Ask the experts

Need help to wrap your head around gear queries, get the scoop on the latest gadget and dispel any gear fallacy? Meet the experts in our new Q&A column...

NOTHING ruins a great outdoor jaunt like being ill-equipped or lugging the wrong gear. Seriously! Imagine hobbling on the trail with a blistered foot two days into a 10-day hiking trip because you wore the wrong shoes. Or, getting soaked and miserable during a camping trip because you didn’t know there was such a thing as a waterproof jacket.

Welcome to our new, monthly Q&A gear column. If you have any questions about gear, drop us an e-mail, twitter us or post on our Facebook, and our gear experts will help you out.

We rounded up a motley crew of five guys and a gal, from various backgrounds to dispense advice. From a mountain biker, rock climber, survival skill expert to outdoor retailers, these folks eat, sleep and breathe gear.

Nuggets of advice

“Want great outdoor adventure? Don’t compromise on gear,” advises outdoor retailer and founder of Corezone outdoor store, Leong Dee Lu.

Petaling Jaya-based Leong started out as a kayak and climbing guide. Today, she outfits her customers for mountaineering, hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, kayaking, trail running, and ultralight backpacking.

“It’s pointless to buy a RM10,000 adventure tour package and go with the wrong gear. You’d be miserable, or you might ditch your trip half-way,” adds Leong, 38. Corezone is renown for top-notch service and excellent product knowledge, a rarity in Malaysia’s outdoor retail scene.

Shoes are that one piece of equipment worth blowing your hard-earned cash on, Leong says.

“They work the hardest for you, and they must perform so you can complete your journey,” she explains. “Choose the right footwear. There’s no such thing as a pair of shoes for all terrains. Toe, foot, knee and back injuries all start with the wrong footwear.”

Not all imported gear is superior to locally made gear, points out Keong Lye Choon, a wilderness survival educator. Keong likes to analyse what works and what doesn’t when it comes to gear. Finding a made-in-Malaysia alternative to pricey imported gear is his niche. But you can’t find a stand-in for everything, he admits. “For instance, a camping stove is essential. If you follow the principles of Minimal Impact or Leave No Trace, building a natural fire in the forest is a big no-no,” explains the 35-year-old KLite.

“Carrying my grand dad’s kerosene stove is out of the question, although esbits (solid fuel tablets) can be a good option.” Ahmad Nadir Askandar adds, “Be prepared to pay for quality, long-lasting gear.” “Good and cheap is a myth! At least 99.9% of the time,” says Nadir, 34, who runs an online retail store, Outdoor Dynamics. Splurging on quality gear has paid off for him. His MSR Stove and Eureka Timberline tent are 17 years old and still as good as new.

“In Malaysia, imported gear gets taxed anywhere between 10% and 30%, on top of the steep currency exchange, which makes them expensive,” he adds. What’s the best way to identify good gear? Look at what other outdoorsy folk are using, says Nadir, who is based in Penang.

Rock climber and route-setter, Patrick Andrey, 46, is one of these people as he thrashes his gear on a regular basis.

“We do complex rigging, build via ferratas, canopy tours and set up climbing routes on natural rocks,” explains the Swiss. Currently based in Kuala Lumpur, Andre and his partners run Camp 5, an indoor climbing gym with a climbing shop. “We test out these gear in extreme circumstances and environment,” he assures.

> Gear Up is a monthly Q&A gear column. For any gear-related queries, drop us an e-mail at: star2.gear@thestar.com.my, subject: Gear Query.

 

The panel

1. Leong Dee Lu

Adventure buff cum outdoor retailer

What stokes you?

Mountaineering, hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, adventure caving and even dragon-boating. I’m a Gemini. I can’t focus on one thing. That would be too boring! I’ve this bucket list of places I would like to climb, kayak, and cave. Hope I live long enough to tick them all off.

Your edge?

Gear outfitting is my vocation. I research and travel worldwide to source for products that work for my customers. I spend lots of time talking gear with designers, manufacturers and industry experts.

Gear you can’t live without?

If I have to make room for just one “luxury” item, it would be the Thermarest compact pillow! Nothing beats a good night’s sleep to get fresh for a new day of adventure. My other favourite things – two Black Diamond and one Petzl headlamps. I have headlamp with a reach of 10m-radius that’s stored in my First Aid kit. For outdoor trips, I use a pocket-sized headlamp with 35m radius, and on expeditions, I lug the dual-light headlamp with halogen (100m radius) and LED option. Criteria for gear?

Function! It’s not about how great or expensive. Ask yourself, does it serve my purpose?

