next week.


Other news is a boot we're heard quite a bit of buzz about; the new Salomon Wings Sky GTX:
Weighing in at an impressive 530grams per boot, the Wings Sky has a Gore-Tex lining to boot. Outdoors Magic have done an excellent review of it, and you can also check out Backpacker magazine's video review.

At OutdoorKit we operate an in-stock only policy on all items; the Salomon Wings Sky GTX Boots are in stock NOW at our price of £161.99.

Oakley Jawbone

We've recently had a look at Oakley's range for Spring/Summer 2010, and have been awed by what's on offer. In particular was the Oakley Jawbone; which is already getting quite a name for itself in the world of cycling due to the ingenious and easy lens-swapping (SWITCHLOCK) technology.

The bottom of the frame cleany swings away to allow removal of the lens. This is fantastically useful for anyone working out in changing light conditions - being able to switch from polarised to iridium treated lenses, and more. The frame is uniquely supported as to not affect the optics when the lens is secured.

The Jawbone also benefits from Oakely's Three-Point-Fit; a method of wear more comfortable as it grips the wearer on the bridge of the nose and the sides of the head, rather than behind the ears.

Famous enough already to warrant its own Facebook page, the Jawbone is a good-looking, versatile and sporty piece of eyewear - ideal for cyclists, great for runners and, perhaps overkill, but great for casual use and looking good. Read The Workbench's fantastic review if you want a taste of how it feels when put into action.

We're loving...

Big Ry is back and this time he is sporting a pair of The North Face Hedgehog GTX XCR Trainers.

“I've just joined a gym and they are a great trainer for this with good support and great grip! I'm happy to use them trail running as well because the Gore-Tex keeps the water and rain out. They are also amazingly lightweight and breathable making them feel like they aren’t even on my feet!

All in all these are a great all-round trainer, looking great and comfortable, and you can use them for a multitude of indoor and outdoor activities.

See you soon,
Big Ry"

We're Loving....Icebreaker Clothing

Craig has been loving his Icebreaker Clothing

Craig writes:
For a few years now I have been using Icebreaker clothing and have nothing but praise for it!
I have purchased a variety of items from boxer shorts to lightweight t-shirts, heavyweight tech-T's, and zip up jackets. All of these have been tried and tested on the hills in all kinds of weather from hot, bright & sunny to wet/windy and freezing snowy days - and have performed brilliantly every time. I find the style of the garments to be well fitted, comfortable to wear and also love the thumb loops on the long sleeve tops. The fact you can use them for multiple days without offending your friends is a real bonus!
The heavy and lightweight tops are also very useful when riding my motorbike, providing the first layer of warmth - which I have found to be much better than the other thermal tops I have tried.
Finally, the jackets work well both as a thermal layer in the hills and just as well as a stylish, casual jacket to wear around town.

We're Loving....the Haglofs Dual Q Fleece

Jenna writes:
As a somewhat "newbie" to outdoor clothing and equipment, there was an almost instant attraction to Haglofs. Having chosen the new Dual Q Jacket to try on, it really seems that Haglofs have gone all out on comfort. Although coming up slightly small, it provided a rather snug fit, this being helped by having stretchy side panels, giving an individually snug fit. The stretchy side panels, coupled with the stretchy cuffs, really increase comfort and movement. All this, combined with the brushed surfaces on both sides of the fleece, and not forgetting the zipper chin guard, go together to make what is a truly comfortable, warm fleece.

We're Loving... Merrell Chameleon Wrap Slams

Big Ryan has been loving his Merrell Chameleon Wrap Slams:

"They're simply the most comfortable shoes I've ever had. They're quite wide fitting, which is handy as I've got quite wide feet and they're well ventilated, so I'm not getting sweaty feet! I've got size 14 feet, so I'm used to shoes not fitting well at all, but I noticed that Merrell do supply some styles in my size, so I gave them a go. I'm glad I did now and feel even happier as they were the same price as the regular sizes - I'm used to having to pay £100+ to get a size 14!"

We're loving... The Khyam Quebec 8 Tent

Martin has been loving his Khyam Quebec tent on holiday in the New Forest:

"Easy to pitch as the poles are colour-coded and they're all same length, so you can't really go wrong! It's a tunnel tent so you don't need to worry about bedroom pods coming off and getting complicated and most of the poles are steel rather than fibreglass, so it's pretty sturdy. This came in handy during the windy weather when many of the tents we saw suffered broken fibreglass poles. It's flysheet pitch first, which is handy when pitching it in the rain as the bedrooms don't get wet. The groundsheet is built in, which is great for keeping the inevitable rain out and it's got loads of windows with blackout covers. There's doors on both sides of the tent so you can have them both open to let the wind through on hot days - useful in a tent that acts like a greenhouse! For the technically minded of you, the waterproofing rating is 5000mm, which is so much better than the cheap stuff you get from Argos or Halfords!"

We're loving... The North Face Backtrack 70

Ian is loving his North Face Backtrack 70:

"I'm loving the fact that it's indestructible and has lots of things I don't understand on it! More seriously though, it's really practical, there's comfy back system, a raincover and various pockets and mesh bags and a handy little daypack. I love it because it's bright red, it's North Face and it's quality - buy cheap, buy twice. I'm off travelling around Europe for four weeks soon and of all the bags we have here, the Backtrack is the one I chose!"

Nick's Loving His El Porto Convertibles

Nick is loving his North Face El Porto Convertible Sandals at the moment:

"It's so flamin' hot in this office when the sun's out I picked myself a pair of El Porto's. I had a pair of Teva previously and these are so much more comfortable. The Tevas had a real dip in the heel which used to rub something terrible and the straps chafed a little. Not so with the El Portos. The straps are comfortable and the dotted soles stop you sliding around in them too much and most importantly, there's no dip so they don't rub at all! Only down side is that my feet are quite narrow, so the straps are done up as tight as they'll go and could do with a tiny bit more. Looking forward to using them on the beach in the summer!!".