Mammut Mammut Tusk Budget Ropes

Advantages: Fantastic design - great for beginners
Disadvantages: Can be difficult when using thick or stiff ropes

...There isn't much you can say about things like belay devices, but I do know that when you are just getting into climbing and there is an entire wall covered in strange climbing related objects it would be nice to have someone point you in the right direction. What is a belay and what is it for? Basically when you climb (99% of the time) you climb with a partner. Your partner is there to catch you when you fall and to do so so he or she needs some sort of device that gives full control of the speed of the rope. The rope is folded over and threaded through the hole in the belay plate, then the loop that has been threaded through is attached to your harness via a screw gate carabiner. The loose end of the rope should be hanging down towards the floor and the end attached to the climber points up. To stop the rope from moving the loose end... Read review

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Advantages: Bargain price.
Disadvantages: Not for extremes of weather.

...Well, it is December, so I will write a review about a - TENT! The Gelert Eiger 3 is a three man budget tent, designed for weekend use or backpacking. It is actually only made to last between two and three seasons, but of course it depends on how you use and abuse it. The bag - this is made from the same material as the tent, and measures just 16 x 53 centimeters. It weighs four & a half Kilos, and can be worn on the back like a rucksack. Inside the bag, you will find fibreglass poles with elastic inside, these are "idiot proof" so they are easy to assemble. You will also see the tent itself, consisting of a flysheet, an inner tent with integral groundsheet, and 18 metal tent pegs. Sewn into the bag, is an instruction sheet printed on material, this is a good idea as you can not lose it. The instructions are well written, and also... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Size, waterproof - quick to erect for size - smaller to carry/load compaired to others.
Disadvantages: Pole ropes dodgy(?), tricky to shut zip without adjusting pegs, need to tether v. well.

...This is our second Khyam tent as we loved the quick-erect system. Generally we are pleased with it due to its size (family of four) - if the weather is rainy there is plenty of room. We used it last summer when the floods happened and it was also quite windy. It witheld the rain excellently - it is highly rainproof - another reason why we bought it. On the negative side we have had the inner cables (ropes) go twice on the main poles. You can fix these fairly easily and Khyam replaced the ropes with no hassle and no expense but I query if there is a weakness here. It can also be quite tricky to set up perfectly to ensure the zip closes on the front door again due to its size - this gets easier with practise. The only other comment is that when we used it in some quite high winds (floods again!) you need to tether it very well... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful