Gear Advice – how to….gear up for the big walking challenges
If you’re joining our guided walking challenges – the Yorkshire Three Peaks, Snowdon, Ben Nevis or Scafell – then listen up, here are our five top tips for ensuring you’re well prepared and can really enjoy the experience.
If you’ve already booked, you should have been sent a link to the event-specific kit lists. It’s important to read and make sure you have all of the compulsory items. If not, we may have to stop you taking part for health and safety reasons.
Love your feet
Your feet are your passage to a trouble-free challenge not just on the day itself but while you’re in training.
Make sure you have a good pair of boots which should have great support, good grips and ideally be waterproof.
If you’re buying a new pair, get them fitted. Don’t just buy off the internet but go to a specialist outdoor retailer. We recommend Cotswold Outdoor but there are plenty of great independent shops with knowledgeable staff.
Invest in a good pair of walking socks – our personal favourite is Icebreaker merino wool socks (one good quality pair is better than wearing two pairs of inferior socks) but numerous other brands will do the job. More on socks and boots here.
Walking poles are not a cop-out
There are some in the walking fraternity who are very vocal in ‘dissing the use of walking poles but we say ‘rubbish’.
Walking poles provide extra support and stability, helping to save your knees especially when you’re walking downhill.
Particularly for long distance walks like the Yorkshire Three Peaks or technical mountain hikes, we’d highly recommend walking poles.
About £20 should get you a decent pair – look for weight, convenient releases and ones with a bit of a shock absorber in them.
Invest in your forcefield
Nope were not talking Star Trek here. What we mean is, think about good waterproofs and outer layer clothing to prevent rain putting a dampener on the day.
There’s a huge range of jackets and trousers and you don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune as long as the garments are:
waterproof rather than just shower-proof
made of breathable material (so that sweat can be wicked away from the skin, otherwise you’ll end up feeling clammy and cold)
Look after your back
By the time you have packed everything you need for your day walk your rucksack is going to weigh a fair bit.
Make sure you have a rucksack with plenty of padding and a strap that fits snugly around the waist. This will effectively transfer and spread the load from your shoulders and mean that the bulk of the weight isn’t being carried through your back.
Get to know your gear
Buy any new gear well in advance so that you can get used to it while in training.
It can be a real spoiler on the day itself if you’re not getting on with a new piece of kit and have to spend time making adjustments or even wishing you hadn’t brought it.
Any questions about your challenge then please get in touch with the Large Outdoors office and we will be more than happy to help.
