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It is important to consider what you wear on the hills, and I'm not talking about whether to wear Prada or Channel either! Wearing the correct clothes can make a trip all the more comfortable even in the harshest of conditions. One golden rule to take away after reading this section is never to wear jeans, they are restricting at the best of times, but when wet cling to your body, don't dry easily and draw out all your bodily warmth.
The list below is a guide to what you should wear on the hills as a minimum, naturally in the winter you wish add to the list and consider wearing a down jacket or wearing a pair of sallopets.
The links included in the list below are to www.gear-zone.co.uk, where you can buy the equipment discussed on-line.
Boots
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These should always have a good rugged grip on them. If you plan on scrambling in them you may wish to consider a stiffer sole to give you a firmer foot hold. For more boots to buy click here. Some people choose to wear just one thick pair of socks, whilst others will wear a thin pair under a thick pair. To keep your ankles dry you might consider wearing gaiters which provide a water proof protection from your ankle to just below your knee. |
Trousers
As stated before never wear jeans. Lightweight, loose-fitting trousers made from synthetic material are ideal. The basic feature you are after is that the trousers will dry quickly after being wet and won't make you feel to cold when wet. You could wear woolen breaches or at the other extreme you could wear Ron Hill Tracksters - personally I prefer the Ron Hill's everytime.
Thin Thermal Top
| Wear a light weight thermal top as your base layer on your upper body. They are excellent at wicking away sweat from your body so that you don't get chilled by your sweat when you have stopped moving, unlike a cotton tee-shirt which will chill you quite rapidly on a hill if you have stopped. In the summer this might be (if you are lucky) the only layer you have to wear on your upper body! |  |
Fleece Top
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You should always carry a fleece with you, even if it is a glorious summer's day, as you never know with the fickle weather that we have in this country when the weather could turn for the worse. What fleece you carry or wear to compliment your base layer is a matter of personal preference. There are light weight fleeces which can be used as a winter base layer but as a summertime top layer and there are heavier (but warmer fleeces) for winter use. A lot of fleeces now have wind proof membranes in them, which will save you having to put a water proof on just to keep the wind out. For more on fleeces, have a look at this selection here. |
Waterproof Jacket
| Every layer is important - but perhaps this is the most important one. The waterproof layer keeps out the rain and the wind, so you need to invest in a tough wearing outer layer that can do both. Keeping the wind out is important, as a biting wind can lower your body temperature. Avoid "non-breathable" jackets, by this we mean jackets that don't transfer the humidity that your body creates to the outside - if a jacket doesn't do this then your sweat will build up on the inside of your jacket and will gradually start to make your inner layers damp and cold - a situation you want to avoid. For a breathable jacket - make sure that the seems are taped to keep the elements out, all well and good to have an expensive jacket, but if water comes in through the stitching then it is worthless. |  |
Hats and Gloves
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There is an old adage: if your feet are cold - put on a hat. We loose perhaps more heat through our extremities than we may imagine. It should be one of your first calls to action if someone is complaining about the cold is to put a hat on them. There are many different hats and gloves to choose from - ranging from simple (but effective) woolen ones through to ones lined with breathable waterproof materials such as Gore-Tex. Have a look at the range of hats and gloves available. |
Below are links to safety related topics within the site.
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Hillwalking Safety - The safety of you and your companions should always be of paramount importance when you are walking on the hills of the UK (and in need further a field). Taking simple precautions...Read More |
| The Hillwalking Bookshop - We have a slection of hill walking related books, but we're not just limited to books, we have maps and cameras too...Read More |
| Places to Stay in Scotland - View our ever growing list of places to stay...Read More |
| Ordnance Survey Maps - as a part of our book shop we have a selection of Ordnance Survey maps for you...Read More |
| Airy Cottage, Self Catering in Argyll - Situated in the small village of Kames, adjacent to Tighnabruaich (Best Village Award 2001), Argyll, Scotland, Airy Cottage offers...Read More |
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