Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
May is National Walking month and we’re trying to go for a walk every day, some days it’s just a quick walk after work but at the weekends we are heading further afield and enjoying longer walks in the beautiful countryside.
On our longer walks we always carry a flask of tea or coffee, in winter it’s just what you need to warm you up and there’s nothing better than sitting in the middle of nowhere enjoying a breathtaking view with a brew in your hand.
In the past we’ve just taken a couple of plastic mugs but the arrival of the Field Trip 10oz Field Cup set has certainly upped our game. The double walled stainless steel cups are available in stacks of 4 or 5 and come in a very practical 6oz waxed cotton bag which is hand finished with a stainless steel cord slider.
The insulation is just right for a quick hot drink or even a more leisurely coffee and most importantly they are really comfortable to hold, unlike the old fashioned metal cups that burnt your hands and lips – most hikers have had at least one bad experience with that style of cup! At 10oz the cup is a good size and is the equivalent to a normal mug that you use at home.
The metal doesn’t hold onto flavours so it can be used for any drink without the flavours being tainted and can also be used as a handy bowl for soup or porridge when camping. The cups are solid, durable, well-made, and a pleasure to drink out of and as they can be stacked in the purpose made bag, they don’t take up much space making them easy to throw in the rucksack or car so we can enjoy a nice brew when we’re out on our adventures.
We generally only take 2 cups with us so we have found the waxed cotton bag is a great place to store biscuits to enjoy with our brew!
At £59.95 for the 4 cup stack and £67.95 for the 5 cup stack they’re certainly not the cheapest set of cups around but they are made to last and I guarantee you’ll be using these cups for many years to come.
Disclaimer: We received these books for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
May is National Walking Month and is the perfect opportunity to get outdoors and explore our beautiful countryside. If you’re new to walking or just on holiday, then a guide book is a great way to discover the best routes in the area. The AA have recently launched a new series of walking books covering some of the most beautiful areas of England, each featuring 50 walks to suit all abilities. The walks are numbered and it is easy to see their locations on the handy map at the start of the book. As well as being numbered they are also colour coded according to the difficulty of the walk – easy (green), intermediate(orange) and hard (red).
Each walk has information about the distance, time, gradient, type of surface and accessibility, landscape, dog friendliness, parking, and public toilets as well as the OS map that covers the area. They also give useful information about the area, a little of the history of the area and things to look out for. There is a map of each walk with the route clearly highlighted making it easy to follow the written instructions. As the guide is meant to be taken out on a walk with you it fits perfectly in a map pocket or rucksack, making it easily accessible when walking.
There are two books covering Yorkshire and there is a great selection of walks in them, some we already know like Malham, Pen-y-Ghent and Grassington and lots for us to discover over the coming months.
Whether you want to explore country lanes, the coast or the fells these handy guides offer plenty of walks for novices and experienced walkers alike.
The new 50 Walks In guides are £13.99 and feature Devon, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire and Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, North Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
30 years ago, I bought a lightweight hike tent, a Phoenix Phreak. I’ve looked after it and it’s still in great condition but when I used it earlier this year, I noticed that the water was not shedding from the surface like it should. Camping with a soaking wet tent is no fun at all and whilst the tent is old there’s plenty of life left in it – all it needed was a spot of TLC in the form of the Tent Care Kit from Fabsil.
As the tent was a bit grubby, I first used the Tent and Gear Cleaner in a bucket of water to give it a good clean. Simply mix it up, rub the fabric with a sponge and wash off.
Once dry, I moved onto the waterproofing. This needs 6 hours to dry and with the weather as it is at the moment, I decided to pitch the tent in the Scout Hut. Reading the instructions, it seemed quite simple, pitch the tent then brush or spray onto the fabric, following on with a clean cloth to wipe it down. I set to with a 4” paintbrush and starting at the front, worked around the tent. The liquid went on really easily, the instructions warn about maintaining a wet edge, but this was not a problem. 10 minutes later I was done.
I left the tent pitched overnight and brought it home the next morning. I couldn’t help but pitch it in the garden to see if it had worked. I didn’t have to wait long for some rain and was really pleased at the difference it had made. Instead of water soaking into the fabric, it now beads and runs off.
This paint-on liquid replicates the original water-repellent finish found on all kinds of outdoor gear and equipment and guarantees to keep you dry even in the wettest conditions. As well as waterproofing it also adds UV protection so if we do ever see the sun again this summer I know my tent is protected from the elements.
With no end to the rain in sight I’m now ready for my next adventure knowing that my tent will keep me dry.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Edifier are known for their high quality speakers, I already own a couple of their products and like them so was pleased to be asked to try the MP100 bluetooth speaker which Edifier suggests is a “great outdoor companion”.
With a rugged waterproof construction the MP100 is ideal for use outside. It is covered in a dust proof fabric and has an IPX7 rating which means the speaker can be 1 metre underwater for 30 minutes without getting damaged – so there isn’t the same urgency to put it somewhere dry when it starts raining – as often happens in this country!
