Clothing
There is a saying that there is no such thing as an uncomfortable naturalist - just an ill-dressed one. I am a strong believer in the fact that any fool can be uncomfortable, the knack is getting it right. I've been getting it wrong for so long now that I feel I am able to share with you the fruits of my experiences in and under many different kinds of conditions.
Most of my 'uniform' is provided by a company called Mountain Hardwear; not for any particular reason other than it really lives up to it name. It really is hard wearing and, for whatever reason, I have yet to be failed by any of their clothing or camping equipment.
The Canyon Shirt - the toughest shirt in the world?
My love affair with this 'hot weather' shirt started when I could not get hold of the recommended'Rail Runner' for the Marathon de Sable back in 2002 (which we completed dressed in a rubber rhino costume as part of the 'Save the Rhino' team).
In a panic purchase I scanned the shelves of my local outdoor emporium for a shirt that met my requirements.
I needed something lightweight, light in colour, and it had to have collars. You may not be a believer in the 'safari suit look' (being something that has associations with old stuffy gentlemen playing at being ex-pats in Kenyan and Indian hunting lodges), but those collars are essential to keep the sun of the back of your neck. Ventilation and a cool feel were also handy and, above all, it had to be tough enough to take the abrasion of rucksack straps forever being tugged on and off and jiggled up and down.
I found the Canyon shirt sitting meekly on a shelf under its then little known brand name. I had developed a bit of a phobia for buying named things at this point in time as some of the better known high street 'out door' brands were becoming more fashion and far and less about actually performing a function - I had, over the previous year, been seriously let down by dozens of items.
I had no choice and so I purchased the shirt. I remember the price tag being pretty high; more akin to a designer tailored shirt from Saville Row than a garment I was about to give a good thrashing in the desert, but with no choice and the marathon looming I made the purchase.
I have never looked back. Not only did this shirt survive the Marathon but it has been to dozens of countries from the hot and steamy
rainforests of the Amazon and Borneo to the roasting dryness of the Namib desert and the East coast of Madagascar. It was still going strong until last week when it failed to survive a round in my washing machine. This was no fault of the shirt - not being one for reading washing labels, it now has a slight blue cast to it, as I washed it with a pair of indigo jeans!
So what makes this shirt so special? Well, as I've mentioned, it wears well and looks good even after being crumpled up in the bottom of a back pack for days on end. I have even worn it as a smart shirt to an ambassador's function or two and I seemed to get away with it.
The fabric (a nylon/polyester blend) is so light weight and designed to wick that it dries out again in a matter of minutes; particularly useful if you travel light in the tropics, as you do not need to worry about waterproof ponchos and heavy bulky items like that. You can just get wet, knowing that when the rain passes your shirt will dry with your own body heat.
It is also the sort of shirt you can travel wash in the evening and hang it up over night to dry, meaning it is a one shirt shop and you can do away with taking a second spare.
The buttons are rubber, which may seem like a statement to which the only reply is 'so what?', Regular plastic buttons come un-stitched much more easily, are brittle and often snap in the wash.
I am not talking about the sorts of regular western washing here but, as an example, in the Congo my shirt was taken and washed by a local hotel in which I was staying. That day while bird watching by the river I saw the said shirt being washed by being beaten between two rocks by a local woman.
The look of horror on my face was met with a friendly smile and a wave and I politely waved back while anticipating a wrecked rag hanging up in my hotel room when I returned later on. Obviously the shirt was none the worse for wear, otherwise there would be no point at all in mentioning the rubber buttons in the first place!
I mentioned the collar earlier on. This shirt has not just a regular collar, but it actually has an extra flap at the back meaning you can turn it up and it really does provide sun protection for that vulnerable back of the neck.
While on the subject of sun protection, I have been informed that the shirt has a protection value of SPF30. Ventilation panels in both the sides and across the back help keep this shirt feeling cool when things get really hot.
Pockets are very handy in any garment. It has a long deep pocket, with a vertical opening on one side of the chest and while feeling a little vulnerable (it is only fastened shut by a Velcro tab) it has, so far retained anything I've put in it.
It is very handy for passports and travel documents at airports (although still not quite big enough to take those ridiculous boarding passes they give you) and long feathers that you might find on a walk.
The other side of the chest sports the sort of size pocket you might expect on a shirt like this, but this one has a zippered opening and is much more confidence inspiring. Nothing falls out of this one even if you swing upside down from the trees or fall in a river.
I have even found it useful as a small temporary vivarium in the field. You can pop frogs and cockroaches into the pocket as you rummage around for a field guide or notebook. (Here is a tip - dung beetles have too many hard pinching bits and they create a sensation that is quite unpleasant as they feel like they are attempting to burrow through the nipple into your chest cavity - not recommended).
Fleece - Monkey Man Jacket
This is a superb lightweight general purpose fleece and an essential item on every journey for me.
It is not only very warm, but it is also very tactile meaning everyone loves to stroke you in it! This fluffy 'monkey phur' fleece is not only a useful bit of outdoor kit but would also double up well as at least half of a gorilla-gram outfit.
It has a stretchy pocket panel on the chest and the cuffs come in the same fabric to keep out any crafty drafts, while a drawcord around the neck performs a similar function.
I also own a sleeveless, very lightweight, but wind proof - wind stopper tech vest. This micro fleece is handy when you want a little bit of protection around the middle but want your limbs free and flexible for climbing etc.
Perfect when a full fleece would just be a little overkill and it is still too nippy for a string vest.
Pants (in the American sense of the word)
I am on a personal crusade to find the perfect pant and I am sure I am not alone in my requirements here.
