As part of Rab’s commitment to making the best clothing and equipment for the mountains, our product development programme is expanding to include a test team selected from members of Rab’s brand partner the Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI).
Mountaineering Instructors based in various locations throughout the UK will put a selection of Rab gear through rigorous and extended use designed to test it to it’s limits. They will use their expertise and experience of the products to provide detailed feedback on Rab's clothing, equipment and technology.
The AMI is the representative body for professionally qualified mountaineering instructors in the UK and Ireland. Their members have undergone an intense assessment process to gain their qualifications and continue to maintain their professional development throughout their careers. Many of their members hold multiple qualifications and work in a variety of areas ranging from posts on local councils to leadership roles in global expeditions with ambitious objectives.

The final week of my Scottish winter season involved lots of different groups (and weather). Starting out east I had a day winter climbing with Russ for Cairngorm Adventure Guides. Marching up into Coire an t-Sneachda out of the cloud inversion was spectacular and Aladdins gav e a great introduction to the vertical winter world. Topping out into the sunshine the obvious descent was over the top of Cairngorm to delay our inevitable descent back into the cloud for as long as possible.
Next up was a weekend of winter mountaineering with Justin. Once again thick cloud was blanketing Fort William but up on the Ben it was blue skies and zero wind. We popped into the sunlight at the CIC hut and a full days climbing up Ledge Route and around the CMD arete was just about perfect. The next day was nearly as good and we made a quick ascent of Stob Coire Nan Lochan and Bidean nan Bam descending by the Lost Valley. It had taken Justin 4 attempts to tick this Munro but it was worth the wait.
My final couple of days were out with  a team of sport scientists from Leeds Beckett University. They're undertaking high altitude research on some willing volunteers from the "British Services Dhaulagiri  Medical Research Expedition 2016" We looked at winter and general expedition skills while climbing both the Ben and Buachaille with a couple of hours of heavy rain bringing my season to a traditional close!

Four big days exploring the imposing bulk of the Torridon mountains. The weeks entertainment included a full traverse of Liathach in deep snow and a white out, A'Cioch Nose in slightly better conditions, a full traverse of Beinn Eighe in the sunshine and a wet and wintery blast up Slioch.

There were a number of folk in obvious states of disrepair slogging back up to the Ben on Friday morning. The common refrain was "When's the good weather going to end? I'm broken!" It didn't end this weekend so weary legs were forced back uphill for a couple of spectacular days on the ice of Beinn Udlaidh and then to the Cold Climbs classic of Monolith Grooves (IV 5) on Beinn an Lochain. Some great images from the talented John Pickles Photography

Scottish winter climbing is a very funny pastime but every now and again the weather and conditions aline and you remember this is the best game in the world. Rob & Jude have certainly served their apprenticeship in some pretty typicasl Scottish conditions so it was great for them to be rewarded with a perfect week on their annual pilgrimage north. The weeks adventures included the South West Ridge of the Douglas Boulder, Tower Ridge, self led on Golden Oldie, North Buttress on the Buachaille and Waterfall Gully .

A quick blast along Lord's Rake & the West Wall Traverse. Conditions were shaping up nicely with well frozen turf, plenty of rime and the snow pack consolidating nicely. Very atmospheric and not a soul to be seen