Training Days and Kit Reviews

Filthy weather…

An opportunity then, to say hello and review a couple of pieces of kit. As an astrologer (with Saturn in Aries for those in the know) there’s nothing I like better than to tramp off into the wild and walk a few hundred miles (with frequent beer stops).

The photograph shows me wearing my new coat, new boots and new rucksack, all of which are replacements for older or unsuitable items, or replacements for those things which my ex-wife decided to keep after we split (which means pretty much everything I owned).

Very shortly we will be setting off on our next great adventure. It ought to – in theory – encompass the following itinerary:

• A half hour walk to the train station in our village.
• A train journey to London.
• Across London on the tube to Victoria.
• A coach journey to the Toon (Newcastle).
• A train journey to Haydon Bridge
• A night’s camping on the bank of the South Tyne River
• A day’s walking along Hadrian’s Wall
• A week’s walking South down the Pennine Way for a hundred miles
• A night spent at the White Bear, home of the Theakston Brewery where they sell Old Peculier (in pints! On tap!)
• And all the way home again…

As a result we need gear that is lightweight and affordable, so we have spent a few weeks planning and organising on this basis. I aim to review all of the clothing and equipment we buy over the next few days and weeks and obviously, I’ll wait until I’ve used the new kit before writing it up.

With a view to getting fit for the gruelling trial ahead we spent last weekend walking. On Saturday, rather than taking the car to the supermarket we walked a circuitous route to that Cathedral of Despair, Tesco and we carried the groceries home in rucksacks encompassing maybe ten-miles all told in some extremely variable weather. My Green Party tee-shirt didn’t fare so well being made of rather heavy cotton (and you should never wear cotton while hiking because it doesn’t breathe well), so I was uncomfortable toiling up some of the hills in the sunshine. The way home was characterised by some fairly torrential rain, which actually I didn’t mind, especially with my new boots and coat.

The boots I bought because my old Caterpillar walking boots were fairly worn out and too big for me in any case after I lost a fair amount of weight a couple of years back. I wasn’t sure about needing new boots but, boy, am I glad I decided to go for some new Karrimor Mount Mid Weathertite Hiking Shoes. We followed this trek up with a 14 mile, village pub crawl on Sunday and I was impressed with the boots to say the least. They are extremely comfortable and at only £30 (down from £75) you can’t really go wrong with these. The only very minor problem I’ve had with them is that they rub a little on the toes of my right foot but I think I can fix that with judicious use of a broom handle. I bought a good pair of walking socks (at the aformentioned Cathedral of Despair) and they were very much improved as a result.

The boots have radically improved my sure-footedness on difficult and uneven terrain and they are totally waterproof. When it rained very heavily the water would run down my legs into the tops of the boots however, but this would be fixed with wearing trousers rather than shorts of course. A pair of gaiters would do the same job too. All said, I cannot recommend these boots enough, extremely well-made, comfortable and durable, and for the price, what’s to think about?

Let me take this opportunity to agree with Jem. These boots are a blooming marvel. I have heard, on many an occasion, the words of wisdom: “Make sure you wear new boots in” but these just don’t need it. Straight on and off for a trek with no sign of a blister or rubbed ankle. Nothing. (Sadly, I don’t think we can say the same for the aforementioned socks – false economy frankly – but I’m sure Jem will fill you in). I have to say, I am glad we did get them a bit mucky first, though, if only to avoid the rather un-cool “virgin boots in the Pennines” factor 🙂 Oh, also available in two colours, so not too “his ‘n’ hers” either.

The coat too is a marvel. It’s one of those pack-away, compact, lightweight marvels made by Trespass and it cost me a rather precise £16.63. It weighs in at a mere 330g and is about the size of the body of a wine bottle when packed away. As for the features, it’s waterproof with taped seams, breathable and windproof, and so at that weight and price it’s ideal for the journey ahead and I found it to be very comfortable. Of course, bearing in mind the price it’s not premium quality, as with all pack-away jackets the hood leaves a lot to be desired, but I’ll be wearing a hat in any case, and it would keep the rain out if I had to use it. Sizing is not so easy since it’s a unisex jacket; Al, who is slim and gorgeous but rather tall at nearly 5’10” and a size 10-12 got the small and it fit perfectly: if you’re shorter or more petite then an x-small size would be the way to go. As for me, at 6 foot and – despite a liking for beer and chips – with no noticeable excess around the middle, the medium fits just right. I’m not entirely sure what kind of gargantuan freak you’d need to be to merit the xx-large.

Once again, totally in agreement. Snug enough to provide a layer of warmth as well as weather-proofing, it is also roomy enough for an extra layer underneath in chillier climes. Perfect cover from ear lobe to upper thigh. However, as already mentioned, the hood, like most, is not brilliant. It has elasticated adjusting strings, meaning you can create a hole the size of an orange to breathe through (but not see much), or it’s too loose and flies off. Needless to say, though, it wasn’t until we got home and were packing them away again that we noticed the velcro adjustment. Doh! Would probably have helped a great deal. Our plan, though, is simply to wear a hat / cap underneath and leave it relatively loose for some extra, albeit none too reliable, cover. Oh, and one last word: packed away in its snugpack, it’d probably make a pretty passable lightweight pillow, too…

I’ll add any supplementary news about the gear as it gets tested, along with reviews of our further travels and other good stuff as and when it occurs. Tomorrow we’re planning an 18-miler to the beautiful coastal harbour at Rye.