Author Archives

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

Gear

Gear talk: DIY bottle hangers

Fitting a DIY hanger to a bottle is an easy task and simplifies hydration 'on-the-go'

Cooking

Trail food: Oxo stock cubes

A day hiking is followed by campsite selection, site selection is followed by putting a shelter up, then a pack explosion of gear, closely followed by brewing up a post hike drink. More often than not, this is a hot Oxo

Cooking

Gear talk: The Soto Windmaster gas stove

The Soto Windmaster has proved to be a reliable and efficient performer and is now a first choice for three season use

map measurer

Map measure of the month: The Oldbury Optical Distameter

The Oldbury Optical Distameter is an English made map measure that dates from the 1960s. It can measure up to 40 inches, or 40 miles at a scale of one inch to one mile

Food

Knife chat: the Swiss Classic Foldable Paring Knives

Victorinox have looked at their kitchen knife range and produced two folding parers that may suit some campers with culinary aspirations

Trail talk

Trail talk: Golly badges- an unacceptable relic

The Robertson's Golly badges of the last century are now an uncomfortable and unacceptable relic for many people. Five 'Scout' and a Backpacker badge were produced

Trail talk

Trail talk: The Speyside Way

Three Points of the Compass hiked the 87 mile long Speyside Way in August 2021

knife

Knife chat: The Spyderco Bug- is this the perfect EDC knife?

Is this the perfect EDC knife? The Spyderco Bug is small enough to always be carried on either neck lanyard or keychain.

Cooking

Trail talk: The Yorkshire Wolds Way- Four days of food

A four day food carry for the Yorkshire Wolds Way

Trail talk

Trail talk: The Yorkshire Wolds Way

Three Points of the Compass backpacked the Yorkshire Wolds Way over a handful of days in summer 2021

Electronics

Gear chat: lightweight solar panels

Relying on solar panels while backpacking in the UK is ambitious. Three Points of the Compass looks at his three lightweight solar panel options from Lixada, Duragadget and Link Solar

Electronics

Gear talk: Nitecore powerbanks for lightweight backpacking

Three Points of the Compass has a closer look at four lightweight powerbank options from Nitecore

books

Trail talk: the Jubilee Walkway-resources

Some good, and some not so good, resources for anyone walking the Jubilee Walkway in London

map measurer

Map Measure of the Month: the Enbeeco “opisometer” No. 102

This is a ‘middle-of-the-road’ map measure masquerading as a quality […]

books

A hikers library: London’s statues, sculptures and monuments

Three Points of the Compass pulls down and shares four books from his library. These cover statues and monuments to be found in London

Trail talk

Trail talk: a night wander of the Jubilee Walkway in search of elephants

Three Points of the Compass walks London's Jubilee Walkway, this time at night. I was looking for statues and public works of art, but found partying football fans and elephants

Gear

Trail talk: how to use the sun clock on the Silva Ranger SL compass

The Silva Ranger SL sighting compass has a sundial, or sun clock, that is simple to use.

Gear

Trail talk: Huzzah!- new notebooks delivered

Three Points of the Compass welcomed a recent delivery- a stack of notebooks waiting to become trail journals. A look at their respective merits

Electronics

Gear talk: Quad Lock case and tripod adapter for the Samsung Galaxy S20+

Looking for ways to improve the tripod set up for a phone on trail, Three Points of the Compass has been looking at the Quad Lock options

Electronics

Gear talk: the Nitecore 21700 Intelligent Battery System

The Nitecore 21700 Intelligent Battery System brings together a rechargeable battery, magnetic light and input/output charging cap in a small and convenient set. But is it suitable for use on trail? Probably not.

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