Welcome to the Taunton Leisure Blog

Beth from our Bristol store took the Osprey Renn on a hike on the Malverns and recommends it for a first time traveller. Osprey's Rook/Renn series is the brand new, budget friendly offering. Both women's and men's versions are available in 50 and 65 litre capacities and are designed for backpacking and adventure travel. The [...]

Alice from our Taunton store took the Osprey Kyte on a hike on the Quantocks and discovers all the features. The test The Osprey Kyte is a highly versatile backpack which is suitable for most hikes and travels. The Kyte is the women’s specific version of the men’s Kestrel, and it comes in three sizes. [...]

Pablo from Bristol took his Osprey Kestrel Backpack skiing and hiking in the French Alps. What did he think? The Test I was given the opportunity to test the Osprey Kestrel 38 and took it on a week long trip to Chamonix in the French Alps. I was going to be hiking and skiing so [...]

Why buy a tent from Taunton Leisure? Here at Taunton Leisure we have over 40 years’ experience in selling tents of all shapes and sizes; so I guess you could say we know a thing or two about tents and what to look out for when buying one. With arguably have the most diverse range [...]

Peg down your dream tent at our free Tent Show If you’re looking for a tent for the summer and come from Devon or are in the area this April (2019), then we’d like to invite you to our free Camping Show. We’ll be hosting one of the largest displays and ranges of tents in [...]

Braam, our Bristol Store Manager tested the Osprey Kestrel 38 on a trip to Snowdon and here's how it performed... I have been looking to add to my back pack range for a while with the Kestrel 38 and Talon 33 the main contenders.  I was offered to test the Kestrel 38 for a weekend [...]

How to wash a down jacket A down jacket will inevitably need washing after much use, whether it's used to keep warm everyday in the winter or on a climbing trip in the mountains. The down properties that keep us warm need to be treated carefully. They can get damaged when wet and drying is [...]

Nick Baron, Exeter Manager, has used headtorches for camping, night running and climbing for 15 years and his Petzl torches remain the favourite. I have tried Blackdiamond, Ledlenser and Primus head torches and always just go back to Petzl. In my opinion they are the most efficient, reliable and most often strike the right balance [...]

Rab Mantra Waterproof Jacket It’s been a while since I’ve had a decent waterproof shell jacket so I jumped at the chance to review this Mantra, breathable and waterproof jacket from Rab. I tested it in two locations, wearing different layers under the coat to see how warm and windproof it would be. The Test [...]

James's guide to Sleeping Bags for Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Ten Tors and the Exmoor Challenge. Activities like DofE, Ten Tors and the Exmoor Challenge are great for young people in the South West as they teach them important skills like team building, leadership and navigation. It gets them outside and lets them enjoy the [...]

James's guide to Rucksacks for Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Ten Tors and the Exmoor Challenge. Activities like DofE, Ten Tors and the Exmoor Challenge are great for young people in the South West as they teach them important skills like team building, leadership and navigation. It gets them outside and lets them enjoy the beauty [...]

James's guide to waterproofs for Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Ten Tors and the Exmoor Challenge. Activities like DofE, Ten Tors and the Exmoor Challenge are great for young people in the South West as they teach them important skills like team building, leadership and navigation. It gets them outside and lets them enjoy the beauty [...]