We've a great range of Repair and Maintenance products in stock at Wild Side Sports. Here are some of the best McNett products that every outdoor enthusiast should have in their tool kit. 

Seam Grip is amazing. It’s an award-winning repair adhesive that can keep you dry in any weather. It permanently seals the seams on your tent, pack and rainwear. It can repair rips, tears and holes in your equipment, too. It’s your all-purpose liquid tool in a tube. Ideal for on uncoated and polyurethane coated fabrics.

The McNett® GORE-TEX® Fabric Repair Kit is the only authorised repair kit for Gore-Tex based outdoor equipment and is an essential item for emergency repairs.
This Kit contains two adhesive-backed pressure sensitive patches made from original GORE-TEX fabric which provide a strong, flexible and water-resistant infield repair.

Easy-to-remove backing tape aids instant application or first cut to the required shape and size for repairs to holes, rips or tears etc. Repaired item can be used immediately and patches are residue-free should a more professional repair be required in future. Patches can also be ironed on to provide stronger adhesion and a more permanent repair. Patches are lightweight so can be easily stored in a wallet or back pack for later use. Suitable for fast, long lasting repairs to most Gore-Tex products and other technical breathable clothing or footwear i/e waterproof-breathable jackets, rainwear, trousers, shoes, fishing waders and camping equipment i/e backpacks etc.

Increase Visibility and reduce risk with this reflective fabric tenacious tape from McNett.Tenacious Tape Reflective Tape utilizes glass bead reflective technology to reflect light better than any coloured or fluorescent tape. Apply it on clothing, backpacks, footwear, bikes, vehicles or pet accessories etc. The ultra-aggressive adhesive sticks to almost any surface without peeling and the durable and waterproof fabric performs in both wet and dry conditions.

Last but not least is the famous Tenacious Tape

Tenacious Tape by Gear Aid is an all-purpose, weatherproof repair tape that fixes rips, holes and gashes in almost all of your outdoor gear. It stays put no matter what Mother Nature dishes out and leaves no sticky mess. Tenacious Tape comes in black, clear and popular colors, so you can match your fabric for nearly-invisible repairs. Wait 24 hours after application and you can machine wash or put it in the dryer without worrying that the repair tape will peel off.

If you've any questions, or need some advice on how to repair your gear, our staff will be delighted to help you!

WHEN: THURSDAY 24TH MAY AT 6.30PM

WHERE: WILD SIDE SPORTS, BANDON

HOW MUCH: €10

REGISTER: EMAIL INFO@WILDSIDESPORTS.IE OR CALL 023-8829706

Sick of cooking the same old things on every camp trip? Bored of beans and want to expand your bonfire recipe repertoire? Then learn to camp cook from a Pro at the Wild Side Sports MSR Cookery Demo with expedition chef Kieran Creevy.

Kieran is an expedition and private chef and International mountain leader with more than 20 years experience cooking and leading in a wide variety of countries and on vastly differing terrains and climates around the world.

He's cooked a 6 course tasting dinner with matched wines from a basecamp tent, prepared homemade pumpkin and sage gnocchi with wild boar râgu at an overnight snow-hole camp in the Italian Alps and served reindeer loin with smoked beetroot, skyr and pine needle salt in the Arctic.

You'll also get a chance to cook on MSR stoves and rumour has it that he even uses dry bags to get bread to rise! 

If you want to come along it's €10 on the night (for food and ingredients) and we'll have some wine and nibbles too. Places are limited and you must book in advance so please register by emailing us on info@wildsidesports.ie or ring us on 023-8829706

We're delighted to introduce another new brand to Wild Side Sports. If you've spent some time in the States you're sure to have across KLEAN KANTEEN, they make super water bottles and work hard to design durable, versatile, affordable products that replace mountains of single-use waste—and last a lifetime.

We've started off with a small enough range to see how it goes but we think there are some interesting options here. 

CLASSIC BOTTLES - VACUUM INSULATED - 1900ML

At a full half gallon the Insulated Classic 64oz (1900ml) is the largest insulated stainless steel water bottle we've ever stocked, perfect for long trips and serious hydration needs.

This beauty comes in at a whopping 12.5" high! It also costs a whopping €63.....

• Double-Wall Vacuum Insulation, Keeps Hot up to 30 hours, Keeps Iced up to 100 hours
• Food Grade 18/8 Stainless Steel Construction
• Comes with Leak Proof Loop Cap

VACUUM INSULATED COFFEE CUP - 473ML - €32

This Coffee Tumbler comes in four colours, blue, red, purple and green. It's constructed with high quality stainless steel and rigorously tested double-wall vacuum insulation, the 16oz (473ML) Insulated Wide will keep drinks hot for 10 hours and iced for 30 hours. Comes with leak proof Café Cap 2.0 which keeps drinks safely contained, spill free and has easy clean construction.

