I probably should be working on my university stuff, I only managed 250 words yesterday (and that wasn’t particularly great), if I could only do this work as well as I can procrastinate and write here, I’d be on a real winner ! Still…
One thing I noticed this weekend was how many people, young, old, from all walks of life were out enjoying the hills. Much as many parents and oldies bemoan the youngsters that are ‘always on their phones’, I was thrilled to actually see quite a proportion of them out hiking with their friends, enjoying nature and companionship without technology. Following on from that, I did notice several (not just young people) who were really inappropriately dressed for the weather and, Simon, our leader, told stories of the numerous tourists trying to attempt Snowden in jeans and flip flops.
Whilst I was busy cleaning my boots, I thought I’d do a really quick non-affiliated hiking check list that I have and swear by. There will be things some will say are unnecessary and some bits I may have missed, and I’m not an expert or trying to seem supercilious, but I used nearly all of the items in my pack this weekend and wore all my layers. So this is my ‘list’:
BOOTS: I have three pairs of walking boots and generally take at least two in case one pair gets soaked and I need to walk the following day. Two pairs are leather style winter, mud, rain boots. I LOVE these boots. I wear Han Wag boots. One of them are my old boots that I’ve had for over 10 years. You should really replace your boots every 1000 miles, but actually these are so comfy and the soles still in good nick for the type of hiking I do. If I was a mountaineer/more adventurous/everyday hill hiking type these probably wouldn’t cut the mustard. The new ones are also Han Wag but slightly different in style purely because a lot changed in ten years!!
The key to their longevity? Dubbin! I cannot recommend the CARE of your boots enough. I follow these simple steps each time:
- Dry them naturally. Stuff them with newspaper and leave them inside, NOT on a radiator or in front of a fire as this can cause them to dry too fast and split the leather. Change the newspaper intermittently too.
- Once they are dry, clean off the mud with a wire brush.
- Remove the laces and apply a generous layering of dubbin. We buy a huge pot and it lasts forever. Make sure you really get into the seams. Leave it to soak in.
- I then like to rub in the remainder with a dry cloth after a couple of hours.
My other boots are a pair of lightweight, breathable Merrells with ankle support. I got these before I went to Ecuador knowing I wouldn’t be dealing with hard ground or wet, I wanted something that would support my ankle still, so not trail shoes, but wasn’t heavy. I basically wore them all the time. I do waterproof these, but I use a spray. There are a gazillion choices out there. I’m sure someone wiser than me will advise the best, but I have a general waterproofing spray that seems to work, on the proviso that I don’t really wear these in the crappy weather.
LAYERS: So Merino wool. You have all heard about this yes? It’s much craved amongst walkers and outdoorsy types. The Scandinavians love it, so it must be good cos they have some COOOOOLD weather. Personally it doesn’t work for me! I know right, shoot me now! I have a couple of merino items, a mid layer and a couple of base layers. This weekend, up on the hills in the chilly wind, I found my warmest concoction was actually a thermal base layer from good ol’ Marks and Spencer. A fraction of the cost, lined with a kind of fleecey material. Does it wick as well, probably not if we’re going all scientific, but did it keep me warmer than the merino day, yes. I suppose I should add my merino mid layer is about 900 years old, so it could be a little threadbare!
And now to mid layers. So obviously, base layers is what you wear next to your skin. Ladies, ditch the underwired, go for a decent crop with a base layer, no one wants sore bits where the wires dig after a scramble. Mid layers are the layer that you tend to put on over the base but before the outers (I think.) although by the end of the weekend I was a bit like a rainbow layered cake! So I have a thin little top that is supposed to work as a mid layer and this is the one bit that didn’t work for me. It was too thin. I ended up yesterday, buying a really cheap fleece for £12 from Go Outdoors that, whilst a little thicker to fit under something, was instantly warmer. I guess, you could do your base, your mid, then the fleece if that worked.
OUTERLAYER: Finally over the top is either your down jacket, or a waterproof jacket (not a cagoule, I keep a cag in a bag and a pair of water proof trousers in my pack as an extra layer still because it can also keep in some heat, not just keep out the rain). Some hikers will take a down jacket that packs small in their backpack because they are too hot to walk in.
LOWER HALF: On my bottom half I have a variety of options. Whilst walking with the group, I was overhearing everyone’s opinions on ‘what is the best’. Ultimately, I think the conclusion we can all draw is NOT JEANS and, in cold weather, guys, really, not shorts, you may ‘feel warm’ when you are climbing up, but it soon changes. If you have to wear shorts, bring over trousers with you. Hypothermia is a thing and it comes of fast and even to those ‘hard nuts’!
