Be prepared for a world of eye protection knowledge as Cathy and Wayne are joined by Barnabé Grison, International Area Manager for French outdoor eyewear specialists Julbo. From the history of the first glacier glasses to modern manufacturing techniques to fitting tips there really is all you need to know in this podcast to help you buy the right glasses for the activities you do. Learn why fully polarised glasses may not be a good thing on snow, why manufacturers are legally obliged to tell...

Cathy and Wayne are joined by Dr Will Duffin, Joint Medical Director at World Extreme Medicine to chat about why carrying a first aid kit is a REALLY good thing to do when you are out and about in the great outdoors. Among the usual suspects (plasters, paracetamol etc) there are plenty of other things to consider including sanitary towels, duck tape, Buffs and walking poles. Learn what THE most important piece of first aid equipment is, why you should never take Ibroprufen during an...

Cathy and Wayne are joined by the Czar of Carabiners: Chris Rowlands from DMM Climbing in Wales. If you have ever wondered why Carabiners come in so many different shapes and sizes, if you were looking for the answer to why you shouldn't use WD-40 to maintain your crabs, if you are unsure whether Carabiners should begin with a "C" or a "K" or perhaps considered why there might be a requirement for an Aluminium cookbook.........then clip in, lean back and enjoy. To learn more about this weeks...

There's innuendo aplenty as Cathy and Wayne talk about tents, poles, fly sheets and pegs, pegs, pegs. Listen in for tips on getting it up in bad weather, what constitutes as fondling with your erection and of course - bell ends. Expect tales of getting wet, how to deal with condensation, pesky moles and even flying tents among such astonishing trivia as why the colour of your tent can be really rather important. Want to know more about choosing the right tent for you - read here: Buyers...

Cathy & Wayne are joined by Scott Umpleby from The Brathay Trust, event organisers of the fantastic Ambleside Trail 25 & 50k races. Join them as they discuss how this event began, how a full Lakeland breakfast and a frittata were highlights the first year and what delectable comestibles will be on offer this year.... Offering not just breathtaking views, great trails and incredible checkpoints The Ambleside Trail 25 & 50k events also raise vital funds for the  work Brathay do with...

Cathy & Wayne are joined by Montane Sponsored Athlete Debbie Martin-Consani, first woman to cross the finish line of The Spine Race 2022. Debbie discusses the highs and lows of completing all 268 miles of The Pennine Way in January; the darkness, the bogginess and how much she enjoyed herself as she carried enough equipment to keep herself alive throughout her non-stop 108 hour challenge. Sponsored by Montane, this podcast ties in with a fantastic competition to win a Montane Spine Jacket...

Wayne and Cathy are joined by British Mountain Guide Adrian Nelhams who shares his gargantuan knowledge and experience of ice axes. Together they cover why you might need to carry one, when you definitely need one and talk about why an ice axe is only part of your winter safety kit. Covering everything from walking axes to technical tools they also discuss the big question: to leash or not to leash? And why exactly does going leashless involve still using a leash?? All will be...

Cathy and Wayne are joined with new Lake District legend and part time Ambleside staff team member James Gibson as he talks about being the first person ever to complete a continuous round of 214 Wainwrights in the winter of 2021. James had wanted full winter conditions - and he definitely got them, with Storm Barra making an appearance too. Listen to his accounts of snow, blizzards, jaw dropping sunrises, fantastic camaraderie and how he is coping with his new found fame. There's even a bit...

Wayne quizzes Cathy on the amazing history surrounding the two shops and learns how they were interlinked from the very start - way before Cathy and her husband Paul became the owners of both. Listen to stories of climbing and fell running royalty, why the shops are pivotal in their local outdoor communities and how Cathy explained to the climbing legend; Mr Joe Brown her ideas for a unique competition involving his nether regions! You can read the full Big History here: The Big History —...

Join Cathy and Wayne as they chat about the wonderful world of insulated clothing. Learn the difference between feather and down, why "fill power" is a good thing to know and understand why most insulated jackets aren't waterproof. There's laughter, there's techy stuff, there's the word "poofiness", there's an explanation of why you need tennis balls to wash a down jacket and perhaps most impressively, another of Cathy's podcast visualisations! Links: Buyers Guide to Insulated Clothing —...

