“These courses are ideal for anyone who loves the idea of being at one with the great outdoors and heading off on a camping trip but hates the idea of tucking into Smash and baked beans every night!”

Kieran Creevy is an International Mountain Leader, experienced chef and our own food writer. For more information, contact Kieran, tel. 086-3555977; email: kieran@outsider.ie

RRP: €160

When I pulled the Triumph Anorak out of its packaging my first sceptical thought was: This is a fully waterproof jacket? Surely it doesn’t have fully taped seams? Or it’s not very breathable? Or the cut is ridiculously small and designed 5’4″ whip thin marathon runners? Or its wafer-thin fabric wouldn’t handle much abuse? Wrong on all counts!

Waterproof it certainly is, even during a full-on downpour thanks to the super skinny 10mm seam taping and The North Faces proprietary Hyvent DT 2.5L fabric. As for breathability, it’s also excellent. The only instance where I found the fabric unable to cope with moisture was during a fast uphill slog in Ballinastoe forest, but it was humid and drizzling so normally in those circumstances you’d ditch the waterproof.

And it fitted perfectly even over primaloft mid layers, and I’m not a whippet runner. We’ll have to keep you posted on the durability as we have only had the Triumph for two months, but it’s looking very good so far.

The North Face products are available from 53 Degrees North, Carrickmines and Blanchardstown; Great Outdoors, Dublin 2; Snow+Rock, Dundrum; The North Face Store, Temple Bar.

RRP: €230

So you’re an ultralight alpinist shaving off grams by taking the lightest bivi kit you can get away with, or a multi-day adventure racer critically analysing the space in your pack and wondering if you can forgo a sleeping mat and bag, or you’re tackling the fearsome Marathon des Sables race and are looking for a light yet warm bag for cold desert nights.

If so, you’ll love the Marmot Atom Sleeping Bag. Stuffed with top-quality Hungarian goose down (850 fill) the Atom will keep you cosy down to +4ºC which is damn impressive considering it tips the scales at 453g and packs down to the size of a grapefruit (when stuffed into a roll-top dry bag – something I personally think that every down bag should come with as standard). Couple these stats with an almost silk-like lining and a full-length zip (highly unusual in an ultralight race worthy bag) and you’ve got one hell of a contender for best above-zero race bag on the market.

Marmot products are available from Great Outdoors, Dublin 2; Snow+Rock, Dundrum.

With its tripod design, this lantern is good and stable and can illuminate a 10m radius with non-glaring light thanks to its frosted globe. It can also be hung and due to reflectors the Apollo can light the surface directly below so it’s great for bedtime reading. The brightness setting can be adjusted according to need and depending on which mode it is used in, this lantern can last for up to 60 hours.

The Apollo is compatible with 4AA batteries or, even better, the Black Diamond rechargeable NRG battery system, which can be bought separately. A handy battery power indicator on the lantern displays charging status as well as existing battery life.

Weighing just 320g with batteries, when extended to maximum height the Apollo stands at 24cm and when packed it shrinks down to a mere 12.7cm. Black Diamond products are available at 53° North in Carrickmines and Blanchardstown; Great Outdoors, Dublin 2; Cotswold Outdoors, Belfast; Tiso, Belfast; Spórt Corrán Tuathail, Killarney or visit www.bdel.com.

Therm-a-rest’s ProLite 4 provides the ultimate combination of comfort and rugged durability with minimal size and weight. This mattress which is suitable for year round use is self-inflating, needing just one or two full lungfuls of air to complete the process, so it won’t leave you blue in the face either. And putting it away is easy too. The tapered and ergonomic design means it rolls up with minimal effort to the size of a loaf of bread for easy carrying. It also has a non-slip bottom to keep the mattress from sliding.

Both the men’s and women’s versions come in three different sizes (large, regular and small) and the women’s version has extra warmth at foot and torso area where women need it most. (Regular men’s €99, regular women’s €89.) Thanks to innovative new materials, the biggest version weighs just 932g so it’s great for mountaineering, winter camping, backpacking, and multi-day adventures.

Available from 53° North in Carrickmines and Blanchardstown; Great Outdoors, Dublin 2; Cotswold Outdoors, Belfast; Tiso, Belfast; Spórt Corrán Tuathail, Killarney; and River Deep Mountain High, Limerick and Galway.