Unless you're the Naked Rambler - possibly particularly if you
are the naked rambler, then you've just possibly noticed the
transition from super-heated summer to the delights of the Great
British autumn.
Yep, now's the time to put the shorts back in the drawer for
another year and drag out those long forgotten insulating garments.
Autumn though brings its own set of dilemmas - it can be freezing
frosty first thing, but warm up to beguilingly near summer levels by
mid-afternoon.
So what works best for autumnal use? We asked our Q and A gear
geek, the improbably named Richard Gear for his top autumn tips.
Here's what the conquistador of kit had to say:
On Your Base
A recent Berghaus survey suggested that around 70 per-cent of us
are still using cotton
tee-shirts under our flash fleeces and breathable shell jackets.
Don't do it folks. Here's two good reasons - one, cotton simply
doesn't wick, so when you sweat the moisture is held next to the skin
and you get wet from the inside out.
Next, if you do cop it in the odd shower, cotton takes ages to
dry. My advice is to buy a proper, wicking baselayer made from a
synthetic fabric or merino wool. Either should transmit moisture and,
as a result, help your outer breathable layers work more effectively.
Don't forget your undies either - cotton briefs are just as
ineffective as cotton tees.
The current OM fave is Berghaus's Xstatic Top using a thin version
of Polartec PowerDry but there are plenty of other effective
alternatives.
See the OM
review section for more baselayer information.
Legwear, Pegwear...
Autumn legwear's always a bit of a dilemma. It's definitely not
cool enough for fleece
or Powerstretch, but summer trekking pants tend to get wet and clingy
if they do cop the odd shower.
One traditional answer has always been the fabled Ronhill
Trackster, but it has limited water and wind resistance, tends to sag
when wet and comes a close second to Lycra in the unflattering
stakes.
A better alternative in the OM book, are the new Schoeller-type
stretch fabrics. These are tough, wind resistant and generally have a
DWR finish so will cope with showers and dry fast too.
Unfortunately genuine Schoeller is pricey - expect to pay around
£100 for a Schoeller pant - but there are lots of alternatives
in similar fabrics that will set you back considerably less. We like
the Berghaus Fasttrek Pant in stretch Cordura and Helly's Rapide
Pant, which uses a lighter material and works really well to provide
both mobility and protection.
As a bonus, you should be able to ditch the overtrousers till
winter really comes railing in...
See the OM
Review section for more legwear information.
Insulation Revelations
There are no hard and fast rules for insulation layers. It depends
on how hot or cold you run. If you run hot, there's a good chance
that a baselayer plus a light wind-proof
or wind-resistant top may be enough for you in most autumn
situations. The warmest fleece you're likely to use while moving
would be something around 100-weight microfleece. If you run cooler,
you may need something warmer, but it's all down to personal
preference, so really there's no 'right answer'.
For those cold morning starts though, the idea is something that's
warm and maybe wind resistant, but light enough to stow while
walking. Our favourite current solution are the new generation of
lightweight, synthetically insulated tops. They're warm - around
midweight fleece levels- but pack down and are generally windproof
too. The best filling we've used is Primaloft, which has great water
resistance, as in the new version of the TNF Redpoint and the
Berghaus Infinity Lite.
Finally on general ground, most people tend to wear too much when
moving and not enough when stopped. Try to keep your temperature to a
point where you're not churning out the sweat, but layer up when you
pause for a break.
See the OM
Review section for more insulation information.
Shell Jackets
As with insulation, we'd go for a lightweight, small-packing shell
unless the forecast is for sustained rain. Kit made from the latest
Gore-Tex Paclite is a good bet, unless you're indulging in grunty,
abrasive, rocky thrutching...
In the UK
you're always likely to need a fully waterproof shell outside summer
conditions, but there's still a lot to be said for a wind-proof or
wind-resistant 'soft shell' top in autumn conditions. As with
legwear, we like the Schoeller-type fabrics for their combination of
excellent breathability, mobility and wind and water resistance.
We're less convinced by the membrane-based fabrics like Windstopper
for warm, damp UK use. Although they're totally windproof,
breathability often can't cope.
We do like Polartec's Powershield though. It's 98 per-cent
windproof rather than 100 per-cent, but the added breathability makes
it appreciably more effective than totally windproof equivalents and
it's still much more wind resistant than Schoeller fabrics.
If you don't want to go the whole softshell route - and it's not
cheap - then a lightweight Pertex or similar windtop is often enough
and can be layered with a microfleece when things get cooler.
See the OM
Review section for more shell information.
Hats and Glove
You lose an awful lot of heat through your noggin so a hat is an
excellent way of
conserving warmth, particularly when stopped or in the early morning.
Our hat of choice is a simple, thin, windproof fleece beanie - it
won't protect your ears, but it's not overwarm and breathability
should be fine. Fleece-lined mountain caps we find too warm outside
extreme winter conditions, but a Powerstretch or Microfleece hat is
another autumn alternative. You'll feel the wind though, which is why
we prefer windproof.
The same's true of gloves. A thin, wind-proof fleece pair will
keep the chill off your fingers without overheating your chipolattas.
Look for grippy palm and finger patches for use while climbing,
camping or with trekking poles and try not to overdo scrambling use -
fingerless gloves work better on rock.
See the OM
Review section for more hat information.
Footwear
Our rule of thumb is to go for the lightest boot you can get away
with. Since you won't be using crampons over the autumn, a classic
three-season leather
or fabric boot should be ideal for most people, though if you prefer
a heavier, stiffer boot, then that's fair enough.
As always, we'd suggest you find a good outdoors shop with a
variety of brands and find a boot that fits your particular foot. If
it doesn't then look elsewhere. Always try in the afternoon when your
feet are slightly swollen and wear the socks you'll be using with the
boot.
See the OM
Review section for more boot information.
Don't Panic
As we always try to emphasise, there are no correct answers. As
long as you're protected from the conditions, you're okay. Some OMers
are big fans of Paramo or Buffalo - we find both a little warm for
autumn use, but if you run cool, they might suit you. The bottom line
is whatever you wear, get out and enjoy. See you on the hills.
