Firstly I would like to declare now that I am not a professional photographer. Furthermore I don’t really have that much of an idea of how to use most settings on a camera. But it has never stopped me capturing what I want. So this is the Guide to Outdoor Photography My Way.
Being a firm believer that good photos come from being in the right place at the right time, I have little reason to learn about tweaking all the settings. In addition, I don’t spend a lot of time editing photos. I feel like this makes them more of a drawing than a photo. A photograph should be a capture of a moment in time. Just to clarify, I don’t have a problem with heavily edited/filtered images. It just isn’t my way.
Star Topping – GoPro Hero 9
So what Camera should you buy ?
I’m not much of an expert about cameras or lenses. Personally I favour the GoPro for versatility and quality. A lot of the more serious photographers may laugh at this. Packing a versatile number of settings/lens modes means you have a pocketful of tough, light equipment in one device. I have spoken about mods and accessories in my post about the GoPro Hero 9. Think of the camera and settings as your particular style. Not as a level of quality. If you like the results from an old film SLR with a damaged lens then use it. Use the camera you feel most comfortable with (it may even be the one built into your phone).
Furthermore, I feel as though the camera plays little part in the overall results. Aside from having the capability to capture the type of images you are looking for and in a high enough resolution for the device it is intended to be viewed on.
So what is the Key part of getting good photos ?
Time and place. There is no substitute for getting out more and at different times. The worst weather can make the greatest photos. In addition you will never catch lightning, if you don’t sit out in a thunderstorm. A photo is a snapshot of a moment in time at a certain location. Especially in outdoor/landscape photography it is unlikely that someone will capture an identical scene to what you are currently seeing.
On occasions you will have to plan photos. Watch the weather, wait for the right time of day (or night) and look at other factors such as geomagnetic activity. Sometimes a good star lapse can take months of waiting. On the other hand you can just be lucky and get a great picture by chance. The more you practice, the better you will get at spotting good pictures and capturing them.
Atomic Sunrise – Razer Phone 2
My Summary of Outdoor Photography
Sometimes great photos just happen. Sometimes you have to go out and chase them. Either way, the more you get out, the more likely you are to get good photos. If this is something you really want to do and be proud of, You just have to get out there and play. Make the most of every opportunity.
Finally if you found this at all helpful or inspiring, support me by visiting my shop !
Initially, this may seem like a simple concept and one which is often overlooked. Breathing is something that is handled by our subconscious mind most of the time and not often given much thought. This is probably why a lot of people do not consider how to breathe. By taking control of your breathing you can retrain yourself to perform better. If you often feel breathless and struggling for air this is definitely something you should read…
If you learn to breathe properly you can push yourself harder for longer. You can work your muscles more efficiently and feel less tired at the end. Whether you’re Cycling, Running, Hiking, Walking this is something that will make what you’re doing much easier.
Breathing is something you will have to do. You’ll have to do it more when exercising. It is easy to see runners going along, hardly out of breath and assume they are super fit. The likelihood is that they are but they didn’t start there. They are indeed working hard but have learnt to control their breathing in a more effective way.
Take the small wins to get going
Firstly, it is very easy to get carried away. When using Strava it is easy to become disheartened if you weren’t as fast as last time. Don’t do this. Accept you’re going back to step 1 to build yourself up stronger. The aim here is simply to not get out of breath and keep going.
Pick a distance you normally have to slow down and walk or push or stop. Instead of trying to run quickly just breathe deeply. Breath in through your nose for 3 seconds, hold it, breathe out through your mouth for 3 seconds, hold it and repeat. If you find you’re breathing faster, slow down. Do not allow to yourself to get to the point of hyperventilating. It’s much harder to recover from this and you will have to stop. Concentrate on letting your breathing control your speed. Use all of your lungs.
You will start to feel like you’re getting better and gaining fitness very quickly. More than likely you’re just fuelling yourself with oxygen much more efficiently. Also you will save a little energy from not breathing as hard and inefficiently !
Why does this make you so much better ?
Under normal resting breathing you only utilise about 20% of your lung capacity. Instead of rapidly using a small part, try using all of it, breathe deeply and slowly. Rest days are still important but if you feel like you can go and push yourself more often then why not. Well done, you’re starting to learn how to breathe.
Learning how to breathe more efficiently is your first step towards being more efficient. Fuel your muscles with more oxygen. It is easy to assume that breathing faster and heavier will increase the amount of oxygen in your body but it has the opposite effect. Slowing down your breathing will increase your blood-oxygen saturation level.
The Next Steps
Once you have learned to cover that distance you couldn’t do without stopping you can either start speeding it up or you can go further. This is where you can start to see greater fitness gains. Being able to go further or faster or longer, whatever your goal is, is where you can start getting fitter.
Don’t try to do it all at once. Remember you are rebuilding yourself ultimately better than before. If you have to slow down to go further, do it. Build up slowly. This is about pacing yourself so you don’t get exhausted as much as it is about improving. Stay in this zone of not being out of breath and you will build fitness much faster. This is how you can work your muscles more efficiently and reduce fatigue.
A Life Skill to Master
This is truly a skill to master. There are many good videos and guides out there with various different techniques. Ones to give you a burst of speed or ones that might just work better for you. Everybody is different and it is not a one size fits all solution. However, this is a good place to start. In conclusion, all you need to do is keep it slow and deep and allow your breathing to control your pace. Don’t let your pace dictate your breathing.
Once you have mastered this doing whatever you are doing, it translates over to making you better at any other type of aerobic exercise.
As always, If you found this useful, support me by buying some of my awesome sportswear
Firstly, I would like to highlight that wild camping anywhere in England is illegal. I am not advising you should go out, pitch a tent and set up camp for weeks for free. The dictionary definition of “camping” however is “the activity of staying in a tent on holiday”. Now that we have cleared that up, lets get on with the Grizzly Wears Guide to British Wild Camping.
