Author Topic: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?  (Read 3916 times)

buryman

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #15 on: 19:44:38, 18/02/19 »
 Decathlon will clothe and boot you with decent kit at a fraction of the cost of the fashionable brands. If buying on line be careful, I find their sizing quirky.

Ronin83

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #16 on: 20:22:01, 18/02/19 »
Merino base layers are good for multi day trips as merino doesn't get smelly, but not needed for day hikes.  


Gtx is gtx so any gtx jacket should do the job. If it doesn't, return it.


People seem to love craghoppers trousers, but for me they're like wearing a parachute and have a ball crushing crotch. Point is, you have to try on trousers to find what u like. Stretchy ones will be more comfy.


forgotmyoldpassword

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #17 on: 21:43:40, 18/02/19 »
Overall if I was buying it all again, and I've got mountains of kit at this point - I'd do this for UK conditions:


- Base layer, polyester, lasts for ages and incredibly cheap.  Ideally fits tight. £10-20 depending on brand.
- Softshell/insulated mid layer with a hood.  Basically insulated with a wind proof surface layer.  In the majority of UK conditions this is the perfect piece of kit.  Something like the Ether Driclime, or Hydrogen Alpha.  The important bit is it is somewhat wind resistant.  £100
- Hardshell.  Aka waterproof jacket.  Something with pit zips, wired adjustable hood (3 points), plenty of pockets and works in UK conditions (i.e. not Neoshell). £120-ish should get you this if you buy one sale.
- Bog standard 100 weight fleece in the pack £20
- Boots - Instead I'd get a set of trail running shoes with an aggressive sole for grip in the hills. £70
- Two good pairs of socks, one worn one in your pack. £25

Ronin83

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #18 on: 08:28:04, 19/02/19 »
- Boots - Instead I'd get a set of trail running shoes with an aggressive sole for grip in the hills. £70


Wow. For my local conditions you'd likely lose a shoe. Trail runners in the mud, clay, puddles and chalk, not a good idea. In summer theyre great, but rest of the year no way, unless u like cold wet feet and shoes full of stones and mud.


For UK conditions I'd suggest leather boots, but fabric ones tend to be more comfy so fair enough on the salomons

wacjac

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #19 on: 17:33:34, 19/02/19 »
Great clutch of replies from you all - I feel far more knowledgeable about it all now. Thanks for this.


One other real quick question.... my ME Janak Goretex Pro jacket..... will it soften any? Will the 'wake the dead' rustle of the material always scare deer within a 5 mile radius? I went out in it earlier in the rain to test it out....I've never seen anything as waterproof as this before - not having waterproof trousers on my legs and [censored] are soaked!! You can really tell this level of technical gear is the highest performer.


How robust is this? Will it last for many years?

richardh1905

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #20 on: 18:05:21, 19/02/19 »

I've had a ME GoreTex Pro 'Lhotse' jacket for at least 3 winters now, and I'm out every day in all weather, walking miles with the dog - horizontal rain, storms, snow, sea spray, the lot, and it has not let me down - it has withstood everything that Orkney can throw at it.


And it will get less 'rustly' with use - it's certainly not an issue for me.


Oh, and get a buff. Great for horizontal rain in the face.
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wacjac

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #21 on: 18:11:28, 19/02/19 »
Cheers Richard.


I assume that where rucksack straps rub it will affect it eventually though?

sussamb

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #22 on: 18:36:29, 19/02/19 »
Oh, and get a buff. Great for horizontal rain in the face.


I loved it when the 'buff' was launched. It was said to be an innovation but it's no different to the army headover I was issued with, and still carry, some 40 odd years ago :)
Where there's a will ...

BuzyG

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #23 on: 19:43:04, 19/02/19 »

I loved it when the 'buff' was launched. It was said to be an innovation but it's no different to the army headover I was issued with, and still carry, some 40 odd years ago :)
I was a wollen scalf man, untill mine froze solid and made it tricky to breath.  Since then I use a freeby buff, that arrived with a couple of OS maps I bought online  Modern materials, simple yet clever stuff.

Owen

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #24 on: 19:48:06, 19/02/19 »

I loved it when the 'buff' was launched. It was said to be an innovation but it's no different to the army headover I was issued with, and still carry, some 40 odd years ago :)


Me to, I was certainly issued one back in 1982.

richardh1905

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #25 on: 20:44:03, 19/02/19 »

Bought my son SIX unbranded 'Multifunctional Headwear' for less than a tenner recently (he's good at losing stuff - perhaps I shouldn't have chosen camo). Seem to do the job just fine.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01I1EBWA8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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richardh1905

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #26 on: 20:47:45, 19/02/19 »
I was a wollen scalf man, untill mine froze solid and made it tricky to breath. 



A friend used to like to wear his Plymouth Argyle scarf on walks, along with map case, compass and whistle, all around his neck - on one windy day it all got in such a tangle that we had to cut him free!
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forgotmyoldpassword

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #27 on: 22:05:26, 19/02/19 »

Wow. For my local conditions you'd likely lose a shoe. Trail runners in the mud, clay, puddles and chalk, not a good idea. In summer theyre great, but rest of the year no way, unless u like cold wet feet and shoes full of stones and mud.


For UK conditions I'd suggest leather boots, but fabric ones tend to be more comfy so fair enough on the salomons


I agree with you to an extent, but with trail runners gaiters make a huge difference to the amount of scrub you can get away with, as well as avoiding the 'lost shoe' problem and they ventilate vastly better in average conditions.  I agree with you for some areas they're unsuitable - bogs and moorland especially - but for many this isn't as relevant for someone just looking to get out there (as they'll be predominantly picking better weather days).  You can get something which will give you 500 miles+ for a third of the price of top end boots and coming into the spring/summer/autumn season it's worth considering - I've happily used trail runners with microspikes at -5C all the way up to 20C.  Just a personal opinion of what I'd go with if I was buying it all again.

Ronin83

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #28 on: 22:18:18, 19/02/19 »
Forgotmyoldpassword it certainly is personal choice and that obviously works for you. I do think you're in the minority though. Even in +°c temps wet feet can get very uncomfortable and cold. Personally my toes would freeze. I guess you could get gtx ones.
An £80-100 pair of boots will do very well for someone "starting out" and last a lot longer than trail runners. Or a pair of army boots off eBay for £50. Seems this guy isn't on a particularly tight budget though anyway.




BuzyG

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Re: Newbie - too much choice - gear recommendations?
« Reply #29 on: 22:19:44, 19/02/19 »

A friend used to like to wear his Plymouth Argyle scarf on walks, along with map case, compass and whistle, all around his neck - on one windy day it all got in such a tangle that we had to cut him free!

Hee hee, that had me chuckling.  Had to be Plymouth Argyle.  Couldn't be a proper football team.

Lots of Argyle fans in our office unsurprizingly as I work in Plymouth,. But being a Scoucer, I am not one of them.  ;)

 

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