Bags for Free Postage Scheme

Want to save on postal fees when returning goods for refund or exchange whilst helping the environment?

Over the last few months, at Rock + Run, we have been discussing and chewing over various ways of recycling/reusing plastic packaging. As you can imagine being entirely mail order based we go through a fair amount.

We have, for some time, been reusing the packaging which we receive from our suppliers, in the shape of bubble wrap and larger foam packaging with which we protect your more fragile orders; we also strip down cardboard boxes for use in packaging books. Whilst this does help to reduce our waste output we are still unable to get “green” when comes to the mainstay of our external packaging.

Currently we purchase a series of small to medium sized plastic parceling bags for the majority of our orders dispatched via Royal Mail. After numerous discussions and trials we have discovered that we can more than satisfactorily pack your goods using standard supermarket carrier bags (30x40cm) if we double bag (minimum) and well tape each order.

Packaging Process Using Re-Used Bags (click image for larger version)


Despite the current trend toward reusing carrier bags (or purchasing “bags for life”) when visiting the supermarket, anyone who visits their local Asda, Sainsbury’s or Tesco will realize that there are still 1000’s of new carrier bags being used each day. On realizing this we thought that if these bags could be obtained in reasonable numbers we would not only be able to re-use but also reduce the need for more new bags into the system.

Of course whilst everyone wants to do their bit for the environment a little incentive always helps to get people moving in the right direction. As such we are going to trial a scheme by which our customers can save money on goods exchanges, in the form of free postage. Here’s how the scheme will work…

Scheme Details
The need for returning goods (for an alternate size etc.) is common when it comes to online purchase. Because of this an obvious incentive for the customer is to receive free or discounted return postage (for the exchanged item) or alternatively, in the case of a return for a straight refund, have their original postal fee refunded.

If you wish to take advantage of this please return any (unused) goods as normal including 12 or 25 standard sized (roughly 30x40cm) carrier bags in the package. For security reasons the bags must be at least partially opaque (as shown in the image on the right). If you send us 12 bags we will automatically credit you for half your postal costs (£1.98) and if you send us 25 bags we will automatically refund your entire postal fee (£3.95). Please do not send us more than 25 bags as we are unable to credit more than the £3.95 offered.

If our initial scheme is successful in terms of take-up and practicality we will look to instigate a secondary scheme where the customer can receive discount from their product purchases.

If you have any queries don't hesitate to email or call us:
Email: info@rockrun.com
Phone: 015395 64540

X-File #2: Tasmania - Freycinet Peninsula

Area & Style of Climbing
Freycinet Peninsula - Sport and Traditional Climbing

Location
Tasmania, East Coast

Overview
The Freycinet Peninsula is the majority land mass of the Freycinet National Park, which also includes the much smaller Schouten Island, on the eastern coast of Tasmania. The climbing centres around a series of granite batholiths and sea cliffs which give one of the nicest climbing areas on the planet, harboring the fairly secret sport crag of the ‘Star Factory’ and the mid grade trad venue of White Water Wall.

Best Time to Go & Conditions
The area is good all year round, but spring, summer and autumn (September through to May) are your best bets for pleasant climbing conditions. There is always somewhere shady to climb and the locality of the sea and pristine beaches means that if it’s too hot to climb then the day can be better spent remembering why you’re on holiday in the first place. If you’re a hardcore sport climber then primo mid-summer conditions come after 2pm, so you can guiltlessly lie in. That said if you're after the best nick then it may be best to visit in winter, when crisp sunny days with plenty of breeze offer the best possible conditions. Rainfall for the area is below 50mm per month year round so it is unlikely to be an issue; the west coast of Tasmania is a different story altogether.

The Average Man on Astro Boy F8a+



Getting There
Flights to Australia range from £550 to £750 depending on who you go with and the season, Quantas and British Airways are good places to start. Generally it's best to fly to Melbourne and catch the ferry to Davenport (£35ish) or catch a connecting Virgin Blue flight to Hobart (again £35ish) and hire a car (From £130/$270 per week).

