Feeling Sheep-ish?

Maybe, like me, that's because you've seen that yet another trendy underwear company has launched.

This one's called Embers Merino, is based in Derbyshire, and apparently aims to move away from the technical look of existing base layers, into the lifestyle market.

More info here: http://www.embersmerino.co.uk/default.asp

Be that as it may, but I think the whole merino fetish is just the latest flash in the outdoor marketing pan.

Yes it's soft, yes it's natural, sure it smells sweetly - but have you actually tried getting a merino top properly saturated? It may well keep its thermal properties, but man is it heavy, and man does it take time to dry. For me, gear shouldn't just be comfortable on the hill - it should be comfortable in the pub afterwards as well.

Don't get me wrong - I own plenty of merino sweaters for work, which I love, but an office in London is never going to be the most testing environment, is it?

Wear wool on the hill if you must, but I'll take a well-sorted synthetic top any day of the week. Rant over.

You Old Smoothy...

I've been experimenting for a few years now with smoothies. These are an excellent way to pack extra high-quality nutrition into your diet, whether running late for work or needing more calories to supplement your training regime.

I now feel I've got the recipe down to a pretty respectable formula, which is quick to throw together and ideal for breakfasts on the run, meal replacement or post-training snacks. Whilst the many pure fruit smoothies you find down at the supermarket are not inherently bad, they do lack the full range of essential nutrients. No such shortfalls here.

(NB: This recipe was inspired by David Zinczenko's The Abs Diet <http://www.absdiet.com/uof/absdiet/> - a book that, despite its rather painful American title, contains some of the most sensible, practical healthy eating advice I've found to date.)

Here, then, is my recipe for the ultimate power smoothie: -

1 x banana (riper is best)
1 x cup, porridge oats (a sachet of Oatso Simple also works fine)
1 x cup, semi-skimmed milk (organic if possible)
1 x scoop, whey protein powder (vanilla flavour works best)
1 x cup, frozen berries (other frozen fruit works but berries rule)
1 x handful, flaked almonds
1 x tsp, runny honey
1 x tbsp, ground flaxseed (not vital but highly recommended)

Give this lot a blast in the blender (I use a heavy-duty Kitchen Aid model) for around one minute, eh voila...

The oats provide slow-digesting complex carbs; the whey powder delivers high-quality protein; the almonds/flaxseed contributes essential unsaturated fats; and the fruit includes powerful antioxidants. God knows, I can bore for Britain when it comes to healthy eating, but this smoothie represents a smart addition to anyone's diet.

It's a Cham

I've just discovered this nice little website, which provides a really cool and well-designed guide to Chamonix: -

http://chamonix-valley.com/

Whether this information is accurate, I will better equipped to tell you in March, when I'm heading out to the Valley for a week-long winter alpine and ice climbing course with top UK outfitter Icicle Mountaineering (http://www.icicle-mountaineering.ltd.uk/).

Bring it on!

(Dri)Clime Every Mountain

Resuming my cycle rides to work after the Xmas break has again reminded me how fantastic Marmot's DriClime gear is.

Worn next to skin in a variety of (admittedly mild) January conditions - from high winds to sheeting drizzle - I magically seem to stay warm and comfortable no matter what. I've used my Dri-Clime jacket for sub-zero Alpine skiing, chilly climbing expeditions, frigid sailing voyages, icy morning runs - no end of sports, in fact - and it always, always delivers.

Not something you'd wear down the pub, unlike the various good-looking but ineffective hard/soft-shell imposters out there, but totally essential gear nonetheless.

Some stuff you buy and quickly realise it will end up on eBay. Some other gear, by contrast, you know you'll use for the rest of your life. Or at least until it breaks, at which time you'll simply buy the same thing again. DriClime definitely belongs in the latter category.

Sure, there are some strong additions to the soft/soft-shell market these days - Rab's Vapour Rise range gets consistently excellent feedback - but for me, the original remains the best.

Wondering how I can evagelise so much about a simple jacket? Quite sad, I admit, but buy one and you'll soon see. Truly world class kit, especially since I discovered that Marmot has dropped its new-fangled design and returned to the classic look (see: http://marmot.com/products/product.php?cat=cloth&subcat=13&style_id=I5607)