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Hints & Tips

Walking

The sense of exhilaration and pleasure that a good walk can give you is unsurpassable. The feeling of the wind on your face, as you clamber to the top of a glorious hill, surrounded by nothing but a big sky and fellow walkers is hard to beat. With urban life getting faster and faster, it's no wonder that more and more are turning to walking and other outdoor activities as a healthy and satisfying way of spending their leisure time.

What to Wear

One of the biggest misconceptions is that you need to spend a fortune on equipment. This just isn't the case. Comfortable footwear, with a reasonable grip and comfortable clothing can work just as well on many walks as gear costing a great deal more. However as you become more experienced and begin to talk to others involved in the sport you will appreciate the benefits of wearing clothing and using equipment that has been designed especially for the purpose.

For the best advice on the appropriate walking gear for you, get in touch with the brands that make outdoor products and the many retailers that sell it across the UK. OIA member companies are experts on the outdoors and on outdoor kit. You will be able to find a full list here, once the Directory section is added (which will be very soon) and look out for the OIA member logo.

Clothing

Generally speaking when selecting your clothing, think layers. Starting with a base layer that goes against the skin, this may be your only layer in hot weather or the first of many in cold weather. Further layers above can include a fleece jacket and possible a waterproof jacket on top, and some kind of leg wear and waterproof trousers below,.

Most modern fabrics used in outdoor clothing have the ability to breathe (or wick), which simply means that they allow the bodies' moisture to pass through the fabric and not retain by it. When the body exercises, sweat is produced. Fabrics like cotton absorb this moisture, which can mean the wearer gets cold and damp unless there is sufficient external heat to evaporate it. If you are wearing a cotton shirt under a breathable water proof jacket and doing vigorous exercise, walking uphill for example, you'll soon get a wet shirt and feel damp inside the jacket, as the air becomes saturated and stops the jacket from breathing properly. By wearing wicking layers underneath breathable jackets, you'll avoid this unpleasant feeling. The other advantage of modern man-made materials is that they are easily washed and dried.

Footwear

Over the course of a day's walk, your feet will have a great deal of pressure put on them and if your footwear isn't right then you are not going to enjoy yourself. You may not notice the right footwear; you will be wrong! Again your local OIA member store will be able to advise you on what footwear you should be wearing and most importantly spend time with you in finding the correct fit.

Walkers have traditionally recommended the use of boots with ankle support. With the rapid development in footwear over recent years, boots have become lighter, ankle support lower and trainers and even sandals designed for walking have appeared on the market. What you choose will depend on your preference but most important considerations is the adequacy of grip on the sole and the amount of support it gives you against twisting. If you walk on rough stony ground then some protection against the foot twisting (usually a steel or plastic shank in the sole unit ) is advisable. Flat riverside paths require less technical footwear. Again ask the staff in your OIA member store for advice.

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