Getting Waterproof Clothing Right

Somebody once said the weather is always perfect if you are wearing the right waterproof clothing!

Easier said than done. Consider this:-

You are hiking up a steep mountainside, the wind is very strong and the rain is coming down like stair rods only horizontally. You are hot and wet inside with perspiration and your coat is becoming saturated. You feel like a walking greenhouse.

As you climb higher into colder air your hot perspiration turns into cold and wet. Your woollen gloves are soggy and your hands are cold. Lethargy creeps in. You do not want to stop and go through your rucksack for some food and drink so your energy is draining away. You are walking through a nightmare and certainly not enjoying the experience.

We can show you how to avoid getting into such a state.

First you need waterproofs that work – irrespective of whether they are new or not so new.

Forget anoraks and anything made of cotton. You need to buy top quality clothing that is light, wicks away some of the interior damp and is as waterproof as possible.

You then need to keep it clean and reproof it at least once a year.

Probably the most common material used in making waterproof gear is gore-tex.

Other makes and types of outdoor clothing include:

• Paclite
• Ventile
• Páramo
• Drilite Extreme, made by Mountain Equipment
• HyVent - North Face
• H2No - Patagonia
• Omni-Tech by Columbia
• Conduit - Mountain Hardwear
• Precip - Marmot
• Watergate - Outdoor Designs

Click here to find out our top tips for buying waterproofs:

Waterproof Winter Gloves

Waterproof Coat

Waterproof Trousers And Overtrousers