Alpkit Outpost - Issue 14

OUTPOST

THE ‘IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?’ ISSUE

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We love to hear about the treasured moments that you create and then carry with you forever. Thank you to all our amazing customers for sending them in and keep them coming! treasuredmoments@alpkit.com or share them on social: #alpkit #goniceplacesdogoodthings #sonderbikes

06 KINDER SWIM TRESPASS GO SWIMMING! / 12 COFFEE FIRST THEN THE WORLD JENNY GRAHAM’S TAKE ON A BOOK TOUR / 16 THE KIT GOES ON DESIGNED FOR REPAIRABILITY / 22 THE OUT THERE AWARD GETTING YOUNG PEOPLE OUTSIDE / 24 OFF-ROAD FAMILY BIKEPACKING TRAILER TOURING IN THE HIGHLANDS / 28 BADLANDS RIDING THROUGH EUROPE’S ONLY DESERT / 36 CONNECTING WITH NATURE THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHEDULING A 1:1 WITH THE BIG GREEN AND BLUE

if not now, then when?

Nice Places, Good Things – that’s where the magic happens. Don’t let the logistics hold you back. It doesn’t matter if your trip is big or small. That post-adventure exhilaration after a weekend well spent is free. Weeknight micro adventures have little strain on your wallet. And so much gain for your brain. Grab that headspace. Just go do.

we’re come in

Roll up, roll up!

Camping season is upon us. It’s time to stock up on fresh air.

We’ve got everything you need for your outdoor sleep out. Tents, bivvies, sleeping bags, mats, the lot. But don’t worry, nature will still provide the sunrise alarm for free. We’re advocates for leaving a trace. Controversial we know. Whether we like it or not, we will all make our mark on the earth - let’s leave a good one. But when it comes to sleeping outdoors let’s only leave a patch of dry grass where you’ve slept.

Leave life behind. Wake up in the wild.

Box

Essentials kit list

There’s an incredible sense of freedom when you know that you have what you need to go pretty much anywhere. And there’s immense satisfaction in realising that what you need really isn’t that much. It can go in a box. A box that’s the reason that when you ask yourself, “what will I do tomorrow?” the answer is just so inspiring.

Elan – A lightweight shelter to sleep in £129.99

PipeDream 400 – Ultralight sleeping bag £239.99

Cloud Base – Inflatable sleeping mat £54.99

MytiPot 900 – Titanium mug to cook with £49.99

Koro – Camping stove & gas for cooking £59.99

Balance – Waterproof just in case £219.99

Prism – 400 lumen rechargeable head torch £44.99

Orion 45L – A backpack to stuff it all in £99.99

‘build a go box’ at alpkit.com

7. Soundbite £34.99 8. SnapWire cutlery £7.99 each

If you’re less precious about the weight and keen on support and stability, bask in the Bask. After a hard day hiking, climbing, or riding, sinking into a great seat is heaven. Its wooden arms, heritage-style faux leather and wide seat offer premium style and comfort on the campsite.

A 4-person, 3-season tent that maximises living space for comfortable camping trips with a compact construction.

Whisper Insulated, inflatable camping mat. 3-season warmth and comfort in a compact pack size weighting only 720g.

9. Juice Holder £34.99

10. Snap 1200 £24.99

11. Cutlery Roll £6.99

12. Tiffin 1900 £34.99

13. Vagabond Pan Set £44.99

14. Bask Chair £84.99

15. Koro £59.99

16. Tippla £24.99

17. MytiMug 450 £27.99

18. Khort £374.99

19. Cloud Peak 200 £99.99

20. Tyndall Lantern £39.99

21. Cloud Base £54.99

22. Whisper £79.99

23. PipeDream 200 £159.99

24. Presta 25L £69.99

‘Camping’ at alpkit.com

Bask camp chair

£84.99

£79.99

Khort

£374.99

91 years on since the original Kinder Trespass helped gives us rights of way, 500 swimmers gathered at Kinder Reservoir asking for the same right in water.

It is 10am on Sunday April 23rd 2023, 91 years on from the original Kinder trespass, when people who lived in towns around Kinder Scout in the Peak District attempted to summit the scout and were held back by gamekeepers.

We are waiting at a car park at the end of Kinder Road for a river of swimmers to appear. We’ve staked a 4 metre red and white banner saying FREE SWIMMING by a tree, and GO SWIMMING placards are piled at our feet and held aloft above our heads. This is what we intend to do –go swimming, in Kinder Reservoirbut first we want to find the others.

Soon enough there’s a steady stream of people, and with our ranks swelled we set off. It’s a 2.5km walk to the ‘get in’ point designated by a kind of rave flyer that’s been doing the rounds on social media for the last month.

6 / The Kinder Swim Trespass

When we turn the corner to see hundreds of people who do: swimmers are stacking up either side of a stone wall, clinging on to a steep bank, in various stages of dress and undress - legs half in and out of trousers, hats on, coats off. The demographic here is ‘free spirited’ but that is where any similarities end: we have all ages, 76 to 7, urban and rural.

