This article is an attempt to give a bit of guidance for the clothing choices you all have to make for your DOE expeditions. The intention here is not to be hugely prescriptive about it since personal preference, budget and even [unfortunately] fashion will always play a big part in what you wear. However, the main drivers in clothing choice when your body is having to work hard in the hills should ALWAYS be comfort and safety. This is especially important at gold level when you’re putting in long days in hugely varying weather and ground conditions.

Main Principles: Layering/Wicking

You’ve probably heard someone banging on about a layering system being best for walking. What does this actually mean? The concept is relatively simple; to keep comfortable when you’re walking, you have to carefully regulate both body temperature and sweat. (Yes ladies, chances are that when you’re carrying a large overnight(s) rucksack and walking up hills, you will do more than *glow*…) The layering principle means than in order to fine tune your sweating/temperature, it’s easier to wear several thinner layers that you can add and remove at will as opposed to a large all-or-nothing thick layer.

Another wacky term you’ll have heard bandied about is wicking clothing. This is generally synthetic clothing with a loose weave designed to let sweat pass through very quickly and with minimal absorption (believe it or not wool does this too; cotton DOES NOT.) The outcome of this is that wicking garments dry very quickly or can sometimes be so effective that they don’t get wet with sweat at all. To be ultra effective, they must be worn close to the skin (they’re often constructed with a hydrophilic gradient to literally suck the sweat from your body…) These are not wonder clothes; they need to be used correctly. i.e. you may still have a sweaty cold back when you take your pack off for lunch in a breeze but it will dry in minutes compared to a cotton tshirt which can take hours, even in hot sunshine.

Base layers (next to your skin)

As I said above, this should be synthetic and close fitting. Some of the best ones to consider are made of polypropylene; a good example is the Helly Hansen range but these can be expensive. Shops like Millets sell some very good ones, often for £10-£15. Despite manufacturer’s claims, close fitting synethetic clothing will stink of sweat after a while so don’t pay too much attention to any clever “anti-smell” coatings etc. If you get cold very easily and have money to burn, products that incorporate merino wool are seriously luxurious. Try IceBreaker or Alpkit for budget versions.

Mid layers (or insulation layer…)

Very easy these days; this is generally recognised to be some kind of fleece jacket/pullover. A cheapo version from a market stall will do most of the job that a designer outdoor version will. They come in all sorts of flavours and cloth weights, traditionally 100/200/300 with 300 being the thickest. You can also get posh windproof ones but these tend to keep your sweat in a bit more and can feel clammy. Again, closer fits are recommended.

Mid layers should provide the bulk of your insulation (by trapping warm air near your body) whilst simultaneously allowing the moisture from your base layer to escape. A zip of some description (full length, chest length) lets you adjust your temperature by letting the warm air escape faster/slower.

Shell layer (waterproofs!)

The shell layer should encompass both a jacket and trousers. Gaiters may also be useful for trudging around in bogs, which is fairly common for Pembs. Gold expeditions in Wicklow/Donegal/Scottish islands! You get what you pay for with shell layers; even the most basic might be fully waterproof, but in general the more you pay the more breathable the material and the better the fit. Poor breathability may even be so bad that the trapped sweat makes it feel as though the jacket/trousers are leaking and letting in the rain. Gore-tex and eVent fabrics are seriously breathable but also very pricey but may be worth investing in if you plan to continue outdoor pursuits. Ask your leader for if you’re interested but the main advice I’d give is pay close attention to the hood and try lots of different fits to see what suits you best. Also be weary of too many seams, these are traditional weak points for water ingress.

Best practise

You’ve probably heard the golden rule of expedition clothing: DON’T WEAR JEANS. This is good advice since jeans are made of heavy cotton and take a very long time to dry out, but the mantra extends to any thick cotton trousers. Stick to the rules above for a comfy time; layered synthetic clothing that’s easily adjusted to account for temperature changes. Take one full set of clothing to walk in and full set to sleep; put the dirty/wet set back on each morning to continue walking. Undwear is your own choice but make sure it’s comfortable and ideally synethetic/wicking (wet cotton undies can cause hypothermia even if you’re wearing the trendiest goretex on the outside!). Clean/dry socks everyday are a luxury but allows extreme smugness when all around you are getting blisters from wearing wet/dirty socks from the previous day!)