I like to think of myself as the rugged Bear Grylls type adventurer. This means I go with bare essentials to an inaccessible or remote place for the night. Or I check into a five star hotel because there is one nearby and a hot shower and comfortable bed is what you need mid adventure. On the other hand you have the Ray Mears types. Ray will turn up with a pen knife and in no time at all have crafted a 4 storey dwelling with running water, central heating and have gathered something for dinner. This is not me. When spending the night outside I take what I need and leave no trace I was ever there.
Wild camping is tolerated if you make little noise, leave no litter and don’t start large fires. The spot you choose to stay for the night must be left as you found it. This is the way. Leave the place you enjoyed at least as good for the next person.
What is the appeal of Wild Camping ?
Nothing seems to help me put things in perspective as much as a night under the stars. It doesn’t seem to matter what the weather is doing as long as you’re warm, dry and have coffee. I love to watch the whole scene of the sun setting around me and the light show from the stars. It is also the best way to force yourself into a Digital Detox.
What you can see spending a night outside
Sit down, relax, have a warm drink or beer, take a deep breath and absorb what is happening around you. Think about the greater universe and what is happening. Take a camera and get some photos/videos and see if you can reveal more of what is going on around you. Leave the rest of your life behind. This is a moment of absolute you time and nothing else matters. And take your dog along, they will love it !
What equipment do I need ?
Personally, my kit list is pretty short. This is far from glamping. Even so there are items I could do without. All I need is to be warm, dry and hydrated. This also means I have a pretty light and small pack size. My inventory is as follows:
Sleeping mat.
Sleeping bag.
Bivvy bag.
3 litre hydration pack.
Gas stove.
Mug.
Importantly, there really is not a lot to forget here which helps a lot when you have a memory like mine. Furthermore, having a regimented packing order means it is harder to forget something. I open my rucksack, first in is my hydration pack followed by sleeping bag inside the bivvy bag. Thirdly, my gas stove and mug filled with 3 in 1 coffee sachets goes on top. Finally, close the rucksack and attach my sleeping mat to the outside. This is all the preparation you need to do before getting up and going. If you have these 6 items, you will be fine.
Best Equipment Choices
In my experience these are the best choices for equipment. You may prefer more comfort but having done this many times over the years, for days/weeks on end or the odd night at a time, this is what I have come to rely on and why.
Sleeping mats
Nothing fancy needed, just a simple foam roll mat to keep you insulated from the cold ground. I have tried inflatable and self inflating mattresses but when they pop or leak they are much less comfortable. They also cost significantly more, weigh more but some do pack down smaller. Although this is only a problem if it is going inside your rucksack. If you do insist on something inflatable, make sure you take some duct tape or patches to fix it when it does get punctured because you threw it on sharp rocks in the dark and jumped on it !
Sleeping bags
This really is a personal preference thing but not somewhere you should be trying to save money. I like a sleeping bag rated to about -5. This seems to be the sweet spot for UK use, It doesn’t get a lot colder than this. It is also not too warm in the summer when it is much warmer on a night. and you can always undo the zip to let a little heat out.
Take care of your sleeping bag and it will last for years, keep it dry and uncompressed. You should throw the compression bag they come with in the bin and allow your sleeping bag to take up as much space as possible in your rucksack and also when stored. Compressing your sleeping bag pushes air out and reduces it’s insulating properties. This is not ideal. Let your sleeping bag loft and perform at it’s best, the same as a down jacket.
Importantly a sleeping bag should be smaller to reduce the amount of air you need to heat inside it. Don’t get a two person one with the aims of spreading out. You’ll only get a draft every time you move and it sucks in cold air.
Bivvy Bags
Ditch that tent ! Tents weigh lots (even light weight ones) and they cost a lot. If you go with a bivvy bag, it keeps your sleeping bag waterproof, weighs far less, has no poles to snap and does not have to be pitched. In addition, you don’t have to spend much time packing it in the morning either. And as an added bonus, I’ve never put a hole in one, but you could tape it back up as good as new !
My preference here is the Alpkit Hunka. Cheap, tough, small, light and customer service is second to none. I have tried various military ones – British ones are OK, they are goretex but don’t have the nice fitted face hole of the Hunka. In addition, military surplus ones seem about the same price and are well used sometimes. Just go with Alpkit. It is the best and mine has lasted for over a decade without issues now.
Hydration Packs
These are something that there is now a huge range of choices in. Camelbak is as good as ever. Many brands of rucksack come with a Hydrapak. Also a great choice. The advantage is that you can drink whilst walking and they squash into your rucksack and get smaller as they empty. Having a hard plastic water container of fixed size means it is always that size and shape.
I always like to take a large 3 litre hydration pack and find this lasts me the night with plenty to spare. It also adds a bit of a water pillow quality to your rucksack when using that as a pillow.
Gas Stoves
When it comes to boiling water, a gas stove is the easiest method. The all round winner for me in this department has to be Jetboil. The main reason being the whole lot packs inside itself so it is compact, versatile, reliable and all importantly self igniting. This means I don’t have to remember to carry a lighter and find it in the dark. There are a few alternative/cheaper brands out there now although I haven’t tried these. My Jetboil is something I have had for a long time now and never found reason to change it.
There are many other alternatives such as compact stoves and titanium mugs but the jetboil can be held in your hand if you can’t find a suitable surface. It also has a pretty stable stand that supports it on angles and the burner attaches to the pot so it won’t slip off and spill your limited water.
This is an area where it also comes down to preference. Find what works best for you – It is the jetboil for me. I even used mine in the house for 6 months when I ripped the kitchen out and had no other means of cooking.
Mugs
Forget enamel, steel or expensive/exotic mugs. It’s all about the cheap, light plastic ones when it comes to reliable adventuring. I like to fill mine with my drink sachets and usually a spoon so it doubles as a kitchen cupboard. Again, any teaspoon works, you really don’t need a dedicated adventure spoon. If regularly going with a friend, why not invest in stackable mugs and take one stove. Or even better, make them carry their own and use their own gas too !