What the assembled crowd want is the uncontested right to swim in open water: to go nice places and do good things.

For years swimmers and paddlers in England and Wales have operated in a legal grey area where it is (in the main) neither explicitly forbidden or allowed to go swimming.

up water open

Kate Rew Alpkiteer, founder of The Outdoor Swimming Society and author of Wild Swim and The Outdoor Swimmers’ Handbook.

Jim Fenwick (2022 event)

Midday approaches and passes, with swimmers queuing up to duck under a barbed wire fence and scramble down to the water. Three of us swim offshore with the giant banner, creating a temporary island, a place to head for – and then the crowds start to plunge in. The noise level goes crazy: people are shrieking, whooping, puffing, blowing.

And then, just a few hours later: we are all gone. It’s quiet: the banners, damp swim gear and people have all disappeared back into homes. The force used by the gamekeepers in 1932, and the resulting imprisonment and trial of the activists, increased public support for open access land, and may have helped the passage of National Parks legislation in 1949, 17 years later. We don’t meet any gamekeepers: there are no police, no security guards from United Utilities, no wardens from Peak District National Parks, no anybody out there to offend. In our act of civil disobedience we have just taken our free swim, left no trace and gone quietly on our way.

Since 2006 The Outdoor Swimming Society has sought to normalise the idea of swimming in the sea, lakes, lochs and rivers. We believe people have a natural right to swim in a lake or river, free of charges, restrictions and rules. This is what we want a new right to roam to look like:

• A legal right of access to reservoirs and all other water bodies in England and Wales for swimming. This will mirror the rights that have existed in Scotland for 18 years when 420 Scottish reservoirs opened up to swimmers overnight.

• Rights to access rivers to swim – and an extension of CROW rights to access water.

• See outdoorswimmingsociety.com for more on Inland Access, access to reservoirs, reservoir risk and the Outdoor Swimmers Code.

Nefyn Swimwear Set

Two-piece swimsuit using ECONYL®, a recycled material made from ocean plastics and nylon waste, for short, sharp dips and warmer waters.

£29.98

Bredon & Hythe swim shorts

Streamlined swim shorts using ECONYL®, for warmer waters or short, sharp plunges.

Bredon £18.99

Hythe £27.99

Dulsie

Long-sleeved one-piece swimsuit using ECONYL®, with extra warmth and sun protection for outdoor swimming.

£37.99

eat. RAVE. REPEAT.

Hurley

Long sleeved swim top using ECONYL®, for extra warmth and sun protection when swimming outdoors.

Men’s and Women’s £36.99

River, lake, sea or stream. Get happy, get calm, get in! In seconds you will transform from gasping to uplifted. Feel all over tingly. Repeat.

Duel Front Zip Shorty

Shorty wetsuit with a front zip and varying panel thickness. Easy to get into, easy to get out of. Designed for SwimRun.

Men’s and Women’s £149.99

Terrapin Natural Swimming Wetsuit

Swimming wetsuit designed for a natural position in the water, with thinner more flexible neoprene for a greater range of movement.

Lotic Swimming Wetsuit

Fine-tuned to maximise comfort and time in the water; a combination of flexibility, thickness and stretch makes Lotic our best all-round wetsuit for swimming in open water.

Silvertip Thermal Swimming Wetsuit

Increased buoyancy and thermally lined, Silvertip is the ideal wetsuit for swimming in cold water.

Men’s and Women’s £249.99

mix Pick &

Element

Keep warm your way. When the water’s biting, choose the pants and jacket. Or, on mild spring and autumn days, go shorts and sleeveless.

The Element’s made with Glideskin technology for low drag in the water, and windproofing out the water. Designed for easy changing, in sizes 8-18 and S-XL. Sold in separates so you can fit the wetsuit to you – not the other way round.

And when you’re done with your wetsuit, it’s not done. Send it back to us and we’ll recycle it with Circular Flow.

Jacket £89.99 • Vest £79.99

Pants £89.99 • Shorts £69.99

‘Element’ at alpkit.com

Coffee first then the world

In 2018, over the course of 18,000 miles, Scottish cyclist Jenny Graham smashed the round-the-world cycling record by nearly three weeks, finishing in 124 days and 11 hours. Sounds like it would make a good book right?

Would you believe that writing a book about riding round the world took me five times longer than it did to actually pedal the planet? So what better way to celebrate the publication of my debut book than to plan a great big cycle tour to promote it – a pedal powered UK book tour, how fun!

I love sharing my round-the-world stories with a live audience and was excited to explore new (to me) parts of the UK, as well as re-visiting some old favourites. I planned a wiggly 1200 mile route up the country from the south coast of England to my hometown of Inverness in the highlands of Scotland. I planned to stop in twenty different locations to share my stories with live audiences, which included dropping in on eight Alpkit stores, where the staff and managers opened their doors to us and created warm and welcoming spaces to host talks and socials events.

