New to walking? When you are getting new pair of walking boots you should always consider having good socks and gaiters! Gaiters help keep the muck off your walking trousers and protect your feet from getting soaking wet from the rain -)

When your out hiking always take a newspaper with you.

At the end of the day before you go to sleep, lightly scrunch up a single sheet and inset it into each boot making sure it goes all the way to the toe and touches as much of the inside as possible.

This'll absorb a lot of the dampness out of your boots keeping you feet as dry as possible.

(The puzzle pages also act as a good activity to do while waiting for food to cook)

Best piece of kit I've invested in to-date. I've spent a week wearing this camping, both walking and sleeping in it, and still it didn't smell! Fabby!

Before setting off on your trip while still at home use Google Earth on your computer to "fly" along your route. You can now see from aerial photography some of the problems you will face and enhance your planning.

Give your old trousers a new lease of life- wash them in Nikwax Techwash & TX direct to give them a little water resistant finish. This also means that the fibres won't be able to hold as much water, so if it does get wet, it will dry much faster than ever before!

Having a multi-tool with alot of attatchment may look cool, but is it really practicle, or needed?

Having owned a number of them in the past I soon found that the more options you had the more fidly they became.

Only buy the one with the attatchments that you REALLY need and consider when you might be using it.
For instance, if for hillwalking consider wether you will be wearing gloves or not.

Clothing can be a very subjective subject but this is a rough guide as to what you might want to wear.

I would normally go for a four layer clothing system; Base layer, lightweight/midweight fleece, heavyweight fleece/soft shell/primaloft coat, waterproof shell.

A warm hat, beanies are fine but if you can get hold of a mountain cap with ear muffs and is water proof you will have much more fun in bad weather. Make sure you can fit your hat underneath a helmet, you may struggle with bobble hats. I normally have two or three hats with me in case I lose one or get stuck outside after dark.

Buff or balaclava. There is a huge range of Buffs on the market now so find one that suits your budget. Again I carry a few buffs with me when I am out.

Base layers. I have found that thick heavy base layers get damp with sweat and stay damp. I tend to stick to thinner base layers when active even in winter. Whether you go synthetic, marino, bamboo, used to be a shopping bag or organic when it comes to your clothes is up to you. There are pros and cons to all material types.

Fleeces. Polartec make about twenty two different types of fleece material so there is a big range out there when it comes to fleece. Cost is going to be a big consideration but so should fit. If you have a lot of space between you and the fleece that will just encourage air to circulate near your body which will have a cooling effect on you. Things you might want to look for on the fleece is a high collar or hood and draw cords to help keep spindrift out. On some heavier fleeces it is possible to get ventilation zips to help stop you from getting to sweaty. Love them or hate them, thumb loops can be good at keeping your wrists warm and warm wrists means warm fingers.

Soft shells. There is almost as large a selection of soft shells now as there are fleeces. Soft shells are essentially heavyweight fleeces which have good wind stopping and water repellence properties. The things to look for in a soft shell are pretty similar to what you would be looking at from your fleece. Different materials will offer better wind stopping, water repellence and moister control properties. Find one that will fit your climate and activity.

Primaloft is a man-made down equivalent for insulation. I favour primaloft over down for coats for most activities in the UK because of the amount or rain and high humidity we have here. Primaloft unlike down retains its thermal properties even when wet. Primaloft may not be quite as effective as down or be as light but it is cheaper which is handy when crampons and ice axes are about. If you are wearing a fleece and your waterproof when active but then find you are cooling down rapidly every time you stop put your primaloft coat straight on over your waterproof and then stow it away in your pack again when you start moving. This stops the hassle of taking layers on and off all the time.

Waterproofs. No matter how much money you spend on your clothes very little sweat is going to pass from your skin to the outside of your waterproof in winter when you have lots of layers on. Because of this breathability of your winter waterproofs is not as important as it is in summer. Stay away from fast and light clothes in winter, they will not be able to stand up to the abuse of winter mountaineering for very long. If you are concerned about moister control consider a coat with pit zips but bear in mind the more zips your clothing has the heaver it becomes, the more zips there are to break and more stitching for leaks to possible appear at. When fitting your waterproof swing your hands above your head and make sure the coat does not rise above your hips. Snow skirts are good but strong cuffs draw cords are just as good.

