Walking is an ever more popular past time and picking through the mass of clothing and accessory products to buy can be daunting for anyone.
In this buying guide we have provided you with some no nonsense advice when buying outdoor clothing and also the best combinations of clothing to wear depending on how often you walk and how far you walk.
To get the best value for your money you do not have to invest a huge amount to enjoy walking as an activity as prices in recent years have pretty much stayed the same whilst fabric technology has advanced massively.
Walking jackets vary in price from a basic pack away jacket that can cost as little as £15-£20 to a full technical jacket that can cost the best part of £200.
Within these price categories there are numerous jackets promoting various fabric technologies but to simplify things here we can look at the types of walking jackets that are available to buy, generally what price brackets they fall into, the type of technical performance you will gain from them and most importantly the type of walkers they are suitable for.
Packaway Jackets
A lightweight packaway jacket is normally waterproof or shower proof is non breathable and packs away into a bag or into its own pocket.
This type of jacket is fine if you do not do that much walking and need something for days out or to keep you dry when walking the dog. The waterproof values on these jackets are pretty good if they have taped seam as per the supplier’s description, always check on the product description to see if the walking jacket has this
.Jackets have to reach a minimum European standard for them to be called waterproof. This is called the hydrostatic head of the jacket which means the amount of water the jacket can repel before it starts to leak.
These jackets are not ideal if you are going on a long technical walk as you will over heat as because of the price point of the jacket it will have a low or no existent breathable value.
They have their uses and are ideal for packing in a school bag or for putting in your back pack on a day out.
Lightweight Walking Jackets
Lightweight technical jackets are normally priced from £30-70 depending on their technical features. These jackets are at least waterproof, windproof and breathable.
They will also come with other technical features such as a good hood with storm flap protection, adjustable cuffs, multi pockets and a full length zip with a storm flap.
These types of walking jackets are becoming more and more popular and represent good value for money.
The reason for this is that these jackets are in many cases multi functional and can be worn for cycling as well as walking. In addition they are light weight and pack into a back pack very easily.
These walking jackets normally come with a lightweight lining and because of this the best way to get the maximum performance from one of these jackets is to wear them with a breathable base layer.
The type of walkers these jackets are suitable for are athletic walkers who walk for long periods or doing technical walks. If you are into your walking this type of jacket is ideal because it can be worn for long periods and although you may not be as warm as you would prefer when you start off, this outdoor clothing combination will help regulate your body temperature to avoid overheating. In the cold weather this type of clothing combination worn with hats and gloves is ideal.
Midweight Walking Jackets
Midweight walking jackets are made from slightly heavier outer fabric and have warmer linings. These types of jackets can be priced from £60-100 and are ideal for people who walk short distances at slower pace than an athletic walker.
Many of these midweight walking jackets have lower breathable values than lightweight walking jackets because the fabric composition is heavier and they have heavier linings.
3 In 1 Walking Jackets
3 In 1 jackets are jackets that in the main have a detachable fleece. The reason they are called 3 in 1 is that the jacket can be worn with a fleece, the fleece can detached so the jacket can be worn as an outer jacket or the fleece can be worn by itself.
The outer jacket of the 3 in 1 can be a lightweight jacket or a more heavy duty jacket made from a harder wearing outer material.
The advantage of the 3 in 1 is that you have a jacket for all seasons, and even a separate fleece that can be worn in the winter. It is only likely that you would wear a 3 in 1 walking jacket in very cold conditions.
Also remember to wear a breathable base layer underneath the fleece to get the best performance from the walking jacket.