It felt like such a great opportunity to explore new trails and meet lots of likeminded souls. So with the help of my incredibly talented friend #TourManager Catherine Dunn, we reached out to the local community groups and clubs to say “Heeeey!” and see if they fancied sharing some miles. This quickly became a key part of the tour as fifteen different clubs

and groups organised local roll-outs and spread the word through our Ride with GPS events page! An incredible amount of people have come out on these rides. Some have been female specific but nearly all have been female led, with a great mix of on/off road and party pace/ smashy-smashy! Being the #CoffeeFirst book tour, we felt it was important to bring the coffee to our community roll-outs and jumped at the opportunity to work with the wonderful Chimney Fire Coffee who sent us some of their scrumptious coffee to be brewed up before rides! It’s been an incredible celebration of bikes, community and shared stories.

REAL STORIES OF JOURNEYS, EXPEDITIONS AND ADVENTURE.

£16.99

Jenny Graham Sonder Rider and World Record Holder

Catherine Dunn

YOUR VIBE TRIBE ATTRACTS YOUR

My own journey to the start line of round-the-world was made possible by building up experience slowly; silly epic journeys, solo missions and consistent contact with my own community in the highlands of Scotland. But it wasn’t always that way, when I was introduced to the outdoors I had limited friends, budget and equipment. I had to create a space for myself, borrow kit, volunteer and spend a loooot of time building things up slowly on my own. I have utter faith in believing that you shouldn’t wait to find some friends to go with – Go Nice Places, Do Good Things. Your vibe attracts your tribe!

Morphosis

A firm favourite for Alpkit staff. The Morphosis ticks all the boxes - windproof, fleece-lined, water resistant and made for movement – whether you’re wearing it for biking, running, hiking, or climbing. The Morphosis is designed for comfort in changeable conditions. Light enough to throw on and technical enough to keep on. Fleecey where you want the warmth, and breathable where you don’t.

It comes in a smock and vest version, too. Available in 6-20 and S-XXL.

£99.99

Arnison

Comfortable and durable hiking trousers with the protection needed for the UK’s mountain summits.

Men’s and Women’s £84.99

Premium 160 gsm merino long sleeve base layer, made for running, riding, hiking and climbing.

Men’s and Women’s £74.99

Kepler Long Sleeve

Spoiler... ON

The kit goes on The kit goes on and on and on and and on and on and on and on and on and on and

Since 2004, we've been fixing and repairing gear in our stores. We don't just repair Alpkit stuff. We carry out repairs across all outdoor brands, giving us unique insights into what breaks the most, which materials stand the test of time, and what hardware to avoid for a longer lifespan. We're on a mission to reduce waste and extend the life of your gear. After all, the longer your kit lasts, the better it is for the planet.

We're not just repairing your gear; we're equipping you with the tools to do it yourself. All our sleeping pads and tents come with repair kits, and we're constantly looking for ways to reduce wear and tear. Right now, we're working on replacing plastic rivets with more durable bolts, and we're removing glued components where possible to ensure we're replacing parts, not products.

The kit you love is the kit you use the most. The more ambitious our adventures, and the more frequently we get out there –the more strain this puts on our gear. Mending

We pride ourselves on our close relationships with our customers and suppliers. We work directly with the factories manufacturing our products to source materials for repairs, ensuring that the repaired item looks as good as new. There's no hiding from the fact that the clothing industry is hurting the planet. From day one, we've been committed to creating a business and products that minimise environmental harm, give back to the community, and inspire others to go nice places and do good things. Designing with repairability in mind drastically improves lifespan and avoids unnecessary waste in landfill.

But repairing gear is not just about sustainability; it's about the inherent value of extending a product's life through maintenance and repair. Your gear is an extension of you, empowering you to do more and go further. That's why we're committed to designing products for repairability, iterating quickly to ensure we're constantly increasing the lifespan of our products.

So gear up, get outside, and trust that your gear will take you where you need to go. With Alpkit, you're only one step away from the product design team, and we're always here to help you get the most out of your gear.

Why Repair and Re-use beats Recycle

100 billion items of clothing are made every year for 8 billion people. The globalisation of the clothing industry is wreaking havoc on our environment. Keeping our gear longer is the most effective way to reduce your impact.

There’s joy in passing on a well-loved piece of outdoor gear to the next generation. Giving the unloved gear stuck in the back of our wardrobe, a new lease of life. Thrift is the antidote to consumerism.

Tell us about Continuum

Continuum started in 2017 after our customer services manager's epiphany - get second-hand outdoor clothing and equipment to people who need it. Simple but life-changing.

It’s pretty straightforward: use our standard free returns service to get second-hand gear (from any brand!) to us or drop it off at one of our stores. We’ll then pass it on to someone who needs it through our network of charitable partners straight-away –our stores also support local projects and charities.

What’s been the impact?

Our customer response has been tremendous. So far, we've collected over

8 tonnes of gear. That's the equivalent of about 16 full stores worth of lovely outdoor products!

