Heathrow Hikers - Outdoor Group for West London

Recommended Gear Lists

These gear lists are a recommended guide to what you should bring on trips with the group. Please note the lists are different for day trips, e.g. walking in the Cotswolds, and weekend trips which are likely to be more intense walks in more isolated locations. Winter items are marked. Please check with your trip leader if you have any questions about any items.

This is only a recommended list as each member is responsible for themselves. However, it has been complied over years of walking experience, and we highly encourage you to follow it. This will make the walk more comfortable for you, and will also prevent you having to unfairly rely on others for equipment or food. Having the right gear can also prevent many uncomfortable or dangerous situations that can occur in the outdoors.

As part of your preparation we also recommend checking the weather forecast!

Clothing

• Hiking boots, well worn in. Please check with your organiser as other shoes may be suitable for more easy rambles.
• Hiking socks – good quality socks will transmit moisture effectively and prevent blisters.
• T-shirt for walking, cotton is fine, moisture-wicking is excellent.
• Shorts or trousers suitable for walking.
• Mid-layer top for warmth – mid-weight fleece or similar.
• Upper layer – heavy fleece top or soft shell jacket (cool/wet conditions).
• Waterproof jacket.
• Waterproof over-trousers (cool/wet conditions).
• Gloves and hat (cool/wet conditions).
• Sunhat/baseball cap (sunny conditions).
• Sunglasses.
• Personal clothing (and shoes) to drive in, it’s much more comfortable driving back in clean, dry clothes. And plastic bags for your walking things.

Equipment

• Backpack.
• Water – carry at least 1.5 litres per day, ideally more.
• Compass and map – and know how to use them!
• Sunscreen.
• Lip balm.
• Lunch and snacks.
• Simple personal first aid kit – plasters, ibuprofen, any personal medication etc.
• Camera.

For forays into the mountains or particularly wild locations, it is well worth packing some of the winter gear, e.g. hat, gloves and over-trousers, even in summer due to the changing nature of the weather conditions and the isolation.

Clothing

• Hiking boots, well worn in.
• Quality walking socks.
• Shorts or outdoor trousers – NOT jeans.
• Moisture-wicking t-shirt.
• Mid-layer – mid-weight fleece top or similar.
• Upper layer – heavy fleece top or soft shell jacket (cool/wet conditions).
• Waterproof jacket.
• Waterproof over-trousers (cool/wet conditions)
• Gloves and hat (cool/wet conditions).
• Baseball cap or sunhat (sunny conditions).
• Sunglasses.
• Personal clothing for evening and driving, including spare shoes and plastic bags.
• Earplugs are recommended for weekend trips in case of snoring in the bunkroom!

Equipment

• Walking pack with proper harness.
• Water – carry at least 1.5 litres per day, ideally more. Hydration systems such as Platypus or Camelbak are particularly convenient.
• Compass and map – and know how to use them!
• Sunscreen.
• Lip balm.
• Camera.
• Lunch and snacks. A plastic container for food storage and plastic bags may be useful to keep your food from getting squashed in your pack.
• Torch and spare batteries.
• Survival kit (see below).
• First aid kit – we recommend purchasing a simple kit from Boots or Cotswold and adding any of your personal medication to it.
• Spare plastic bags – and a snap-lock bag to carry cellphone/map in (keeps water out).
• Compeeds – highly recommended. These are gel blister plasters that cover the blister and allow you to keep walking free from pain. Purchase from Boots.
• Sports watch.
• Sleeping bag / tent / camping equipment may be required for some trips.
• If you like – carry a tent fly or survival bag on mountain trips.

Highly recommended for any weekend trips, especially for mountain trips. If you are ever stuck in a tricky situation, these items can help make you comfortable and safe.

• Snap-lock plastic bag (to put the kit in).
• Safety pins.
• Matches – wrapped in plastic wrap to keep them waterproof.
• Spare batteries for torch.
• Spare bootlaces.
• Twisty ties (the wire ones that are sometimes used on bread bags etc).
• Survival blanket (purchase from Cotswold, folds down very small, silver in colour).
• Lighter.
• Candle – as large as will fit in bag.
• Whistle.
• A good length of string.
• A condom WITHOUT spermicide – don’t laugh! This works very well as an emergency water-carrying device, obviously any spermicide would make water undrinkable. Or this could be used as another device if your trip turns romantic.
• A sheet of paper and a pencil (not pen – pen won’t work when it’s wet and pencils don’t run out just when you need them).