Gloves. Some people think I go a bit overboard carrying spare hats and buffs but I would absolutely recommend taking spare gloves with you. I use base layer gloves. You can get silk, marino and bamboo gloves but I stick with thick warm synthetic ones because my hands don’t sweat much and they are cheap. You then get as many gloves to go on top of your base layer as you get winter activities. Fit is an important consideration here as to tight can restrict blood flow and make your hands cold. A good set of over mittens to keep your gloves dry and to stop snow building up on the Velcro of your cuffs can also make your winter experience much more enjoyable in bad weather.

I wear long johns in winter. They may not be the sexiest things in the world but they do keep you warm.

You can get some great soft shell style trousers for winter use now that cut out a lot of wind keeping your legs warm. Strong ankle reinforcements to help stop crampon tears are worth looking out for, especially if you are not used to walking in crampons.

Your waterproof trousers are going to take a beating in winter so try not to be too precious about them. Again look for strong ankle reinforcements, the higher they go the better. Thigh high side zips will make getting the trousers on and off over big winter boots much easier.

What socks you wear will depend a lot on what boots you are wearing. I normally wear one heavyweight set of socks and one midweight set underneath. On particularly cold days however I have been known to wear three sets of socks.

Unless you are planning on doing a lot of ice climbing a good set of B2 boots should do you for most simple Scottish gullies and general winter walking. Winter boots are graded from B1-B3 and this refers to the rigidity of the sole unit and the type of crampon it will take. I have refrained from plugging any one manufacturer up until here. I however love my Scarpa boots. The Charmoz is a great year round boot that I can scramble with in summer and take up into the Cairngorms in winter. Some people think the Charmoz lacks enough insulation for deep winter use but I think a good set of socks sorts that out.

A set of Yeti gaiters by Berghaus are great for when there has been a lot of thaw because they fully enclose the boot but still allow you to fit a crampon.

I hope this has been of some use to you,

Ben.

use an old tobacco tin and then put in it a cut down tooth brush, a small bag with a little tooth paste in. a cut down razor and some shaving gell in a small bag / cling film. cut down a face cloth to fit and a small piece of soap or even liquid soap. This is good for trekking lite.

carry some cotton wool in your pack and keep you strike a light with it. this helps start a fire if you can't find dry kindling

Prior preparation prevents p--s poor performance. Prep is the key to a sucessful expedition or a dismal one.

In the second episode of Fresh Air TV, Jodie Kidd goes camping in the New Forest, a location that attracts 15million visitors each year and is known as one of Britain’s Treasures. Jodie explores the surrounding woodland and catches up with some fellow campers on how you really can create a home from home under canvas.

So if you’re planning to get outside this summer and try a spot of camping, then check out some of our top tips below to ensure you have all you need for your holiday.

Top tips

• If you’ve never pitched a tent, it’s worth practicing before you go away. Go down to your local park, or have a play around in your garden. It’s much better than being stuck pitching your tent in the dark on a windy evening

• Things get lost in a messy tent. When you set up camp, try and make sure all essential equipment – such as torches and matches for the stove – have a designated place.

• Keep your tent clean and dry by leaving all outdoor clothes including wet shoes in the porch area.

• A good sleeping bag will keep you warm but it won't warm you up so make sure your kids don't go to bed cold. Sleeping on an air-filled mattress with an extra blanket or sheepskin underneath will help prevent heat loss.

• There's more to campsite cooking than baked beans! One pot wonders, locally sourced ingredients and a few choice store cupboard items brought from home will make outdoor dining a delight.

• Make the most of being outdoors and keep your little Ray Mears-es entertained by exploring the area and learning some outdoor skills such as shelter building.

• If sleeping on the hard ground isn’t your cup of tea then ensure you take an inflatable mattress with you, it couldmake all the difference the next morning!

London Marathon running. How not to "Hit the Wall" and to ensure that you come down The Mall in style.

Breakfast at 4am. Mountain Fuel - Morning Fuel. Half a packet with a pint of milk. Great for carbohydrate loading.

One hour before start 8.30am. Morning fuel with milk again, sipped slowly for a final fuel-up.

At Mile 9. Weak mix of PSP22 for carbo-top-up.

At Mile 14. Weak mix of GO Electrolyte for carbo-top-up and salt; potassium and magnesium replacement lost through sweating. So avoids any risk of cramp.

At Mile 17. Go Gel (Tropical flavour) for extra carbs to get through mid-race blues and the heat of The Isle of Dogs.

At Mile 21. Weak mix of PSP22 for final carbo-top-up to fuel the finish run.

At Mile 23. Smart 1 Gel - Caffeine (so works faster) + carbs for final push along The Embankment.

Post Race. REGO - pint and a half of strong mixture with fruit juice to repair damage and replace carbs and salts as quickly as possible.

