I've noted the influx of new people me being one of them being me recently, and not knowing the level of skill of most people, in thought in should post a info sheet I had found a while back of an outdoor field trip that one of my subject teachers has compiled, it is long but I have edited it and condensed it into the basics;clothing, sleeping, and boots.
With the following in have only edited it so that the name of the teacher, the trip and college specific items have been removed.
So enjoy
I have been doing outdoor studies for a long time and in that time especially early on I went through a lot of clothing thinking that ‘I knew best’ or that this would do or that would cope with what the weather had thrown at me and then I found that things only occasionally do what they say on the tin but more so than that several brands always do what they say on the tin and do it well so here is a guide and it is not definitive however it will possibly highlight some of the pitfalls when buying probably the most important equipment you will own as it will keep you dry and warm which means happy, for many years to come.
A lot of what I state in this piece will hopefully give you a better understanding or another view point on outdoor equipment there is however several factors you have to take into account when purchasing new kit.
1.If you buy everything at once funnily enough it will set you back a considerable amount of money – whether it’sa weekend at a festival or an expedition up K2.
2.Cut your cloth according to your pocket, don’t go out and buy the best of everything but decide what you need and which is the best for your budget, there are many great review sites out there the best of which are mentioned at the bottom.
3.Don’t be the person on the hills who has all the gear but no idea.
4.There is no such thing as bad weather only badly dressed people.
The Essentials
Hard Shells
Waterproof and weatherproof are two completely different things this is paramount to remember
Waterproof means waterproof – weatherproof means it will deal with light showers but once wet is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.
Waterproof jackets – aka Hardshells – Is the main piece of kit you’ll own and should give good service for a minimum of 10yrs so a £200 jacket might set you back £20 a year a pretty good return for the outlay.
Figure 2: Mountain Equipment Morpheus Jkt (£220 app)
Breathability – The best waterproofs are not only waterproof, they also "breath" (i.e. let your sweat out) to some extent. Anyone who has had the misfortune to use a non-breathable waterproof will realise how effective modern breathable waterproofs are, but unfortunately even the best, as they rely on a gradient of higher humidity on the inside passing to lower humidity on the outside, do not tend to work as well when wet (which is of course when you need them to work most).
Apart from rain trickling in the hood and sleeves, the major source of moisture is your own sweat. The ability to disperse this sweat is known as "breathability". In general, the more expensive waterproofs tend to be the most breathable - however even these have their limit and that limit is currently well short of what a sweaty body carrying a large rucksack up a steep hill can produce.
The result of all this is that they are not as breathable as they really need to be and you will be better off trying to avoid wearing them as much as possible.
Removal of sweat is also important Gore-tex is breathable to some extent and means it will allow the sweat and moisture you generate to escape whilst E-Vent is more breathable and has added bonuses however the price will mirror this.
Advice:
Do not go for garish colours you will regret it if 5 yrs down the line they go out of fashion and you look a prat and won’t wear it. Try ‘normal’ colours those being black, red, blue, brown etc. Make sure it does the job,
Brand Names
PREMIUM
REGULAR
BUDGET
Mountain Equipment
Berghaus
Sprayway
Patagonia
The North Face
Hi-Gear
Rab
Montane
Dare 2b
Marmot
Columbia
Karrimor
Mammut
Timberland
Regatta
Mountain Hardwear
Quecha (Decathlon)
Gelert
Arcteryx
Haglofs
Craghoppers
Rohan
Helly Hanson
Mountain Warehouse
Barbour
Lowe alpine
Peak Performance
This is not a specifically thorough list as there are also brands that are tied to shops, for instance North Ridge and Go Outdoors (As is HiGear which I have included) plus others but I have tried to be relatively overarching.
It is fair to say that I own equipment from all three areas but the more I want to protect against the elements the more I prefer the brand names in either of the top two
My personal preferences here would be any from the premium range and Berghaus, Haglofs and Lowe Alpine all renowned brands which do good gear at a competitive price
With the massive growth in places like Decathlon and Go outdoors it is easy to get good prices and excellent dealsDecathlon’s range is on the whole pretty good and their own brand “Quechua” is good and well priced. I have never paid £200 for a jacket I expect to but with discounts and deals/ Sales the most I have paid is £150 for a hardshell my present one was reduced from £200 to £100 from Go Outdoors which is presently retailing there for £200 (Rab Latok Alpine waterproof jacket).
Be aware of care instructions for these garments gore-tex and other propriety brands often need reproofing with specialist wash-in products whilst ones like EvEnt needs only popping in the washing machine to come out as good as new. Always follow the instructions of the garment to get the best out of it.
Waterproof Over trousers:
Essential piece of kit and does not need to beexpensive but remember breathability buy non breathable then you may as well wear a dustbin liner.
Figure 3: Berghaus Deluge (£40 app)
There are many on the market and the cheaper they are the easier to rip they are – I have had a pair of Berghaus Deluge for 5yrs now and find them perfect (£40) Sprayway offer a good pair for less, try to get them that zip all the way up or down the beauty and ease of this will become apparent the first time they are needed.
Midlayers/ Fleeces:
Figure 4: Craghopper Fleece (£10+)
Whilst fleece is great for adding light quick drying warmth, it is not windproof unless some sort of windproofing is added, either by using a fleece that has a windproof liner such as Gore Windstopper, or by combining it with a windproof.