Wishlist?

A sea kayak that fits me …

 

2. Keong Lye Choon

Gear improvisation guru cum bushcraft instructor

What stokes you?

Expedition kayaking, hiking, camping, exploring trails, and learning traditional jungle skills from indigenous people.

Your edge?

I teach locally adapted “bushcraft”, which includes fire-making, shelter-building, foraging, twine-making and the use of knives and axes. I specialise in sourcing and sometimes improvising gear for local use. For example, instead of branded cooking pots, you can use small aluminium food carriers with handles, or use parang instead of imported blades.

Gear you can’t live without?

The one thing I always carry with me is my kit comprising a machete, drinking bottles, mess tin, sachets of energy drinks, water disinfectant (puritab, betadine), fire-starter set, 6mm-long rope, a coil of small twine, whistle, tarp (for shelter), stretcher hammock, compass (and map, if available), headlamp and Swiss Army knife. If I could only bring one thing, it would be my parang.

Criteria for gear?

Practicality, suitability to the environment and what the locals use.

Wishlist?

A heavy-duty industrial sewing machine to design, make, repair and improve on gear.

3. Patrick Andrey

Expert rock-climber, route-setter and climbing-wall builder

Patrick Andrey

What stokes you?

In Malaysia, I climb outdoors. Back home in Europe, I do ice-climbing, extreme skiing, snowboarding, paragliding and canyoning. I picked up surfing a couple of years ago and truly like it for the challenge and simplicity. Whenever I travel, I choose destinations where I can climb and surf or where there’s wilderness with large mountains to scale.

Your edge?

I’m actually using the gear and testing them under extreme conditions. For example, if I climb an icefall that is about to melt away, I gain first-hand experience of the limitations of the crampons, ice-axe and Goretex jacket.

Gear you can’t live without?

The original Jumar, many times copied but never fully imitated. It’s still the best ascender ever fabricated.

Criteria for gear?

Reliability, durability and weight

Wishlist?

Rock climbing: Mammut 9.2 Revelation 70m climbing rope; snowboarding: Burton Freebird 162 Splitboard; paragliding: Gin Gliders Fluid, Speedflying Wing.

4. Joe Adnan aka Azizul Azmi Adnan

Mountain biker, trail builder and self-professed gear whore

What stokes you?

Mountain biking for over 20 years and gear whoring for the same period. Hiking, rock-climbing, trail-building and outdoor action photography.

Your edge?

I am a picky and robust user of outdoor gear. Being the analytical type, I won’t let a poor design element escape my scrutiny.

Gear you can’t live without?

My finely balanced kukri (Nepalese utility knife) forged from a Land Rover spring, with a horn and brass handle. I bought it in Kathmandu 10 years ago for RM25! My Garmin GPS60CSx GPS receiver – essential for exploring, and trail design and construction. Salomon trail running shoe – lightweight, not overly cushioned, with aggressive treads and mesh uppers. Good trail-running shoes are more difficult to find than you might think!

Criteria for gear?

Good design, form over function, and durability.

Wishlist?

Bike: Jeff Jones Spaceframe (titanium) bicycle frame, Rohloff internal gear hub, GoPro Hero video/still camera, to name a few.

5. Ahmad Nadir Askandar

Outdoor freak-cum-retailer

What stokes you?

I go through phases and that has included fishing, rock climbing, mountain trekking, mountain biking and kayaking. The outdoors calms me and makes me feel at home.

Your edge?

With a background in outdoor education and retail, I test the products I sell. I like customising gear to make them more practical. In the pipeline – designing and coming up with “proudly Made in Malaysia” outdoor equipment.

Gear you can’t live without?

Headlamps! In the outdoors, flashlights, in my opinion, are a waste of money. Get a good headlamp and it’ll last a long time. Beside using it outdoors, I’ve used it at home, during blackouts or when repairing my car at night. Brands: Black Diamond, very good value and function but design’s not great. Princeton Tec is super-bright.

Criteria for gear?

Reliability and durability. I can’t afford to have my equipment fail when I’m three days from the nearest road. I don’t favour the multi-tool approach when it comes to gear. If I need a knife, I’ll get a knife, and not a knife with whistle, saw, torchlight, fork and toothpick combo. I find multi-use equipment neither here nor there. I’d use them at home or in an urban setting.

Wishlist?

Titanium-made and ultralight gear would be great, they will complement my next phase – ultralight backpacking.

 

http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?sec=lifeliving&file=/2011/5/28/lifeliving/20110527181837