Walking Necescities
The Gadgets and extras
Kit Care
For boot care you cannot beat Nikwax. Apply to boots leave to soak then buff off.
Boots
A really good set of walking boots is essential, the rough rocky ground of the mountains is ery unforgivving so don't scrimp when buying your boots. Brasher or zamberlan are good tested makes and you should spend between £100 - £120 on them. Make sure that they have good grips on the sole and sufficent latteral support for climbing over rocks. A gore-tex or waterproof inner normally comes as standard and most boots are made of a full leather upper section. Fabric boots will let a lot of water in especially in the winter time. Before atempting any extreme mountain walks it is advisable to wear your boots in, this will help to minimize the chance of getting blisters on your first outing.
Socks
Now you have a good boot time for the socks. My recommendation would be a couple of pairs of Bridgeable Trekker socks, they will cost between £10 - £12 pounds but are real hard wearing. Specifically engineered for hiking and trekking below the snowline they have been quotes as "Best for three season backpacking". Made with seamless toes and a "MMS" Moisture Management System they produce less friction and disperse sweat away from the foot helping to prevent blisters.
Gaiters
Gaiters will provide you with a little bit more waterproofing, basically used during the times when you will not have you waterproof trousers on they are great for keeping the water out of your boots. As they attache to you Boot and finish up near you knee they will stop your trousers from getting wet as well as enabeling you to ford small streams that may have other wise come over the top of your boots wetting your feet.
Waterproof Jacket
Without this don't go walking, waterproof jackets will protect you from the wind and the rain. Make sure you buy one that is waterproof on the outside and breathable from within, this will reduce the ammount that you sweat. Again a reputible name is essential Nort Face or Burghaus would be my ecomendations but there are many other brand just as good. Adjustable cuff and either a removable or storable hood is a must. Special waterproofing wash can be brought to maintaine your jackets water resistence when washing or a spary like the one shown on the left hand side can be used. Don't get confused between a good walking jacket and a ski coat. It needs to me thick enough to keep out the eements but thin enough to compact into your rucksack.
Fleece
Not needed all year round but a fleece could one day save your life. When you reach the summit of any mountain you become exposed to all the elements there is no shelter. A good quality fleec will do 2 things for you, it will protect you from the wind and insulate you against the cold. Light weight fleeces are good for summer walking whilst I would suggest a thick lined fleece for the winter time as with wind chill temperatures can drop to below -10 very quickly.
Waterproof Trousers
Not a nessecity and a real pet hate of mine, but waterproof trousers can make a huge difference when the rain is driving hard and you've still 2 miles to the car waterproof trousers could be what makes the walk a good one compared to a soaking wet disaster. I would recommend a good reputible name like North Face or Burghaus as good quality waterproofs.
Hat
As the body will loose 90% of its heat throught the head it is essential that you buy a good hat, as wioth the one opposite it has a waterproff outer layer and a thermal inner layer this will keep the heat in and should stop the rain as well. Make sure that it has ear flaps, there is nothing worse than cold ears, especially when the wind is driving the rain at you as you come down from the summit of the mountain you have just climbed.
Gloves
Warm gloves are a must, waterproof if possible but im my experience depending on what material they are made from most stay warm even when wet. The hands can be very important so numb hands and fingers are of no use especially in an emergency.
Rucksack
Now that you have all the kit your going to need somewhere to put it when out walking. For day trips with no stay over I would suggest at least a minimum of a 25ltr rucksack, this should give you adequate space to store your fleece, waterproofs, hat, gloves and provisions if you take any. It should have a belt and chest strap and have an adjustable shoulder harness. I would recommend getting a rucksack with built in rain cover as this provides a little extra protection for you kit when the weather turns nasty.
GPS
Not an essential peice of kit but a must have for any serious walker. I have found that Garmin do the best range and have an ETrax myself, whilst walking the GPS records a lot of useful data, time moving, time stopped, distance traveled as well as speed. But its most useful feature is the navigation, as you walk you can set waypoints this can then later be used to plan routes. The GPS will also remember your track incase you get lost, all you need is a couple of clicks and the GPS will show you which way you need to go to back track to your start point. All in all a interesting fun and useful item for any keen walker.
Flask
Can be a very useful item especially when the weather closes in once you reach the peak. There are a lot of things to remember about using a flask, firstly make sure you fill it before you go. How to fill a flask, well start buy boiling the kettle, fill the flask with hot water then leave to stand whilst you make up your hot drink in another conatiner. When ready empty the flask and fill with your drink. As you have already pre-heated the flask the drink will stay hotter for longer. Remember to always keep the flasks cover as this too adds another layer of insulation.
SunGlasses
These are really a must have although you can get away with out them, Sometimes when walking the sun does come out. Being up in the mountains doesn't always give you a lot of shade to hide in so a tough robust set of glasses will enable you to continue to take in all the landscape around you without squintting.