Outdoor Gear Glossary

Pear shaped karabiners are oversized versions of offset-D karabiners. This means that more can be hooked onto the karabiner - making especially versatile when climbing. These can also be used for Munter hitch belays but are often the more expensive and the heaviest of the karabiner family.

An incredibly light weight fabric with the strength and characteristics of a much heavier fabric. Weighing only 25gsm it is highly breathable, has an element of windproofing and has an excellent DWR (Durable Water Repellant) finish.

Combines exceptional performance and comfort to give you one of the best aerobic outdoor and sports fabrics in the world. Its unique denier gradient structure gives excellent moisture transportation away from the skin whilst the use of Dupont Tactel Ispira yarns give good stretch and recovery. The combination of a durable face, wind resistant structure and a DWR (Durable Water Repellant) treatment make it ideal for outdoor abuse.

The same meaning as simultaneous tent pitching. This is a method used to describe the inner tent and the outer tent being erected together, which can help save time when setting up and taking down.

See the Tent Advice section for more help on choosing your tent.

An indication given to the area required to pitch a tent on a campsite. Pitch sizes vary from campsite to campsite so is sometimes offered merely as a guide.

Refers to the average length of time that it will take to put the tent up. Some manufacturers do not include the time to put all the pegs in along with fixing the pegs. Make sure you put your tent up before going away to ensure you have all components.

See the Tent Advice section for more help on choosing your tent.

Water resistant and durable quality leather used in some outdoordesigns gloves.

Pit zips vent the upper arm area when it's impractical to stop and remove the jacket, such as when snow-and-ice climbing, or when active in wet conditions. At other times, storm flaps ensure complete weather protection. Hook/loop tabs hold the storm flaps open when full venting is required.

Pit Zips help to make a jacket more flexible in variable weather conditions or during various levels of activity in a very comfortable and targetted way. Waterproof winter jackets therefore can sometimes have them to make the user more comfortable.

The Pivotal Suspension System works with the body's movements to constantly and evenly transfer the backpack's load to the hips. This results in a more comfortable and efficient backpack experience. The world is not flat. As you move across uneven ground, your body moves instinctively into a wide variety of positions - balancing, absorbing shock, and moving forward.

The Pivotal Suspension System's Carbon Composite Flex Arms adjust with each step you take, making sure that the load of the pack is transferred evenly from the pack to your body no matter what position you're in. So whether you are hiking, skiing, climbing, or just leaning against a rock, the load transfer to your pelvis remains perfectly even.

A synthetic fleece insulation that has superior loft retention, does not separate, mat or clump and provides excellent protection from the cold. Its fine denier polyester filament has a triangular high-void cross-section allowing it to capture and retain body heat more effectively than other synthetic insulations. Polarguard 3D is very compressible yet retains loft and insulation when wet.

Lighter, durable and thermally efficient - these higher than standard diameter synthetic fibers have more hollow interior space for a stronger and higher lofting insulation for additional sleeping bag warmth.

Polartec are considered by some to make the best base and mid-layer fabrics available. Polartec consists of a whole family of fabrics designed by Malden Mills to keep you warm, dry-and most importantly-comfortable in a variety of outdoor activities in conditions that are usually anything but. Think of Polartec fabrics as the protection nature didn't give you.

They can keep you warm when it's cold, keep you dry when you sweat, even repel wind, rain and snow to protect you from the elements. These versatile fabrics will never let you down. So whether you're spending a weekend at the cabin, or exploring the ends of the Earth, you will be comfortable and able to perform at your best.

Durable four way stretch close fitting thermal layer, Polartec Power Stretch Fleeces take the superior breathability and wicking of Power Dry and adds the mobility of 4 stretch along with increased warmth. Its durable nylon out surface is wind and abrasion resistant, while the soft polyester inner surface keeps you warm and comfortable.

Useful in any outdoor activity where freedom of movement is important (climbing, mountain biking, even equestrian pursuits), Power Stretch is adaptable for any use, from base layer to outer-wear.

Polartec 100, 200, 300 Fleece Series are the industry benchmark for lightweight warmth and breathability in a layering fabric. The 100% polyester construction absorbs less than 1% of its weight in water, and unlike lesser fleece, will not pill or lose insulating ability after multiple washings. The 100 Series is the lightest in weight, and great as a first insulating layer-or even better as a comfortable, high-tech sweatshirt. The warmer 200 Series is versatile enough to handle any situation, and the 300 Series is designed for very cold outdoor activities (like surviving walks in the middle of an English winter). Several styles are even made from recycled polyester (soda bottles and such). Fear not, they look like, feel like and perform like virgin polyester, all while helping to reduce our impact on landfills.

Polartec Thermal Pro Fleece is lightweight and includes a durable double sided velour fleece with high warmth-to-weight ratio. Polartec Thermal Pro fabrics are considered as the most durable fleece fabrics in the Polartec range. A special velour finish enables a low-pile, water-repellent and quick drying fabric that is as breathable as the 200 Series. The 100% polyester construction provides an outstanding warmth-to-weight ratio.

Polertec Power Dry is lightweight, fast wicking, next to skin fabric for baselayers, walking gloves and other outdoor clothing.

Polartec Windbloc is fully windproof and water resistant membrane fleece with durable hard face outer.

100% wind and waterproof, Polartec Windbloc softshells offers you the maximum protection from the wind in cold weather. It is also ideal for low or intermittent activity levels. Windbloc fabrics have durable water- repellent finish, great stretch and recovery so that your walking trousers or jumper "won't bag out" like some fabrics do.

Pole pockets are fairly self-explanatory. They act as an accessible form of storage for walking poles, skis (in a particularly high position - handy for descending hills) and tent poles. Pole pockets are usually located on the exterior of your backpack beside your compression straps.

Waterproof and breathable liner incorporated into the structure of the Berghaus handwear. Incredibly thin so as not to compromise sensitivity. It is protected from most damage by the tough, protective outer shell and removes the need for bulky seam sealing.

The Poweflex alloy has been made with precision and strength at its core, in order to combine flexibility and corrosion resistance to these tent poles.

Used for serious mountaineering, scrambling and climbing. This hiking midsole retains a small degree of longitudinal flex for comfort during serious mountain walks.

Used in serious mountain walking and scrambling boots, this unit is stiffer than Performance flex. Whilst it retains some longitudinal flex for walking comfort, its extra stiffness is designed to give total underfoot support. Pro-flex is used in serious mountain boots where crampons may be used.

Used in fully stiffened boots, with sustained front pointing in mind, this heavy duty nylon midsole is further supported with an integral shank for maximum underfoot support.

Pulleys are usually used in sets designed to reduce the amount of force needed to lift a load and/or change the direction of a force on the rope. Examples of pulleys used by climbers include self-jamming pulleys and heavy-duty transport pulleys.

Lowe Alpine Pure Air Zone backpacks are the new concept that takes breathable back systems to the next level. Your state-of-the-art breathable jacket won't breathe if your backpack gets in the way. Lowe Alpine's new Pure Air Zone back system entirely removes the need for mesh, as their design gives massive ventilation through minimal back contact, yet retaining excellent load stability.

Provides water repellency with silicone DWR finish and polyurethane (PU) coating, greater resistance to UV breakdown, greater compressibility for easier packing.