Accessibility
Due to Tasmania's small population (half of which lives in the vicinity of Hobart) public transport links to Freycinet are not great, so as pointed out above a hire car is pretty essential. The drive is about 2 hours from Davenport and 2.5 from Hobart. The roads are always quiet, however hitching can be an option as people are actually pretty friendly in Tassie. The A3 road leads to the C302 then look out for signs to Coles Bay.

Accommodation & Provisions
There is a range of accommodation in the area, White Water Wall has its own basic campsite, this is where most climbers stay. The author just slept on the beach as it was so nice, however this probably isn’t possible throughout the holiday season as the rangers may move you on. The area boasts some outstanding hotels too, if your flush enough. There is even a harbor for yachts which marine lovers can charter in Hobart.

The Hazards


Guide Book/s
A general guide for the whole of the Freycinet Peninsula, covering most the areas sufficiently, can be found here - Freycinet Peninsula Online Guides
The same site offers a number of similar guides to the rest of Tassie - Tasmanian Online Guides
Some of the most extensive areas have been converted in to PDF's, including the best topo to the Star Factory created by those in the know - Tasmania PDF Guides
*Note: If anything the stars on these guides are an understatement
There is an actual guidebook to the area - Freycinet Peninsula, A Climber's Guide. Published by the University of Tasmania Climbing Club and the Climbers Club of Tasmania 1995. Although this may be out of print?

Grade Spread & Recommended Routes
The Star Factory at present has only 56 routes and really you need to be climbing at least F7a to get the most out of it.
The Whitewater Wall (Coastal crags) area has 100's of routes which are magnificent however mainly in the easy to mid grades - up to F7a.
Pick of routes at "The Factory" would be Anti Matter F7a, Power to the Percolator F7c+, Simply the Best F7c+, Astroboy F8a+ and The Wizard of Oz F8b+.
At White Water Wall, for me, the stand out routes are No Turn Unstoned F5+ and Baystone Blues F4+.

Gary 'Tassiebrummie' Phillips on Simply the Best F7c+


General Tip/s
If you decide to free-camp in the exquisite public toilet facilities then be aware that they are cleaned at 5 in the morning every day.

Coles Bay has a sumptuous bakery which is more than happy to take your Aussie dollars, it also has some excellent restaurants, more general supplies can be got in Swansea.

If you're camping be aware of possums getting in your food, they may look cute but they are Satan's minions show them no mercy!

White Water Wall


Useful Links
Flights: ebookers.com
Car Hire: carrentals.co.uk
General Aussie news and possibilities of getting a climbing partner: chockstone.org
Tassie’s best climbing website: thesarvo.com

This X-File was authored by 'The Average Man' [pseudonym]

The X-Files

As part of our ongoing effort to bring our customers useful articles, reviews and general interest content we have instigated a new feature which we will be developing and expanding over the coming weeks and months – The X-Files.

These mini articles will centre on giving you valuable information on climbing (Alpine, Bouldering, Ice, Sport and Trad) destinations worldwide. They will give a concentrated document, based on a specific formula, eventually offering an easily comparable database to destinations across the globe.

The formula of each X-File will consist of the following invaluable information for when planning a trip:

* Area & Style of Climbing
* Location
* Best Time To Go & Conditions
* Getting There
* Accessibility
* Accommodation & Provisions
* Guide Book/s
* Grade Spread & Recommended Routes
* General Tips
* Useful Links

For an idea of what this will offer you feel free to check out our pilot file:
X-File #1: Kjugekull Bouldering


Obviously these bullet point style mini articles do not offer quite the same depth as a full blown article and the “X-Files” are in no way intended to replace our more in-depth offerings, but are foreseen as a concise, useful and more easily comparable addition to our ever increasing content.

