Being Prepared


While participating on one of our multi-activity days and tours we would make the following recommendations to you so that you are suitably prepared for any situation we may encounter. One of the most important aspects when participating in activities in the outdoors is ensuring that you are appropriately dressed and equipped for dealing with the sudden changes in weather that we can experience. The more time that you spend in the outdoors the easier it becomes and the more you will know what clothing and equipment is required for different situations. We have prepared this general guide to help but if you need more specific advice please consult with us. If you enjoy being in the outdoors and want to invest in a good range of clothing footwear or equipment we have listed at the end of this section some details of websites worth visiting for all your clothing, equipment, footwear and accessory needs. We also have a comprehensive list of available of suitable providers which can be forwarded on request either by email or post. We will be providing you with suitable waterproof jackets and trousers and any specific equipment you may require throughout your tour for the activities you will be involved in. For our Multi-Activity Days you will require to have the following items - A complete change of clothing Towels Fleece jacket or jumper Soft shoes to wear when kayaking Suitable footwear for biking or walking Plastic bags for wet/dirty clothes and footwear Persons who wear glasses need a means to secure them e.g. croakies Drinks bottle Packed lunch, snacks and fluids for when outdoors If you are involved in Kayaking or canoeing for more than the 1/2 session we will provide you with waterproof dry bags to transport your lunch and personal belongings on board your canoe/kayak. Please also remember we cannot be liable for loss, damage or breakage so we recommend that you do not wear expensive jewellery and watches, or wear designer clothing. For warm sunny days you may also want to bring - Swimwear Shorts Sunscreen (absolutely essential) Sunglasses, and the means to secure them e.g. croakies If you are partaking in any watersports you will need a pair of soft shoes or light trainers that you do not mind getting wet. If you are thinking about buying specific footwear take a look at what is available by searching through the list of suppliers at the end of this page. There is a section on water sports equipment and clothing suppliers, however some of the other general outdoor clothing suppliers also have suitable footwear available. For land based sports e.g. walking and cycling you will need another pair of firm, chunky soled trainers or boots that are comfortable to wear for long periods. We would recommend that you do not wear new boots on long walks, even fabric boots need to be broken in and given time to fully mould to your feet. Use a small backpack (aprox 35 litres is regarded as day bag size) this should be able to accommodate what you need for a day away and will be fine whether you are walking or biking. Waterproof protection for your belongings in your backpack: You can further protect your belongings in your rucksack from wet weather by simply using a strong polythene bag as a rucksack liner, put it inside the rucksack and place everything within the polythene bag. Rucksack liners are available to buy in a range of waterproof materials depending on how much you are prepared to spend, but we have found that on day bag size standard freebie polythene bags work just as well. Additional Clothing Information Footwear is one of the most important purchases and great care should be taken when choosing them, if you want your feet to be comfortable and allow you to enjoy being in the outdoors. Boots with a breathable, waterproof liner are a good investment (Gore-tex or Sympatex are two of the most common liner brands). If you are planning on purchasing new boots or shoes then we would strongly recommend you buy at a shop where they can be professionally fitted, the staff will be able to advise you depending on you planned level of useage. Waterproof jackets and trousers should be your second most important purchase and there is an overwhelming range of clothing available and a lot of it also designed for specific sports disciplines. The main factor to look at is material; invest in a garment made from a waterproof and breathable fabric, Gore Tex again is the top brand material and the most expensive used by many of the garment manufacturers however there are now a number of similar materials which are much cheaper. General Clothing, the ultimate outdoor clothing fabric is fleece, a remarkable material made from synthetic wool fabric but can also be produced entirely from recycled plastic bottles.There are now thousands of products available manufactured using different grades of material, better grades or quality of fabric are obviously more expensive. Clothing should be worn in layers, if using the right materials three layers should usually be sufficient and cope with most weather conditions we experience here in Scotland. A base layer, a mid layer and an outer shell, however peoples tolerance for heat and cold varies significantly and you have to be out there in the weather to find out what type of clothing and how many layers works for you, to be able to maintain a comfortable body temperature. There are many other good man made fabrics available the best ones to wear outdoors are the ones the come out of your washing machine virtually dry after a spin cycle. These materials clearly release water easier and so will dry quicker if you get wet while outdoors. From personal experience i have found that the higher priced the garment does not necessarily mean a better garment, however there are a number of top brand name manufacturers who have for a very long time specialised in producing garments for the highly active user, these garments have some very useful features that you wont find on garments produced for the general use market. List of recommended suppliers Tiso: The Outdoor Specialists - www.tiso.com Go Outdoors - www.gooutdoors.co.uk Aktive8 - www.aktive8.com Outdoor Gear - www.outdoorgear.co.uk Field & Trek - www.fieldandtrek.com Millets - www.millets.co.uk Blacks - www.blacks.co.uk Craghoppers - www.craghoppers.com Moutain Warehouse - www.mountainwarehouse.com Costwold Outdoor - www.cotswoldoutdoor.com Hi Peak Leisure - www.hi-peakleisure.co.uk Singers Outdoors - www.singersoutdoors.co.uk Taunton Leisure - www.tauntonleisure.com Towsure - www.towsure.com

While participating on one of our multi-activity days and tours we would make the following recommendations to you so that you are suitably prepared for any situation we may encounter.