REFLECT SINGLE WALL STAINLESS STEEL/BAMBOO BOTTLE - 800ML (€34)

The stainless steel Reflect 27oz (800ML) water bottle is beautiful in its simplicity and deliberate in its design. We took our original Classic 27oz stainless steel bottle and made it plastic free, paint free and a truly beautiful all stainless steel water bottle. Crafted using sustainable harvested bamboo, stainless steel, and food-grade silicone. Just three materials united into the ultimate expression of Klean. The full stainless bamboo cap is crafted from one piece of stainless steel and topped with sustainably harvested bamboo. It creates a full stainless steel interior so your water and other favorite beverages stay fresh and delicious. We laser engrave our logo and the bottom is embossed to keep the bottle paint free.

Also available in a smaller 532ml version for €28

TUMBLERS - VACUUM INSULATED - 473ML -€25.00

The stainless steel Insulated Tumbler 16oz (473ML) will quickly become your go-to cup, easily transitioning from morning coffee to afternoon smoothie to nighttime beer. Our high performance double-wall vacuum insulation will keep drinks hot for 4 hours and iced for 20 hours. We electropolish the interior, a safe and non-toxic process, to make it easy to clean. Our included Tumbler Lid keeps splashing to a minimum and fits all our Insulated Tumblers and Steel Pints (16/20oz). Perfect as an alternative to disposable paper cups. 

All of these great products are available to buy on our website - click here. 

Rab are one of our favourite brands for insulation. Their down jackets are great quality and really nice on. Innovation is key to what they do and you'll see lots of new materials like Polartec Alpha being used across the range. This is just an overview of what's come in over the past few weeks. There are more pieces in store and on the website.

Men's Microlight Alpine Jacket: €215

143g (large) of 750FP Hydrophobic Goose Down provides exceptional levels of warmth without compromising on weight. A Pertex® Microlight outer fabric helps to keep the warmth in and is both breathable and windproof. Key technical features include a down-filled hood and YKK® zipped pockets throughout.

Women's Microlight Alpine Jacket: €215

The Women’s Microlight Alpine Jacket is one of our signature pieces, with a moulded polymer peaked hood, elasticated cuffs and a separate stuff sac. A mini stitch-through baffle construction and a minimal, uncluttered design make the Women’s Microlight Alpine Jacket a perfect layering piece for alpine climbers, or an adaptable stand-alone jacket for day-to-day use.

Men's and Women's Microlight Vest: €147.50

A mini stitch-through baffle construction and a minimal, uncluttered design make the Microlight Vest ideal for use as a layering piece for alpine climbers, or an adaptable stand-alone vest for day-to-day use.

Men's Flux Pull On - €66.50

The Flux Pull-On is a mid-weight, zipped pull-on with a brushed back providing quick drying warmth, designed for use as a cold weather baselayer.

Men's Flux Pant - €57.50

The Flux Pant features a low bulk, moisture wicking, elasticated waistband and a slim fit, ensuring the pants remain comfortably in position when layers are added.

VR Guide Jacket - €239.95

As the weather turns and temperatures drops, our Vapour-rise™ Guide Jacket is ready to take on everything from winter alpine climbing to hill walking. Known for its warmth and durability, the high wicking Polartec® Alpha lining offers excellent breathability and a fantastic warmth-to-weight ratio.

On the outer, the hard wearing Pertex® Equilibrium® and reinforced panels are accompanied by a helmet-compatible hood, roll-down velcro tab and storm flap all providing essential protection from the elements.

Women's Nucleus Hoody - €72.50

The Women’s Nucleus Hoody is a lightweight fleece pull-on, in a high stretch fleece fabric for active use within a layering system.

A grid back and a form-fitting stretch design lend the Nucleus Hoody for use as an outer-layer when climbing or hill-walking in warm conditions, or underneath a larger layer in harsher conditions. Technical features include an under-helmet hood, Polygiene® STAY FRESH odour control treatment and a sleek clean design with only one zipped chest pocket.

Men's Nucleus Pull-On - €72.50

The Nucleus Pull-On is a light-weight, two-tone fleece in a high-stretch double knit fabric for use as a mid-layer in colder conditions.

