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Jools

UK backpacker, striving for lightweight while body gets increasingly heavyweight. Completed all of the UK national trails while fitting in local day hikes and other multi-day trails both in the UK and overseas. Walked across mainland UK on five month 2500 mile 'Three Points of the Compass' hike in 2018

Electronics

Gear talk: Olight Obulb

The Olight Obulb is a small rechargeable LED globe lantern that provides 360° of soft light. It has a wide range of possible applications. The light weight and size, weather proofness, warm low light and runtime also makes it suitable for some backpacking and camping application.
Gear talk: Olight Obulb

knife

Knife chat: 84mm of Victorinox excellence, a Cadet with a difference

Victorinox do like to release limited editions of their standard range of knives. Normally these will simply be a special colour for the handles. In 2022 Victorinox took the Cadet, one of their most popular knives and changed the handle material. This enabled them to add a couple of tools. Careful scale design has also made this an extremely attractive knife that pays homage to many of the iconic sights to be found in its country of origin.
Knife chat: 84mm of Victorinox excellence, a Cadet with a difference

Trail talk

Trail talk: choosing a loupe

The study of many aspects of natural history, both indoors and in the field, can often be aided by the use of a magnifying lens, also called a hand lens, or loupe. There are cheap loupes and there are expensive loupes. There are really poor loupes and there are excellent loupes. What there isn't, is a really good cheap loupe. But it is possible to buy one that isn't too scarily expensive.
Trail talk: choosing a loupe

Gear

Gear talk: the UCO candle lantern

Three Points of the Compass has a lingering fondness for this piece of 'old school' technology. Undoubtably these lanterns still have a place today, if only as a means of embracing old technology that compliments new. The UCO lantern I have used most is the Original Candle Lantern+LED. Unsurprisingly, this is powered by… candle.
Gear talk: the UCO candle lantern

Knife chat

Knife chat: 84mm Victorinox Recruit and derivatives- the Tinker Small, Tourist and Sportsman

The 84mm Victorinox Recruit, Tinker Small, Tourist and Sportsman are pretty similar to each other. They share a majority of their tools. However, there is the opportunity to choose a particular combination of functions that may be 'just right' for you. Not only that, but they are all well-priced, well-made and well-regarded products from a famed Swiss knife-maker.
Knife chat: 84mm Victorinox Recruit and derivatives- the Tinker Small, Tourist and Sportsman