I love my fleece lined walking trousers when it’s cold. I also have a pair of fleecy walking leggings. What I will say about the lower half is that yes, it must keep you warm, but it MUST be comfortable. If you hate trousers, look out the leggings, if they aren’t warm enough, try two pairs or a thermal pair, if you get really hot on your legs, try leggings under looser trousers or even those trousers that you can make into shorts with the zips.
SOCKS: For me, long distance walking it’s always TWO pairs, but one is a really thin silk and the others are always with wool. This is where wool does win for me. I need padding and I need warmth, my feet are always the first to feel cold. I love Smartwool and 100 miles in summer.
ACCESSORIES: Gloves – an absolute must. I carry two pairs. One is lightweight, I can use my phone with them (think they’re Spyder?) and manipulate things. The other pair is a pair of thick ski gloves. Extremities! Just remember, extremities! Hats, again I tend to have a hat (woolly – the one where I look just like a gnome!) and then I have a couple of those stretchy pieces of fabric that can either be a neck warmer or a kind of headband. I like to use those if it’s a little warmer, but still a cold day because I can keep my ears warm but I don’t cook when I’m going up hill, and then there’s the neckwarmer. My hubby still owns, and wears, a fleece one that I made him 20 years ago awwww! Gaiters are my final necessity if it’s wet, muddy and cold. They work well to keep the lower part of your trousers dry which in turn means your socks stay dry, which in turn means less blisters or soaking feet. However, when it rains, put your waterproof trousers over the top of the gaiters and don’t tuck them in. You do NOT want the rain running down and into the top of the gaiter.
CONTENTS OF YOUR PACK: Finally, what to take up a hill. Well, always this will depend on the weather. If it’s cold your contents will differ to if it’s hot. On hot days, obviously, your main content will be water (you still need plenty on cold days too!), and then a small tube of sunscreen and lip salve. In winter, depending on where you’re climbing, you may still need the sun cream and lip salve, so don’t think just because it’s cold or snowing you won’t burn. My bag tend to have for all trips:
- water in my hydro bladder (blow into your bladder after each use to stop it freezing in cold weather)
- waterproof jacket and trousers
- spare hat
- thicker gloves (or thin ones if I’m doing a spring hike)
- Compass
- Phone (and small charger) either with the OS app and map downloaded or a separate paper map.
- Snacks – lots of them. Apparently Jelly Babies are the best snack food as they don’t freeze or melt. Snickers have been known to remove people’s fillings in cold weather! I like things like boiled eggs, those graze corn things, apple, flapjack. It’s totally personal.
- First aid kit that includes, blister plasters, paracetamol, antihistamine, a small foil blanket, a triangular bandage, some safety pins, scissors and my penknife.
- Paracord and a whistle.
- As of this weekend, a small piece of foam matting that is folded down the bottom it makes for a small dry seat for sitting down, but more importantly a barrier between someone who may be showing signs of hypothermia, and the ground (Thanks for that Simon!)
- Spare socks
- More layers
- Coins…I know, I’m so1980, but you do find in remote areas you may have less coverage, not that you’d find a phone box up a hill, but even in the villages, there are phone boxes over coverage, especially on my provider grrr!
I am well aware that many people get up and down hills without this kit and ‘it’s all fine’ which of course it is…until it isn’t. The mountain rescue were out at least once this weekend where we were, maybe an injury which can’t be helped, but also potentially someone without the right kit and lost. Obviously if you feel you are in danger, you need to call Mountain rescue via 999 (ask for Police and then ask for Mountain Rescue), but to rescue one person can take up to 15 volunteers or more in potentially dangerous conditions. Sometimes this can’t be avoided and they are THERE to rescue, but sometimes, better planning with kit or routes might have helped avoid the incident.
In groups, you don’t ALL need everything, you can divide and conquer which is great for carrying less and you will still see the hardened trail runners up there with just a hydration pack and few gels and that’s it, but they are experienced and likely know their routes like the back of their hands.
You probably know most of this, as I did before this weekend, but then there might be ‘one’ thing that is said that you think is perhaps a great idea. I love the idea of the small piece of roll mat in my bag and got that from Simon this weekend. So take what you will or not, happy, safe hiking x