A comfortable double knit fabric means that the Nucleus Pull-On can be worn as a baselayer in colder winter conditions. Key features include a high collar, Polygiene® STAY FRESH odour control treatment, and a YKK® deep venting chest zip and chin guard.

Women's Paradox Full Zip - €142.50

Designed to be worn as part of a layering system in cold climates or by itself in warmer conditions this insulated jacket is extremely versatile. Lightweight and highly packable the Paradox Pull-On uses the innovative Polartec Alpha insulation - a highly breathable fabric that quickly wicks away any sweat. 

Perfectly partnered with Motiv, a light and quick drying outer material, you'll find extra layers move easily over the Paradox without catching. Warm and extremely comfortable to wear it's easy to see why the Paradox Pull-On is indispensable to climbers, hikers and mountaineers alike.

Men's Paradox Pull On - €133.50

It's that time of the year when you're back in the water.  If like me, you can get a bit nervous when you go too far out of your depth or if you're working hard to built up your distance and want a safety blanket then you should consider Restube.

For those of you unfamiliar with Restubes they are an inflatable device that you wear (deflated) in a pouch around your waist. They come with Co2 cartridges and if you get in trouble you pull the cord and inflate the tube (see video). You then swim the buoy back to shore, deflate the buoy, pack it up and replace the Co2 cartridge with a fresh one. A two pack of spare Co2 cartridges cost €8.99.

Today I'm introducing you to the the Restube Swim which is the newest and most advanced product in the range but you can check out the full range of Restubes here (there are cheaper options!) https://wildsidesports.ie/collections/restube

Restube Swim is the lightest Restube in the range coming in at just 210grams. 

One of the issues with previous iterations of Restube was that they tended to move around during longer swims. The new Restube Swim comes with a removable RESTUBE active stick. With the active stick it is easier to position the Restube and prevents it from shifting during long distance swims.

Restube Swim also won the prestigious ISPO Gold Award. Here's what they had to say about it:

"RESTUBE is the airbag of watersports. Pull the trigger and RESTUBE inflates within seconds. The “RESTUBE swim” version is the most compact version ever designed, matching highest durability and quality standards with less drag and great comfort. Specifically made for all swimmers. Whether you're training for the next Ironman or just having a good time at the lake. You will feel more freedom and have an even better time around the water.

Jury statement: The logical evolution of the Restube – versatile, space-saving, and easy to use, to name just a few of its benefits"

If you're interested in finding out more about Restubes pop into the store. Our staff have tried them out themselves so can give you lots of tips. The Restube Swim costs €85 and the Restube Classic is €59.95.  They're available to buy here:

https://wildsidesports.ie/collections/restube 

We had a pretty good night's sleep until about 6am when I woke up to the distinctive hum of a mosquito. Groan.. We'd left the window open and had been joined during the night by a couple of hungry mozzies. I naively hoped I hadn't been bitten but luck wasn't on my side and by that afternoon I could count 25 bites. Luckily for Phil I barely mentioned the itchiness! ;-) After two days he'd a system in place where he fined me a €1 every time I moaned about them. Chancer!

So...back to the point. The nice people in Torres Agrello dropped us onto the Camino after a hearty breakfast. It was a gentle enough stroll out of Redondela, under a rail viaduct, alongside a busy road through forest track - so a nice mix of terrain. 

Arcade is lovely, very picturesque and would make a great alternative stop to Redondela, although it is about 6/7km further on than Redondela.  Our book (John Brierley) said that there were some places to swim in Arcade.

There is a little river-side beach in Arcade but we didn't think the water looked very enticing so we gave it a miss. Maybe there's another spot we missed.  Nevertheless we stopped in Arcade for our morning coffee in the little place on the far side of the Pontesampaio bridge over the Rio Verdugo and it was perfect.

There was a steep enough hill coming out of Arcade but it didn’t last long.

The rest of today’s walk was a mix of quiet roads and pathways. We took the alternative route into Pontevedra to avoid the busy main road. This was delightful, easy terrain alongside a small river and beneath trees.

Finally we passed underneath this bridge and arrived into Pontevedra.

There is quite a long walk into the old City so don’t be disheartened by the outer edges of the town. Once you get into the older part it’s lovely. In fact I believe the city was to hold a Medieval Festival the following weekend. We met other Peregrinos later in our trip who had been there for it and said it was great so that could be worth looking out for.

We stayed in Hotel Boa Vila. The staff were kind and courteous and our room on the 3^rd Floor was perfect for the price we were paying. The main bonus of this Hotel is it’s central location; it’s in the heart of the Medieval area.

