The Petzl Meteor Helmet started life as a lightweight climbing helmet but it is now much more than that. In response to demands from the adventure racing community the Meteor was tweaked slightly and the buckles changed so that it would also pass the EN requirements for whitewater sports and cycling as well as climbing.
Petzl Meteor III+
Now there is no need to have 3 helmets for 3 sports, just use the Meteor III+.
As a cycle helmet, the Meteor is comfy and works really well. It’s not that vented so might be a bit warm on hot days but conversely it’s great in bad weather. Now it doesn’t look like a classic cycle helmet, so maybe not for your die hard tdF fans but thats a personal choice. It’s climbing heritage means that the Meteor has little clips to hold a headlamp in place, great for winter commuting.
As a canoe helmet I didn’t really notice any difference between the Meteor and any other dedicated watersports helmet I have used, so it seems to do the job just as well. There is no ear protection from the Meteor like there is from some water sports helmets, but there are also plenty of watersports helmets with no ear protection.
Open boating on the Eden
As a climbing helmet, the Meteor is brilliant. Really lightweight so there is no neck strain even on long routes. Great visibility all round plus comfort and good grip from the cradle. Easy to attach a headlamp for pre dawn starts. The only point to note is that for continuous small knocks a polycarbonate shell helmet will have more durability but about double the weight over the Meteor III+. For lightweight climbers and multi sports users it’s perfect.
The lenses in the Julbo Ultra sunglasses are awesome. When I think of Reactalite lenses, I get this image of a 1980s Polaroid advert in my head but things have come a long way since.
A lens like the photochromic Zebra Light is the logical progression from multi lens glasses sets. Instead of having to predict the conditions or stop and change lenses, it all just happens. The lenses adjust from a pretty clear cat 1 lens to a pretty dark cat 3 lens. I couldn’t say exactly what the reaction times are but I just never really notice it going on, so it must be alright.
The frames are light and comfy and the lenses are held just a little further away from your face than classic sunglasses to make sure they never mist up. Face coverage is excellent with no wind getting into my eyes. The nose piece is adjustable if you need it but it was fine for me as it was. The only adjustment I made is to the width of the arms, the distance between the arms ends when fully open. I have a narrow pin head so find most glasses don’t grip my head properly, which I notice when looking down. My solution to this is to superglue a piece of elastic band to the frame just inside the hinge. This stops the hinge from opening fully and makes them grip my head a little better. Because I use elastic band, it’s sort of like a mini shock absorber.
Dark Lenses
If you compare the 2 images in this post, the top one is in a studio with no UV, so the lenses are as clear as they can be. The image just above is a fairly sunny day on Middleton Moor. You can really see how much adjustment the Zebra lenses offer, photochromic lenses are really the way forward.
Although the days are getting longer and longer, I have taken every opportunity to use my Petzl Nao since I was lucky enough to get a demo unit from Petzl in the early spring. The new Nao is something unique in the high powered lamp market as it auto adjusts it’s own brightness and beam pattern as you use it.
The Nao measures the amount of light that is reflected back at it, and the more light it receives the more it turns itself down. The idea is that if you are looking at a map then a lot of light will bounce off the map and the lamp will adjust to it’s preset reading light level. If no reflected light is received then you are looking into the far distance and the full power long distance beam light is used. If a small amount of light is being reflected then you are probably looking at something in the near to middle distance so medium power and a wide beam flood is used. Apart from not blinding yourself when you look at the map on full power the real benefit of the Nao is that it achieves a really long life from a small rechargeable battery.
It really works! Both for general about camp type use and technical night trail running which are the two things I have used it for so far. The light adjusts so quickly that half the time you don’t even notice it doing so. You tend to see the power go up if you look into the far distance but don’t see it come down as you look at close objects. You can switch between the reactive power levels (up to 5 levels) and constant power levels (again a max choice of 5) with short or long turns of the single knob. The chunky knob was easy to use with gloves on, a trick passed down from the Ultra.
An environmental review of Petzl highlighted that their greatest problem was disposable batteries. Since then Petzl have been promoting rechargeable lithium batteries. First was the Core battery for the Tikka/Zipka range and similar technology is being used with the Nao. The battery is a custom Lithium Ion one. The software on your PC allows you to customise the minimum and maximum light output for the different amount of reflected light. You can even have multiple sets of settings for different sports and change the battery between them whilst it is connected to your PC. This is very quick and as the battery is USB charged it’s often connected to your computer with the included lead. The Nao can also be converted to a remote battery with the Nao Belt Kit.