Nuun tablets. 2 carried in case of electrolyte loss (which risks cramp or even hyponatraemia) for emergency use. Not used, but wouldn't want to be without them.

Ride Shots. Sucked intermittently along the way, they keep your mouth moist and in so doing seem to raise morale.

Mountain Fuel - Night Fuel mixed with milk. Used both the night before and the night after. It repairs damage during the night with slow release stuff, so you get an undisturbed sleep.

Tom Harrison - UK Athletics Coach - Licence No:131825 8 consecutive Londons and now looking forward to 2012.

This is such a useful piece of kit, packs away small and light enough to always have in your bag, but works well to warm you up quickly when you stop for that important re-fuel of tea!! Can be worn as part of your layering system, or on its' own just as well.

Add a decorators dust cover (polythene) to your tent bag and always pitch your tent on it. Keeps your ground sheet dry and you can pitch in wet paces as well

Secure your lens cap to your camera strap with some fishing line. Use some crimps and drill as small hole in the cap to pass the line through. Glue it in place.

Costs £3 from a fishing tackle shop and its strong

Ordnance Survey expert Matt Wills provided us with his top navigation tips which we think are well worth a read before you hit the hill!:

1. Always pre plan your route and leave a route card of where you plan to go with a friend / owner of your B&B – and make sure they know when you get back so the emergency services and mountain rescue are not called out unnecessarily.

2. Don’t confuse ambition and ability when out in the hills. Know your own limitations and stick to them.

3. If you are unsure of where you are on a particular footpath or track – you can select two features in the landscape that you can see that line up with one another and where you are. Draw a line on your map through these features and where the line crosses the path is where you are.

4. When you walk on a bearing errors are likely to creep into the direction you are walking – to counteract this break your route down into small easy to navigate sections, using obvious features from the map that are visible on the ground such as walls, rivers and trig points

5. Being able to identify natural features in the landscape as well as man made ones to navigate by is essential, an easy one to practice is to look at the lie of the land in relation to the contours on the map and try and line the two up.

6. The straightest route between where you are and where you want to be may not be the easiest, quickest or safest. Examine the map when planning your route to understand the type of terrain that you will be covering – is it mountainous? Are there any Rivers to cross? Is the terrain boggy?

7. To work out roughly how long a walk will take you can follow Naismith’s rule. The rule works on the premise of the average person walking 5km per hour on the flat and then adding 10 minutes for every 100m of ascent climbed.

8. Be prepared when you go out – food, drink, compass, torch, mobile phone, warm clothing and a torch are some of the essentials you should always carry with you as well as your OS maps.

Do not even attempt the West Highland Way unless you have good water proofs that fit, are well maintained, breathable and (obvious but true) keep you dry. You will soon see that rain can come from all directions and get through waterproofs that are not good.

dont eat yellow snow

The middle of a cruise to the canary islands was a strange venue for some of my ironman training! It was a great oppurtunity to see how my body dealt with running in the heat, and i'm pleased to report it did very well!

1. Drink little and often - too much water in one go may upset your stomach, but don't get dehydrated

2. wear a light cap - helps with the sun and though it will feel a little warmer than without, it helps stop sweat dripping in your eyes

3. Don't go too hard, too soon. Aclimatise to the conditions

4. ENJOY! it's not a muddy footpath in the rain ;-)

Expedition Endurance Insect Repellent

New for 2011 – the longest lasting repellent available. Developed in conjunction with 3M, the Endurance Insect Repellent is a specially formulated cream with a unique time-release agent. This enables the DEET to evaporate at a slower rate, providing protection that lasts longer than standard repellents and with a lower concentration of DEET. Protection lasts for up to 12 hours.

Active Ingredient(s): 34% DEET.

Repels: Mosquitoes, midges, horseflies, sandflies, gnats, fleas, ticks and other biting insects.

60ml Tube:

I have been using this when out walking and have found that after application you do not feel that the cream is there, it eveaporates well without a nasty residue, it lives up to it's claim of working for up to 12hrs with me not getting bitten during a fun family day out on the hill!

Find this in our store by following this link:

http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/index.cfm/product/lifesystems-endurance-12-hour

On Tuesday 7th June 2011 Cotswold Cambridge will be hosting an Ordnance Survey run course on map reading and compass use for beginners! Learn the essential skills that should be in all outdoorsy peoples repertoire!

If you're unsure of how to read a paper map but want to be able to - come along to one of the workshops we're running in Cotswold stores this year.