X-File #1: Kjugekull Bouldering

Area & Style of Climbing
Kjugekull - Bouldering

Location
Sweden, South East (Europe)



Overview
A superbly picturesque granite bouldering area, featuring many fantastic fontainebleau-esque blocs and traverses (over 800 problems) on often huge glacially worn granite boulders. The area is situated in a deciduous wood, and in some parts overflows in to meadows and some hillside settings.

Best Time To Go & Conditions
The best conditions generally occur from late October through to March. It is possible to climb throughout the year, although the Spring, Summer and even Autumn can be pretty warm. The maximum rainfall occurs in late summer, and the minimum in early spring. The boulders dry quickly after rain, especially those in the meadows.


Getting There
The cheapest option is to fly from Stanstead to Copenhagen via easyjet.com, prices range from £50 return upwards. The nearest airport to the climbing is actually Malmo (Sweden), although, at the time of writing, none of the low budget airlines flies here.

Accessibility
The climbing is situated approximately 2.5 hours (by car) from Copenhagen (Denmark) airport so you will need a vehicle. Once at the campsite the majority of the climbing is only a 10 minute drive away.

Accommodation & Provisions
Ivö Camping is located on Ivön island, a few miles northeast of Kjugekull in the Ivösjön. The camping is roughly 100Skr per night (£8.50), alternatively you can rent a 4 bed cabin for 295Skr per night (£25). The main office opens from 10am-6pm all year round, and has a small shop containing a basic range of food and drinks. For a greater selection of products there are a number of larger supermarkets on the outskirts of Kristianstad, around 20km (15mins) away. As the camping is on an island there is a small car ferry to access it, this is free and operates pretty much 24:7.


Guide Book/s
Title: Kjugekull Med Mera / Price: €44.50 (Currently unavailable in the UK)

Grade Spread
Over 800 problems from Font3 to Font8a+, with best problems being in the mid-grades. A few of my favorite problems included, Moby Dick 7b+ (see image below), Sonic (7b+), Survivaldildo (6a+), Coluseeum (6c+), Mojo (7a+), and Monolith (7a+).


Useful Tips
The area is located on the edge of a Lakeland province of Sweden; as such summertime can bring an unwanted selection of flies, mosquitoes and other irritating insects.

If you’re partial to a tipple of higher strength alcohol (above 3.5%!) then it may be worth purchasing a bottle on the plane during your outward journey, as higher strength alcohol is much harder to obtain in Sweden than mainland Europe.

The area is also featured in a two decent DVD's. These give a good opportunity to see the area in all is glory and eye up the best lines before your visit. The DVD's are - Tjugo Pa Kjuge and Swedish Meatballs.

Relevant Links
Flights: Easyjet.com
Car Hire: CarRentals.co.uk
Guide Book Purchase: Piz Buch & Berg Online Shop
Guide Book Affiliated Website: www.kjuge.nu
Campsite: Ivö Camping

Review: Five Ten Camp 4

In recent times the approach shoe has broken free from its esoteric climbers-specific categorization and, for many, has taken the place of the lightweight fabric boot – offering instant comfort, better sensitivity and breathability, whilst giving a more street friendly look and still providing a good level of technical performance.

Of course the term “approach shoe” covers a massive spectrum of product, from mass produced generic £20 affairs, to the more technical multi-tasking end market, which range from £65 upwards. Even within the top end bracket there are many sub-categories, with shoe models being specifically tailored to suit differing needs, from warm dry weather to colder wet weather, long walk-ins to scrambling and so on.

Due to our heritage Rock + Run tends to stick to the more technical or climbing applicable approach shoes, that is we generally offer a range of shoes which will get you to the crag but also offer a decent level of performance on the rock. Whether it be jugging up El Cap, scrambling in the Lakes or incorporating a days walking with a few easy solos we like to think we’ll have something to suit.

The Five Ten approach shoe range has always fitted well with our ethos and in the long standing Guide Tennie we have one our best selling footwear models. Over the last couple of years the Five Ten range has seen somewhat of an overhaul and the Guide Tennie is now the sole survivor of the original “sticky rubber” approach shoes that defined a genre.

