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1/30/2008

A Quick Guide to South Lakes Pubs

Never mind all those banal articles about Lakes climbing, here is some really useful information for your next trip to the South Lakes. Yes, its my very own guide to great pubs in the area.

Once prolific, they are now sparse and finding a decent pub for a quiet pint is not as easy as it used to be. My basic criteria are excellent beer (obviously), minimal screaming brats, a good local following, friendly staff and last but not least ‘The Crack’.

My ultimate test for any pub anywhere is the ability to go into it on your own and start up a conversation with either staff or locals in the first 10 minutes.

I have and A list and a B list. The A list are pubs I visit at least once a year while the B list are pubs that have historically been good and are probably worth a visit but may fall down on or more of my criteria.

The A List

The Woodlands, Silverdale.

A well kept secret (until now), and an unlikely looking building for a local bar. Always good beer. You can choose from a selection of guest ales or their own branded Woody’s beer at very reasonable prices. Ideally situated for a visit after an evening bouldering at Woodwell or Trowbarrow.

The Manor, Oxen Park.

Hosts Terry and Lorraine are extremely friendly and will always talk to you if you turn up on your own. The bar meals are famous for their quantity and value. Wednesday is curry night when Terry puts his Bradford up bring to good use.



The Golden Rule, Ambleside.

Still one of the great Lakes pubs thanks to Jon an Margaret Lockley. It survives in Ambleside as one of last bastions of the local community increasingly compromised by the inevitable social changes inflicted on the village by poor planning decisions and shortsighted management of the National Park.

The White Hart, Bouth.

Excellent beer and food. It can get very busy in the summer and may fall down on the ability to strike up a conversation with the person stood next to you. Avoid early evening Friday.

The Castle Inn, Kendal.

Definitely a locals ‘drinking pub’ but not dripping with testosterone. No food, excellent beer from Hawkshead Brewery. Friendly staff. Handy after a session at Kendal Wall.

The ODG, Langdale.

On a par with the Golden Rule for importance within the Lakes climbing community and still an excellent pub in every respect thanks to long standing tennants, Neil and Jane Walmsley.



The Manor Arms, Broughton in Furness.

A selection of excellent beers and a friendly atmosphere. Well frequented by Broughton locals. Ideal for stopping off at on your way back from the Duddon or Eskdale.

The B List

The 3 Shires, Little Langdale.



Church House Inn, Torver.

Sun Inn, Coniston.

Newfield Inn, Seathwaite.


View Larger Map

Posted by Andy Hyslop at 10:20 AM 0 comments

1/18/2008

Outdoor Web 2008: A Consumers Guide

With 2008 now in full swing we thought it may be of use if we put together a selection of useful links pointing at our suppliers websites, catalogues, price lists and where possible the odd standout point of interest...


An Example of one of DMM's Educational Video's "The Factory Tour"



Slick advert instilling the virtues of High Five


Build Your Own Moon Board (PDF)


Scarpa Sponsored Climbers Blog Page, with some interesting Content

Posted by Greg Chapman at 9:07 AM 1 comments

1/11/2008

Review: The Evolv Talon


Introduction
I was kindly issued with a pair of Evolv Talon’s by Beyond Hope (the UK distributor of Evolv) in mid October 2007 and I’ve been using them pretty rigorously (in conjunction with various other models) over the last two and half months on numerous rock types in Italy, the UK and the States. The Talon is a shoe which has been developed over the last three years with continuous input from Evolv’s sponsored athletes, development of older models – such as the Predator – and an obvious “over the shoulder” look at the likes of the 5.10 Dragon and V10, and I’d have to say that Evolv have come up with a pretty handy piece of kit.

Image: Enter the Dragon (V9), Sad Boulders, Bishop CA.

Fit and Construction
Let’s get one thing straight – this is no all rounder! The Talon is a specialist shoe aimed at the specialist end of the market; it utilizes a toe-down last similar to that of the 5.10 Dragon and V10, which combined with the rubberized toe box and excellent Trax XT5 sole unit makes for a serious steep terrain foot tool. The last of the shoe is fairly standard in terms of width; sizing and volume, with the forefoot offering a comparative width to the 5.10 Verde and Dragon and Sportiva Katana. The heel offers a reasonable fit although as with all toe-down footwear the clawing effect of the forefoot (especially when new) always feels a bit like the heel is pulling into a less than premium position on the foot, but, as the old saying goes it’s horses for courses. As a rough guide for sizing you would be wanting to drop at least one full UK size for a correct fit, presuming of course the shoe fits your foot profile.

Specifications
Sole: 4.2 mm TRAX® XT-5 high friction rubber
Rand: 2.2mm TRAX® duro-rand
Upper: Non-stretch Synthratek synthetic upper
Lining: Microfiber lining
Midsole: MX-1 1mm sensitive teardrop half-length midsole
RRP: £75.00 / Rock + Run Price £70.00



Usage
So why should you buy these shoes? Well, if you spend a fair amount of your climbing career on steep thinly featured ground, which relies on plenty of tension-orientated clawing of small pockets, toe dinks and edges, then this should be a serious consideration. From what I’ve stated so far you may be thinking that this shoe sounds great but is not just a re-branded 5.10 Dragon, well yes and NO. It has many of the features which make the Dragon a great shoe but also has its own personality traits which offer something else. For instance the rubberized toe box is a revelation from my point of view, as it gives you that extra edge on toe-hooks and foot cams, yet the method used to apply the rubber randing is subtle enough that the front of the shoe doesn't feel clumpy. Another useful consideration is that midsole of the shoe seems a little softer than that of the Dragon and as such once worn in the Talons feel that little more versatile on less steep ground – a useful trait when you’ve blasted through that heinous 50 degree Hueco roof, only to discover the top-out involves ten feet of thin edgy wall climbing!

Image: The first ascent of Once Upon a Time in the West (Fb7c), Seathwaite Circuit, Duddon Valley UK.


Downsides
For what it is designed for I would go as far to say that, for me, this shoe had no real downsides, bar the slightly less sensitive heel cup than some shoes. But as pointed out above this seems a common trade-off when using toe-down footwear, perhaps eventually someone will solve this fit issue?


Summary
If you’ve been recommended the 5.10 Dragon or are just after a secondary pair of specialist toe-down shoes for when the need arises then give the Talon a try. In most departments it’s on even footing with the Dragon as a contender for best model in its class, plus you get the added bonus of a rubberized toe box and a slightly more forgiving fit.

Purchase the Evolv Talon here.

Posted by Greg Chapman at 9:35 AM 0 comments

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