This article describes ten of my favourite items of gear, in no particular order. I trust these items implicitely and would recommend them to anyone without hesitation--but they do have their limitations, and can't perform miracles!

As boots go, the Brasher Hillmaster Classic is, well, a classic. Still among the most (if not the most) popular boots in Britain, the Hillmasters have been made for many years, and the subsequent alterations to the basic design have only made them better. I bought a pair in February 2005 in preparation for the May trek. Comfortable right out of the box, waterproof, and with a low-cut ankle that makes walking in them a delight, I was impressed with the Hillmasters from day one.

They don't feel quite like any other kind of boot. Apparently Brasher modelled their original hiking boots on running shoes, aiming for the same level of comfort while still retaining a stiff and supportive upper necessary for hillwalking. The Hillmasters have it spot-on. I've walked many hundreds of miles in these boots, and they've taken quite a beating, but they're the most comfortable footwear I've ever owned.

If you've been having problems with blisters due to ill-fitting boots, or maybe if your feet just aren't Scarpa (or whatever)-shaped, Brasher boots might be well worth a look.

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Up until about the end of 2003, I wasn't a big fan of GPS. After many years in the Cubs and Scouts, I could navigate so well it was second nature: why bother with a complex electronic instrument when you can use a compass, I thought? Playing around with my dad's GPS 12XL changed my mind, though, and that Christmas Santa left an eTrex in my stocking.

In lowland walks around coastal Suffolk, I use the eTrex for keeping track of my mileage and average speed: these are the two functions I use most on "ordinary" walks. But in the mountains, it takes on a whole new meaning. One should never rely on a GPS entirely, but I must admit that my compass skills aren't quite what they used to be. The eTrex has saved me from ending up in Eskdale after taking a wrong turn at Esk Hause twice now. I also managed to navigate off Bowfell's North Ridge in a complete white-out. The eTrex really is a lifesaver!

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I've had many unhappy experiences with cheap tents, mostly in the form of broken fibreglass poles. Before leaving for the Lakes in May 2005, I bought myself a "proper" backpacking tent, the newly-introduced Particle 13. I love this tent. It's lightweight at only 1.88 kilos (excluding my rock pegs and tent footprint), deflects gailforce winds if properly pitched, and has a great porch. The kite-shaped groundsheet is also just right for accomodating one person plus gear.

The only real drawback is that the groundsheet is too thin, and sometimes lets in damp. I get around this by using a fitted "footprint" of PU-coated Nylon, which significantly improves waterproofness. Something else to carry, sure, but I've become used to the Particle's little imperfections by now.

This tent has camped at Coniston, Langdale (twice), Wasdale Head, and Gwern Gof Uchaf in Wales. It's become my favourite item of gear. Strangely, I have never seen anyone else with this model of tent, and I think that's the reason why I tend to see it as my "trademark" ... the Particle's more like a personal belonging than just another lump of equipment to carry. I can't imagine camping in anything else!

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Polartec's PowerDry fabric has magical properties. This T-shirt, which I'm wearing right now, was purchased in Coniston the afternoon before my very first full mountain day. I have worn it on every single day on the hill since then (plus many, many others). It has suffered as no garment was meant to suffer, and yet it never gets overwhelmed by any amount of sweat or heat, never smells, and dries with miraculous speed.

I've tried a couple of different types of baselayer, plus of course the nasty generic cotton T-shirt, but this one is the best I've ever seen. I think it's the two-layer fabric that does it: it works kind of like Gore-Tex, only much, much better.

Unfortunately, the only place that stocks this thing seems to be the store in Coniston, and I've been trying to get hold of another one for months now!

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This is a relatively recent addition to my kit, and so far it's only been through three days in the mountains, but already I wouldn't be without it. The size is just right, but if there's not much in it, the volume can be reduced thanks to the compression straps. It has water-bottle pockets: a feature that seems to be vanishing from the rucksack world. It has a comfortable strap system. But best of all, it has a massive top pocket (literally, about 6 litres in capacity), with a separate mesh pocket complete with keyring hook. At last, a solution to the age-old problem of where to safely keep my keys!

The reflective straps really do the business for night-hiking, and of course with that logo this rucksack looks the part, too. Plus the grey and blue colour scheme is definitely "me".

My brother thinks his Berghaus rucksack is better, but he has yet to see the light.

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As far as stoves go, I've relied on a battered old Esbit solid-fuel stove for more years than I can count. Recently I added a Trangia Mini, which is what I used until October 2005. The Trangia is great, but it does cook slowly, and it can be hard to get going in low temperatures. So, in anticipation of colder weather to come, I shelled out for MSR's Pocket Rocket. I still kept the pan from the Trangia Mini, because it's just the right size and of very high quality.

The Rocket proved itself by boiling a pan full of water in four minutes flat ... the Trangia would have taken ten. It was unnerving, the first time I fired the Rocket up, seeing an eight-inch jet of blue flame roaring like a jet engine. In fact, this new stove is so good that it takes the fun out of mealtimes. I used to look forward to a quick doze whilst the Trangia slowly brought itself up to speed. But with the Rocket, there's no time for dawdling: before you know it, your food's done and welded to the bottom of the pan.

The trick is to make good use of the Rocket's excellent flame control, and to keep watching your dinner as it cooks!

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Recently I've been doing a lot of night-hiking, and that would have been a lot less fun without a decent headtorch. The Tikka has everything you need for close work: a comfortable headband, an easy to use switch, and a good spread of white light out to about thirty feet. The battery lasts ages: at least a full day of maximum output, and about a hundred hours at progressively lower light levels.

The Tikka was the very first LED headtorch, and for basic requirements it's probably still the best.

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Another item purchased in Coniston, my Sigg has become a minor legend in certain circles. Adorned by the battle scars of many ascents, this once entirely blue bottle now has several generous splashes of raw metal in its colour scheme. The first few dents occurred during the May trek. The biggest one happened when I dropped it on a rock in Cwm Lloer (on a scorching afternoon, if I recall). Two more big'uns were sustained during a wet and scary scramble on Bowfell in October.

As water bottles go, the Sigg is the best, has always been, and always will be. Bottle, deadly weapon and conversation-starter all in one convenient package: what more could you want?

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My old waterproof jacket, purchased with many other tried and trusted items at Coniston in May, had become unacceptably worn out due to heavy use sometime in September (it was only a lightweight). I decided to replace it with a slightly more robust model suitable for winter mountaineering, so I bought the Makalu.

Gore-Tex itself has its limitations, but this jacket is superb. The hood is the best I have ever seen, the cut is just right, the pockets are in a sensible place (the chest) for a change, and it has adjustable cuffs. I love the soft feel of the fabric: such a relief from the plastic-like clamminess of HyVent.

This jacket will really come into its own in winter conditions. I'm almost looking forward to bad weather now!

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I live in this fleece in cold conditions. The 100-weight microfleece keeps you warm yet packs down astonishingly small: when both rolled up, the Berghaus occupies half the volume of my Lowe Alpine thick fleece. It's also quick-drying, doesn't show dirt, and has a high collar to protect the neck.

In winter conditions, this fleece can be used as a layering piece beneath a waterproof, or in really cold conditions, beneath a down jacket. It's also just right for wearing in the sleeping bag when the chill starts to bite.

All the pieces of Berghaus clothing I own are superb, but this is one of the very best.

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