Of the newer models (Prodigy, Insight, Savant and Camp 4) I have personally hammered a pair of the excellent Prodigy’s into submission and due to their recent demise have moved on to test out the newest edition to the range, the Camp 4. I’ve had my Camp 4’s for around two months and after using them in the UK and Switzerland for walk-in’s, easy climbing (i.e. warming up) and generally hangin’ out, I can honestly say they’re probably the best pair of approach shoes I have ever owned!

Despite the massive popularity of the Guide Tennie it doesn’t really suit my needs. I tend to do a fair bit of walking to get to crags/areas, and as we all know walking any distance in a Britain can involve quite a lot of bog dodging and negotiating wet slippery surfaces. Thus the low profile and dotted tread of the Tennie doesn’t really offer enough beef in the sole or support in the upper.

The Camp 4 is equally suited to standard British walk-in conditions as it is on arid rocky terrains.


Having used the Prodigy on varying terrains (high Sierras, Texan desert, Alpine foothills, Lakeland fells and the Yorkshire moors) and in varying conditions I feel I have a pretty rounded view on what it was suited too and for me, in spite of generally ticking all the boxes of what is a good approach shoe, it had one irritating failing – stability. I found the thickness of the EVA and narrowness of the sole at the rear of the shoe conspired to make for the odd hairy moment on uneven ground, although (having heard reports to the contrary) I am prepared to accept this may have been down a slight incompatibility between myself and the model. In any case there were defiantly at least a few areas in which the shoe could have been improved, step forward the Camp 4…

Fit
Whilst looking quite similar to the Prodigy the Camp 4 purveys a massively superior fit, with instant out-of-the-box comfort and stability. The last seems pretty average in width and volume and should suit most foot types. The heel incorporates Five Ten’s new proprietary technology, a molded PU external heel cage that adds rear-foot support and stability, allowing you to lug heavy loads for long distances, without the need for a regular high-top ankle supporting boot. I found this new feature to be stable and secure, and whilst I’m not convinced this negates the need for high-top boots altogether, it certainly helps in supporting and hold in the foot in place.

Sole/Midsole Unit
The outer sole is the sticky co-molded Stealth C4/S1 with internal shank, similar (but wider) to that used on the Prodigy. This uses an oval plug configuration/pattern on the tread which I found to be equally at home on both boggy and rocky terrain. One of the big concerns often voiced when it comes to sticky rubber sole units is the durability. Interestingly, on my Prodigy’s (which have the same configuration tread and thickness of rubber as the Camp 4) the upper wore out well before the sole was anywhere near wearing smooth. The midsole is a compression molded EVA which gives a good balance between support when walking and sensitivity when climbing/scrambling, although due to the chunkier feel this shoe it is not as suited to actual rock climbing as it’s sleeker cousin, the Guide Tennie.

Construction
The build quality of all the new Five Ten approach shoes seems very good - we haven’t had any returns to date - and a marked improvement from the old days of rapidly delaminating Mountain Masters. The uppers are constructed from good quality Nubuck leather, which offers burley durability and breathability, whilst also being pretty weather resistant. The lacing is a traditional riveted hole set-up which gives longevity, is easily adjustable and offers minimum faf.

The Camp 4 making light work of straightforward scrambles.

Summary
In condensing the above blurb I would conclude by saying that the Camp 4 is an awesomely fitting, keenly priced and well constructed approach shoe. It offers a excellent balance between a walking and climbing/scrambling shoe, but if you’re after something for predominantly the latter activity the more sensitive Guide Tennie may be a better option. If I had to offer one point that could be conceived as a negative it would be the weight (940g-UK9), however, for me personally, this was not an issue.

Read another independent Camp4 review (August 07) on the at Alpinist.com here.
Read another independent Camp4 review (November 07) on the at Alpinist.com here.
Read another independent Camp4 review on the at RockandIce.com here.

Purchase the Five Ten Camp 4 (£68) from Rock + Run here.