Nao battery with USB connection
The software is mainly graphical so it’s quite obvious what you are changing and you get an average battery life estimate for your settings. The battery life will always be an estimate because it depends how long you spend looking at what distances. Petzl have down extensive field testing to try to make the estimates as realistic as possible. If you want battery predictability the Nao also has a constant mode where it behaves like any other lamp. You can have between 1 and 5 reactive levels and between 1 and 5 constant levels. If you run your battery flat, you can even replace the rechargeable lithium battery with disposable batteries, however once you have done so the Nao will only run at constant low power.
Nao Software (click to enlarge in new window)
Again I found that the software really works. On the factory preset – multi activity, the flood beam did not come on early enough for me when running so I increased the reading threshold to maximum and also increased the maximum power of the wide beam, now I get more light whilst looking the same distance in front of me as before. I saved this as my ideal run settings and can refine it again if I want.
The next new feature of the Nao is the strap. Petzl have replaced two thirds of the elastic in the headstrap with cord. The front third of each strap is still elastic to maintain comfort and head grip whilst the rest is cord. The idea is that when you stow the Nao in your pack you use the cord lock to pull everything together and then it doesn’t come out of your bag in a tangle. This works well but means you have to adjust the tension each time, but that’s very easy. If you never change between a head, hat and helmet so always want the same tension then a little knot in the string works marks the right place. The optional head strap is minimal and not fitted as standard as Petzl don’t think that most people use them. Maybe it’s just because I do a lot of running but I still prefer a top strap, however a minimal one works just fine. The strap works fine with a helmet and is comfy with a hat but I think lacks a little padding behind the light unit when worn on the bare head.
Headstrap cinched
Headstrap with minimalist top strap
Continuing on with the green theme the Petzl Nao comes in a almost fully recyclable box with no nasty plastic windows or the like. The only part that cannot be recycled is a small magnet that holds the box lid shut. However Petzl are encouraging me to cut this off the box and re use as a fridge magnet. A nice touch or a load of old tosh depending on your stand point.
The Nao has one more surprise up it’s sleeve – the price! The launch price is £135, which for a lithium battery rechargeable lamp kicking out 355 lumens is really good. You can get more lumens per pound but £135 for the feature set and versatility of the Nao seems like a pretty good deal to me. If you are wondering why it’s called the Nao it is Chinese for mind or brain.
One of 2 new transceivers that we have for this season. I had my first play with the Element on Tuesday and was very impressed. The Element is a one button, no options simple to use 3 antenna digital transceiver with signal masking.
In common with most 2nd generation digital transceivers, once the Element has received a signal you are guided to follow a curved flux line to the target with little arrows correcting you right or left as you walk along. A unique feature of the Element is that it uses a very definite tone change to alert you that you have strayed from the correct path.
The Element also uses a new Runway approach in the final phase of searching which does away with the left and right sideways pin pointing once the lowest distance reading has been reached. Those used to the old method will still prefer to use it but training feedback suggests that novice searchers lose a lot of time doing this and are better off not doing it. Instead an expanding spiral probing search is used for exact loaction.
In a multiple burial situation, the Element had a masking function available below 3 metres allowing the searcher to move onto victim 2 whilst the probe/dig team set to work (manpower permitting)
For simplicity there are no user selected options available in the Element, it is what it is, just turn it on and use it. It does has the ability to have it’s software updated in the future. Build quality is the usual very high Mammut standard.
I was very impressed with my first play with the Element. The runway approach did seem a bit too simple to me as I am used to pinpointing, but modern digital transceivers never leave you very far left or right of target so I can see the logic in it. It’s still possible to pin point in the old style if you prefer. One person in our test felt that the Element was a bit confusing if you badly overshot the target in the final search phase, it didn’t seem too bad to me but I will definitely explore this in my next tests. I should have a test unit within a week and will get the videos made as soon as possible. Also look out for the first review of the Ortovox s1+.
Probably coming into stock in the 2nd or 3rd week of October but you can back order one now to reserve one of our first drop.
Got a Convertube recently to test as Olly from Mountain Tracks was telling me that they ask their clients not too bring bladder systems on trips because they have too many problems with them puncturing.
Source Convertube
The Convertube allows you to use a strong rigid bottle instead of a flexible one by adding an air valve into the lid. There is nothing new in this idea, it has been used in the BCA Alp40 pack for several years and MSR also make a Hydration Kit for their dromedary bags which is basically a super beefy hydration system.
The Convertube is better than both these systems or a standard bladder for a number of reason.
You cannot puncture a rigid bottle by accident.
