Mountain Adventure Holidays
Our new logo for Low Impact adventures, launching in 2024
It's that time of year when we all start scratching our heads for gift ideas. I find myself thinking that I do not want to buy anything that will simply lie at the back of a cupboard and just increase waste in an already over-loaded planet. So here we go with a list of outdoor kit that has at least one of the following elements; recyclable, repairable, or reusable. Look out for the offers from our friends at The Wipe Out Store given below.
If your friend or family member is a true advocate of action for climate change and a lover of nature and the great outdoors then they will embrace gifts of this nature, and for me this thought is enough to make me feel I have received a double gift!
Headgear is always a favourite. Either a headband, or beanie will keep you snug in snow, but vision is also extremely important. The reflection of the sun bouncing of the snow in winter can seriously damage your eyes, and protective eye wear is crucial for snow sports. We love this new brand of google which allows you to mix and match and choose your strap, lens and frame in different colours and themes.
APHEX allows you to choose your own frame, strap and lens
It's great to see more and more outdoor enthusiasts developing products and APHEX is no exception. Maarten Van der Laan worked at a ski resort in the French Alps, and in 2010 began to create prototypes in his garage. 100% of the strap and hard plastic are recycled materials, and the flexible plastic is biobased, in other words created from vegetable waste. We've arranged a £30 discount for our T&T guests, just use this code APHEX30 when you order them here.
A good base layer, or mid-layer never goes amiss. Natural fibres continue to be popular, and wool and bamboo are right up there, especially with the rising concern about micro plastic particles being flushed into our oceans. A study found that an average load of washing can release over 20 million micro plastic fibres into the sea. Wool doesn't suit everyone, but a merino wool garment can be worn many times before it smells and needs a wash. Even better if you live in a cold temperature where you simply hang items outside overnight in minus temperatures which kills the bacteria that causes a bad odour. The stink is created by gases released by bacteria which are breaking down sweat and skin cells on your clothing. Freezing will kill them off, and save your electric bill. Icebreaker is one of the oldest and most popular brands, but many others are now offering pure wool experiences.
Wool layers now come in a dazzling range of colours
At the bottom
We love bamboo clothing because it's the world's fastest growing crop, absorbs five times more carbon than trees, storing it in both the green plant and the roots, and this helps keep soil in good condition. It grows like crazy, anyone with bamboo in their garden will know how much work it takes to keep it under control, it needs very little water, and releases 35% more oxygen than trees. Clothing made from bamboo is really comfortable, with a silk like texture. Various companies are now offering bamboo as an alternative material that has good wicking power and helps keep you dry. 
Technical bamboo hiking socks
Now you've got the socks, you might want to push the boat out and gift a pair of snowshoes? We are delighted that TSL Outdoors, who make our Tracks and Trails snowshoes, are now focusing on sustainability. Their snowshoes are now 100 per cent repairable. Each snowshoe has between 60 - 80 parts and all of these can be changed or repaired. What we especially like is that TSL keep a spare parts catalogue with more than one thousand items that they keep available for at least 10 years meaning you can keep repairing if required.
TSL Outdoors are working towards 100 per cent sustainable equipment
There are many sustainable items that make great accessories for outdoor people.
Friendly flasks
Avoid buying bottles of water and re-use, whether you are grabbing a coffee on your way to the crag, or packing for a long distance trip, there are lots of eco-friendly cups/thermos/flasks on the market that keep your drink either hot or cold. A UK based company called Ocean Bottle funds the clearing of plastic bottles from the sea, while Tree Tribe plants a tree for every plastic free flask purchased from them. So far they have planted half a million trees. Bamboo drink containers are also increasingly popular and purport to contain no toxic materials.
Eco-friendly sunscreens
Some sunscreens are really harmful to ecosystems. So if you are feeling hot and bothered and jump in a mountain lake or stream the chemicals are released into the water. Give a really nice eco sunscreen as a gift? Brands that use mineral blockers such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide won't harm the environment. Look for mineral sunscreens without nano-particles. Try Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Mineral Sunscreen and dive into those glorious mountain lakes with a clear conscience.
No reason not to have a solar charger in your equipment collection, particularly given the temperatures we have been seeing recently. Charge as you hike, or ski, or run and know that your navigation devices, phones, etc are not putting pressure on electricity supplies. They do not have to 'cost the earth', try this one at Decathlon.
Boxers for men and women with a mountain theme from The Wipe Out Store
Wipe Out
Being able to see where you are going, and know where you are going, is useful in the mountains, to say the least! The Wipe Out Store has a selection of great gift ideas from covers for ski goggles, and sunglasses, to piste maps on microfibre cloth. You can even buy underwear with a mountain design. The Wipe Out Store, who sell the APHEX ultra green goggles, are offering our guests 10 % off all items if you use the code TT10.
Each year more items are coming on the outdoor market where manufacturers and outlets have thought carefully about how to reduce impact. Last winter we also compiled a list of gifts which you can view here. Enjoy the season of giving and think before you buy.
