The Next Challenge

Category: Advice Articles

  • 16 Short Cycling Trip Ideas from the UK

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    Tim Moss
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    At last weekend’s Cycle Touring Festival, Laura led an impromptu discussion about people’s favourite shorter cycling routes: the best places for a week or so’s pedalling, mostly starting from the UK or in Europe. Here’s the top 16 from the session (special thanks to Anup for typing them up for us!): Dubrovnik, Croatia to Venice, Italy Geneva,…

  • Resources from the Cycle Touring Festival

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    Tim Moss
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    This weekend was the inaugural Cycle Touring Festival in Clitheroe, Lancashire. The dust has yet to settle completely but, by all accounts so far, it was a fantastic success. A wonderful weekend full of enthusiastic people coalesced around the common cause of adventure cycling. A lot of information and ideas came out of the festival. Too…

  • The Multi-Fuel Stove That Doesn’t Need Priming

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    Tim Moss
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     The Soto Muka is a new multi-fuel stove that does not require priming before lighting. As such, it is quicker, easier and cleaner to use than any other liquid fuel camping stove. [divide] Quick Review The Soto Muka OD-1NP is a wonderfully innovative stove that is far easier to operate and maintain than other liquid…

  • The New Stove That Burns All Fuels Through a Single Jet

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    Tim Moss
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     The Optimus ‘Polaris Optifuel’ is a new multi-fuel stove that can burn all liquid fuel types and butane/propane canisters through a single jet. [divide] Quick Review [one_half] Pros Burns all types of fuel Don’t ever need to change nozzles/jets Good build quality [/one_half] [one_half_last] Cons Expensive Bit heavier than some [/one_half_last] You should buy this…

  • The Kit You Need to Cross a Desert (without breaking the bank)

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    Tim Moss
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    I looked down at my smart phone then ahead at the dirt track illuminated by the headlights of our Mazda. ‘It should be on our left any time now’, I reported to Laura at the steering wheel. It was late Wednesday night in Oman and we were driving through a tiny village in the dark,…

  • Review of Liquid Multi Fuel Stoves

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    Tim Moss
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    A review of every liquid multi fuel camping stove on the market. 28 different multi-fuel stoves compared. Also, a guide to all the different types of fuel available and their various names. Updated February 2020 Contents Introduction Ultimate Comparison Table Best & Lighest Stoves Full Stove Reviews Guide to Different Types of Fuel INTRODUCTION What…

  • Comparison of Mid Layers (insulating jackets)

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    Tim Moss
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    Review of the best and warmest insulating jackets This article explains the various different types of insulating mid-layer jackets (like down, primaloft and Buffalo), compares the advantages and disadvantages of each, and offers some recommendations. First written in 2012. Updated March 2020. Recently overhauled in light of the popularity of my other comparison articles such…

  • List of the World’s Largest Deserts

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    Tim Moss
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    Can’t decide what to do for your next expedition? Here’s a list of the eight largest desert’s on the planet taken from The Economist’s excellent World in Figures. What are the largest deserts? Sahara Desert* – Northern Africa – 8,600km² Arabian Desert – South-western Asia – 2,300km² Gobi Desert – Mongolia & China – 1,166km²…

  • 10 Tips for Filming Your First Expedition

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    Tim Moss
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    This article is part of a series in which experts in their field share their top ten tips. Today’s advice comes from Leon McCarron who’s excellent documentaries have featured on National Geographic and been reviewed on this website. You can see the rest of the 10 Tips series here. [divide] 10 Tips for Filming Your…

  • Primus OmniLite Ti – Titanium Multi Fuel Stove Review

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    Tim Moss
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    Swedish company Primus recently launched a new lightweight titanium multi-fuel stove called the OmniLite Ti. I’ve been using the OmniLite for over two years now, first in Patagonia then whilst cycling around the world. In my view, it is the best multi-fuel stove on the market. It is smaller and lighter than the competition and…

  • Review of Base Layer Materials

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    Tim Moss
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    Base layer materials explained, compared and reviewed. Synthetic Base Layers | Merino Wool | Bamboo | Cotton ‘Base layer’ is the name given to an item of clothing worn next to the skin during sport or activity. A variety of materials are used for such garments, each with different pros and cons. Below I have set out to…

  • Best Bivvy Bags Review

    Best Bivvy Bags Review

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    Tim Moss
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    This article gives a detailed review of all the best and most common bivvy/bivi bags available. It contains a a buyer’s guide, recommendations of the best bivvy bags and comparison tables with details of every single bivvy bag available in the UK. Jump to: Ultimate Comparison Tables | Best Bivy Bags | Full Bivy Bag…