New TGO: Sandals, Stream Fords, Innov-Ex & Petzl NAO

Hiking in Sandals in the High Sierra

The July issue of TGO is out. My contributions are a review of my favourite hiking footwear - sandals, a report on the 2012 Innovation for Extremes conference, a first look at the innovative Petzl NAO headlamp and, in my backpacking column, some thoughts on river crossings.

This issue also has Carey Davies undertaking a five day circular  tour of the Lake District; Cameron McNeish describing his rather longer Kirk Yetholm to Cape Wrath Gore-Tex Scottish National Trail; Andrew Mazibrada tackling the Nantlle Ridge and Andrew Terrill pausing for 24 hours high in the Pyrenees. Away from trip descriptions Jim Perrin praises one of my favourite outdoor books, Hamish Brown's wonderful Hamish's Mountain Walk while in the Hill Skills section Kevin Walker looks at the pros and cons of GPS; David Coles gives advice for glasses wearers; Chris Highcock looks at how to get the most from minimum exercise and there's advice on dealing with midges and navigating by the stars.

As well as my test of eleven pairs of hiking sandals the gear section has an entertaining look at backpacking meals by John Manning, aided by a panel of experts of all ages, plus reviews of a Columbia wicking t-shirt and some Paramo shorts by Daniel Neilson (hopefully there will be weather for such garments soon - last time I was out on the hills I was wearing a fleece!).