Convertube allows you to use just about any bottle. If you forget your Nalgene or Sigg bottle you can just grab any fizzy pop bottle from the shops, refill it with water and attach the tube.
It is much easier to refill a rigid bottle from a stream or lake than a flexible bladder
Bring along the lid for your bottle and you can choose not to use the hose, especially useful if your hose freezes up.
Convertube can be used with Platypus and MSR bladders if you actually want to use a flexible container.
Costs only £16, which I think for such a versatile set up is great value for money.
Next time you are going to buy a replacement hose for your drink system, buy a Convertube instead.
I have just begun testing the new Ether Driclime windshirt from Marmot. I have long been a fan of this type of windshirt and the Marmot one in particular. There have been several variants of the driclime over the last 15 years and this one is shaping up to be one of the best. There will be a full review in time but the highlights are; thinner lining, hood, zipped handwarmer pockets, hem drawcord and more of a jacket than a shirt but 68g lighter than the shirt. It’s brilliant – half the weight and price than some lightweight softshell jackets but probably more practical.
The Marmot Pro Tour Jacket uses both laminated and unlaminated softshell fabrics. It is the only jacket to use the Powershield O² fabric, which is even more breathable than the standard or lite variants of Powershield. The Pro Tour is very breathable and cool to wear and as such is definitely for the very active and not for winter use. The front of the jacket, shoulders and top of arms are made from the Powershield O² fabric (dark black in image below), whilst the sides and lower back are made from a proprietary marmot softshell fabric (light black in image). This gives the jacket increased weather protection from the front but better moisture transfer and stretch at the back. Marmot also reasoned that you will often be wearing a pack which gives you protection as well as making you sweaty in this area so an unlaminated fabric would be best.
Pro Tour jacket uses 2 fabrics on back
There is no doubt that Marmot have created a very breathable jacket for something that is more than 60% membraned. For ski touring, biking and winter running the Pro Tour is a great piece, but the flip side is that the jacket has very low insulation. A couple of times I got too cold before I put the Pro Tour and found that I wasn’t really warming up very quickly. Every garment has a climate window in which it is best suited and the window for the Pro Tour is warmer than for your average softshell. Great for not over heating for 3 seasons but not a winter piece.
The Pro Tour is nominally a ski touring piece and has a couple of nice ski features. First there is a large net pocket on the inside, where you would put your skins on the descent. A nice touch but the first time I used it, I tried to put my second skin on the other side and realised there was only one pocket. OK if you have skinny traditional skins but not enough room for some modern fat skins. The hem drawcord is more than enough to hold your skins in, if you just shove them in without using the pocket and the netting makes a good pocket anyway. There is also a ski pass pocket on the upper left arm, just the right size and totally unobtrusive when empty.
Inside skin net pocket
The Pro Tour jacket has an athletic cut which lends itself well to cycling and running. There is no flapping of the sleeves at speed plus they have velcro adjusting cuffs for those wearing gloves or with thick wrists. 2 large chest pockets are very practical and well clear of any waistbelts or harness when in use. The main zip undoes both ways so the jacket can be used easily for belaying. One distinctive feature that I quite liked was the collar and hood arrangement. The hood is separate to the collar so you can do the zip up to the top without tightening the hood. It seals the jacket more effectively in bad weather and gives you more clear space around the head when the hood is not wanted.
Separate collar and hood
I really liked the features and the cut of the Pro Tour jacket, my only reservation is that it is not quite warm enough. Ironically it could be the fantastic breathability of the Powershield O² fabric which limits the use of the Pro Tour. Conversely if you have found previous softshells to be stiff, spongey or clammy then the Pro Tour could be what you are looking for.
This last shot of the Pro Tour shows we do actually use the products for a while before reviewing them, but is mainly a good photo of me skiing that I have squeezed onto the blog.
Having a tidy up of the site, we have moved this mini review from the product page onto the blog. 3 years old now but the Liskamm pant is still as good as it was, in fact I am still regularly using the same pair now as I was then.
ME Liskamm Pant
I wore the Mountain Equipment Liskamm Pant on my Oberland touring trip spring 2008 and will never tour in another pair of trousers as long as I can get the Liskamm. I found that they kept me warm when the cold wind was blowing on the ridges and at night but were never too hot on the climbs during the day. On the couple of bad weather days I did not feel the need to don my over trousers and the Liskamms seemed to shed the snow no problem. My only wish was that they came with braces rather than an integral belt but that’s just my preference. (Updated now to include brace attachment loops)
The only caveat I would add is that I am a warm person and do not easily feel the cold, if that’s not you then you would probably have the same experience with the G2 Ultimate Mountain Pant rather than the Liskamm. Schoeller fabrics are not cheap but I think that their performance justifies the price.