Flasks are good if you want a warm drink for on the move as you walk back to civilisation. Or even getting one step ahead and filling it before you leave so you don’t need to immediately unpack and make a drink. Camelbak also make good flasks, as do Contigo.
Is there anything else I need ?
That was the essential list. You can always increase what you take but it doesn’t add much value or make the experience any better for most of the year. This guide to British wild camping is mostly how I get along on the bare minimum. If this isn’t enough to get you through the night my advice would be to go glamping or stay in a hotel.
For those who are unable to disconnect from the internet for the night, a good sized portable USB charger is a great addition. It can also be handy should something go wrong and you need to check your location or call emergency services. Just make sure the charger is charged before you take it !
For worse weather you can take a tarp as an extra layer between you and rain/wind, best when used near trees or you can get a couple of light poles to keep them up. Alpkit do great ones, there are cheaper options, there are more expensive ones. They aren’t vital and you can just roll over so the face hole in your bivvy bag points down. sometimes these things are more effort than they’re worth. sometimes they’re invaluable.
I tend to carry a head torch with me, usually set on the red light but I don’t normally need it. My advice is to be undetectable and out of the way. Leave no trace you are there and you will go unnoticed or be tolerated.
The type of photos that make Wild Camping more than worthwhile
What about Cameras ?
If you want to capture the night sky, take your camera along. If you have read my other articles, you probably already know that I love the GoPro Hero and this is a great camera for capturing the night sky. It is also compact, can last all night on a portable charger and will give great results. Couple it with a proper tripod for stability all night and you should be good to go. Tripods don’t have to cost a fortune, there is an amazon basics one which you can weigh down with rocks or tent pegs and paracord to make it more secure. It is light and good enough to carry and does what I need.
As the GoPro is waterproof there is not much need to panic in the event of rain but it is worth having a zippy freezer bag to keep your portable charger dry !
Although phone cameras are always improving they still don’t tend to be great at capturing the night sky.
British Wild Camping in Summary
Consideration will get you a long way here if this is something you enjoy. Do not spoil the nice place you want to be for other people. Not only in Britain but any other country you choose to go wild camping. If you are asked to move on, do it without question and be polite. Don’t argue with farmers, they do have guns.
If you’re going to go out and enjoy a night under the stars, stay warm, stay safe, leave no trace.
The Grizzly Wears Recycled Polyester Sportswear range is a core part of our line up. Whilst we grow as a business, this range will grow with us. I see this range as an important part of our journey to a more sustainable future.
Why is Recycled Polyester so great ?
Firstly, this fabric is great. Each T-Shirt is made from about 8 plastic bottles worth of plastic waste meaning we prevent that waste going to landfill. Not only does it mean we have less requirements for virgin material to be produced from oil but we reduce landfill waste that takes a long time to break down. Both important points in the battle to save the planet.
And secondly, this is a great performing fabric for technical clothing. It breathes well, it is soft and smooth. It dries quickly. We sacrifice none of the performance we are used to as we gain so many benefits.
Polyester has become the dominant fabric of the sportswear industry. It is good for running, cycling, the gym, hiking, walking. You name an activity and there will be a polyester garment designed specifically for it. This is due to the particular balance of properties it provides. Along with an industry scaled to meet demands.
Is there no better, natural alternative ?
Few natural fabrics have the properties of polyester. There are a great number of natural fabrics being created. The issue we face is that they are costly, in short supply, hard to get hold of. Recycled polyester is more widely available. Although it isn’t the ultimate solution it is one step in the right direction.
The main advantage is that it doesn’t take up land, natural habitats or limited resources to produce. It is made entirely of a waste product. In addition it requires much less energy to produce. We should look ultimately towards natural solutions but use what we have in the mean time. We have a lot of plastic waste.
Exploring the natural world (Probably wearing Polyester)
What about when it reaches the end of it’s life ?
Because Grizzly Wears only uses 100% recycled polyester, it can be easily recycled again. When polyester is blended with another material, the process of recycling becomes harder. In addition there are limited places which can process this. By sticking to 100% polyester and nothing else, we have a product range that is recyclable again.
Currently, I am looking in to services to have this range recycled but do have the possibility of sending clothing to people in need. If you return this range of clothing to us in the future, it will be dealt with in the best way possible. We may even give you money off some new clothing for doing so.
Clothing wears out, fashion changes. Make new clothes from old ones. Check out my Shop to buy the latest items available and send them back once you’re finished.
Are there any downsides ?
I am yet to discover a fabric that has no downsides at all. Recycled Polyester is no exception and I see the biggest problem as being microplastics. this is a problem we all have to tackle by washing clothes less, for a shorter time and at a lower temperature. Filters are available for your washing machine from Planet Care. Scientists are working on identifying plants that can remove microplastics from our water. Even though this is not perfect, the advantages do outweigh the negative effects. Polyester is something we just have not found a natural replacement for yet.
Recycled Polyester Sportswear in Conclusion…
As polyester is an engineered fabric which performs like polyester, a natural replacement is not easy to find. For sportswear, most people will demand a level of performance. And also have a limited budget. Utilising recycled polyester lets us create high performance clothing and meet the performance and price requirements that you have come to rely on.
Choose 100% recycled polyester and take steps to a more sustainable future. This is one of our tools to fight climate change in the fashion industry and maybe one day we will tip the balance more in favour of recycling. One day we may create a closed loop eco system of infinitely recyclable polyester. Read about how its used in our Sustainable Bamboo Running Clothes
The GoPro Hero 9 Black is my go-to camera. It is Agile, Adaptable and Capable. Essentially, it does everything I need and more. At the time of writing this the Hero 10 is available. Naturally I would love one and I will more than likely invest one day. However, it is hard to improve on perfection.
Although this post is all about the Hero 9 and why it is still a great choice. I’ll talk about how I use it from the perspective of a complete amateur. I am far from a pro when it comes to photos and videos but the Hero 9 gets results I am always more than happy with. If you’re anything like me and lack skill, you can make up for this with more cameras !
