Go to Footwear
I've yet to find a garment that is Lake District proof! More of that later!
Is clothing important? Obviously yes, the day's trip may start in fine weather conditions but given the changes we can expect in the UK, the weather can soon deteriorate. If you are in mountainous regions the temperature may well be a comfortable 17c in the sunny valley bottom but at the summit of a 3.000 ft mountain the temperature will be a rather cool 8c due to the fact temperature drops 3 degrees with every 1000 ft of ascent, not to mention the windchill factor which will make the temperature feel even cooler.
Before continuing on the subject of clothing I must point out that cotton garments are a complete no no in walking and climbing. Cotton tee-shirts and jeans are potential killers out on the mountain, jeans in particular have been known to be a contributory factor in deaths caused by hypothermia. Cotton when wet is very uncomfortable next to the skin and will not dry out quickly.
So the answer is to go out and buy the most expensive clothing you can find?
Er… well…. No! Unless you can afford it, I can't! Try to buy the best you can afford. What you will have to decide is what system you are going to wear. Systems? What do you mean?, Basically there are two clothing systems for the outdoors, the first being the layering system where you put on or take of layers of clothes according to how you feel or what the weather is throwing at you. The second is a shell/fleece system which you don't remove, you regulate your temperature by opening and closing vent zips.
The Layer System.
The first layer is the comfort layer next to your skin. A polyester tee-shirt will do nicely, this helps to wick away sweat from your body to the surface of the shirt where it evaporates, it doesn't half pong though at the end of the day!
The second layer is a fleece jacket, air is trapped in the pile of the fabric which helps to keep you warm, again excessive body moisture is wicked away.
The third layer is a wind/waterproof jacket. Ideally if you can afford it and have the room to carry a separate windproof garment to wear on top of the fleece in dry but windy conditions, replace this with a waterproof jacket when conditions dictate. Waterproof jackets tend to be a 2 or 3 ply laminated breathable material and can begin to feel bulky.
The disadvantage of this system especially in the UK with its ever changing weather you are constantly stopping and putting on or taking of clothing.
The shell/fleece system.
This system seems to be favoured by Mountain Rescue teams, it is simply a fleece and windproof shell sewn together as a complete garment and is worn next to the skin. They are mostly a pullover garment with vent zips under the arms and pocket zips which also act as vents. The shell material is not actually waterproof, the idea is the fleece contains pockets of air and even when soaked remain warm due to body heat, a similar principle to a wetsuit. The advantage of this system is you don't have to keep stopping to remove or add layers. I find this system fine if you keep on the move but I quickly chill when I stop for a break especially if the garment is damp through sweat or rain. It comes into its own when you are cragging in all but the wettest conditions.
The two systems I have talked about can be applied to the lower half of the body as well but legs don't suffer the cold as much as the body. I have seen the odd bare legged individual toughing it out at the top of Helvellyn in a force eight.
All of the above advice is useless unless you can keep the body extremities warm, here we are talking hands, feet and head
There can be no alternative clothing for summer/winter as it can be bitterly cold in the summer as it can be stupendously hot in the winter. A German once said to me descending Snowdon on a hot, sweaty, tee-shirted January day "I cannot believe ziss Engleesh veather!" I didn't have the heart to tell him he wasn't in England!
Back to the Lake District phenomena. If you intend on walking a great deal in the Lakes I would suggest doing your best to evolve webbed feet and waxed feathers because despite some of the fanciest clothing that money can buy you will get soaked to the skin, don't forget to take a change of clothes to leave in the car. There's nothing worse than steaming away in the car on the journey home.
Like clothing, this is an important aspect of hill-walking and mountaineering, and is worth taking some time in considering what footwear you will need.
Important points to think about are:-
1. The terrain you are most likely to be walking on.
This can range from easy family trails to hard “hands on” climbing on the highest peaks around. On lower level well made paths a light trail boot will be comfortable. Whereas higher level walks on less well defined paths will require a sturdier boot.
Boots are usually graded as “Trail Boots”, suitable for well made definable paths and trails, “3 Season”, suitable for spring, summer and autumn walking. “3/4 season”, suitable for spring, summer, autumn and the occasional winter conditions, and the full “4 Season” boot suitable for most conditions. It is worth noting that as the sturdiness of the boot increases, so does the weight of the boot, and you might find the 4 Season boot quite heavy and tiring on a hot sunny day.
I own three pairs of boots, my main 4 Season three quarter leather boots, my lighter more flexible 3 Season leather boots, and my fully rigid ice climbing boots.
2. Cost.
As always buy the best you can afford, although cheaper boots are fine as long as you respect the limitations of the boots in the conditions you are using them. My experience tells me you get what you pay for!
3. Fit.
Of course this is the most critical factor when buying boots, there can be nothing worse than a pair of ill fitting boots when you are out walking, too small and tight will be painful and too big will cause the foot to slide around in the boot causing blisters.
