Getting Prepared for Winter Hiking

Winter Hiking

With snow already in the Scottish Highlands it looks like winter is about to arrive our mountains and bring with it the inherent problems of poor visibility, cold weather and challenging terrain. To ensure you don’t get caught out when venturing into the winter hills it’s time to prepare for the harsher hiking conditions to come. Here is a check list of the things to consider before heading out. DRESS TO IMPRESS Make sure you are dressed for the conditions you are likely to meet when winter hiking. Warm and wicking baselayers are a must, they will keep you dry

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Why is my waterproof jacket not waterproof?

This is a lament we hear often on our courses and guided hikes, sometimes spoken in frustration, sometimes in anger, and most often at the end of a wet day. So why is our precious waterproof clothing failing to perform? In many cases it is because we are simply asking too much of it. The techi bit…. So called ‘breathable’ fabrics have a micro pore membrane bonded to a hardwearing outer layer. This membrane allows water vapour to pass through, but not liquid water. This in turn means that the moisture you produce when working hard is allowed to escape,

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15 Features to look for when buying a hiking pack

(A selection of day packs from 25 litre to 45 litre.) The two questions, “What size of pack do I need?” and “What features should I look for in a new hiking pack?”, come up time and again during discussions with our clients on our Mountain Skills Courses. Here I try to explain some of the more important features of day packs, (and one or two of the more frivolous ones.) Size – This is possibly the most important consideration when choosing a hiking pack.  Pack size is measured in litres, and denotes the volume of the pack.  Mountain runners might

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