Geographical

Official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

Tristan Kennedy

Equipment matters: The kit you need for ski mountaineering

6 minutes

Tristan Kennedy reflects on the wonders of modern kit for ski mountaineering On the surface of it, the rocky outcrop, 3,040 metres above sea level overlooking the Adamello Glacier in Italy, felt like an odd place to put a barbed-wire fence. And yet there it was. Or, at least, there were the remains of a fence – the twisted metal poking in and out of the snow, the spikes, … [Read more...] about Equipment matters: The kit you need for ski mountaineering

Equipment matters: the kit you need for mountaineering

6 minutes

Tristan Kennedy on the mountaineering kit used in a remarkable mountain climb on the north face of Jannu At the most recent Piolets d’Or (or ‘Golden Ice Axe’) awards in December, there was one climb that really stood out. Commonly known as ‘the Oscars of mountaineering’, the awards don’t rank the climbs they recognise, because rating them against each other would be … [Read more...] about Equipment matters: the kit you need for mountaineering

The joys of backcountry boarding & the kit you need

6 minutes

Tristan Kennedy explains the science and art of snowboarding in remote locations There’s a long-running debate within the snowboarding community about whether backcountry riding – that is snowboarding beyond resort boundaries, in fresh, powder snow – should be considered a sport or an art form. The case for the former is obvious. Backcountry snowboarding at the highest … [Read more...] about The joys of backcountry boarding & the kit you need

Biking at night: top tips on navigating trails in the dark

6 minutes

Here's why a night bike ride can make you feel like the luckiest person in the world – and the kit you need to succeed in darker months To me, it doesn’t matter whether it’s raining or the sun is shining or whatever: as long as I’m riding a bike, I know I’m the luckiest guy in the world.’ So said Mark Cavendish – now, Sir Mark Cavendish, after his inclusion on the 2024 … [Read more...] about Biking at night: top tips on navigating trails in the dark

Winter trail running: the essential kit & how to brave the elements

6 minutes

Tristan Kennedy on the rewards on winter trail running – and the exact kit you need to succeed in colder months American trail runner John Kelly might not be a household name (at least, not yet), but he's one of the best in the business. In 2017, he became only the 15th person ever to finish the Barkley Marathons, arguably the toughest ultra-running event on the … [Read more...] about Winter trail running: the essential kit & how to brave the elements