Glide Soul Wetsuit Review

With the ski season coming to the end I needed to find a new way to keep fit throughout the summer. Working at Tallington Lakes gave me the perfect opportunity to swap two skis on snow covered mountains (or Dendix) for one ski behind a boat on the water.

Glide Soul Wetsuit

The water is sill a bit nippy, this time of year, so I took the opportunity to try out a women’s wetsuit, from a  new brand to the Pro Shop,  Glide Soul. Having not heard of this brand before I didn’t know what to expect, and the colour wasn’t exactly to my liking either, so I was a little apprehensive. However once I got it on I was impressed. It was easy to put on and take off and the quality neoprene felt great too – very stretchy! I usually struggle with how tight they feel around my neck, as it makes me feel very uncomfortable, but I didn’t feel restricted in this at all! The seams are glued and blind-stitched, as you would expect from a quality wetsuit; which did not hinder movement either as I attempted to run the course. The Supratex knees feel great and give remarkable flexibility especially when you’re curled up in the water-start position.

female water skier in the water
The Supratex knees feel great and give remarkable flexibility especially when you’re curled up in the water-start position.

As I feel the cold quite a lot, and like to stay warm, I will wear this 3mm wetsuit throughout the whole summer.  So even though the colour is a bit ‘loud’ for me the performance of this wetsuit is fantastic. So don’t let the colour, of this women’s wetsuit,  put you off because the performance itself is actually quite flattering; and we’ve got plenty of other Glide Soul colour-ways to choose from in store!

Lottie (Chief Instructor)

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Brixton All-Terrain Transport 20 Cargo Shorts Review

Tallington Lakes is pleased to announce the arrival of Brixton clothing to the Pro Shop. A collaboration of three friends; Brixton clothing has a ‘clean, classic design’ with a ‘modern yet timeless feel’. What attracted us was their All-Terrain Collection: clothing built for adventure on land and on water!

All-Terrain Transport 20 Cargo Shorts

One such ‘All-Terrain’ item is the Brixton Transport 20 Cargo Shorts. The shorts are made from 4.5 oz ripstop nylon (98%) and elastane (2%); and have a water-repellent coating. The cut is an athletic fit with a straight leg of 20”, and adjustable waistband. There are some nice features, and additions, which make these shorts stand out. A good number of pockets, which are zipped, is very practical; and they have even included a small ‘pocket size’ dry-bag to keep your wallet dry – however I’d be tempted just to have few notes and coins rather than a bulky wallet. Another nice addition is the ‘knot book’ (a handy, roped together,  collection of cards). This simple practical guide takes you back to your scouting days; and makes you hunt out a piece of rope and practice figure-of-eights, clove hitches and more!

knot book cards
Brixton Knot Book. This simple practical guide takes you back to your scouting days; and makes you hunt out a piece of rope and practice figure-of-eights, clove hitches and more!

So it seemed appropriate to review the Transporter shorts whilst rock climbing; to see how ‘all-terrain’ they are!

First impressions, when you put them on, are ‘very comfortable’; partly thanks to the elastane but also the cut. The reinforced seat reiterates you are going to be active; so once the climbing harness, helmet and other equipment was on, I was ready to ascend the gritstone crag. Still comfortable under the harness; the shorts allowed unrestricted movement. The lightweight material keeps you cool, even when things get tricky on the tense crux of the climb. What goes up must come down; and the shorts were equally comfortable during the abseil!

abseilling
What goes up must come down; and the shorts were equally comfortable during the abseil!

Comfortable and unrestrictive the Transporter 20 shorts performed well on the gritty rock face; and I believe they will perform just as well behind the wheel of a speeding wakeboard boat, or leisurely paddling a stand-up-paddleboard. So are they All-Terrain, yes they are, both on land and on water!

Check out the Brixton clothing range at Tallington Lakes Pro Shop here.

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Black Diamond Mission Shell Jacket and Sharp End Pant Review

The few that have kept skiing, even when the lifts have stop turning to ‘earn their turns’, spring has been a quick and warm few months!  The ski season is well and truly over with the last of the spring snow gone; and now the skis are serviced and the batteries are removed from our trackers it’s time to reflect. Here are my thoughts on Black Diamond’s Mission Shell Jacket and Sharp End Pant

Coming into this year’s ski season I was super keen to increase the hours I spent touring; so a nice lightweight breathable outer shell setup was going to be a must. However, moving to Vail Colorado, one of the world’s largest ski resorts, with ‘day in day out use’; protection from the elements and durability where going to be a key factor.

I have not personally used any of the extensive clothing range from Black Diamond, but I am familiar with their climbing gear. And I was confident that their commitment to producing excellent climbing hardware would be transferred to their clothing; so I decided to try the Mission Shell snow jacket and Sharpe End snow pants.

Being almost 6ft 4in tall I often find that technical apparel never quite fits right; having to wear larger sizes to accommodate for the extra length, but then finding it way too baggy everywhere else. With Black Diamond I settled on ‘large’ for both pant and jacket, although I could have been a medium in the pants. The large pant gave an extra 2.5cm inseam, and with the integrated belt system tightening up the waist, the large was the better fit. The large jacket was a great fit right from the start, with the under arm gussets giving a great range of movement. The super adjustable cuffs, powder skirt, and Cohaesive cord-lock technology hood all contributed to sealing up the jacket from the elements. Full Gore-Tex construction gave both the jacket and pant excellent waterproofness and breathability, needed to keep the metres of powder snow at bay and disperse all the heat from those warm spring days or sweaty mid winter ‘pushing-the-envelope’ moments!

skier on mountain slope
Full Gore-Tex construction gave both the jacket and pant excellent waterproofness and breathability, needed to keep the meters of powder snow at bay and disperse all the heat from those warm spring days or sweaty mid winter ‘pushing-the-envelope’ moments!

After six months of clattering through tree runs, being stuffed in a bag, ploughed through countless feet of snow, and some rain, this setup has proven its worth many times over. And still now, all be it not smelling quite as fresh, it looks as good as it did when it came out of the packaging.

So if you’re looking to progress into the off-piste and earn your turns, ski groomers all day, or go get buried waist deep and send powder shots overhead this Black Diamond Mission Shell jacket and Sharpe End pant combo will keep you dry and warm on the way down; and well vented and breathable on the way up. From freezing chair lift rides, to climbing across cornices, it’s great to have 100% belief in the kit you’re using – and Black Diamond didn’t disappoint. And not having the extra worry of being too cold or too warm; you can just focus on the objective in front of you.

Looking out for Black Diamond clothing coming to the Pro Shop this winter season 18-19.

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