When buying boots you usually look for boots maybe one or two sizes larger than your everyday footwear, this is to accommodate extra pairs of socks that will be needed, ( I usually wear a thick pair of walking socks over a thin pair of normal socks).
Walking generates warmth and your feet will expand when they get warmer and thick socks will accommodate this expansion, in addition not everyone has equal sized feet and again thick socks help with this factor.
A good retailer will be able to advise you on the fit of the boot.
New boots need to be broken in, so don’t go out on a big walk in brand new boots! Give your dog a treat, take him for a walk around your local park and gradually increase the length of these walks until your dog’s ears droop and he runs away at the sight of the lead!
4. Material.
Boots can be made of breathable fabric, traditional leather, reversed leather, plastic and sometimes a combination of some or all of the above! My personal choice is for traditional leather as I find them easier to maintain and retain their waterproof ness better.
5. Ankle support.
It is better that your boot offers good ankle support, especially on uneven terrain. Constant “rolling over” on the ankle can get quite painful.
6. Shock absorption.
Many modern boots now have systems to reduce the amount of shock that is caused by placing the foot down hard and can include the sole unit being made up of layers of shock absorbing foam rubber. Some boots have “gel cells” in the heels, again to soak up the shock from hard walking. Again thick socks can help too.
7. Boot “stiffness”.
Boots can be bought with varying amounts of stiffness from toe to heel. Boots are normally stiffened by a steel or carbon fibre shank and can be fully stiffened, as would be required for serious ice climbing or three quarter stiffened for less serious but steep walking climbing. Not all boots are stiffened and the stiffness of a boot can just be the way the boot is made and from what materials are used in its manufacture. All boots with the exception of fully stiffened boots will become more flexible with use as the materials they are made from “wear in”.
My main walking boots are a 4 season three quarter stiffened leather boot and these can accept my articulated semi step-in crampons for routes of a more serious nature when the conditions apply. The same crampons will also fit my fully stiffened plastic ice climbing boots too. Walking in fully rigid boots can become tiring, and can make the calf muscles ache some what, due to the restricted movement of the ankle. Boots for ice climbing have got to be fully stiffened to allow “front pointing” when crampons are used, any flex in a boot in these conditions would not only be tiring but would also possibly lead to the crampon “popping” off the boot, now that would be inconvenient!
8. Boot care.
Boots are an essential part of your kit, and should be taken good care of. The life of your boots can be extended with proper maintenance.
With leather boots, after a wet, muddy walk make sure all mud and grit are washed off, I find it better to remove the laces so that the hooks and eyes can be cleaned thoroughly. This must be done as soon as possible, especially if you have been walking on peat, as the acid in peat can rot any stitching very quickly.
Store the boots in a well ventilated dry place and let them dry naturally, don’t force dry them on a radiator or near a fan heater as this can crack the leather.
When the boots are dry, inspect them for damage and worn or frayed stitching, don’t leave this inspection to the last minute though, if they need any kind of repair its is best done as soon as you discover it rather than finding it the day of your next walk!.
I prefer not to store my boots waxed up, I usually leave this to the day before I plan to walk. Wax should be liberally applied to all the seams and rub in extra wax to any scuffs and scratches. The boots can be buffed if this is your preference, after the wax has dried. Did I say traditional leather boots were easier to maintain?
With reversed leather boots most of the above applies except that special sprays for re-proofing the leather are applied, some of these can be applied while the boots are still wet, others require the boot to be dry. An ordinary suede brush can be used to pep up the leather on dry boots before proofing.
Waterproof fabric boots need to be washed after a challenging day in the hills. They are best left to dry naturally and then re-proofed with a proprietary proofing.
9. Plastic Ice Boots.
As these boots are used only in the most frozen of conditions they don’t often get the opportunity to get muddy, never the less, they can be washed the same as other boots.
Plastic ice boots are usually made up of an inner and outer boot, it is best to remove the inner boot when cleaning. I find my plastic boots squeak when I’m walking, so I apply a very small amount of silicone to the offending part! As with all other boots, check the stitching, and with plastic boots check for any cracks. Cracks in plastic boots usually result in the need to replace them, as repairs are not possible.
10. Tying Boots.
This should be fairly obvious, but it has to be said! Make sure you tie your laces firmly, but not too tight, your feet can become numb if you over tighten your boots. Loosely tied boots can lead to your foot sliding backwards and forwards in your boot and this could lead to blisters. You may need to adjust your laces from time to time whilst out walking. It maybe advantageous to have a looser tie when climbing up steep ground, as this permits greater ankle flexibility and tighter when descending as this prevents your toes from jabbing against the inside of the toe of your boot.
11. Gaiters.
Gaiters are best used on all, but the driest of days. Gaiters prevent wetness from entering the top of your boots and being wicked down by your socks, and protect to a certain extent the wear and dirt on your boots. Mind you, you still see the odd person in the died old tradition of wearing their pants tucked into their socks!