We're quick - within days of the earthquake, we had a supply line set up for customers to send sleeping bags to victims in Syria and Turkey.

Continuum has also extended to include old down and wetsuits that aren't usable anymore. With ReDown and Circular Flow, we can turn them into raw materials to make new down jackets and neoprene products.

What have been the highlights?

It's been a joy to see how our customer's unused clothing is helping people get outside. And a pleasure to work with the heroes who set up and run grassroots direct-action projects that make a real difference to the lives of the people they work with.

Continuum has now found a new home for over 8 tonnes of old kit. If you have any gear that, for what ever reason you no longer use, pass it on.

Stories from our continuum heroes

Mia Jansen set up Peak New Beginnings to help Sheffield refugees and asylum seekers. They face so much hostility, and it has been wonderful to experience the positive effect of time spent outdoors with them. The Peak District is a short train ride from Sheffield city centre. It has been made accessible to refugees and asylum seekers thanks to gifted outdoor clothing from our customers through Continuum.

Aban Outdoors is an Inverness-based charity that gives young people and families in need uplifting outdoor adventures. Their instructors wear gifted outdoor clothing from our customers. It's important to the charity that instructors wear regular, well-used clothes rather than expensive premium mountain clothing to reinforce that the outdoors is free for everyone.

How can I get involved?

Have a good old clear out - getting deep into your wardrobes and gear cupboard and gift any unwanted gear. Reusing is great.

‘Continuum’ at alpkit.com

Col Stocker Alpkit Co-Founder and Continuum Champion

RUNNING IS HUMAN super power the first

No capes, no shiny pants, just 2 million years of evolution and legs like pogo sticks. We were made to run, endurance and persistence hard-wired out of necessity. Running is a game-changer. Run long, run short, 1k, 10k, 50k. Run with your arms out like you did as a kid. Run to support a friend. Run to find space and reset. Get your kit on, step out of the front door and become extraordinary.

FUNvs. DETERMINATION

Are the two things really mutually exclusive?

Run streakers, joggers, ultramarathoners, pre-work 5kers, sundowners, mountain goats, and road runners. There’s one thing that unites us all. The joy of running.

Some prefer to run in packs or with a buddy while others pass the miles alone. Accountability, someone to talk to, silence, music or podcast smashing. 10 minutes around the block for your personal dose of runner’s high or a 50k all-dayer for a PB. It doesn’t matter. Everyone’s perfect run is different. Set your own goals and let the joy in.

Far or near kit list

The best thing about running?

It’s simple. Just lace up your shoes and go. All the extras just make it better. Even better. If that’s possible!

1. Artlu 10L £49.99

2. Carbon Marathon Ultra Twins £89.99

3. Swiglet £6.99

4. Kantju £24.99

5. Qark head torch £39.99

6. Gravitas £189.99

7. Koulin Cap £22.99

8. Koulin Trail Tee £25.99

9.Vayper Short £39.99

Award theOutthere

Ramblers Scotland’s Out There Award wants to get young people outside. No matter their background, budget, or experience.

The Alpkit Foundation were delighted to support the Out There 2022-23 season; We awarded a grant in 2022 to help supply kit such as emergency whistles and blankets. They’re for starter packs that enable 80 young adults to explore the outdoors.

“We’ve world-class access rights in Scotland and booming numbers out walking, yet sadly too many people still feel the outdoors is not for them, simply due to their background, ability or age.

In 2022, 60% of participants faced at least one barrier to participation in the outdoors.” – Sam

Knight, Young Adult Development Officer at

Ramblers Scotland.

The Out There Award

It’s a free two-day award scheme for young adults aged 18-26. It’s a two-day course – with outdoor skills training and a group exploring walk. And there’s an option for a Out There Award Plus, too! Sam explained that they “deliver in urban areas so anyone can get the life skills required to access the outdoors regardless of their background, budget or experience levels.”

Starter Pack

As part of the project they have developed a participant starter pack which includes safety and navigation essentials for beginners. This is a direct response to feedback from young adults and a drive to develop safe, self-sufficient walkers.

By providing this equipment it gives those completing the award their first bit of outdoor safety kit, a vital encouragement that will help them continue their walking journey.

Reaching Out to Get Out

“We worked with a range of partners, including the GK Experience, the Borders Forest Trust, Outlook Adventures, Falkirk Outdoors and the Friends of the Award to deliver the project.”

There’s a huge network of young adults who’ve been involved. They’ve all even started volunteering on the awards themselves!

Scottish Government research shows that people in affluent areas are considerably more likely to walk than those in deprived areas, so Ramblers Scotland focuses on running award events in accessible locations near residential areas, with good public transport links.

“During a total of 11 Out There Award events last year, 54% of participants were from minority ethnic backgrounds, 30% identified as LGBTQI+, 6% were not cis-gender, and 12% had a disability.”

Grassroots projects supported so far.

No surprise that it won the Walking Innovation category at the 2021 Scottish Walking Awards.