One of the most important aspects when participating in activities in the outdoors is ensuring that you are appropriately dressed and equipped for dealing with the sudden changes in weather that we can experience.
The more time that you spend in the outdoors the easier it becomes and the more you will know what clothing and equipment is required for different situations. We have prepared this general guide to help but if you need more specific advice please consult with us.

If you enjoy being in the outdoors and want to invest in a good range of clothing footwear or equipment we have listed at the end of this section some details of websites worth visiting for all your clothing, equipment, footwear and accessory needs. We also have a comprehensive list of available of suitable providers which can be forwarded on request either by email or post.

We will be providing you with suitable waterproof jackets and trousers and any specific equipment you may require throughout your tour for the activities you will be involved in.
For our Multi-Activity Days you will require to have the following items -

A complete change of clothing
Towels
Fleece jacket or jumper
Soft shoes to wear when kayaking
Suitable footwear for biking or walking
Plastic bags for wet/dirty clothes and footwear
Persons who wear glasses need a means to secure them e.g. croakies
Drinks bottle
Packed lunch, snacks and fluids for when outdoors

If you are involved in Kayaking or canoeing for more than the 1/2 session we will provide you with waterproof dry bags to transport your lunch and personal belongings on board your canoe/kayak.

Please also remember we cannot be liable for loss, damage or breakage so we recommend that you do not wear expensive jewellery and watches, or wear designer clothing.

For warm sunny days you may also want to bring -

Swimwear
Shorts
Sunscreen (absolutely essential)
Sunglasses, and the means to secure them e.g. croakies

If you are partaking in any watersports you will need a pair of soft shoes or light trainers that you do not mind getting wet. If you are thinking about buying specific footwear take a look at what is available by searching through the list of suppliers at the end of this page. There is a section on water sports equipment and clothing suppliers, however some of the other general outdoor clothing suppliers also have suitable footwear available.

For land based sports e.g. walking and cycling you will need another pair of firm, chunky soled trainers or boots that are comfortable to wear for long periods. We would recommend that you do not wear new boots on long walks, even fabric boots need to be broken in and given time to fully mould to your feet.

Use a small backpack (aprox 35 litres is regarded as day bag size) this should be able to accommodate what you need for a day away and will be fine whether you are walking or biking.

Waterproof protection for your belongings in your backpack:
You can further protect your belongings in your rucksack from wet weather by simply using a strong polythene bag as a rucksack liner, put it inside the rucksack and place everything within the polythene bag. Rucksack liners are available to buy in a range of waterproof materials depending on how much you are prepared to spend, but we have found that on day bag size standard freebie polythene bags work just as well.

Additional Clothing Information
Footwear is one of the most important purchases and great care should be taken when choosing them, if you want your feet to be comfortable and allow you to enjoy being in the outdoors. Boots with a breathable, waterproof liner are a good investment (Gore-tex or Sympatex are two of the most common liner brands). If you are planning on purchasing new boots or shoes then we would strongly recommend you buy at a shop where they can be professionally fitted, the staff will be able to advise you depending on you planned level of useage.

Waterproof jackets and trousers should be your second most important purchase and there is an overwhelming range of clothing available and a lot of it also designed for specific sports disciplines. The main factor to look at is material; invest in a garment made from a waterproof and breathable fabric, Gore Tex again is the top brand material and the most expensive used by many of the garment manufacturers however there are now a number of similar materials which are much cheaper.

General Clothing, the ultimate outdoor clothing fabric is fleece, a remarkable material made from synthetic wool fabric but can also be produced entirely from recycled plastic bottles.There are now thousands of products available manufactured using different grades of material, better grades or quality of fabric are obviously more expensive.

Clothing should be worn in layers, if using the right materials three layers should usually be sufficient and cope with most weather conditions we experience here in Scotland. A base layer, a mid layer and an outer shell, however peoples tolerance for heat and cold varies significantly and you have to be out there in the weather to find out what type of clothing and how many layers works for you, to be able to maintain a comfortable body temperature.
There are many other good man made fabrics available the best ones to wear outdoors are the ones the come out of your washing machine virtually dry after a spin cycle. These materials clearly release water easier and so will dry quicker if you get wet while outdoors.
From personal experience i have found that the higher priced the garment does not necessarily mean a better garment, however there are a number of top brand name manufacturers who have for a very long time specialised in producing garments for the highly active user, these garments have some very useful features that you wont find on garments produced for the general use market.

List of recommended suppliers
Tiso: The Outdoor Specialists - www.tiso.com

Go Outdoors - www.gooutdoors.co.uk

Aktive8 - www.aktive8.com

Outdoor Gear - www.outdoorgear.co.uk

Field & Trek - www.fieldandtrek.com

Millets - www.millets.co.uk

Blacks - www.blacks.co.uk

Craghoppers - www.craghoppers.com

Moutain Warehouse - www.mountainwarehouse.com

Costwold Outdoor - www.cotswoldoutdoor.com

Hi Peak Leisure - www.hi-peakleisure.co.uk

Singers Outdoors - www.singersoutdoors.co.uk

Taunton Leisure - www.tauntonleisure.com

Towsure - www.towsure.com