Night Lapse taken on the GoPro Hero 9
The Hero 9 as a Still Photo Camera
Firstly, photos on the Hero 9 never disappoint. As a typical non-manual reader I cast instructions aside and just get on with doing. I made a post on Instagram a while ago to show what happens when you take the same picture with an SLR and a GoPro. This was done with my Hero 9. The intention was not to call one out as better than the other. But if you grab a camera, leave everything in default settings and just point and shoot what do you end up with. You can narrow the lens and remove the fisheye effect on the GoPro if you want. Importantly, unlike an SLR, it does just fit in your pocket without making you look very happy to see other people.
GoPro Hero 9 – Landscape Photo
I found the superphoto setting on the Hero 7 a little problematic. Although colours were great, it required holding the camera very still until the photo had finished being taken. Leading to a quick photo on the move being blurry and unusable. On the other hand the Hero 9 is more responsive and processes the image faster, leading to better photos more often.
To conclude, yes. The Hero 9 is a good camera. I find it better than my phone and it’s not an inconvenience to carry. I haven’t taken it on holiday yet but I see no reason that I wouldn’t take it in preference to my SLR.
Time/Night Lapse
These are the game changing features for me. As I love compressing time down into bite size chunks, these are features I use to extremes. I find a time lapse can make you aware of how much things move and the scene changes without your eyes noticing. Having an extra source of power comes in great here so you can keep the GoPro filming around the clock.
To give a really quick overview of the time lapse modes and sum up what they do:
Time Lapse – This is for creating footage where the camera is stationary or moving very slowly. To film movement over time from a fixed point.
Time Warp – Opposite of the time lapse, best used where the camera is moving. Setting the time warp speed to a higher value (slower capture) does seem to make the end result smoother.
Night Lapse – Probably my favourite setting of all. There is nothing like the feeling of pulling off a good night lapse after many hours in an exposed place. Always seems to yield satisfying results although not always what you would expect !
Mods and Accessories
Although the GoPro is great as standard, straight out of the box, there are a few things you can do to adapt it to your own style/use. I will expand more upon these in their own sections as I get chance. The list will likely grow over time too. You don’t have to do this but these are the things I use from time to time to make the GoPro do what I want:
Extend Battery Life
Battery life is fine when simply used as an action camera. On the other hand when you want continuous footage over hours, an issue arises. You can not swap batteries mid time lapse. With a couple of cheap additions you can boost the battery life to over 24 hours. Both the GoPro Hero 9 & 10 use the same removable battery door. By removing the door you gain access to the charging port but your camera is no longer waterproof and the battery is free to drop out.
In the event you have a 3D printer you can make your own door with charging hole. Otherwise you can buy one from Amazon. This will hold the battery but beware your GoPro is no longer waterproof !
When it comes to portable chargers, I like Anker. They come up on offer on occasions and they do the job well. I have a couple 20,000mah which seem to last me fine, more than 24 hours, when I remember to charge them. Depending on what you’re doing you can go bigger for more battery life or smaller for more compact size. There is a huge range of options out there. Try and get something that will go longer than you need.
Lens Mods
Having not yet tried the official Max Lens Mod I can’t comment on how good it is. I am dying to get my hands on one and see what I can achieve. On the other hand I went straight for the Skyreat Anamorphic Lens. I am currently a little obsessed with it and trying to use it for everything I can.
Anamorphic lenses squeeze more footage in horizontally without warping the image. They also create great lens flare but make sure the colour settings are Flat and not GoPro, otherwise you will end up with a lens smear. Using the anamorphic lens will restrict hypersmooth and so you need to switch the GoPro to Linear or Narrow. In addition the image will need to be “desqueezed”. This means footage will be squeezed in from the sides and you need some video editing software to return it to the correct aspect ratio. I found about 82% reduction of height is optimal but you will end up with the black bars at the top and bottom. This does give a wider, more cinematic feel over all.
To conclude lens mods, check out a few reviews and sample videos, get the ones you like and have a play with them. The worst thing you can do when it comes to lenses is stick them on, not adjust the GoPro settings and expect them to just work. Be patient, test lots, find out how they impact your footage. Make a new settings profile for each lens so you can tweak it.
So is a GoPro Hero 9 worth it ?
A very strong yes. I find I use mine for everything. I’m happy with it, I would like a Hero 10 and if I find I need 1 more camera this may be the choice. It is hard to be disappointed with the Hero 9. It does everything well, much better than its predecessors. If you have a Hero 7 or 8 and want to upgrade, think strongly about whether you will use the upgrades on the 9 & 10. For me the 7 is still great and I use it a lot. The Hero 9 definitely has the edge though.
Often branded as “Just a toy” by some but a very effective, reliable and capable tool in the hands of those who just get out and find amazing wherever they go. Easy to use, easy to adapt, plenty of accessories available. Great out of the box with no extras but a few add-ons can transform it.
Lastly, if you found this useful drop me a comment. Support me by buying Grizzly Wears Clothing. There will be a few more additions and updates to this post. Along with some more in depth posts about what gear I use.
The OnePlus 10 Pro (UK launch page here) has been highly anticipated by myself since rumours began earlier this year. It’s no secret that I haven’t had any interest or invested in a flagship phone since the Samsung Galaxy S5. This was 8 years ago. Half that time I used my S5 until it started to give up on life. I then made ends meet with 2nd hand or cheaper phones. However, I am interested in this. This is why I want the OnePlus 10 Pro…
Social Media
Since starting Grizzly Wears, social media has become a part of my life. I don’t always have my GoPro or my camera to hand but I do usually have my phone. The ability to take good photos at all times is what drives success on social platforms. In addition the photos can be published directly with a phone and I don’t need to do much else. Simpler is always better. If I can get good enough pictures on my phone, I can publish more content, more often and never miss a moment.
Importantly this improves quality of my content and frequency. Another great feature is the warp charging and huge battery. Having a phone that might last a day with little use makes me less likely to use it. Not from fear of being disconnected from the world but fear that something amazing may happen and my phone will be dead.
