“Growing up, I’ve always preferred beaches over mountains, however every time I am surrounded by hightop trees and towering boulders, it has such a powerful effect on me. Whenever I am hiking in nature, I feel so much more connected to the world around me!” Anonymous
I thought I would write a little post about what I wear when hiking! Because honestly starting a life outdoors can be pretty scary! When I first started I was so worried that I wouldn’t have the right kit and everyone would judge me. I didn’t grow up in an outdoors family, I had no idea which outdoor brands were good or not. Basically I had no idea! I started hiking in May 2019 and just wore gym wear and bought myself a pair of North Face walking shoes and that was my kit and honestly, I can’t wait for the summer to return so I can get out of wearing so many layers and boots. Brands have never been my thing, I’ve never wanted the latest fashion nor aspired to be fashionable. I have always just worn what I like and it seems to work for me.
All my gym wear comes from f&f at Tesco and I love it! Fits perfectly plus it’s pretty cheap and not actually bad quality I have pieces I have been wearing for 4/5 years now! I would also be sooooo pissed with spending £80 on a pair of workout trousers to only go and ruin them and I’m not the kind of girl that can wear clothes and not ruin them. I have read articles that say you shouldn’t wear gym wear while hiking but I have never had a problem, in the summer I can walk 25 miles a day and never found an issue with them. It really is about what works for you!
Once Summer starting moving into Autumn I decided to invest in my first pair of hiking boots! Still, with no idea what was a good brand or not, I decided to ask Instagram! And the overall winner by far was to invest in a pair of Salomons which I did and don’t think I will ever change brands! They were my first branded piece of outdoor wear and will probably be my last, I will wear them until they literally fall off my feet! Again I didn’t go for the latest model, I got a pair from maybe two seasons ago for half the price of the current models. I think with boots it’s a very personal chance, I love the fit of Salomons and I was able to hike in them straight away without the need to break them in. However, my next pair I know to look for some with a better grip for me
With Autumn also came the cooler weather and the need to add layers. Still, I didn’t want to spend loads, I would rather have more money for Adventures then have a top with a brand name on. So I went to Mountain Warehouse, also helpful because I live across the road from one and just stocked up with cheap base layers and fleeces!
My main criteria when it comes to clothing is it must be bright and the brighter the better. And if there’s a pattern too then I will pretty much do a sex wee!! I have to admit I do get a lot of strange looks and some not so nice comments now and again but I brush them off, its incredibly hard to get grumpy when you are dressed like a rainbow. On a more practical note, I tend to hike alone so I figure the brighter I am the easier it would be to spot me if I got into trouble. The above outfit has to be my favourite of 2019!!
Before I knew it Winter came as did my first Winter hike! I would have never dreamed of even stepping outside my front door last winter let alone go hiking in the snow and rain. When it came to clothing again I didn’t really spend a lot of money. Everything extra I bought was from Mountain’s Warehouse, I bought a bigger coat, the blue one above has a detachable fleece inside so I figured it would double up as a spring/autumn jacket. I bought a couple of pairs of thicker trousers (£20 each) and some over the top waterproofs (£10). I don’t like wearing gloves so just bought the cheapest pair for emergencies. I probably spent more money on hats than anything else, but I bloody love a woolly hat so that hasn’t been a hardship. Also skin is waterproof! I do carry extra layers when hiking in winter in case I get stuck or injured, it’s amazing how quickly you get cold when you stop!
I definitely think in the world of posting everything on social media there is a hell of a lot of pressure to look a certain way, to have certain things and to show them off to your followers but the truth is you just got to do you! I have never been into the latest fashions, I’ve never wanted the best or most expensive things and I think it would be incredibly wrong of me to change that now for the sake of getting extra followers. What I’ve discovered about outdoor life is that no one actually cares! No one has ever stopped me to ask why I’m not dressed correctly or to make fun of my clothing so if you are considering hiking but don’t know where to start the key is just to start, one foot in front of another. Where I have invested my money is in things that might keep me alive like a foil blanket, filter bottle and a good first aid kit! The second the sun comes out I will be in shorts and t’shirts from a charity shop and I will be just as able to hike as someone who spends £100s on their kit. It all just comes down personal preference and with anything I buy I work out how much petrol I can get and how many Adventures I could go on with that money!!