Aimed at the map reading novice our workshops take you through understanding what a map is telling you through map symbols, contour lines and topography. We'll teach you how to take grid references - 4 figure, 6-figure and the national grid system - and how to take a compass bearing.

The workshops are taking place in the following locations:
5 April - Carmarthen
7 April - Southampton Hedge End
12 April - Leeds (The Core)
14 April - Bristol
20 April - Glasgow (West End Retail Park)
4 May - Birmingham
10 May - London Knightsbridge
12 May - Chester
19 May - Newcastle
25 May - London Holborn
2 June - Tunbridge Wells
7 June - Cambridge
9 June - Guildford
22 June - Exeter

Contact the stores direct to book your place. All participants get 25% off Ordnance Survey maps bought on the day.

Hope to see you at one of the workshops!

Kilimanjaro Kit list

Footwear   Recommended quantity   Check
Fitted B:0 hiking boots
These to be fitted in store   1   
Midweight hiking socks   2   
Heavyweight hiking socks
One pair for walking and one pair
just for tent/hut   2   
Sock Liners   1   
Nikwax
Cleaner & proofer      
Gaiters
Make sure they go under water
proof trousers   1   
Toasti toes   Personal preference   
Spare laces
Or para cord   1   
Compeed blister plasters      
      
Clothing      
Synthetic T-shirts   2 or more   
Shorts
Or zip-off trousers   2   
Base layer
Synthetic is ok but merino wool is
better. Top and long johns   1   
Midlayer
100/200 weight polyester or 200/260
merino wool   2   
Gore-tex paclite jacket
Or eVent    1   
Waterproof over trousers   1   
Down jacket
Preferably with hood   1   
Trekking trousers
Preferably with 4 way stretch      
Synthetic underwear      
      
Sleeping      
4+ season sleeping bag
Down is preferable   1   
Self inflating sleeping mat   1   
Foam sleeping mat
The foam will help protect the
inflating mat and add extra insulation.
You can also put a survival blanket
inbetween for added insulation   1   
Sleeping bag liner   1   
Added warmth and hygiene. Sea to
summit thermolite is the best so far       
Pillow
Inflatable or a stuff sack/dry bag
inflated with air and a fleece over the top   1   
      
Food and hydration      
Energy sachets   Personal preference   
Power bars      
Dried fruit and nuts      
Kendal mint cake      
Nuun tablets      
Energy gels      
Water purification       
2-3 litre water bladder   1   
      
Accessories      
Trekking poles   2   
Warm beanie      
Buff
Polar buff and regular/merino is useful.
Polar buff can double up as beanie   2   
Glover liners   1   
Warm gloves
Must be insulated and waterproof.
Attach elastic cord and use as wrist loop   1   
Hothands   Personal preference   
Hand torch or lantern   1   
Head torch   1   
Spare AA/AAA batteries   1   
Whistle   1   
Survival blanket/bag   1   
Personal first aid kit   1   
Paracord/duct tape   (15m)   
Sunscreen    40spf   
Lip balm   1   
Plate    1   
Bowl    1   
Mug   1   
Knife and fork   1   
Sunglasses (cat. 3+)
Hard case and croakies (cord)   1   
Insect repellent (50+)    Personal preference   
Penknife   1   
Wash bag   1   
Dry hand gel   1   
Hard case for camera   1   
Small karabiners
For attaching things to outside of bag   Personal preference   
Pack cubes   Personal preference   
Drybags
Different sizes are a good idea   Personal preference   
Wide brim sunhat   1   
100 litre wet and dry bag
This will be for the porters to carry   1   
Toilet paper
Remove cardboard roll and put in
plastic bag   1   
Shewee   1   
Sit mat
For lunch/breaks   1   
      
30-40 litre Day bag
One with a good fitting waist belt   1   
Rain cover for day bag   1

Have you ever tried to use Nixwax Tech Wash or TX Direct Wash in for cleaning or re-proofing your clothing and been told you told clean your washing machine out first? Do you feel this is time and effort each time? A cost each time? FEAR NO MORE!

When ever you purchase Tech Wash or any of our other Nixwax Washing Products, you should ask or be given a complimentary Nixwax Washball to use. This means at no extra cost you can place you Washing Liquid in the washball and place in the washing machine directly with your Product. Ensure you leave the drawer on your washing machine open and you then have no risk of contaminating your product with washing detergent from your last wash and saving you that effort of washing your machine out each time!

When first learning to climb it can be quite daunting. remember that everyone had to start somewhere.

The key is to relax and enjoy yourself! If you get stuck sing spiderpig to your self and carry on :)