Kit Advice
Members information on Clothing and minimum kit required to attend an event.
What Not to Wear
NO JEANS
Jeans tend to be made of heavy and thick material and can shrink and become uncomfortable when wet. Once wet, jeans take forever to dry out leaving you feeling cold and misreable. So no Jeans under any circumstance.
Trainers Not a practical option having said that many of the manufacturers are producing a walking trainer type of boot, ideal for those long summers day when the going is good.
What to Wear
Boots are really about protecting your feet and giving your ankles support over fields and for hill walking. Although many of our walks are in low level countryside on those wet and muddy days youll be glad you had a pair of walking boots. Or on a good day a trainer walking boot but they do not have the ankle support, like a boot does.
Get a boot that is water proof and is made from a breathable fabric.
Socks
Wear a thin pair under your walking socks this helps to prevent blisters forming. So one thick and one thin pair. Take your socks to the store before buying your boots as you will have to buy a slighty bigger boot than your normal shoe size.
Jackets
Well many moons ago walking Jackets with goretex and breathable fabrics started at £80 plus, but many new breathable fabrics are on the market and can be brought for £20-30, a tip here is to check the seams in the jacket are they taped over with a waterproof material. A good jacket will have taped seams. Purchase a pack a mac style (no not the plastic original Pack A Mac the one where the pockets filled with water in the rain). Walking jackets for those light weigth walks around £20 that fit in to a small bag and way ounces.
Shirts and tops
Something comfortable and it is always best to have thin layers that you can add to rather than one thick layer. There are again breathable fabrics that dry with in minutes. One of the problems I find with a small pack on your back, your back perspres and your shirt get wets, but with in a 10 min period my Craghopper shirt is dry once I take the pack of my back. Another tip is long sleeeve shirts get a shirt with a button half way up the sleeve and a small tab that the sleeve can be rolled up and buttoned up out of the way.
