All about my walking kit...
...just keep me away from gear shops

With my best mate and fellow walker Judith: an literal walking advert for Mountain Equipment paclite jackets

When I started walking again, I discovered that either my feet had grown or my dear old Brasher boots had shrunk, so I retired my 15-year old Hillmasters and invested in some new kit.

Boots
I don't know what's going on at Brasher's, but my feet don't get on with their new lasts. So I'm walking in Meindl Softline boots. 

At first, I disliked the Meindls, but after a stomp around the north Kent coast, two challenge walks and an outing in Snowdonia, where they were brilliant, I like them a lot. They also got me through the first 30 miles of Trailwalker...before I need something softer and changed into my Brooks Vapour running shoes.

Jackets
After seeing it win Trail magazine's top spot, I ordered a Pathfinder jacket from Extreme Outdoor Clothing and I'm thrilled with it. 

It's waterproof and extremely snug, with a fleece lining. The Pathfinder is reversible, and it's made with K2 fleece and Tactel. There are zips all the way up the arms to aid ventilation and a huge kangaroo-like pocket on the front to the jacket to store maps, compass, digicamera, route directions, polos for horses...inside, there are hand-warming pockets, and the sleeves are cut long, with thumb holes to keep my hands cosy. And the neck opening can be adjusted to keep the cold out. It is very very warm...so I only use it in the winter. I've also got a Narvik fleece from Extreme, which keeps me snug in Snowdonia in the cold.

I've got a North Face Redpoint jacket, which is billed as a technical insulator or water- and wind-resistant outer jacket.

After a blast from the Anglesey coast, I found that it's very warm, even when wet, but not waterproof. But it's very cute and has the advantage of being very light and stowable. Perfect to wear under the Firefly below.

My Mountain Equipment Firefly Paclite waterproof shell is incredibly light and has a hood that withstands gale-force north Wales winds. The pockets can take an OS map, and it stows away into a tiny stuff sac. It was pricey, but I think this is a brilliant piece of kit.

Last year I fell victim to a Rab Glacier down jacket, on sale at Rock Bottom in Betwys. The pockets aren't big enough to hold a map, but it packs down very nicely into its stuff sac, and I love wearing it. 

Trousers
I also got some Ranger trousers from Extreme which had their first walk on Anglesey on Boxing Day 2004 - very strong winds and horizontal rain but the Rangers were extremely snug. Even though the rain was fierce, they withstood most of it, and only let some moisture in at the bottom of the legs. And this from trousers which aren't supposed to be waterproof. The brilliant thing about these is that they're so warm, you need fewer top layers. My favourite winter walking trews.

All Extreme's kit is made to measure, and fits like a dream. 

During the summer, I'm very happy in my North Face Meridian pants.

They are tough but light weight, and easily convert into shorts. They have good size front pockets and a zipped back pocket. It was so hot last summer, and the thin material was perfect. Another Trailwalker success story too. North Face seem to fit me well. Another good find from Field and Trek.

When it's not very hot or very cold (ie most of the year), I walk in Thaw Dura trousers. They are the bee's knees. Beautifully cut and very comfortable; made of stretchy fabric that stands up to brambles and weald mud. They are specially made for women and although pricey, are worth the cost. I got them by mail order from Needle Sports in Keswick, who provide an excellent service. I've now discovered that Stewart Cummingham in Betws also sells Thaw gear...so I bought myself a second pair on a trip this April. Nov 04 update: Oops. And now a third.

My waterproof overtrousers are by Regatta - dead cheap and very good.

Hat
After getting drenched on the Moelwyns in April 04, I took Del's advice and got a Lowe mountain cap. It's got earflaps and it's fully waterproof. Perfect for snug lugs.

Base layers
My favourite base layers are from Odlo - a long sleeved vest that I picked up cheap at Mountain Warehouse in Covent Garden (fantastic shop!); a strangely shaped but excellent light fleece by Lowe Alpine, whose neck I had to attack with scissors so that I could get it over my head; and a camouflage vest from the wonderful Girls Run Too. I wear technical running tops in the summer - faves are by Hind, ViewFrom and Concurve. My long johns are Helly Hansen.

Socks
I'm a big fan of Bridgedale socks, which are warm, breathable and stand up well to fast, long walks. But even better are Smartwool socks, which magically protect me from knowing that the gore-tex on my boots has failed again.

Poles
Yes, I know, I didn't believe in them either. Then came the 62 miles of Trailwalker in July 2004. Time to consult.

Shah at Field and Trek in Baker Street persuaded me to get a pair of Leki Makula anti-shock poles and boy, do I love them. They really help up hills, and I'm contributed to me not being a complete wreck after the 62 miles. I've started using them on all hilly long walks. 

Daysack

I love my Azimuth 100 Salomon rucksack. It has straps for the waist and chest as well as the shoulders, so I can run with it as well as walking. There's a little pouch on the waistband (for travel pass and rail tickets) and the sack takes a platypus. For a 10l bag, it's brilliant, and will hold my first aid kit, head torch, water bottle, waterproof trousers, banana, maps and several mini pork pies. Mine now sports a Gatliff marathon badge. 

For when I need to carry a bit more, I've got KIMM 20l and 35l sacs. They are very light, very comfortable and compress well. For Trailwalker, I followed Helen's lead and got Deuter 15l sac, which has a rain cover and loops for walking poles.

Other kit
All the pics on my site are taken with my Olympus Mju 300. I'm very pleased with it, and found a nifty LifeVenture case to carry it in, clipped to the straps of my sac.

My compass is a Silva, and for winter challenge walks and Trailwalker, I have a head torch by Petzl. I've got a polar Buff puff to keep the cold out of my ears, and a variety of gloves and glove liners. My first aid kit is a mixture of Ibuprofen, compeed plasters, anti-histamine lotion and micropore tape. For the high hills and mountains, I carry a space blanket from the London marathon. My Sigg water bottle fits into a rucksack pocket.

Other things I always carry: a couple of big sandwich bags that double as map cases; a whistle (which I hope I never have to use); a tiny Moleskine notebook for walk reports and long walk timings; hard boiled eggs, my favourite walking food. If it's a walk in the south east, I often take my cd walkman with me.

Shops
In London, I love Field and Trek in Baker Street, where Shah, my kit guru, works; Mountain Warehouse in Covent Garden, which has lots of discount kit; the North Face, also Covent Garden when I'm feeling flush.

On my journeys up to Anglesey, I almost always stop off at Betys-y-Coed. First stop is Rock Bottom, the discount shop of Cotswold Camping. Then, working my way back up the village, there's Cotswold Camping's main store, up the road to Ultimate Outdoors, then over the bridge to Stewart Cunningham. Heaven.