‘Alpkit Foundation’ at alpkit.com

Summer of Trad

Ramon Marin, long-standing Alpkiteer and friend of Alpkit, got in touch to tell us about his summer of trad climbing, rallying the troops to join him on his reinvigoration for climbing outside.

I try to spend as much time climbing outside as I can, hardly visiting an indoor wall in the last ten months. With such a drive, the main issue was finding partners to share the adventures with. Luckily, after years of nurturing my partnerships, I have a good roster of like-minded people I can rely on. This past summer my sport climbing wasn’t going as well as I hoped due to the aforementioned lack of training indoors, so mid-summer I rallied the troops for three separate trips to get my trad climbing fix. Andre, Arlo and Tom all signed up to my to-do list, which always helps!

I started with Andre in mid-July with a quick hit of the Moelwyns in North Wales.

First was Clogwyn Yr Adar with the softly grade and low stress E5’s there, followed by a quick headpoint of Caff’s excellent and photogenic E7 called “Meirionnydd”. We had another couple of days at Gogarth, where I put the Alpkit Griffon fleece and the Katabatic jacket through their paces. I just wished I had brighter colour rather than black! The Griffon is great for trad climbing due to its waffle construction that can vent really well to prevent overheating when you are trying hard.

Next was Arlo, who agreed to a week down south in Devon, Cornwall and Dorset, where the main prize was the aptly named and totally unique “Booby Prize”. It’s a tricky E7 due to the nature of the rock, which you guessed, has the shapes of boobs all over the wall. It took me a couple of day’s work to get a clean ascent, and it was a memorable experience to climb such a unique feature.

Next was Dorset, where I had one last classic E5 to do, Polaris at Blackers Hole. This route has been on my list for over a decade, but finding partners to do it is quite hard. The climbing involves three pitches of fairly sustained climbing,

one being a lateral traverse, making retreat practically impossible, the only way is up. We found that out the hard way as the route was dripping with condensation, making the guano-covered rock impossible to hold on. I managed to do the crux mostly clean, but finally slipped off as I approached the belay. Arlo had to aid-climb the last pitch, which made for very slow progress. It took us eleven hours car-to-car to get the route done, finishing in the dark and wet!

Finally, I had Tom line up for another week in early September. My main objective of the trip was to do “Space Mountain”, the classic E5 at Craig-y-Forwyn. However we started back at the Moelwyns again as I wanted Tom to experience “Meirionnydd” himself, and I wanted to have a crack at another of the Caff’s classics up there, and E6 called “Ci Ddu”. We both succeeded in our ascent just as dark set in. The following day we headed to the main event, “Space Mountain”, which has a reputation for being hard. I set off for the onsight, however, as expected, I found it pretty hard. It took me a few ups and down to suss out the moves and gear to finally commit to the moves, which thankfully I managed to do without falling.

Next Tom also had an attempt which resulted in him falling off the last move before topping out. He got it next go however. We finished our trip in Gogarth, where whilst attempting and onsight of an E5 called “Horrowshow” I managed to dislocate my hip on a hard move. I managed to pop the hip back in place and retreat safely, but that put to an end to my summer climbing, which to be honest, was one that exceeded expectations. It’s not like I climb E7 very often, but to climb two consecutively of such quality was beyond my wildest dreams.

See more Daring Deeds online in the Alpkit Mountain Journal.

‘Daring Deeds' at alpkit.com

REAL STORIES OF JOURNEYS, EXPEDITIONS AND ADVENTURE.

bikepacking FAMILY OFF-ROAD

After a summer of nursery runs I decided to take Dadpacking to the next level. I plotted my young family’s first multi-day trailer touring trip.

We kept the plans modest. We added in a little bit of spicy off-road where a massive double trailer would allow. Three days, two nights wild camping in the Highlands with an enthusiastic (at the time of leaving) crew.

Kit list

We’ve compiled a selection of gear from pre-kid life and a bunch of second-hand finds, including The Burly X-Lite trailer. It rolls well with the 20” wheels, can have stuff (like a whole balance bike) strapped to it, still with space for our Alpkit tent and mats. The kids feel safe in there and it’s off road capable.

Flora rides a late 90s MTB with two big panniers on the back for cooking equipment, sleeping bags and clothes. Her handlebar bag held all the things you might need for kids at any time. Oat milk, Outdoor Provisions bars, wet wipes, toy fire engines, hats, gloves, whistles, etc... you get the idea.

Over ambitious, but worth it

Our route took us from Aviemore to Feshiebridge. On the first night, we headed to a very well maintained bothy with plenty of space to camp outside. The tarmac ended and with it, we had the first successful nap session.

We took a delicate approach for the rougher sections. As the crow should flies, we only had 6km to go. But it took 9,567 hours to do it.

The trails were a bit much here, with lots of pushing required once legs / technical ability ran out. But the stunning remnants of old Caledonian Forest we were picking our way through made it worthwhile.

