The Mont Blog

I had brought my Mont Helium 680 with me. A luxurious bag rated to -12°C for warm sleepers, it is perfectly suited to Tasmania’s cooler months. Ice crusted the ground and tent the next morning and checking my temperature sensor I was surprised to see that the temperature had dropped to -7.7°C overnight. That is remarkably cool for late October in Tassie!

At Mont Adventure Equipment, we believe that quality gear, people, and the planet deserve care. That’s why we only participate in only one yearly sale event that falls on Black Friday. 

Tasmania has had a burst of late snowfalls recently and I headed up into the mountains yesterday to take advantage of a patch of fine weather. Unfortunately, the snow has coincided with very windy weather which makes conditions in the mountains challenging (but invigorating) for photography.

In the three months since I decided to spend a week paddling down the upper Murray River, one question has been asked to me more than any other: Why? 

It seems, to me, to be the strangest question one could ask. What do you mean, why?

The plateau leading out to the cape is extremely exposed and open to the prevailing winds. As a result, much of the scrub has grown almost prone to the ground as it tried to escape the savage Southern Ocean blasts.

Out there, everything is quiet. All the noise, the missed training sessions, the work drama, the forgotten birthdays and the never-ending to-do list - it feels like it doesn’t matter. You’re left with the cool air, beautiful humans beside you, and a glimpse of another world.

 It became my safe place. My home. Every time I slide into my sleeping bag, that memory comes back. Not just the physical comfort, but the emotional one. The sense of safety, self-reliance, and joy that only comes when you strip life back to the essentials and find they’re more than enough. 

The Miena Cider Gum is under significant threat of extinction, clearly shown by the fact that the majority of trees in this particular patch are dead. Climate change is a massive contributor to the threat to this species. These trees have adapted to a cold, wet environment, normally growing on the edge of frost hollows and they cannot tolerate drought stress.

I had 3 days to explore and photograph the crags and gullies around me, quietly wandering alone searching for images that defined the wilderness of Tasmania in Autumn. This is probably the very best time of year to be in the mountains in Tassie.

After almost 2 months of off-piste and ski touring around France and Switzerland, I didn’t think my butchering of French nouns could be beaten. My best mate Ned, who equally struggles with pronunciation, had just joined me for the final leg in which we planned to complete the Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route.  

This shirt rocks. I treated it like crap and showed me nothing but love. It's functional, sexy, and surprisingly resilient. Now while I did buy two colours, I wore the red one for a week straight just to see how far you can push it and it was my underwear supply gave out first.

Your outdoor or rock-climbing experience is largely determined by two factors: your climbing ability and your choice of indoor & outdoor climbing shoes. At Mont Adventure Equipment, we understand that the best outdoor climbing shoes are not just about the brand or the price but about finding a perfect match for your feet and climbing style.