Competition Kit
Though they may not always think about it, every competitor will benefit from technological improvements in the equipment and clothing they use.
This is most obvious in the use of wrist worn altimeters. These function as watches, but also have barometric pressure sensors and once they have been calibrated at a known height can give reasonably accurate readings. If the cloud is low and you are trying to contour round a hillside or find a control point they can be invaluable. (These are allowed, but GPS systems are not.)
Other high tech developments are not so apparent. Better fabric coatings, tent poles which are stronger but lighter, more efficient stoves, or sleeping bags with more warmth but less weight, all help. In fact competitions like the LAMM, which demand lighter weight, high performance gear have pushed the development of outdoor equipment over the years, and continue to do so.
Digital Downloads
Without the use of digital cameras and laptop computers we would not be able to bring you this 9feet webcast of the LAMM. We will have 3 photographers and a team of reporters on the hills taking digital images, which will be brought back to HQ and put onto 'LAMM Live'. (Reception in the area is not good enough to allow direct downloads by mobile phone - so the reporting team will spend a fair bit of time going up and down hills too.)