A cruisy winding descent down the Glen sent both kids happily off to sleep. A real, ahh, this is bloody nice, moment. Pure freedom with your family in tow, literally.

This campsite was dreamy. Completely on our own, enough breeze to keep the midges off. Magical. We had a small fire to keep the chill away - fires are permitted in Scotland if you’re responsible. The kids loved these kinds of tasks, gathering wood, putting tents up.

Really relaxing into it by the third morning, we felt like we’d just cracked the rhythm. We packed up lethargically and retraced our ride from the previous afternoon all the way back to Aviemore, where we had a room for the next two nights. Feeling full up on life, we all went for a shower, a group nap, then watched Zog.

Thoughts on family bikepacking

1. If you’re looking to go beyond a day ride, you don’t have to wild camp, or even camp. It’s cliché but with little ones in tow it’s very much about the journey.

2. This trip took some planning. The kids knew we were going on an adventure and loved being involved in the planning.

3. Riding on tarmac helps cover distance and keep momentum, but seeking out a traffic free route is a massive plus for me. Letting them ride stretches, having the freedom of the trail and being able to stop however frequently you need.

It’s cliche but with little ones in tow it’s very much about the journey and all the little things you as an adult might not pay so much attention to. Where you go, or where you stay doesn’t really matter as long as it allows you to move somewhere new the next day and find that touring rhythm.

Kanza

Kanza is a lightweight, long-sleeve performance shirt designed for gravel riding and extended adventures. A cycling-specific fit featuring articulated shoulders, a drop hem and side splits gives you better reach, extra coverage and freedom of movement. Snap front opening and cuffs allow one-handed operation for easy venting on the go. Fast-drying, sweat-wicking performance fabric with UPF 50+ keeps you cool, dry and protected when working hard on summer rides. Polygiene® odour control allows minimal washing on multiday trips. Kanza is your go-to layer for all-day riding comfort on two-wheeled extended adventures.

Strada

Quick-drying shorts for gravel and extended cycling adventures, wear them alone or layer over undershorts.

Men’s and Women’s £69.99

Rhythm Elite Bib Short

All day riding bib shorts with anti-microbial chamois to keep the chamois fresher for longer.

Men’s and Women’s £44.99

£59.99

BADLANDS

Inspired by the idea of riding through Europe’s only desert, which coincidently is home to the Badlands Ultracycling Gravel event - the wildest bike-packing off-road challenge on the continent. We packed our bikes and made our way to Granada for a trip we’ll never forget.

‘Bikepacking’ at alpkit.com

BADLANDS

A union of extraordinary shapes and spectacular colours, The Gorafe Desert is an out-of-this-world experience closer than you think.

The result of millions of years of erosion, Gorafe lies at the centre of the Guadix-Baza Depression. It’s a beautifully aged formation that could easily mislead you into thinking you’re riding a teaser trail for the Grand Canyon. Deep gorges, ravines, and canyons adorned with colourful rocks and domes paint a breathtaking landscape.

Zipping down the steep ravines encased in colourchanging rock under the suns blistering gaze, you can’t help but ride with a massive dusty grin on your face. Did we just complete gravel?

But on a rare moment off the bike, you suddenly appreciate the absolute silence, complete absence of another soul, animal or human. It’s said that this area of Spain boasts a stillness capable of revealing the mystery of life... but that’s long enough standing still, mañana, mañana.

It hasn’t always been so still, though. The harsh dry landscape might be recognisable to a fan of Western films; many Spaghetti Western productions were shot out here in the 60’s. The perfect stand-in for the American Wild West; featuring in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, A Fistful of Dollars and many more.

For wild riders looking for scenery and landscape like no other, riding in Gorafe delivers. The gravel event itself spans 800km +16.000m across the only official deserts in Europe, the wild coast of

Cabo de Gata and the highest Col in the continent, Pico Veleta at 3.396m. It’s entirely unsupported, planning and strategy are critical as planned assistance is strictly prohibited, and once the clock starts, it doesn’t stop. Badlands celebrates a love of gravel, self-sufficiency and bikepacking. All set on desert, mountain, and coastal trails. What a place.

So what are you waiting for? Put your big bike pants on, save up, pack up and let the adventure begin.

what, this little thing?

Our award winning gravel bike. Builds start from £1,099

WORLD READY

BIKEPACKING BAGS

UK made. Natural fibre packs for microadventures near home or smashing out epics worldwide.

Our bikepacking bags are built to last. Tried, tested, used, abused. Right here on the edge of the Peak District. Our expert seamsters collaborate with our Product Team on hardwearing, weatherproof kit. For your bits and bobs, tools and snacks.

Our organic cotton face fabric is made with plant-based and recycled materials - it’s certified by cleenTEC® as 100% climate neutral. We choose organic cotton because it produces significantly less Co2, uses less water, and uses no chemical nasties. The factories we choose only use green energy. Our most sustainable range yet.