Cathy and Wayne take a light hearted look at the science of headtorches: learning about lumens, marveling at "intelligent" lighting, discovering what exactly an IP rating is along with the revelation of what type of inflatable impresses Cathy!!! If you have a pony tail, wear a helmet or are fed up with getting blinded by your tent mate then this is the podcast for you! Incidentally - SOS in morse code is ... --- ... Listen ,learn, laugh and if you are able, please consider donating to our...

Join Cathy and Wayne as they talk about rucksacks and load carrying. Learn the importance of your squishy bits when it comes to measuring backsize, why most rucksacks aren't waterproof, why you might want to consider a "rucksack filing system" and how, when it comes to what you put on your back; big may not always be better! Listen ,learn, laugh and if you are able, please consider donating to our chosen charity: Wayne Singleton is fundraising for Brathay Trust (justgiving.com) To learn...

Wayne's getting into his climbing and wondering if he needs to buy rock boots. This week's talk with Cathy journeys through rubber, precision placements, flat toes, squished toes, slip lasts, leather and why tear inducingly tight climbing shoes might not always be a good thing. Good footwork, however, most definitely is! Listen ,learn, laugh and if you are able, please consider donating to our chosen charity: Young Minds Matter Appeal | Brathay Trust Buyers Guide to Choosing Rock Shoes —...

Cathy and Wayne talk stoves and fetishes in this episode - just how many stoves does a person need? Joining them is special guest Stuart Smith whose experience using stoves across the globe in hot, cold and wet environments shines through with descriptions of fire rainbows, sinking stoves and little prickers. Learn the difference between integral canister systems, multi-fuel stoves, why all gas is not equal and just how reading gas canister instructions helped Stu become an accomplished...

Wayne's getting into trad climbing so he and Cathy are joined by British Mountain Guide, Author and DMM Ambassador Libby Peter to discuss what gear he should select for his first rack and why. Learn about why there are so many different types of nuts, cams, hex's and krabs, when you may want to use an extender, why coloured karabiners are a great idea and how Cathy unintentionally made an American climber very, very happy! Listen ,learn, laugh and if you are able, please consider donating to...

Join Cathy and Wayne for a second season of science stories and laughter. This episode explains why there are so many boots to choose from, the differences between fabric and leather, how boots should fit, why colour shouldn't matter, the importance of lacing and why the size you were expecting to buy might not be the size you walk out with. There is also mention of saveloy! Listen ,learn, laugh and if you are able, please consider donating to our chosen charity: Young Minds Matter Appeal |...

Cathy and Wayne take a light hearted look at the science of gloves: why a tight glove isn't a good thing, why a large glove isn't necessarily a good thing either (!), why you may want to layer, which gloves are easiest to get a wet hand in and out and why choosing one with a nose wipe is a really good idea. All this AND why Wayne conducted the entire podcast in rubber....!! Listen ,learn, laugh and if you are able, please consider donating to our chosen charity: Wayne Singleton is...

Cathy and Wayne take a light hearted look at the science of sleeping bags: why choosing to use a sleeping bag generally gives you a better nights sleep (!), sleeping systems, how to clean a bag at home,  why your choice of zip side is important, the differences between synthetic and down, how to make sense of temperature ratings and why a women's specific bag is a great idea if you are a.....woman! Listen ,learn, laugh and if you are able, please consider donating to our chosen charity:...

Cathy and Wayne take a light hearted look at the science of socks and how looking after our feet is critical to enjoying our time outdoors. Listen as they get down to the nitty gritty of footcare, foot smell, blisters, dry skin, sweat glands and trench foot. This is NOT a podcast to listen to while eating! Listen ,learn, laugh and if you are able, please consider donating to our chosen charity: Wayne Singleton is fundraising for Brathay Trust (justgiving.com) To learn more about this weeks...

Cathy and Wayne take a light hearted look at the science of layering: why we sweat, why "wicking" is important, how layers keep us cool AND warm, why more and more clothes are being made from plastic bottles and tree fibres, nasty chafing and why, when it comes to technical underwear, going large is good. In fact there is a lot of talk about underwear. Men's and Women's. It is also highly likely that this is the first ever Podcast to coin the term "Hurty Boob Day"! Listen ,learn, laugh and...

Cathy and Wayne take a light hearted look at the science of waterproofs: the history of waterproofs, just how wet you can be in waterproofs, why your need to wash (and tumble dry) your waterproofs much more frequently than you used to and why Wayne is planning on being wet through to his undies, on purpose...... Listen ,learn, laugh and if you are able, please consider donating to our chosen charity: Wayne Singleton is fundraising for Brathay Trust (justgiving.com) To learn more about this...