As someone who has gone from zero presence to maximum Instagram and YouTube, the right tool is important now. Essentially there was no reason for me to own a good phone but there is now. Rumour has it this phone was made for the content creators and I intend to take my content to the next level by using it.
Lets talk about that Camera…
The camera has multiple lenses, plenty of other people have gone into the technical detail. I won’t bother and don’t care either. Some of the photos I have seen have been good. My current phone was not made to be good at photos or have a good battery life. The OnePlus 10 Pro seems to have that wide angle fish eye type lens that I love the GoPro for. This gives my content a little more consistency. but you can also turn that off and just take photos through a normal spherical lens.
I would definitely be interested to see if any lens mods come along for this phone. However, If I go on a trip for a break and to create content whilst there, would I leave the GoPro’s at home ? Probably not. They do things well that a phone just can’t do at all. Also tying up your phone for 12 hours to take a time lapse video isn’t practical.
Either way the camera is the tipping point for me to invest in this phone.
OnePlus 10 Pro example photo
What else is Important ?
Battery life. To have a phone that can last a day on one charge is a luxury I have gone without for a long time. My S5 could go several days in ultra power saving which made it great when spending days away from electricity. These days I either need a portable charger or I turn my phone off. Being cut off from the world for a while is not hard for me anyway. Battery life definitely drops in cold temperatures though so the more, the better.
Durability is a factor I like, I haven’t ever broken a phone. Not entirely sure how but my phones tend to get scrapes and dents without ever breaking glass or worse. Maybe I have been lucky, maybe I am careful. Either way it is nice to have a little durability for when accidents happen. Having had my hands on a few previous OnePlus models they seem well built and sturdy so hopefully this won’t be the first phone I break !
Performance. I am inpatient, don’t like phones that freeze, crash and are slow to use. I would rather go back to my Nokia 3210 because it did very little very well. Not packing a phone with bloatware and features I have no need for is why I like OnePlus. The operating system is clean and light. I like this.
So when is the UK release date for the OnePlus 10 Pro ?
Currently I have no idea. I have read rumours it will be this week (21st March 2022). Unfortunately this seems to be in an article made by one of this clickbait content creators. In other words, he made it up and I doubt it will happen. OnePlus have been quiet and not announced anything. Until you hear it from them it is probably best to ignore any dates from the “make stuff up” people on TikTok. Let’s just make good quality content instead !
Further Update…
OnePlus did not release the 10 pro on the 21st, 22nd or 23rd March. I’m not sure where the March release came from but people are definitely plucking random dates out of the air. There seems to be a prediction of every day in March being the release date. If this is the month it is being released, someone has a 1 in 31 chance of being right. There seems to be a trend of releasing new phones on Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday so it may not appear until April 6th. Don’t hold your breath. Will the rumoured “extreme edition” be available at launch is what I wonder. This certainly is a closely guarded secret. Along with the yet unseen blue colour.
Final Update…
Following the (painful) launch event on 31st March I am in no rush to buy this phone now. Sadly the only colour available if you pre-order the 12gb version is “Disgusting Green”. I did however call the release date roughly which is 5th April so the day you would receive the OnePlus 10 Pro would be the 6th April if you can live with the green. I definitely can’t. Although the phone is a great price for the features packed into it, it is still a lot of money for something you hate the colour of !
Please check out my socials and the content I make, have a look at my online shop. Also check out my other blogs if you’re a fellow adventurist !
In many of my previous blogs I mention Recycled Polyester. Here I will go into more detail and try to explain how Grizzly Wears Clothing went down that route. Most importantly, answer the question How Sustainable is Recycled Polyester ?
Plastic waste in the Ocean
I’m confident everybody is familiar with images such as this. These days they are all too common. This is a good thing for raising awareness. Also a terrible thing that parts of our planet have come to this. Firstly this is a great starting point in the lifecycle of recycled polyester. To look at plastic waste like this as a valuable resource encourages companies to remove it. 14 million tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean every year.
Where is Recycled Polyester sourced from ?
Recycled Polyester is mostly sourced from industrial waste currently. But it is also harvested from the seas and oceans. It can also be collected from your recycling bins.
Virgin polyester is produced from oil. Oil being a limited resource that does no harm when left where it naturally occurs but so valuable we float buildings out to sea and drill miles down into the earth to collect it. We then load it into ships and transport it miles around the planet for processing.
In conclusion, plastic waste sitting on the ocean floor or floating on top of the water must be much easier to collect. This waste is in the chemical state required for it to be used. Importantly it can be turned back to a raw material requiring less energy than producing virgin polyester.
Turning polyester back to a raw material means it has to be cleaned, shredded, formed into pellets and then spun into fibres. These four steps are much easier than producing it from oil.
Why is all Polyester not recycled then ?
Currently, global industry is more optimised to produce new polyester than recycle it. However, this can be changed by consumers. Actively seek out recycled polyester and buy those products. Brands will go more towards using them if they sell more. Industry will have to realign to produce more recycled polyester than new. As a consumer you have the choice to change this.
Additionally polyester degrades each time it is recycled and requires new material to be added. This new material does not have to be from oil as we can break down polyester to compounds and reform it. Leading the way to a closed loop system.
Money plays a big factor in business. Companies seeking maximum profit will use virgin polyester. Although a more complex process to make, it is done on a huge scale. This huge scale operation means virgin polyester is cheaper to produce. The effect is companies have less incentive to use recycled. As we see use of recycled over virgin polyester increase, the costs should decrease. When recycled becomes cheaper than virgin polyester there will be a big incentive for businesses to switch. In addition the plastic floating in seas and oceans will become more valuable. Post consumer waste such as plastic bottles will be less common in landfill.
That would be a great achievement to look forward to. And it could happen.
Beautiful, clear seas
What about microplastics ?
Microplastics are still a problem. They get into our water, soil and foods. With help of current research, plants which consume microplastics such as eelgrass and oyster mushrooms are helping to tackle the problem. Thousands of microplastics are released every time clothing is washed and make their way out into the wider world.