The advantage of a windproof fleece is that it is neat, tidy and looks good - however, similar condensation problems to those experienced when using "breathable" waterproofs are likely to occur. A Pertex type windproof top by contrast is not going to win you any fashion awards, but you won't get condensation problems either
Most fleeces are accessible here and price or brand relevance is generally less important what is important is weight. Cheaper fleeces tended to have less weight and therefore less thermal properties heavier fleeces can also be worn as outer garments in cold dry weather and have added polartec (Don’t know what it is!). I own several but have a preference for my Haglofs fleece which is about 200 weight 300 weight is jacket territory which is generally not needed unless you have a thing for fleece! I would never pay over £35 for a fleece unless it offered other advantages such as powerstretch or windproofing.
Again good value can be had from places like Decathlon, Go Outdoors as well as more traditional shops.
Figure 5: Icebreaker 150 (£40+)
Base layers:
Totally essential in cold conditions I would rather leave a fleece at home than my long johns any day of the week! Base layer is a general term for thermal underwear which, as the name implies, is underclothing designed for cold conditions. Typically such clothing is made of artificial fabrics which are quick to dry and quick t o wick away moisture (i.e. sweat) from your skin. Traditionally such clothing soon acquires a distinct whiff of its own (!), but modern wool underwear has just about conquered this problem, albeit at a slight penalty in terms of thermal efficiency, weight and durability. Nearly all major outdoor manufacturers have a range of base layer clothing comprising at the very least, Long Sleeved Zip Top, Long Sleeved Crew Top and Tights/Long Johns, and many nowadays do both artificial fabric and wool ranges.
Generally come in two types Artificial and Wool expect to pay peanuts for artificial and a lot for wool
Artificial thermal underwear
Own several pairs great as pyjamas in cold field centres and just as good in the field will smell if you sweat! Generally cheap from M&S or better ones can be found in Decathlon.
Wool (Merino) soft beautiful and exceptional, come in different weights can be worn as outers when the weather gets better and look just as stylish. NEVER smell but I have never seen the point unless someone else buys me them – climbers swear by them! Reduced price stuff can be found in Decathlon
Walking Boots
Don’t jump in here try different pairs on make sure you get the best for you. My advice is as follows
1.
Figure 6: Berghaus Explorer Trek GTX (£100 app)
Don’t always think that the old leather style is the best – they are heavy and stiff
2.Lightweight walking boots aren’t always waterproof so be careful (Waterproof socks!)
3.Don’t spend a fortune unless you intend to use them a lot!
These are going to be extremely important so don’t skimp on them but also be aware a good pair will give you many, many years of use.
Good brands in this market:
Brand Names
PREMIUM
REGULAR
BUDGET
Scarpa
Saloman
Hi Tec
Boreal
Berghaus
Regatta
Asolo
Keen
Karrimor
La Sportiva
Merrel
Mammut
Lowa
Meindl
Brasher
Again this is not exhaustive and many of the brands who make clothing make boots The North Face and Haglofs make quality boots mine are presently by Lowa a German Company and I have a pair of Approach shoes made by Five ten which I would recommend to everyone.
A good boot should be fitted by an expert in the shop not by a sales assistant who works there on a Saturday as they need to understand that you aren’t just buying a pair of shoes but investing in your feet. If they are uncomfortable or poor fitting the first time out on the hill will be blister heaven and the last time you wear them.
Approach Shoes
Figure 7: 5.10 Camp 4 (£85 app)
The term "Approach Shoe" is very loosely bandied around, but ideally it should mean a lightweight shoe suitable forthree season approaches to high crags. I have done many, many Wainwrights and three peak challenges in nothing more than a pair of approach shoes they are lighter and less stiff, the down side is they do not offer as much ankle protection. Some have heel cages like the five ten camp 4 and are just as easy to wear to the pub! It is designed as an alternative to a boot and costs around £80 -£100 depending comes both in male and female fitting.
Gloves and other Accessories
Figure 8: Rab Powerstretch Grip Glove (£15 app)
Its paramount you have gloves and two pairs in case one gets wet. Powerstretch fleece gloves are great. Wind resistant gloves and mitts are the ideal wear for most outdoor use on cold days when it is not actually raining. There are two basic types. Gloves and mitts that rely on the weave of the fabric (e.g. Buffalo, Dachsteins, Soft Shell) which are more breathable but less windproof, and those that rely on a membrane such as Gore Windstopper which are less breathable but more windproof.
Half finger gloves offer some protection whilst writing and these can be handy but only wear woollen gloves if its dry wet wool is like wet paper – useless. Mitts are brilliant but useless for writing.
Figure 9: Sealskinz Socks (£20+)
Feet
Keeping your feet warm goes a long way to keeping the rest of you warm too, so selecting the correct socks and boots for the job is of prime importance.
Good walking socks that are ergonomically designed are great but more so than anything else are waterproof socks, dry feet = happy face wherever you are. The best investment bar none in my book!
Rucksack
Don’t buy anything bigger than a 40 litre rucksack for day trekking Vango do suitable rucksacks as do Berghaus, none are waterproof in the under £50 bracket so a waterproof cover is essential or a bin bag liner inside will do!, Get some with a few pockets and decent padded straps there are many bands again just follow the other guide and try them on! Again try Decathlon, Berghaus, Vango, Lowe Alpine and Karrimor all makers of good rucksacks or EBay which can be used to get good deals
Well that it I hope that this isn't too long and it is of some use to someone on here.
Thanks for reading
Mods if this is inappropriate please remove.
EDIT: If to want to add anything yah you think I've missed feel free to.
Please take these as basics, and use common sense when implementing them.