It is available in a choice of three colours, Forest Green, Lake Green and Black and has a single button to control calls. There is a large loop which can be used to hang the speaker up and I found it to be quite easy to hold whilst wearing gloves. It isn’t a small device, it has a 95mm diameter and is 50mm thick, and with a weight of 185g it weighs around the same as a mobile phone. On the bottom of the speaker is a circular rubber base which helps keep the speaker from sliding around on whatever surface it is put on. The USB-C charging port, which is covered with a small rubber flap, is on the bottom half of the speaker along with the control buttons.
Setting up the speaker is easy, turn it on by pressing the power button for a few seconds, until the blue light comes on, then search for Edifier MP100 Plus in the Bluetooth settings of your device. The speaker makes an audible sound when connected and then you can use it to listen to music/audio from your device.
Built around a 5W 43mm full-range speaker the sound is great and with a claimed battery life of 9 hours is good for a whole day in the great outdoors. Now, I have to say that I’m no fan of people who play music whilst out hiking – I much prefer the peace and quiet – but for other outdoor activities, like camping or a day at the beach, it would be great. I spend a lot of time in the garden and enjoy listening to music or podcasts whilst I’m working and in the past have worried about damaging my speaker – with the Edifier MP100 Plus I no longer need to worry, I just hang it up, relax and enjoy!
Should you wish to use it for calls it has a built-in microphone and I found the sound was very clear, with noise suppression to remove unwanted background noise.
So whether you are camping, caravanning, relaxing in the garden or hitting the beach this summer make sure you have the Edifier MP100 Plus in your bag.
Disclaimer – We received this item for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Now that summer is upon us, and the last 2 years of lockdown are gone, we can begin to enjoy the company of others. Some of us may not want to get away this year, but with Bramblecrest sofa sets, it will feel like you’re on holiday!
The UK company Bramblecrest is based in the Cotswolds and pride themselves on high quality garden items. Started 22 years ago by two friends, they have continued to increase their range, and still design enviable furniture. We were sent the gorgeous rattan Kingscote Sofa Set to review – an 8-seater ceramic topped garden table with corner sofa and two benches which can easily seat up to 10 people. The pièce de résistance in this set is the table top firepit to heat you whilst outdoors, or even use as a BBQ!
The set arrives in pieces but is assembled on delivery by the installation team. The whole set is made of high quality rattan and comes is two colours, Nutmeg and Cloud. Our set is Cloud with Eco-Charcoal fabric cushions, which are included in the price of the set. The table is assembled with a drawer to one side which is where the gas cylinder is placed and connected for the firepit to work. The table top is made of large ceramic tiles (very weather durable!) with the firepit covered by another tile until you are ready to light it. A glass fire surround is also assembled for you which is for safety, but also adds a beautiful reflection to the fire when it gets dark.
The firepit comes with coals which need assembling before it’s lit. It doesn’t take long to arrange them around the gas ring, which is hidden by the mound of coals. You will need to source a 5kg Propane gas cylinder in order for the firepit to work, details of which are in the instructions. This will require a contract if you don’t already have one, and the purchase of the gas. The table is still perfectly useable without the propane though, and the protective cover still allows you enjoy the table. The gas is switched on from the control on the side, so there’s no lighting matches!
Fire Pit controlCeramic Table Top and Fire Pit
The whole set measure approximately 290cm by 290cms which includes two benches. The benches can be moved around easily because they’re light weight, so if you are snug on space you can still accommodate as many people but perhaps with a different configuration. Each bench is 110cm long and can hold up to 3 people although 2 people per bench is probably more comfortable for eating.
The corner sofa is assembled to a width of 290cm. As this is the largest part of the set, you’ll need to measure at least this amount to know if the sofa will be able to fit into your space. The sofas are very, very comfortable. Just sitting on them shortly after they were assembled I could feel the quality from the depth of the seat, the height of the backrest and the cushions- oh the cushions! They are made of a weather resistant material so can stay outside, but there is something about the material and the filling that makes them all warm and cosy. I think the material absorbs the sunlight heat which makes them more comfortable and along with the deep base of the seat, it makes them so relaxing. Even better, they’re made with recycled plastic bottles!
Even after being outside in the rain, the rattan and the fabric dried quickly. I was worried about the fire pit getting wet but it was designed with rain in mind, so there is a drain underneath and the drawer with the cylinder means water just runs straight through. There was no puddling of water anywhere which would warrant needing a clean. However, if you prefer to keep your outdoor furniture in good shape all year, Bramblecrest also sell a bespoke seat cover set which is extremely sturdy. When the rains came over and we were expecting a storm, I put the covers on expecting them to be one-size-fits-all but these covers are made exactly for the Bramblecrest sofa sets, machine stitched with ties incorporated so that you can fit them tight around the furniture in the worst of the weather.
Bramblecrest’s All Weather Seat Covers
After more than a week of the sofa set being installed, it has changed the dynamics of our family sitting outside. The weather proof covers mean that we can sit outside at any time, and the quick drying fabric cushions mean that the sun dries up any dampness they may hold. The addition of the firepit over the summer will mean that we can keep warmer as the nights become cooler, and have the added benefit of the grill to keep any food warm, allowing us to eat outside for longer into the autumn.
The best part of the Bramblecrest Kingscote Sofa Set? The feeling of being on holiday when you can’t be… the instant Mediterranean feeling of the laid-back sofa lifestyle, with the open fire and comfort of the cosy cushions beats the British plastic chairs any day.
The Review Studio 