Walking gear EXPLAINED
The simplest, clearest guide to getting kitted up for the outdoors you’ll ever read.
THIS GUIDE IS all about stopping FOBB. FOBB stands for Fear Of Buying Badly: that creeping angst that sidles up the spine when we’re shopping for a big-ticket item, telling us any or all of the following:
1. The choice is enormous – I have no idea how to find what I need.
2. I don’t know what half the words in the product description mean.
3. The thing I’m tempted by is worryingly cheap. Will it be rubbish?
4. The thing I’m tempted by is insanely expensive. Is it worth it?
5. The reviews can’t agree on whether this product is brilliant or awful. 6. How do I know if this thing will last? If your FOBB relates to cars, fridges, wardrobes or vacuum cleaners, sadly we’re pretty useless. But if it’s walking gear, we’re on it. Here’s our simple guide to understanding the promises, claims and point of outdoor gear, so when you want to get kitted out, you can do it in confidence.
Forget FOBB; here we’re all about LOBB: Love Of Buying Brilliantly.
Why buy outdoor gear?
As we always say, if you’re just looking to get out and about a bit more, and you’re happy in jeans, trainers and a jumper, nobody here is going to shout ‘stop!’ But walking being what it is, over time you’re likely to meet a muddy field, a biting wind, a downpour or possibly a hill whose path is more stone than grass. And when you do, you’ll find that a bit of the right kit makes a huge difference. The kit we pick to test in Country Walking is engineered to deal with mud, rock, heat, cold and moisture – and to keep you safe, dry and comfy while you plod on through. That’s why it looks different, and why it sometimes (but not always) costs a bit more than jeans and trainers.
What do I really need?
There are really only three items to prioritise: footwear, a waterproof and a rucksack. (Compare that to golf for a second.) After that, a warm layer and some proper walking trousers are good to have. But if you get those top three sorted, you’re good to go pretty much anywhere the UK can offer you.