KIT ADVICE
Despite claims of impenetrable waterproofing technology, it’s still not uncommon to end a day in the hills feeling decidedly damp. Why does this happen? And how can you avoid it? We investigate.
There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” It’s a lovely turn of phrase, but one that’s difficult to agree with when you’re halfway up a far-flung Munro being battered by a brutal Scottish storm. Torrential rain is pummelling you from every direction. The wind gusts and swirls and bites, whipping up a 360° hurricane of mountainside wetness. The boggy ground underfoot is sodden, more quagmire than path. And, as you work hard to battle through the squall, underneath all of your layers your body is over-heating and clammy. The whole experience is akin to doing a workout inside a washing machine – and this is what our waterproof clothing has to cope with. It’s a big ask. No wonder it sometimes fails to live up to the challenge.
Not all hope is lost, however. Modern technology can achieve wondrous things, and big brands are continually pouring time, money and expertise into making their kit more waterproof and breathable than ever before. Incremental improvements and innovative ideas hit the market every year, and with high-quality gear from reputable manufacturers you’ll have a good chance of staying dry in the mountains most of the time. But there is an important caveat – you need to understand the limitations of your kit and set realistic expectations.
Sadly some brands don’t help the situation. Their shiny marketing bills the new tech as infallible, if not miraculous, pledging that it’s “guaranteed never to leak” and “100% waterproof”. Perhaps they should use the classic Anchorman quote as a tagline instead: “60% of the time, it works every time”. Official product blurbs are, ultimately, sales tactics designed to extract your hard-earned cash from your pocket. It’s classic over-promising and under-delivering – and generally leaves the customer with unrealistic expectations. Of course, if you’ve just spent £500 on a Gore-Tex Pro jacket, you’re entitled to be frustrated if it lets you down – but maybe you were asking too much from it?
Instead it’s far better to learn the limitations of your kit, understand the flaws and then develop tactics to mitigate against the pitfalls. Yes, in an ideal world we would all prefer the waterproofing to work every time, without fail. But a touch of realism suggests we need to put in a bit of effort, care and time to get the best out of our kit. Here we’ll help you along this journey, dispelling myths and proposing strategies as we go. Let’s hope the end result is a leak-free, joyously-dry hiking experience.
8 REASONS YOU COULD FEEL WET AT THE END OF A WALK
Whether it’s a manufacturing fault, unavoidable water
