Storm Coming

Photowalk (Docklands)

Yesterday I did another Photowalk; this time it was a check out a route for a possibly walk around Docklands in London. As I didn't really know where the route would go I wanted a way of mapped it as I walked and this is where Social Hiking and Viewranger came to the rescue. I can't say I fully understand how it works but viewranger sends beacons from your smartphone which are picked up by social hiking and then add the beacons to a map. Social hiking can also add tweets and photographs to the map, I was more interested in getting the photographs on the map so, I could see the places of interest that I passed.

Below is the map that was created on social hiking.


The beacon's are sent at roughly 5 minute intervals, so in a couple of places it look like I have walked across water but this is probably because I have moved around the body of water quicker than the beacons were sent. The map was updating live all the time but with out the photographs being added as I was taking these on a proper camera and not a phone, (if the photographs were taken on the same phone as the beacons are sent form they would appear live too). When I got home and updated the photographs to Flickr the social hiking software was able to see them and then add them to the map.
 Hand drawn Google map of the route


View Docklands Walk in a larger map

Photo Walk

Lazy Saturday

Mini Cam(bridge)

View Cambridge Walk in a larger map

Merrell Chameleon 5 GTX

I was recently approached by Merrell, after they had read my review of the Chameleon wrap slam shoes and asked if I would like to review their new Chameleon 5 GTX. 

Merrell Chameleon 5 GTX

The Chameleon 5 GTX are a very different shoe to the wrap slams, the GTX come with a Gore-Tex membrane and something I've not heard of before; the aegis microbe shield, the swing tab describes the aegis microbe shield  as:- 

The Aegis microbe shield is a revolutionary bonded antimicrobial technology which protects against odour, staining and deterioration caused by bacteria, fungus and other microorganisms.

The shoes weigh about the same as the wrap slam; around 510g, not the lightest hiking shoe but not the heaviest either and lighter than a leather boot.

The shoe is made up of suede leather and mesh, with a rubber rand on the toe front to protect against knocks, a vibram sole which looks to have a deeper cut tread than the wrap slams and a bellow tongue, along with metal hook and lacing eyelets, which I prefer rather than the laces attaching to the the shoe material.

Upper and Sole

There is also an external heel stability arm which aims to help on uneven ground, there is also a thin anti-bruise foot plate which runs the length of the shoe and aims to help when carrying a pack.

External heel stability arm

This is the third pair of Merrell's I've had and as usual, they come up a half size smaller than my usual size of 11.5, so that a size 12 give me a correct fit.

So far I have put around 10-12 miles on these shoes; mainly in an urban environment and they have proved to be pretty comfortable although with any shoe that has a waterproof membrane, my feet did feel a little hot at the end of a walk.

I'll continue to wear the shoes over the next few months and will have a fuller report then.

These shoes were supplied free of charge by Merrell and are available to buy at Fitnessfootwear.