I finally started buying clothes today - not specifically to replace anything in my wardrobe; more to help me survive our camping trip next week. We are going to the Lake District in the UK - perhaps the most rugged landscape in England, and will be camping for the week in a tent, walking many miles each day, and “roughing it” basically.
Although I already own a few pieces of “practical” clothing for outdoor pursuits type activities, I knew some of was worn out, and there were lots of little things we needed - like wax for our walking boots, and waterproofing for our coats and gaiters. For those who don’t do anything out in the “great outdoors”, you’re probably wondering what on earth I’m talking about. It’s no accident that walking boots stop water getting to your feet - because you rub wax into every nook and cranny of them you can find. You also treat your coat each year with waterproofing agents to make sure that it really is waterproof. There is nothing quite so miserable as being miles from home, soaked to the skin, and cold. You learn all this stuff pretty damn quickly.
I headed off to GoOutdoors in Oxford with my brother-in-law this morning, and bought the following;
Craghoppers Kiwi Trousers
The idea here is that they have pockets all over the place, and double up as trousers and shorts - so I only have to pack one thing instead of two. They have some kind of water treatment in them too - to repel anything short of a rainstorm.
Craghoppers Shirt
Casual looking shirt, high cotton content, and good enough to go in the pub as well as walk in. Deliberately “non iron”, so it can survive several days wear and tear without me looking like a tramp.
Trekmates Fleece
Saw these on the way out to the checkout. They were very cheap, and you can never have enough thin layers when it is cold. Fleeces are fantastic - they let your body breathe, they keep the cold out, and the warmth in.
I also got a pack on new socks (following Lieutenant Dan’s advice in Forrest Gump about always having clean dry socks - which is absolutely true - we proved it during a 76 mile trek a few years ago), but they are far too boring to take a photo of. A sock is a sock, right?
I now have to go sit with my boots, clean them, and spend an age rubbing wax into them.