The 3 Fs

When buying a piece of gear its often really difficult to decide whether the item is what you're after or if its going to be another disappointment as we are so often let down by gear companies.

A rule of thumb that I have developed that applies to most gear is 'The 3 Fs'. These are Fit, Fabric and Function and change in importance depending on the product. Further explanation is given below:

Fit

• Especially important on boots
• For baselayers it should be close fitting to move sweat away from your skin as quickly as possible
• For a belay jacket or a warm layer, it should be big enough to fit over layers of clothing, often including your shell jacket, without leaving too much dead air space that takes longer to heat up

Fabric

• Important on almost all outdoor gear
• For rucksacks the durability, weight and water resistance of the fabric are usually of most importance
• For clothing the breathability, weather protection (from wind, rain, cold etc.), durability and weight of the fabric are usually of most importance
• For boots the weight, breathability, durability and insulation are usually of most importance

Function

• Again important on almost all outdoor gear
• On jackets - the location of the pockets, protection offered by the hood
• On boots - the boot might fit great and be made of leather, but it doesn't necessarily mean it is designed for a particular function

So when you're next buying a product, you might find it is easier to think of it in terms of fit, fabric and function.