Big Papa Saddle pack with 17L capacity and a quick-release harness £129.99

Camino

Bilbie Half-length frame bag 1.5L £59.99

Fuel Pod Top tube bag £37.99

Toploader Canister handlebar bag 4L £59.99

Aeronaut 2

Space-starved? Pack space at a premium? Inflation getting you down?

The Aeronaut’s our 2-person inflatable bikepacking tent. Easy up and easy down. Just use your bike (or foot!) pump to inflate it. Thanks to its pole-less design, you can be up or away in minutes. It packs down teeny tiny, but we’ve still given you room to relax. Robust, lightweight, durable. And still a very portable property.

£249.99

Cloud Base Lightweight, inflatable camping mat weighing 420g that packs small. 5cm thick air pockets guarantee a good night’s sleep.

£54.99

Camino

Our award-wining gravel bike. Capable, tough and quick adventure bike for exploring the world. Builds from £1,099

Ultra 80 Ultralight, 2-season sleeping bag: 5°C limit, PrimaLoft® Gold fill. £189.99

WALKING SOLVED By

What do you see when your head hits the pillow? The mundane tasks of everyday life? Or is it the memories of getting lost, walking side by side with kindred spirits, one foot in front of the other, freedom to talk, to just be? In the end, it’s the adventure and people we share it with that we remember most. So what are you waiting for? Go do.

The idea that our mental health is impacted by the natural world is not a new one. Back in 1929 Sigmund Freud first wrote about the connection between the mind and the environment. In the 1990’s the concept of ‘ecopsychology’ emerged, drawing on research that connects time spent in nature with improved mental health and wellbeing, and higher levels of resilience. In fact, these ideas have been adopted by the US and UK military through

initiatives aimed at connecting returning soldiers to nature, and growing resilience through gardening, farming, retreat centres, and outdoor adventure experiences.

More recently, in 2020, a study of 3000 people positively linked access to green space - even just green window viewsto better mental health. Higher rates of green space access were associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety and

loneliness, as well as increased selfesteem, life satisfaction and happiness.

These mental health benefits of connecting with nature, even in small ways, are linked to stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system which has a calming effect on our bodies, soothing the stress response and generating positive emotions.

Discover powerful ways to leverage nature’s tonic in your day-to-day; slow down your walk to the bus stop, appreciate the changes on your morning run, and tune in to the expert insights of Dr Felicity Baker and Dr Jo Burrell.

Experience nature:

Take time to recognise and grow your relationship with nature. Finding ways to connect with nature on a regular basis, discovering something you love doing and doing it more will lead to lasting improvements in your mood and health. Depending on your interests, this may be regular hillwalking expeditions, bikepacking in the Peak or wild swimming.

We can also experience the benefits of nature in smaller ways. These are often easier to fit into our busy lives, particularly if we don’t have easy access to outside space. Even in cities we can savour nature just by sitting in a garden or walking in a park, providing us with micro-doses of wellbeing that boost our everyday lives.

Taking time to slow down and appreciate the small things around us can be very mindful, focusing our attention on the present moment and stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. Whether you are walking to the bus stop, going for a run or sitting on a park bench, try noticing what you can see - the birds, plants or trees. Pay attention to other sensations - the sounds and smells, the warmth of the sun or sting of raindrops on your face. See if you can just be in the moment.

If opportunities to access green space are limited, try opening up the natural world by tending a window box or houseplant. Research on workplace wellbeing has shown that indoor plants not only improve the air quality by removing pollutants, but also enhance feelings of comfort, and lead to improved health, productivity, and creativity. Even just being exposed to natural light during work hours can help to improve our sleep, mood and productivity.

Share nature:

Experiencing green space need not be a solitary activity. Sharing your experiences with others can provide further benefits to your mental health.

Whether you are participating together in an outdoor activity or working together on an outside project, doing so will provide a wealth of opportunity for experiencing greater social connection, which helps to protect us against stress.

Reflecting on and savouring your outdoor experiences with others, through sharing photos or videos and talking about your nature experiences further opens up space to generate positive emotions. As you remember and talk about moments of awe, interest, joy or serenity you re-experience those emotions and this acts as a tonic for our mental health and wellbeing. Even days or weeks after the event.

Felicity Baker and Dr Jo Burrell Ultimate Resilience

Ways you can engage with nature to improve your mental health:

Research on the mental health impacts of the pandemic found that hits on websites showing webcam footage of wildlife increased by over 2000%

Dr

Atalanta

Fully featured performance for wet weather comfort, whatever your activity: a lightweight, breathable 2.5 layer waterproof jacket.

£109.99

Argonaut

Breathable 2.5-layer waterproof that stashes easily into a rucksack. Fully featured performance for wet weather, whatever your activity.

£109.99

Pulsar

2.5-layer lightweight, waterproof smock that packs small with soft and comfortable high stretch fabric.

£159.99

Sigma

3-layer waterproof jacket for all seasons. Fully recycled and recyclable with a PFC-free DWR it’s our lowest impact waterproof jacket yet.

