The new Cotswold Outdoor catalogue has just come out. And that means plenty of new kit on every page to look at and drool over.
Each new item is badged up as ‘NEW’, making it easy to see what’s been added to the Spring/Summer range. The general theme is ‘bursting with colour’ and the first burst of summery colour comes in the La Sportiva Women’s Bushido Shoe (£100). These will be ideal for trail running and the sole is made from a new kind of ‘sticky’ rubber called FriXion XT. The Bushido is also available in Men’s.
For hiking, check out the new ‘Quest Origins’ boots from Salomon. These are only going to be on sale at Cotswold Outdoor. They’ll a modern boot with classic hiking looks.
For a stylish summer top, look at the Icebreaker Women’s Sphere Tank (£50). This is made of Cool-Lite fabric; a combination of Merino wool and tencel fibres.
Those wanting to treat themselves to a new backpacking pack, should definitely check out Osprey’s Atmos AG 65 Rucksack (£180). This was awarded the OutDoor Industry Gold Award 2014 and has ‘Stow-on-the-Go’ that lets you hang your walking poles on it. It also has a suspended mesh back system (Osprey calls it AntiGravity 3D technology) making this one of the most comfortable rucsacs you’ll wear, particularly for a 65-litre size. If you have kids, then they’ll love Osprey’s Kids Jet 18 Rucksack (£35). In fact, Cotswold Outdoor’s kids range gets better and better with each season. The Craghoppers Boys’ NosiLife Bugo Long Sleeve T-Shirt (£20) has NosiLife repel biting insects as well as SolarShield to prevent sunburn. So does the Craghoppers Girls’ NosiLife Nisa T-Shirt (£20).
If you’re after a jacket then check out the new Berghaus Light Hike Hydroshell Jacket (£130 and available for pre-order). Berghaus asked hikers what they look for in a jacket and then set about creating one based on their feedback. The result is a breathable and waterproof with fabric that’s is odour resistant and high wicking – perfect for wearing on a hot summer ramble. Carefully thought out touches such as the water resistant zip make this jacket a dependable investment, designed for walkers, by walkers. It’s available in both Men’s and Women’s styles, and in a range of colours.
To go with the Berghaus jacket, take a look at the Mountain Equipment Men’s Comici Pants (£70). These are slim-fit at the ankle, making them less baggy, letting you tackle slightly trickier terrain.
Finally, there’s plenty of cooking kit and other hillwalking gadgets to look at. They say it’s the little things that count and the LifeStraw Personal Water Filter (£22) is one of those things. Weighing only two ounces and just nine inches long, it looks like a straw but it’s actually a water filter that allows you to drink up to 1,000 litres of contaminated water, filtering out protozoa and bacteria. Place it in to water – even a puddle – and suck the clean water up through the top. Also, for each straw purchased, one child in a developing country is also provided with safe drinking water for an entire school year.
Visit your local Cotswold Outdoor store to see the new products first hand. They’ll even offer you a free boot fitting with their expert staff. Don’t forget your Explore More card either.