Being found in a wide variety of wildlife and sea creatures, microplastics are a danger to other animals. Recycled polyester will release just as much microplastic fibres as virgin polyester. I don’t know of a way this can be prevented other than more research into plants that can remove them.
Organic fabrics such as cotton, hemp or bamboo do help relieve problems created by polyester but for the foreseeable future it looks like it is here to stay. This is why we need to be more responsible about how we use polyester and recycle rather than create. These natural fabrics definitely do not perform as well as polyester in sportswear and that is the problem. Removing plastic from the environment is a great step along the way. Hopefully as time moves on, there will be an effective solution for removing microplastics for good.
In the meantime if you want to try and relieve the problem a little, why not try filtering the water coming out of your washing machine with a microfiber filter from https://planetcare.org
In conclusion…
The bottom line is with current fashion trends for athleisure type clothing, polyester is an unavoidable material. Impact can be lessened by switching to recycled over virgin. Consumer demand still grows and so does production. How Sustainable is Recycled Polyester ? In my opinion it is a huge step in the right direction. Furthermore we are only getting better at recycling and we need to keep going that way. Recycled polyester is a great tool in the battle to tackle climate change.
If you like this blog and found it helpful and informative, support me by buying my sustainable clothing and help me feed into closed loop recycling !
As many consumers become more eco-aware and move towards more sustainable clothing, why is it not cheaper ? A very valid question in a world that is moving to a more sustainable future. Importantly, we have to develop better habits and practices going forwards. The fashion industry is just one key part of what we need to improve. So, Why is Sustainable Clothing Expensive ?
Until recently, sustainability has not been a key factor in clothing. Furthermore, sportswear in particular, is dominated by comfort and performance. This creates a challenge in finding natural fabrics that can compete with man made fabrics which have been engineered to have specific qualities. A fabric that boasts true sustainability is rare to find but there are some out there. This leads Grizzly Wears Clothing to a crossroads, two paths to follow, so which do I choose as a business. The choices are; lower cost but a little more sustainable; ultimate sustainability but higher price. But firstly lets cover the reasons behind the price jump.
An industry set in its ways.
Quite possibly the biggest factor. The fashion industry, like many others, is built on economies of scale. Having a strong reliance and market demand for fabrics that were, revolutionary at the time means production followed. As manufacturing scaled up and got more efficient with one factory competing against another, prices dropped. The cost of a lot of these fabrics remains relatively low. For example, recycled polyester is double the price of virgin polyester currently. In essence, demand for recycled materials has not yet reached a level where production is at a level to reduce cost. Although, this is happening. With more brands switching to more sustainable fabrics, production is increasing. This is a good thing and a step in the right direction.
Market demand drives positive change. As a consumer, now is the time for you to look out for greener clothing. By making the decision to spend a few seconds looking for that “recycled” key word on the labels of what you choose to buy, you are pushing in the right direction. This is the way.
A new hope for the industry is on the horizon. With many innovative ideas coming to light, making use of otherwise waste material is a great way to restore balance. At this time we should be less reliant upon limited resources and looking towards renewable materials.
More Sustainable = More Cost
If you have read some of my previous blogs, you will know, I like to look at sustainability as a balance. Essentially, I see not all materials are equal. Each one has ups and downs. As a lot of the top tier fabrics cost more, More Sustainable means a Higher Price. However, there is a happy medium. By creating more clothes that are more sustainable from fabrics which do not cost extra, more people can afford sustainable clothing.
If something is exclusively priced a lot of people do not have the money to buy it. For example: A T-Shirt is £1000 but completely sustainable, 1% of people can afford it. The overall impact is minimal. On the other hand a T-Shirt is somewhat sustainable, it costs £20, 90% of people can afford it. This gives greater impact. Although it is a bad example because T-Shirts are typically cotton which is highly sustainable.
To conclude, we must look at the bigger picture. Think about the number of products which can have an impact, not just the impact per item. By taking this approach, Grizzly Wears Clothing tries to give greatest impact now and get better in the future. We are not perfect but see where there is room for improvement.
Where can we improve ?
There are many ways we can improve. By openly admitting we do not do everything perfectly, we can begin to take steps in the right direction. Some steps cost money. Some take time and work. Typically we are no different to other businesses apart from trying to be more honest. Starting from a strong position and doing as much as possible sets Grizzly Wears on the right path for the future.
Going forwards we will push in the direction of greener materials. Our carbon footprint will come under closer inspection and be offset where possible. Currently, this is hard to measure. It takes time and resource which is not available but is a priority.
Areas of improvement do not only apply to us. Every clothing business, no matter the size will need to get better. To survive in the future we must move towards greener shipping and adopt more sustainable fabrics.
So… Why is sustainable clothing more Expensive ?
The main reason is the scale of production. Some technologies are still in early days and not driven by economy yet. With rising costs of energy and fuel this applies to all clothing. Although we aim to be 100% sustainable, we recognise cost is a big factor. Furthermore when we look with an open mind at what is available at a price point, options are narrower. But they do exist. Every day more options open up.
Support me in bringing the cost of sustainable clothing down by visiting my shop. By buying my clothing and bearing the Grizzly Wears name, you are helping me to research more fabrics, explore more options. And importantly, bring these new products to market.
Sustainable clothing is more expensive, it won’t always be if we invest now.
Finding motivation can be hard at times. More so in winter months when the weather is less inviting. As a result I definitely end up with a seasonal fitness dip and I know I’m not the only one. This definitely applies a lot more broadly than fitness but here are a few ways I fit things in. Here are a few tips to Clear your mind of Excuses and get things done.
For the purposes of writing this, I chose running as the target activity. Just switch the word with whatever you make excuses about not doing to fit. It could be running, cycling, mountain biking, yoga, going to the gym. The same excuses come up for everything.
To start with, everybody has objections to doing things. The difference between somebody who does take action is they are better at overcoming the excuses in their own mind. It is as simple as that. On occasions they have built up that level of resilience, some are just that way to start. Take some steps towards being that person who just does things and stop procrastinating !
