EVEN ON FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD WALKS, WITH NO INTENTION OF CAMPING, ANY PARTY IN ROUGH COUNTRY SHOULD CARRY THE ITEMS LISTED BELOW. IT IS BEST TO CARRY YOUR OWN EQUIPMENT IN YOUR RUCKSACK SO THAT YOU ARE NOT DEPENDENT ON OTHERS AND REMAIN ADEQUATELY EQUIPPED IF YOU BECOME SEPARATED.

BOOTS POLYTHENE BAG- ADULT SIZE (500 GAUGE FOR
WATERPROOFS EMERGENCY SHELTER)
GLOVES, HAT AND SPARE CLOTHING FOOD AND DRINK
MAPS FIRST AID PACK
COMPASS TORCH, SPARE BATTERY+BULB
WHISTLE RUCKSACK

BOOTS

WHEN CHOOSING A PAIR OF BOOTS, SPEND SOME TIME IN ENSURING A GOOD FIT; TOO SMALL WILL CAUSE CRAMP, TOO LARGE WILL CAUSE BLISTERS. WHEN TRYING ON NEW BOOTS, WEAR A PAIR OF THICK SOFT HIIWALKING SOCKS AS YOU WOULD ON YOUR HIKES. GENERAL RULE OF THUMB: CHOOSE THE LIGHTEST PAIR THAT WILL DO THE JOB!
"BREAK IN" YOUR BOOTS FIRST! DO NOT ATTEMPT A FULL DAY`S WALKING IN BRAND NEW BOOTS.
AFTER GETTING YOUR BOOTS WET, DO NOT DRY THEM RAPIDLY CLOSE TO A FIRE OR BY ARTIFICAL HEAT; LEAVE THEM IN A DRAUGHT OR IN THE SUN. KEEP THEM IN SHAPE BY STUFFING WITH NEWSPAPER, THIS WILL QUICKEN THE DRYING PROCESS.

CLOTHING

CLOTHING ON THE HILL NEEDS TO DO TWO THINGS; IT MUST PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM THE RAIN AND WIND, AND IT MUST INSULATE FROM THE COLD BY RETAINING WARM AIR CLOSE TO THE SKIN. ALSO, WELL-MADE AND DESIGNED CLOTHES SHOULD BE STRONG AND LIGHT, ALLOW PLENTYOF MOVEMENT WITHOUT RESTRICTION, AND SHOULD "BREATHE" TO ALLOW PERSPIRATION TO ESCAPE.

WHEN PLANNING WHAT TO WEAR, FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES: -

THE INSULATING LAYERS

· SEVERAL THIN LAYERS TRAP MORE AIR AND ARE WARMER THAN ONE THICK LAYER.
· THEY ALSO PROVIDE THE VERSATILITY TO COPE WITH A LARGER RANGE OF TEMPERATURE
· CLOTHING SHOULD BE SNUG, NOT TIGHT OR LOOSE.
· ALOW FOR FULL BODY COVER; BARE SKIN, ESP. HANDS+HEAD, CAN CAUSE THE BODY TO LOSE HEAT VERY QUICKLY.
· HATS NEED TO BE BIG ENOUGH TO PULL DOWN OVER THE EARS AND NECK.
· MITTENS ARE WARMER THAN GLOVES.
· JEANS (WRANGLERS, LEVIS, ETC.) ARE TOO TIGHT FOR WALKING ANY DISTANCE UPHILL! ALSO, IN COMMON WITH OTHER COTTON PRODUCTS, THEY RETAIN LITTLE OR NO WARMTH WHEN WET!
· VESTS/LONG JOHNS/SCARVES/PADDED SKI JACKETS AND TROUSERS CAN ALL PROVIDE THAT EXTRA WARMTH ON WINTER HIKES.

I HAVE PERSONALLY FOUND THAT HAVING A DRY CHANGE OF CLOTHES WAITING IN THE CAR CAN BE NECESSARY. ESPECIALLY IF YOU SLIP INTO A BOG OR STREAM AND HAVE A TWO HOUR DRIVE HOME!

TO SWEAT OR SHIVER COSTS VALUABLE ENERGY! MAKE SURE YOU STOP AND ADJUST YOUR CLOTHING IF YOU ARE TOO HOT OR TOO COLD.

THE PROTECTIVE LAYER

YOU CAN SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY ON YOUR INSULATING LAYERS, BUT EXPOSED TO THE WIND AND RAIN, THEY WILL NOT KEEP YOU WARM. IN OUR CLIMATE, A WATER/WIND PROOF OUTER COVER IS ESSENTIAL.
IF YOU CAN EFFORD THE COST (PRICES ARE COMING DOWN), "BREATHABLE" OUTFITS ARE THE BEST TO BUY.
TOPS SHOULD BE BIG ENOUGH TO PUT ON OVER LOTS OF WARM CLOTHING, LONG ENOUGH TO COVER YOUR HIPS, AND STILL ALLOW YOU TO MOVE/CLIMB COMFORTABLY. ALSO, A NICE BIG HOOD TO COVER YOUR HAT, LONG SLEEVES WITH DRAUGHT-PROOF CUFFS, EXTERNAL MAP POCKET AND RAIN/STORM-PROOF ZIP/POCKETS.
BOTTOMS SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO LIFT YOUR KNEES UP HIGH AND THAT THEY CAN BE PULLED ON OVER YOUR BOOTS. KNEE-HIGH ZIPS ARE A GREAT HELP FOR THIS.