The brasher Supalite XCR® Hybrid is the perfect boot for birdwatchers as tried and tested by the editor of Birds Illustrated Magazine.

He comments:
When Olympic gold medal winner Chris Brasher went into the boot business in the late 1970's, he commited his company to creating comfortable footwear and this latest product, a cross between a boot and a shoe, fits his template perfectly.

Few birdwatchers are inclined to go scrambling up rocky hillsides or across glaciers in search of birds, so there is no need to seek out the heavyweight four-season boots favoured by mountaineers. However, we do need adequate protection from unfavourable weather because there is nothing like getting wet or cold feet to wreck that perfect day's birding.

The Supalite XCR® Hybrid ticked all the boxes as far as I was concerned. From day one, they were as comfortable to wear as old slippers, so that painful 'breaking in' period that we all used to suffer with leather boots of yesteryear never arose. At 1,036 gm for size 9, the Hybrid lived up to its 'super lite' tag, but this was not at the expense of any rigidity or padding in the sole.

Most of my testing was conducted in normal birding conditions in Eastern England but I was able to put their robustness to the test during a week in Scotland. Even when traversing the uneven expanses of Cairngorm, my feet remained cushioned from sharp stones and the cleats on the Staybylite soles gave me excellent grip on a variety of surfaces.

The only slipping I experienced was in the Ebro Delta of Spain when heavy rain turned fine sand into a mud slide, conditions that caused problems for everyone in the party.

The Gore-Tex XCR® material used for the uppers consists of four layers to aid breathability and to repel water and I tested this by standing in a running stream and walking through long drenched grass - the brashers performed perfectly and with the added benefit of keeping my feet warm but not overheated.

The Gore-Tex® is overlaid with shaped suede panels in khaki and brown in the men's version, while hard rubber heel and toe bumpers offer greater protection without increasing the length of the boot unduly. The padded sides (described as mid-cut) cover the ankles and gave me adequate support when walking along uneven ground.

Often the folded sewn-in tongue of leather boots can dig into the foot when laced tightly, but I had no problems of this sort at all and the boot was wide and roomy but well-shaped so that there was no heel movement.

The ladies version of the SupaliteHybrid XCR® comes in granite/steel or sage/green, sizes 4 to 8. The men's version is available in sizes 7 to 12.

Birdwatchers check out www.countryinnovation.co.uk

Celebrities in brasher and the National Press!

Our lightweight Supalite GTX leather boots have been chosen by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall as one of the 60 presents she be giving to Prince Charles on his 60th birthday on November 14th.

Anne Widdecombe is another famous face who recently appeared in the press wearing brasher boots. Anne who was photographed wearing a pair of Hillmaster's on Dartmoor is a keen walker and loves spending time in the countryside.

Robin Gibb recently became The Outward Bound Trust's first ambassador.

In January Robin attended the the Trust's gala event and was moved by the stories and experiences of four young people and the impact the Outward Bound® experience has had on their lives.
He therefore decided to offer his support to Nick Barrett, chief executive of the charity.

Robin has become the Trust's first ambassador and will work closely with HRH The Duke of York KG, chairman of the trustees to help raise the profile and develop the Trust's first ambassador programme.

The Trust helps children from disadvantaged backgrounds, and by increasing awareness this will help funding for future courses which last year were attended by 27,000 young people.

Further details can be found at www.outwardbound.org.uk

The Forestry Commision has linked up with The Kennel Club to design the first ever dog activity trail.

The one mile trail has been set up in Coatham Woods which is near Long Newton in Teeside and involves lots of activities such as beams, steps, hurdles, pipes and tunnels and makes a great change from our usual dog walking and is sure to excite our four legged friends!

The trail will help promote the Forestry Commision's Walk in The Woods campaign and Active Woods and is a great way to get involved in regular exercise.

Sarah and Leanne who both work for Pentland in Blackburn, distributor of brasher products joined a group of 10 people to raise money for a hospital in South India. The event was organised by Keith and June Dawson who run the outdoor shop Fell and Mountain in Accrington. Every year they organise a different activity to raise funds for the hospital which they have visited regularly over the last seven years. This year the activity involved caveing and abseiling.

Sarah, who really enjoyed the experience said it was terrifying but once inside the cave she had a fantastic time.

Leanne who ended up with lots of bruises the next day said she would love to go again.

Over £1,000 was raised which will go to St John's Leprosy and Aids Hospital in South India.