Having just retested the Ortovox 3+ avalanche transceiver and also taken part in a short transceiver practise session at Glenmore Lodge using the BCA Tracker. I got to thinking about the way I am reviewing avalanche transceivers. All the transceivers I have tested in the last couple of years have worked well and in order to distinguish between them I have focused on small quirks or minor flaws that they may have. I have also placed more or less emphasis on these quirks than other testers according to my personal opinion.
After talking to very active guides and instructors on the subject, who have no brand loyalty at all, I came away with the opinion that ‘It doesn’t really matter at all‘. A number of transceivers from a number of brands have quirks when searching which normally occur at a particular distance from the target, under some orientation combinations. All of these quirks (previously problems) are overcome by continuing to move in the direction you were already going. Analogue transceivers worked by allowing you to compare the signal in one location against another. Digital transceivers work by comparing the signal in one antenna against another. A digital transceiver in the hands of someone who doesn’t stand still can do both. The differences in how transceivers deal with the last few metres of the search is mute when you realise that the most current advice is to change to pin pointing whenever your transceiver shows a distance less than 10m. Sure there is slightly better way of doing it, but if you want to get your training done in 15 minutes, (which is the goal of guides and may also encourage those who do no training at all to do some) then this system works.
The simple truth is that if you wear a transceiver and do 15mins practise with it, you will have a good chance of finding a buried person. You would be better off to spend 2 more hours practising with your transceiver or even better reading about avalanche assessment and avoidance than agonising over which transceiver functions best in a triple burial scenario in a poor plane of alignment. If you have a preference then go with that, if you don’t then take a recommendation but the most important thing is to get one, practise a bit, read a lot and then try to stay out of trouble.
I have had a chance to do some re testing of the Ortovox 3+ and talk to a couple of people about my findings. In my original report, which was quite brief but included the videos, I said
‘The short report is that it’s not bad, has good signal masking but one quirk in search mode which lets it down a bit. The 3+ costs less than the Tracker 2, Mammut Pulse or Pieps DSP but overall I didn’t think offered better value for money.’
I have changed my opinion a bit, more to do with a general shift in my opinion about transceiver use than anything else but also the 3+ performed better than the original test. My new findings are below.
In use the 3+ was pretty much as I remembered it. Easy to search with, a good screen and simple one button layout. The erratic behaviour that I marked it down for in the original test was detectable but much less pronounced than in my original tests. This could be due to a change in transceiver or in location, because I changed both I can’t be sure. I will retest this 2nd transceiver in the original location soon and if the problem is worse again, will find a better testing site. Occasionally the 3+ had to change it’s sensitivity to re-aquire a lost signal around 16m but it was the exception rather than the norm. Also this problem was only really apparent if you stood still as it happened, if you keep moving forward then the problem (which is probably realistic) then the problem corrects itself very quickly. In hindsight I was probably over critical of the 3+ because of this behaviour (which was much worse on the original test) and now think it is a nice transceiver to use. The directional arrows do still change from left to right without settling in the middle even with very small and slow changes in direction, but this is more of an annoyance than a problem of use in the field (more on this later). The distance information did not decrease very evenly, none of the transceivers are perfect on this feature but thought that the 3+ over estimated the distance (by up to a factor of 2) till around the 10m mark then suddenly dropped the distance very quickly.
Ortovox 3+
I thought in the last pinpoint stage of searching that the 3+ graphics were really good and I prefer the lack of directional information in in the last few metres of search. There is a debate on this point but overall I think it’s better to remove the lights to trigger a change in search tactics than to leave them on. The digital masking works well, to unmask a signal you have to exit search mode and then re enter, rather than push a button, but this does keep the one button layout very clean. The unit is a nice slim shape, as is the harness so it’s comfortable and unobtrusive to wear. The only problem I had with it’s physical design was the location of the speaker hole just below the mark button, when holding the transceiver I found that my thumb naturally sat in this position and blocked out the sound, maybe that’s just me.
Overall the Ortovox 3+ is a good transceiver, aimed at the same type of user as the Tracker 2. It offers digital masking which the Tracker 2 does not (this was a concious decision by BCA who think it over complicated the search and is rarely needed) but otherwise is very similar in use. I think that the Tracker 2 does process the information more quickly than the 3+ so is quicker to update itself, but the 3+ offers digital masking and costs just slightly less. Both very good transceivers for recreational skiers.
