What kit do I need for an 18km hike?

[MummyInTheNecropolis]

I’ve never done one before but I am fit and healthy, do loads of exercise every day and love walking so I really want to do this, but I don’t know what to wear? Obviously I will need to buy some hiking shoes/boots but what else? Can I wear my usual leggings, T-shirt and hoodie? I have a waterproof coat and a backpack. I’m guessing I should wear layers so that I can add/remove as needed? Any other advice?

Thanks!

Oh god don't wear wellies, that's asking for trouble. If you plan to walk regularly invest in a pair of decent boots. And proper walking socks, one pair at a time, and a spare pair in your bag. Water to drink and a couple of small snacks.

I walk between 10 and 20 miles regularly and do suffer with blood sugar crashes so make sure I eat properly before going snd have a couple of flapjacks and a bag of sweets in my bag.

For that distance id say shoes that don’t rub, comfortable clothing and a water bottle. Maybe a snack. If its looks like rain then a water proof coat would be a good idea. But I’d pack light. The more you bring the more you have to carry and 18km shouldn’t take more than 3 hours to walk so you don’t need loads.

Just over 11 miles in 3 hours is pushing it for walking cross country. Perhaps easily doable by someone of above average fitness walking on flat pavements or around a track.

Absolutely not wellies. If you can get some good walking shoes and break them in that’s great. But last time I walked that distance (in Windsor great park) I just had normal trainers. They would be better than new and untested boots.

small rucksack, water bottle and possibly a few sweets. You’re stopping for lunch - I wouldn’t bother with snacks. A pack a MAC waterproof. Check forecast… you don’t want to be cold but if you’re walking up and down hills you’ll probably be warm - don’t over dress.

I literally did that very distance and location a few weeks ago. Water bottle, decent walking boots, packed lunch & packet of jelly babies were all we n took and needed. The section we did had minimal stopping points except a coffee van but depending on starting point there are some lovely pubs & villages you’ll pass through or very close to . It’s stunning have a great time happy to answer any questions.

Sounds lovely, and very clearly designed to be taken at a leisurely pace. 18km in 3 hours is fine for people training for the Olympics, but not for beginners at hiking, all ages, all standards of fitness, some of them very slow on the hills, nobody being left behind!

My earlier advice about telling someone where you would be and when you expected to be back is not relevant for a group walk, but is very sound advice if you ever venture out on your own.

Definitely not wellies.

I regularly walk that distance and the South Downs are mostly gentle terrain.

As others have said, comfortable feet are the top priority. I would wear lightweight boots with liner socks and then thick socks over them. If it is going to be chilly, don't be tempted to put wooly tights under leggings. If you start to feel a blister forming you need to be able to get to your feet easily.

If you think wild wees will be needed, period pants or a liner will absorb the drips 🙂

Take a few snacks and enough water. Have a fantastic time.

Maybe my 3 hours was a bit ambitious 😂. I was just thinking how long it would take me to run that distance and then halved it 😂. 4 is probably more realistic. But with stopping for lunch etc it’ll be longer. I missed that part.

Just enjoy it. My point was that’s it’s not a 100km ultra where you’ll be out for hours and hours on end and need specific kit. As long as you’re comfortable you’ll be fine.

I think it sounds really fun and a great active day out in a beautiful place, I hope you have a lovely time. My top tip is take a power bank if your phone battery is not great as you’ll probably want to take lots of photos!

Great tip @deveronvalley another thing I wouldn’t have thought of! Thank you.

Fuck no to wellies! They crucify your feet!

Descent light weight boots or running trainers. With thick socks

Terrible advice, needless sarcasm

It's mostly about the shoes, really.
I find that my best walking shoes are actually running shoes. I have some fabulously comfortable Asics Goretex ones and wear them for most walks I do at the moment. Warm and waterproof with a good grip. Wear good socks with them too. I wear Nordic socks all through the winter.
sportsshoes.com always has good deals on shoes.

It is advice based on extensive personal experience of long country walks in autumn/winter.

Whether to go for walking shoes or boots depends what the paths are like. If they’re liable to be uneven or very muddy then boots.

In similar vein, if there are likely to be any slippery and/or steep sections, or streams to ford then a walking pole can be useful.

My apologies, Sir Edmund.

Surely such a seasoned hillwaker as yourself would have noticed that the vast majority of walkers favour walking boots or trail running shoes - with good reason - and surely that would be a better recommendation for OP?

Not wellies. Also be aware that rain rolls off a waterproof jacket on to your legs so you may want overtrousers or something like Rohan Dry Roamers.

I’ve done the Walk the Walk marathon twice (admittedly mostly road walking) and swear by Thurlo socks and my ASICS (half a size bigger than normal). The socks are quite padded so the trainers aren’t loose and it’s amazing how your feet swell when doing a long walk!

Just wanted to come and update this thread and thank you all for the advice. I did the hike yesterday, the weather was awful but I had a fantastic time, met some lovely people, had a great laugh, and although there was some thick, slippery mud in places, I didn’t struggle at all with the distance or pace.

My new walking shoes (which I’d broken in beforehand) were super comfy and the merino wool socks kept my feet nice and warm! My top layers were fab, bottom half not so great as the waterproof trousers I bought were not actually very waterproof! It didn’t really matter though, I dried off in the pub at the end before starting the journey home.

I loved it so much I’ve just booked another, slightly harder one (20km over tougher terrain) for January and I can’t wait!

That’s great! What shoes etc did you end up getting?

Thanks for letting us know. Glad you had a good time.

Boots (break them in), decent hiking socks, waterproof trousers, hat, gloves, compass, foil blanket, & waterproof matches for emergency use if off the beaten track at all, back up map even if you are using your phone, waterproof map cover, water purification tablets or filtering bottle again if off the beaten track.

Nothing special, just a pair of hiking shoes from Mountain Warehouse, I got a good Black Friday deal plus blue light discount so they were a bargain! Caked in mud now though, will need a good clean later!