A wise man, a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away
“Try not. Do. Or do not, there is no try”
— Yoda, Grand Master Jedi
Tackle that to-do list
When you have a huge “to-do” list it can be overwhelming. Bear in mind everything on that list is only one thing. Do one thing. Do one more thing. It’s strangely addictive and before you know it, that list is much shorter. For example: Today you need to do the shopping; walk the dog; go to work; grab some lunch; cook the dinner; tidy up after last night; put the washing machine on; load the dishwasher; hang the washing up to dry; go back to the shop for what you forgot; collect that missed parcel and try and squeeze a run in. Looking at your day this way, it seems like an unstructured mess of 12 things. It absolutely is. Take a breath and relax.
Today you will:
Get up and run with the dog, have breakfast, then leave a note of where to leave your parcel and throw your workout clothes in the washing machine.
Grab lunch on the way to work and have a relaxing walk on your break.
Go shopping on the way home with a photo of the recipe you’re making for dinner.
Load the dishwasher and start cooking, hang the washing out whilst you’re waiting.
This way you have achieved six tasks (half of them) before starting work. And one of them was that critical “you time” run. This way the jobs are done. A little planning has even given you a few hours to crash at the end of your day. Furthermore by being a little proactive, some of the jobs took care of themselves.
Do the boring quickly and enjoy the interesting
Quite importantly, nobody wants to savour the boring jobs. By getting on and just doing them so much time is saved. Time that is now free and absolutely all yours !
When you clear your mind of excuses you can get on and get things done. Unfortunately, every day there are boring jobs. This is part of being a grown up. The “I’ll do it later” philosophy seems to just add to that to-do list. In conclusion it is another simple solution. However, it is easy to postpone things and let the excuses build up. Leading to all of these individual things to become an excuse in their own way. “I haven’t got time to run because I have to tidy up”. Turn this around. “I am going for a run and then I will speed tidy on my runner’s high!”. When you find a different perspective, you begin to wonder why there was a problem in the first place.
What are the most common excuses ?
Like cheap brand cola, excuses seem to come in similar flavours with a unique twist. Every supermarket has them, but who makes the best. Well this one is down to personal preference. This section may be offensive as I blow holes through your top excuses. If you find it offensive, this is more than likely because it is true !
These are some of the excuses I use myself and have heard others use, along with the arguments to clear your mind of excuses.
I’ve got [insert here] to do instead.
Sometimes a reason rather than an excuse. Probably the most common one. If it is something you can do in advance or afterwards, move your schedule and make that run happen. In the event of not having flexibility, run at a different time. It isn’t always a one or the other choice. Choose both.
Someone couldn’t come with me today/I don’t want to go by myself.
So your friends are busy ? Go by yourself. When you go with somebody else you tend not to mix. Go by yourself and you will meet new people. Other people by themselves. If you spend your life waiting for other people, you will have a lot of free time. To make it worse there will always be someone who says “I would have come with you”. This is normally the person who said they were too busy the last twenty times you asked.
Check out Lost Explorers, and their great idea, the green light, This signals to other people that you are approachable when you are out and about.
The weather is too hot/cold/windy/wet/muddy.
You probably want to wash your clothes and have a shower anyway. Just get on with it. The perfect weather hardly ever seems to come, especially in the UK. If I waited for the right weather I would probably leave the house a maximum of three days per year. Some of the best adventures I’ve had have been peeping out from the comfort of my goretex jacket on a rainy day.
The weather is what you make of it. Just remember, everywhere you go, always take the weather with you.
I won’t get back in time to watch [insert here] on TV.
Get Netflix. This is the 21st century. Plenty of streaming services, some are free.
My [insert body part] hurts.
Well this is exercise. Furthermore, I can confirm it only gets worse with age. There are two different types of pain. Firstly, the kind where you should stop, slow down, rest, recover. Secondly the kind that is just your body adapting to what you demand of it. This is the kind of pain you probably won’t benefit from backing away from. Get up, get out, face the pain. When you push through this type of pain and find it gets no worse or disappears, you learn to cope and push through it. Use this pain as an opportunity to build yourself up stronger. This is how you build muscle and get better at what you choose to do.
In summary, try to push yourself and if it gets no better, walk home and get the peas out of the freezer.
I’m tired.
Yeah… everybody gets tired. There is usually enough left to get a few miles in. Tiredness is something that’s with me most of the time. Beat that tiredness with a run in the fresh air, get your heart pumping and get going. You’ll sleep better. Problem solved. On the other hand you’ll get an energy boost. Problem solved.
I’m waiting for a parcel.
Every day is parcel day when you have Amazon Prime. Remember when we had to get up and physically go to a shop?
Try to get your parcels delivered to a neighbour or safe place. Even better get them all delivered on one day to minimise time spend waiting for parcels. (I’m currently waiting for a parcel and not running).
Clear your mind of Excuses conclusion…
Unless faced with a valid reason, organise your day better, combine tasks. Deal with things that are stopping you doing what you enjoy.
The more you manage to overcome these excuses, the more your default habit becomes to dispose of them. If it wasn’t a problem last time, it won’t be next time.
If you found motivation here, show everybody with one of my T-Shirts. Grizzly Bears don’t make excuses. If you’re going to be a bear, be a Grizzly !
Every year I tell myself I will continue to ride through winter to maintain my bike fitness. Every year I find an excuse not to. This year I took up running which has given me a big boost out of winter. See How to Run for Bike Fitness for more information on this. Mountain Biking does seem to need its own type of fitness. The best way to achieve this fitness is absolutely by riding more often and pushing yourself. In reality there are times when it is difficult to get out and ride. For this reason I thought I would put together a list of Activities that Help with Mountain Biking. These are the things I personally find, make me better on my bike.
Being that time of year when everybody is in a similar position and wanting to get back out riding more, I thought it would be good to write down the things I find help me. Let’s get over that downtime and off season with a boost into the season ahead.