What I want is this:
light-weight rip-stop fabric that dries quickly, convertibility for versatility (this basically means zip offs - trousers that can be either long or short, which saves packing both)
some kind of 'drawstring' arrangement on the bottom; stops things crawling up and can help form a seal around the ankle/boot
cargo style pockets, useful for all manner of stuff from notebooks to specimen tubes
but the most important thing is 'real' belt loops for a real belt- because let's face it most of us have various tools, torches, cameras and phones that can only hang from a proper belt and not one of these light weight, integral webbing affairs that seem to be the fashion at the moment.
So because of this my relationship with the beloved Mountain Hardwear has become slightly strained. They do some fine trousers (I use the convertible pack pant) but they all come with this light weight belt and while I understand the idea is to provide a comfortable waist especially if you are carrying a pack - it would still be nice to have that choice!
If anyone thinks they've got what I need I would love to hear from you.
Casual threads for the boat and beach
I purchased a 'T' in a dive shop in New Zealand back in 2003 - it kind of looked cool and was my colour - that in itself is unremarkable.
However a couple of years ago this was still going strong and, if anything, it had become my favourite shirt - which means if you are a bloke you don't wash it quite as much a you should.
So for the sake of others in my life I thought I would see if I could get another one. Looking at the label I realised that the company who made it was a purveyor of fine and funky threads for the dive community and, what was even better, they were based just down the road from me in Cornwall.
I now have a wardrobe of these quality hard working 'T's' with their fab designs. Check out the Seven Tenths website.
Things for your feet
My partner calls me the Imelda Marcos of outdoor shoes! She does not seem to understand the need for shoes that actually do the job. Having said that, although I have an accumulation of specialist shoes, I have a few favourites that get used for the majority of the time.
Daisy Roots - I am a great hater of 'wellies'. These rubber abominations are practical to just slip on and off by the backdoor but, please, climbing trees, hot weather and the continuous risk of getting a boot full are all very good reasons not to bother if you ask me.
So I favour the lightweight walking boot. With so many out there to choose from I am pleased to say the days of buying a handmade and heavy pair of boots are over (as is the daily routine of smearing dubbing on the uppers after every use to avoid fissures opening up or the ritual of 'breaking in' which would involves sometimes months of blisters and chafing).
My favourite, and a design to which I have been loyal for over 15 years, is the Karrimor KSB range of lightweight boots. (I like the fact that it is one the few pairs of boots available in all black!)
The Vibram sole outlasts the boot and even without any maintenance other than a scrub with a nail brush, from time to time, and a re-spray of water repellent coating, mine just seem to go on and on.
The waterproof yet breathable fabric on all these sorts of boots does not seem to work for very long, usually dissolving and breaking down long before the life of the boot itself is over. But this is not a problem in itself. (If only they didn't have it in the first place and charge us accordingly for what is in effect a rather useless feature in the long run).
These boots fit so well that even after submersion in a river crossing or the like, they carry on being comfortable. The water, over time, just squeezes out of the fabric. The only time this would be an issue is when the ambient temperature is close to freezing, in which case I simply use a pair of waterproof socks, such as Seals, worn over a thinner pair of walking socks.
Keens - the perfect rock pool and boat 'sandal-shoe'
Anyone having spent a day or so on board a boat will be familiar with the excruciating experience that is stubbing a toe. It goes together with boat life like sharks go with teeth.
Now on a boat you want something comfy, that grips in the wet and breathes and drains well. In short something that gives you grip and is up for a bit of a dunking! Well the humble flip-flop is out - just too slippery.
I have a pair of Chacos which are effectively a Vibram sole strapped to the bottom of your foot - these are fab but the old tootsies are still exposed for a good pummelling. I have used various 'deck' type shoes but these look a bit too 'yachty' or have fallen to pieces quickly.
I discovered a then quirky and little known shoe-sandal made by an American company called KEEN and I have not looked back. The biggest plus for nearly all of their range are the standard rubber 'toe-tectors', even present on their 'flip-flop' style models. This immediately eliminates the bloody big toe. The sandals come in a range of various strapping patterns which boils down to personal preference. But just for the record - I've given them a real pasting for the last three years and I have absolutely no quarrels with them at all.
My partner Ceri, who is not as easily impressed as me, got a pair as comfortable, easy to pull on, summer shoes when she was pregnant with our daughter - she loves 'em.
Eye Class
I had, for years, worn the fairly indestructible eye wear provided by a well known American company that begins with an 'O' - you know who I mean.
You see, in my early years as a competitive cyclist, the best and only real choice on the market was a big pair of shades that hid your face and sealed your eyes from the dust. These worked great on the bike but looked wrong on the street unless looking like Jeff Goldblum in mid transition into the Fly or scaring the crap out of small children is your cup of tea.
Then they started to make cool surfy looking goggles and then they lost it. The sacrifice of quality for fashion occurred. They looked good but fell to pieces, broke or scratched no matter the companies claim that they offered thermonuclear protection!
It was while taking part in a photo shoot for a National Geographic outdoor catalogue that I put on a pair of Rudy Project shades that we were modeling and, well to cut a long story short, I nicked them.
They are brilliant and very simple shades. They have a huge range of different models to choose from and so, as with most eye wear manufacturers these days, there are some hilarious looking designs that I'm sure Elton John would be comfortable in.
But for me the quality, visual clarity and long lasting ability of these glasses won me over. I still have the original pair - and despite many times being crushed, dropped, shot across the dashboard and trodden on they are still usable, albeit a little chipped and gouged. That is after at least 5 years of fairly rough and tough usage on the road with a travelling naturalist and of course the attentions of a 14 month old baby!
I have just taken delivery of a new pair of 'Rudys' and they look and feel lovely.