£169.99

Gravitas

A barely-there-barrier for wet weather running, riding and weekend racing: an ultralight waterproof jacket with a 100% recycled outer face that offers full protection thanks to a 3-layer construction.

£189.99

Fortitude

Designed for maximum protection in bad weather with a longer cut, a regular fit for layering and a tough 100% recycled outer: a hillwalking 3-layer waterproof jacket built for big days in the hills.

£199.99

Balance

A waterproof for all activities: exceptional performance and a stretch 3-layer fabric that moves with you, whether on the hill, bike or a graded scramble. The perfect all-rounder for all mountain sports.

£219.99

Definition

Impenetrable storm protection, a waterproof mountaineering jacket for the harshest of conditions with a fully featured 3-layer construction and innovative PFC-free DWR.

£269.99

The outdoors is our playground. Don’t let rain stop play, that’s for cricket. Our performance waterproof family will have you covered no matter your plans. The Argonaut is a bright, fun loving lightweight. The Fortitude, no-nonsense, tradition loving hard worker. Where as the Definition is the serious type, an impenetrable fortress for the harshest environments. And of course there’s everything in-between.

All our waterproof jackets use 100% PFC-free durable water repellent fabrics, meaning they won’t leave any nasty chemicals in the wild places we love.

A family that stays dry together stays together.

Balance

50% of the time it rains every time. The Balance is our definitive fully featured waterproof for big days out. This is the ‘just right’ point between breathability and waterproof protection. The sweet spot for hiking, mountain biking, trail running, climbing, packing light and moving fast. This is everything we know about keeping dry, distilled into one brilliant all-rounder. Go anywhere and do anything, safe in the knowledge that the tough stretchy outer features our PFC-free durable water repellent, meaning it won’t leave any nasty chemicals in the wild places you love.

£219.99

Ultra-lightweight, corespun merino long sleeve base layer for high intensity performance. Naturally wicking, odour resistant and fast-drying.

Men’s and Women’s £49.99

Exceptionally light and fast-drying zip-off walking trousers for summer hillwalking and Alpine hiking in changing temperatures.

Men’s and Women’s £49.99

Teleki Zip

Aztec Long Sleeve

the perfect ten

Come and say ‘hi’. Make yourself comfy, grab a cuppa, read a magazine, refill your water bottle and have a look at some great gear.

top 12 things to do at an Alpkit store...

Repair stations, down wash & reproof

School of Adventure

Continuum

Hire a boulder mat

Alpkit Outlet

Film & talk event nights

Try before you buy Sonder scheme

Down & neoprene recycling centre

Alpkit Foundation

Bike Workshop

Full range of Alpkit products

Sit down with a free tea or coffee and recharge!

OUR FOUNDING PRINCIPLES

Build a better business

• Increase diversity, equality and inclusivity in our work place.

• Treat our staff fairly.

• Value-led governance.

• Fair and honest prices.

• Pay our taxes.

• Responsible brand and marketing.

Work with people we believe in

• Protect human rights and improve social justice.

Kingston

Bristol

Alpkit is guided by 6 principles. We have identified 22 material topics that are important to us using the GRI framework, UN Sustainable Development Goals and after a broad consultation with staff, customers and shareholders. We measure and monitor our growth through this lens to guide our operational decisions to have a more positive impact.

Treat animals humanely

• Only use animal products when necessary, using most humane farming methods.

• Minimise our use of animal products and convert to great quality alternatives as soon as they come along.

• A long term goal is to provide performance products without using animals anywhere.

Reduce reuse repair recycle

• Make world class performance products.

Respect our environment

• Reduce GHG emissions –the decarbonisation of Alpkit.

• Choose lower impact materials and production processes – recycled and/or environmentally certified materials.

• Eliminate the use of toxic chemicals.

• Reduce travel and commuting.

• Build positive workplace lifestyles: green our working lives.

Give back

• Alleviate poverty – improve labour conditions.

• Prohibit modern slavery.

• Prohibit materials from conflict zones.

• Minimise resource consumptionincluding plastic free packaging.

• Extend product life – long lasting repairable.

• Actively encourage reuse and repair.

• Move to circular economy – make products that are ultimately recyclable.

• Support grass roots projects that help people outside.

• Improve education, environment, diversity and participation in the outdoors.

100% recycled outer shell

3 Layer durability

Light+ Packable, justincase

RAINING of the world

CHAMPION

Mizzle, drizzle, clarty, smirr, dimpsey, squall and deluge. Call it what you want, but when the sky falls in on you, don’t throw the towel in, take a little look at the Sigma Jacket. Three layers of toughness give 20K hydrostatic head balanced with a 20K breathability rating - making this the perfect allrounder. The 100% recycled outer features our PFC-free durable water repellent, meaning it doesn’t leave any nasty chemicals in the wild places we love. And because size really does matter the new Sigma comes in sizes 6 - 20 for women and XS - XXL for men. Pound for pound the perfect pouring-it-down protection.

Sigma £169.99

PFC FRee DWR