Running
As mentioned in the opening section because it is a big one, there are so many aspects that translate. Any type of running is good but I like trail runs. It’s rare in mountain biking that you will be riding smooth, flat ground. For this reason I like to run on the slippery slopes. Constant pace is not as important as constant effort and this helps with flow.
Running
Running definitely helps with aerobic fitness and this is important. In addition is the breathing control learned from running. In other words, I personally find allowing your breathing to dictate your pace rather than trying to match breathing to pace, allows you to keep pushing for longer. This is a great skill to learn if you haven’t already. Breathing should be deep and slow and never to the point of hyperventilating. When you breath shallow and hard it feels as if you’re able to give more effort but this is not true. On the whole your breathing should follow a sustainable rhythm. In essence, slow down and build stamina and fitness and speed will follow.
There are different types of run which help with different things. Normally I run around 3 miles, currently I can do this without having a level of pain that impacts on my riding. Sometimes I like to push it and do 10+ miles, I definitely need time to recover but I feel these runs are the ones I benefit most from.
Spinning
Recently I took up spinning. This is the indoor activity I can make myself do when the weather is bad, I can’t be bothered cleaning mud off things, there is nothing on Red Bull TV. Although I love relaxing on an evening and not doing a lot, I have watched everything worth watching because of lockdown. I was getting bored on evenings and as a result, decided to fill my time with spinning classes whenever possible.
Spinning
Being completely honest, I thought with years of mountain biking under my belt I could walk in and smash it. This was absolutely not the case. Mountain biking does not help with spinning but spinning does help with mountain biking. Being conditioned to pedal full suspension means I have a weird cadence. Without realising I compensate for pedal bob in my strokes. Being up and out the saddle, in different positions works muscles in different ways. In either case it does help my riding. To summarise the benefits, it helps me power through climbs and sprints without as much pain.
Try spinning with an open mind. It is not easy. Mountain biking does not help you be good at this. Give it a few classes at maximum effort and you will feel the benefits. My local Gym does pay as you go classes, meaning I can walk to somewhere that I don’t need to sign up for a year.
Walking
Never underestimate the power of a good walk. I find a walk can help loosen off muscles, keep you more mobile and help recovery. You don’t have to go for miles on end but a quick half hour gentle walk with the dog usually helps.
Walking
It is also nice to get fresh air, exercise and not over exert yourself from time to time. Even better as you’re moving more slowly you tend to pick out new trails created by the trail fairies and can take the time to track walk some trails and pick new lines. As you are a mountain biker I probably don’t need to tell you to be mindful of other riders trying to beat Strava times and get out of their way. Also, you can take your GoPro and use it to get some great photos of things you don’t normally stop to appreciate because you are moving too fast.
Yoga
Yoga has many benefits. Probably too many to cover in a paragraph or two. In this context it will help with core strength and balance. In addition it helps to undo some of the damage and pain caused from riding your bike. By stretching out and following the sun salutation you can definitely ease out muscle pain in areas that mountain biking seems to aggravate. In particular, your spine.
Yoga
Constantly leaning forwards in that pedalling position and twisting intensely, definitely takes it’s toll. Rather than reaching straight for the painkillers, take 10 minutes to go through the sun salutation. I always find the pain and stiffness goes away a lot faster than painkillers can take effect. Moving forwards I know I need to find time to fit a round of this into the start or end of my day as spending long hours sitting at a desk is also bad. This routine will help to make you more flexible, build core strength and in addition, relieve pain. The list of ailments I have cured with yoga is always growing. I have fixed headaches, pain anywhere down my back, in my shoulders, hips, legs and all from this one simple routine. Learning this will save a fortune on Ibuprofen and Paracetamol !
Cycling
Although I don’t do any road cycling personally, I do understand that it translates over to mountain biking well. I have tried it in the past, I don’t like the feeling that someone is likely to injure or kill me when not paying attention driving. In my head it is much better to do it on my own terms going head first into a tree.
Cycling
Like spinning, cycling is a different body position and slightly different variation of the same motion. It is probably cheaper to buy a bike trainer and cheap road bike/racer to cycle indoors rather than a spare wheel, tyre and cassette for your mountain bike. In addition my boost axle doesn’t fit in a trainer and I don’t want to clamp my carbon frame into one. Riding on a trainer in front of the TV during winter is a good way to boost fitness and get the miles in.
Mountain Biking helps with Mountain Biking !
Last but not least, the ultimate way to get better at mountain biking. More rides, more often, more distance. Not every ride has to be long, hard and fast. A short, half hour gentle ride is still a ride and it all helps. An obvious one in the list of activities that help with mountain biking.
Be more strategic with your rides and try to get something out of them. Small goals can be great motivation whether it be beating your PB on a Strava section or a whole ride, or even challenging a friend’s PB. You can just challenge yourself to riding past a landmark on a big hill without getting off and pushing. If you manage your goal, that’s awesome, now beat it. If you didn’t get out and try again. This type of motivation can really help you set aside time for rides and get more enjoyment. Even just getting through X miles without putting a foot down or stopping for a rest is an achievement.
Mountain Biking
As I said in the opening paragraph, Mountain Biking does seem to require its own type of fitness. Other activities can benefit greatly and feed into your level of “bike fit” but getting out on your bike is how you put it all together.
A Summary of Activities that Help with Mountain Biking
If you want to be good at mountain biking, there is no substitute for getting out and riding trails. In the UK, weather isn’t always on your side so sometimes it’s good to have an indoor replacement or a way of getting the exercise without having to clean everything. Furthermore it is nice to mix it up from time to time and do something different. If that activity can help with your riding, all the more reason to do it.
Personally, I feel the off season is where all the work I did last season is undone and struggle to find motivation to ride knowing I will be rubbish again. In addition anything I can do to ease the pain of those first few rides is more than worth the effort. Building back up to full strength and better in a shorter time means I can enjoy my rides more.
As time goes on I may add to this list.
Finally, If you found this blog informative, helpful, inspiring and want to support me, You can buy sustainable clothing for a range of activities in my online shop. You can also follow me on Instagram or sign up to my mailing list. I’m even on Facebook and YouTube too !
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