We ate lunch in a Tapas/Wine Bar called Boavina Enoteca and I’d highly recommend it, the food was delicious.  

There’s lots to see and do in Pontevedra, explore the medieval centre (Barrio Antigo), have a beer in the Praza de la Peregrina, visit the 19^th century Sanctuario de Peregrino, etc. The Museo de Pontevedra was closed but it sounded like it would be worth a visit. There’s loads of little squares to sit down and sample the local tapas and wine – which we did! All in all we had a lovely evening in Pontevedra.

How we got there: We flew with Ryanair from Dublin to Porto, overnighted in Porto, spent the following morning sight-seeing in Porto then took a lunch time bus from the Bus Terminal in Porto (Casa Musique, Goeuro Bus - €36 including taxes for the two of us) to Tui. Duration: 2 & 3/4 hrs. 

When we went: Early September 2016. The weather was unseasonably warm with temperatures averaging 30°C.

Tui

We arrived in Tui and walked the 1.5km to our hostel, Hostal Albergue Villa San Clemente, where we had booked a private room for €40 (for two). The room was fine, no air con - just a very noisy fan (not a super night's sleep) and we shared a bathroom with two other rooms.

We had a lovely time exploring Tui. It's a beautiful town on the Mino River with lots of nice bars, parks and cafes. 

We had drinks in a funky bar called Bar Central and ate in a restaurant just around the corner from the Cathedral. All very good. 

Anywhere to swim?

We saw people swimming in the river and also spotted what looked like a public pool in the main park. There was a small 'dip' pool in the garden of our hostel. 

Credencials:

We picked up our Credencials from the Cathedral in Tui. We had read on-line that you could only get credencials up until 2pm but we arrived at 5pm and had no problems. They cost us €2 each. 

Day 1: Tui to Redondela (took us 34.8km and 7.22 hours)

Our first day on the Portuguese Camino...in Spain! Up and on the road for 8.15am. It was a beautiful morning and 20°C already. The first few kms were off-road, walking along a forest path.

Underfoot it was a mix of gravel path and we walked over this beautiful stony bridge. 

After about 10km it started to get busier. We hadn't had food yet and our stomachs were rumbling so we stopped at a roadside cafe beside a busy factory a few kms outside Porrino. Breakfast consisted of a tasty roll with serrano ham, coffee and juice and it hit the spot. 

In your guidebooks there is a lot of talk about the industrial estates on the way into Porrino but now you can bypass that. There are lots of signs indicating a detour that enables you to avoid the section into Porrino that takes you through the industrial areas. We chose to take the detour and it was quite pretty, walking along the rio Louro and through woods again. 

Porrino is a popular place to stop for a lot of people. However we had chosen to walk on to Redondela so we walked straight through Porrino. The Old Quarter looked quite pretty but no where was calling to us as a lunch spot!

By lunch time temperatures were up at around 30degrees...hot!

The next stretch from Porrino to Redondela was a lot of road and concrete footpaths. Not so nice and quite monotonous.  We eventually arrived in Mos which was a lovely surprise. Cute little village with a super cafe (the first one you see as you come into the village). We stopped here for lunch and enjoyed a delicious tortilla, patatas bravas and a tasty beer.  There was a beautiful view down through the valley and off to the east. 

Onwards, we had about 10km to take us to Redondela. There was a solid uphill out of Mos and then a steep down hill to Redondela which was hell on the knees. 

Redondela seemed quite nice but we had booked a hotel about 5km outside the town so apart from a quick stroll around and a post-walk beer we didn't get much time to explore the town properly.

We were staying in Pazo Torres Agrelo which is a beautiful old estate.  The staff from Torres Agrelo very kindly picked us up in the town centre which was super handy.  We checked in and were shown to our room which was lovely, it had a bath, a comfy bed and best of all it overlooked the pool which we promptly hopped into! Such joy after a long hot day!

We had pre-arranged that we would eat in the hotel  which was a good decision as we were too far to walk into town.  The meal was very good.  It was a set menu so no choices but all courses suited our palettes. Delicious breads and olives to start, then scallops served in a sort of curried carrot puree. Followed by monkfish and pepper kebabs which were really tasty. Dessert was the only let down, a local delicacy of a dry sponge with whiskey poured over - interesting though. 

That night we stupidly left the window open and Laurie got destroyed by the Mozzies....25 bites...not that she counted. So top tip - CLOSE THE WINDOW. 

Our dinner, b&b cost €130 including wine and an after-dinner drink - for the two of us. That was great value compared to Irish prices.