Firefighters Lee Peyton and Garry Mackay will be heading to the Outer Hebrides this month to complete a 300 mile challenge. Travelling from the south of the islands to the most northern tip, The Butt of Lewis, visiting all 15 inhabited islands along the way.

The challenge is to help raise funds for CLIC Sargent, a charity dedicated to caring for children and young people with cancer. 

We supplied Lee and Garry with a pair of our new Helium XCR footwear to wear during their challenge and they were keen to get out and try them.

"When we set out for the Outer Hebrides Sub 60, our 300 mile mixed cycle, trail run and kayak over two and a half days, we knew straight away that we needed to get our footwear just right. Furst stop: brasher! Zoe Brookes suggested we try their new lightweight performance trail and fell running shoes, Helium XCR. They sounded exactly what we were after.

I couldn't wait to try on the trainers; so much so that myself and Garry drove the 90 odd miles to the nearest Helium XCR stockist, in Kendal. The fit was snug with none of the heel-lift I had experienced in the past from other brands, due in part to the stitched in tongue which grips the upper foot precisely.

Later that week, the Heliums arrived at the house from the brasher warehouse. I was like a kid at Christmas and quickly arranged to try them out on a forty mile route around the Pentland Hills outside Edinburgh. I was pretty confident that they would stand up to the test and provide 'out of the box comfort'.

Weighing in at only 780g for the pair was a real bonus when after 35 miles on the road bike I was faced with a five mile mixed trail run around Scald Law, the highest hill in the Pentland Hills Regional Park. The Pentlands are a great range of hills located southwest of Edinburgh, they are easily accessed from several different points. One of the most popular is from the ranger station on the road to the Glencorse reservoir which gives direct access to a great route over Turnhouse, Carnethy, Scald Law and finally to the East and West Kip. The terrain is steep grass slopes which after the rain during the week had turned into muddy chutes, but the Helium's sole coped well even on the running descents. A series of lung-busting, leg aching ascents and descents leads over the ridge to West Kip and the turn around for the return route and a welcome refreshment back at the car.

A fairly rigorous test of the Helium XCR which they passed with ease. Fantastically comfortable all day long, the sole performed well in mixed terrain including rock, steep grass and even stream beds, the Gore-Tex lining keeping my feet dry. We'll be testing the shoes during the Outer Hebrides Sub 60 where we'll need all of the Helium's ability to keep us moving pain-free for 60 hours."

Lee Peyton

You can find out more details on the website www.300miles.org