Walking/Hiking clothes/boots

[whatever1980]

Doing some camping/hiking this year.

I'm vain and not athletic but not too overweight. I'll be out of my comfort zone so want some good quality kit that is also flattering is that possible?? Prepared to spend money on boots and coat (longline).

What should I get?

Boots? I saw Meghan's kamik boots but don't think they're hiking boots?

Trousers? Leggings (showerproof/fellow lined) seem to be in?

Coat? Want longline waterproof to cover bum and thighs

Please help!

@whatever1980, if you don’t mind second hand, you might find some bargains on this fb page.

Definitely agree that Decathlon is worth a visit. I would probably go somewhere that has a better fitting service for boots and socks, (I would be cautious about rucksacks and waterproof coats too) but for most of your kit they are great.

Their silk glove liners are the best, they also do a good silk liner sock, all the hats and neck gaiters are good. They do decent budget friendly base and midlayers, and the leg wear is good too. My husband won't wear anything but decathlon hiking trousers. Look in the ski and running sections too.

I also agree with the craghopper recommendation. Not great for tall women though.

I like the Craghoppers range for trousers - I have a pair of Kiwi pros still going after 6 years of use, a waterproof pair of Kiwis, and some shorts.

Mountain Warehouse (online or some stores around the country) or Decathlon are good for tops that are relatively cheap. But I also have some Craghoppers and Helly Hansen ones as well. Merino thermal layers are useful for warmth but not retaining sweat - I have some expensive ones from Great Outdoors and cheap ones from Lidl, and both work well.

I use a Helly Hansen sailing jacket since my Berghaus gave up the ghost as I had that anyway, which is wind and relatively waterproof. (But all gear will fail if there is enough rain, which there can be in Ireland).

My rain trousers are Mountain Warehouse and are ok, (see note about gear failure in rain).

A hat is also useful - I am on the lookout for a decent one with a brim all around that folds small rather than a baseball cap type. And a beanie hat for colder or windy days is a very good idea, even in summer.

My Mountain Warehouse boots are just failing now after 6 years of a fair amount of hiking (and boggyness too - Cub Scouts and mud seem to always go together...). One fabric loop holding the lace to the boot has pulled out and they did let me get soggy feet on our last outing (where it rained solidly for 3 hours, and we went through some very very boggy ground for a good half hour of that to get back to the cars - as the mist had descended so we needed to get safely down away from a drop and aimed for the wet patch using the compass rather than being able to walk between both as usual when we could see the landmarks).

I also have a pair of North Face walking shoes which are great for general walking, even up hills. But I will probably be going back to Cotswold and Great Outdoors in the spring to get some new boots.

@RIPWalter I really recommend the 360 dry socks for waterproof socks

Whatever you buy, wear it on a few local walks first to check it's comfortable before you do any major hikes

Can anyone recommend gloves. At the moment it seems that layers are best & I have silk liners but the only decent waterproof ones to go on top that I have found are ski ones which are so bulky that I have to take them off before I can do anything with my fingers. I have looked at the Sealskinz website but they seem to have poor reviews for their waterproof gloves. Decathlon have loads of gloves but there doesn't seem to be a filter for finding the waterproof ones. Any suggestions for good websites or brands?

Outdoor Research are good for gloves.

I've had a pair of really comfortable Alt-berg boots for some years (used a lot for fell walking in the Lakes) and had them completely resoled this year for about half the cost of a new pair. You post them back to the factory in N Yorks and they assess what needs doing and tell you the cost before they go ahead.

@BiddyPop I bought this hat in October last year. It’s great. Waterproof and can be tightened round the head so it doesn’t blow off if it’s windy. Also good that it’s adjustable so I can loosen it to wear a thin wool beanie underneath for if it’s cold and wet.
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B093C1W8FN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8

I have some walking boots from Lidl that have served me pretty well, they’ve been well used so I’d probably buy some better ones at some stage but they’ve been great to start me off. I wore them for camping last summer with leggings (the shiny sports kind), gym tops, T-shirts, sweatshirts and a thin longline waterproof jacket from mountain warehouse. I think there will be better stuff out there but I felt coordinated and tidy which is important to me.

@BiddyPop

If you have long hair, this hat is good, as it has hole section at rear like a baseball cap (velcro for adjustment), but the all round brim of a bucket hat:
Reversible Hat .

@deplorabelle

Whatever you buy, wear it on a few local walks first to check it's comfortable before you do any major hikes

This x 100, especially the boots.

Thanks Notmenono - tornado goretex gloves look worth a try - out of stock at the moment but the website says more stock on the way. Great website as well.
OP - I think feet & hands are the most important bits to concentrate on in winter. Wet or sore feet & wet or cold hands are the worst things for me so I've found it has been worth spending a bit of time and/or money on.

@Djangor3725

Can anyone recommend gloves. At the moment it seems that layers are best & I have silk liners but the only decent waterproof ones to go on top that I have found are ski ones which are so bulky that I have to take them off before I can do anything with my fingers. I have looked at the Sealskinz website but they seem to have poor reviews for their waterproof gloves. Decathlon have loads of gloves but there doesn't seem to be a filter for finding the waterproof ones. Any suggestions for good websites or brands?

Which sealskinz are you looking at?

I had a pair of the pimple palm knitted ones and hated them, but I have some for horse riding that are amazing. Genuinely waterproof but not sweaty and very warm.

These ACAI legging things. FIT???

On the photos they look incredibly tight, high waisted, and a bit like a 'thong' fit with a very tight crotch!

Are they?

I have some Berghaus and Rab walking trousers none of which are 'trendy' but they have that all important gusset panel, rather than a seam, which prevents the 'ouch' factor when walking or climbing uphill!

I'm looking for warmer and waterproof trousers as at the moment Im wearing Uniqlo Heatec under my trousers.

@whatever1980 A merino wool base layer is good. There's a woman-lead company in Scotland - Findra- that does merino base layers etc.

Scotland - I wear merino leggings and winter Montane trousers . Carry waterproofs. And wear gaiters for snowy/wet days.

These www.tiso.com/aptry1ti0665/montane-w-terra-mission-womens-black-aptry1ti0665/00140986/?gclid=CjwKCAiArOqOBhBmEiwAsgeLmRm4JDLdUDXueALDwvJssEhkyB5wrqeaKupWejHkduHVpSgW6Z-hFxoCx4AQAvD_BwE

But that’s for winter up Munros in Scotland . I won’t wear them when it gets warmer.

@Ohmycron- I have those trek shorts- they’re great!

OP- merino layers (Icebreaker are great), waterproof overtrousers (mine are Sprayway) and jacket (the options are endless, but I prefer soft shell, as I don’t like getting sweaty). Good, supportive boots or trail runners (I wear ASICS trail runners for over pronation). Rucksack with waterproof cover, or your stuff will get wet. Buff (also handy as a face covering), gloves, and good socks (Bridgedale for wool, or sealskinz for waterproof socks).

Findra stuff is nice!

I really recommend checking out Sport Pursuit - it's a sports outlet site and runs sales for a lot of big brands. I've got loads of outdoor stuff in their hiking section and they often have really good brands like Salomon half price, as they're just last year's stock. All the extra bells and whistles they give like zip up pockets and thumb holes in a jacket are really useful.

For a waterproof jacket I can recommend this, it's a bell of a lot cheaper than the brands mentioned above busy still has things like internal pockets, snow skirt, and it is waterproof.

Oops I did it again www.blacks.co.uk/15910881/the-edge-women-s-nevada-snow-jacket-15910881