Hiking: where to find vegan clothes, boots and more
Image from Leisure Hotels
Our first trip involving hiking
A few years ago, we were part of a group that was going to go on a Pilgrimage around India, that involved visiting four sacred places, which are known as Char Dham. In addition to that, we were going to visit Hemkund Sahib.
We were going to need special walking gear for it, so we went to The Galleria Outlet Shopping Centre where there are four or more stores that sell outdoor clothing.
We had absolutely no idea what we needed to buy or how many sets we’d need. Here’s how that panned out.
Working out what we needed to buy
We went into Sports Direct and told a member of staff that we were going trekking in the Himalayas for three weeks and asked them to advise us about what to buy. We did the same in Regatta Outdoors. The advice was similar, so with that in mind, we went into other three stores and browsed.
Deciding which store to buy from
The prices were similar and if they weren’t they balanced out. For example, the trousers may have been more expensive in one place but their hoodies were cheaper than the other place, so it balanced out.
We decided that we liked the range in Regatta Outdoors, but most of all, we really liked the person who was looking after us. He went hiking a lot and helped us work out how many sets of items we’d need. He was realistic, genuine, considerate and not salesy.
After spending a considerable amount of time in the store, we found out that he was the manager. You might think that a manager would try and get someone else to handle the customers while they dealt with the more important stuff, but he didn’t. He was very approachable and down to earth.
Discounts
We found out that, at The Galleria, customers get 10% off if they get a discount card before paying, so we got one and returned to the store to complete the purchase.
Recommendations and tips from the manager plus a few from me
The following is based on the places we were going to visit, the time of the year ie the weather and the duration of the trip.
Take two or three sets of base layers (inners)
these are examples of tops
here are some examples of bottoms
if you want matching tops and bottoms, you can buy sets, which may or may not work out cheaper than buying separates
we had some inners from our skiing trip, so we used them
One hooded fleece would be fine for a three-week trip
here are some examples of fleeces
buy a microfleece because it’s light, warm and not bulky so it will be easy to fold and carry in a backpack
One pair of water-resistant trousers would be sufficient
get ones without lining because you’ll have base layers on
we got trousers that were made with a stretchy material as they were more comfortable
choose ones that will dry quickly
if they are coated with Solar Shield they will be able to withstand light rain/snow/mud etc.
after a few years, the elastic started coming through the material but they have a lifetime guarantee so Regatta replaced them
fully waterproof trousers are much more expensive, so it’s worth buying overtrousers instead
We got one pair of overtrousers
the range called ‘pack it overtrousers’ are great
they’re compact, fit in a small bag, are light, and you can easily put them on top of any trousers
I am a small adult, so I got a pair that was designed for a child
Dry bags
it’s worth buying a dry bag to put wet things in
you can put the dry bag in your rucksack without worrying about anything else getting wet
they come in different sizes
it’s worth using your jacket to determine the which size to buy
Water-resistant jackets
it’s worth buying a softshell water-resistant jacket as it will be light and easy to pack away and carry
choose one that’s breathable
it would be good if it’s Duke of Edinburgh approved
the water pressure indicates how much water pressure a jacket can withhold without the water penetrating the fabric. So 5,000 WP means that the fabric will take 5,000mm (or 5 metres) of water pressure over a 24 hour period before the water starts to leak through
based on where we were going and the predicted weather for when we would be there, I got a jacket with a level of water pressure which wasn’t needed but it ticked other boxes and I planned to make use of it after the trip
if you already have a softshell jacket, like those available in Bench, they are water-resistant, therefore you’ll only need to buy a ‘pack it’ style waterproof jacket to wear on top of it
Socks
it’s worth getting a few pairs of blister protection socks. I always wear these with my walking boots
two or three pairs were enough
avoid tube/straight socks
buy the type which will protect the feet in the right places
Water-resistant rucksacks
get one with a hip or chest strap so that it doesn’t move too much while you’re walking. It helps with stability
instead of spending more money on buying a fully waterproof bag, get one that has a rain cover that’s included in a little pouch at the bottom of the bag
What to avoid taking
gilets or puffer style clothing because they will keep you warm but they aren’t breathable, so any sweat will keep the body wet and you’ll feel cold
taking a flask with glass on the inside may keep the contents hot or cold for much longer but if it falls, the glass may break and you will be left without a flask
Boots
choose waterproof walking boots that have ankle support and has a good enough grip for the terrain you’ll come across
some say the cheaper boots fall apart quickly and others say they’re fine
I got my boots from Alpine Trek and they were absolutely amazing! I told them about the trip and explained that I wanted vegan boots. They suggested a few and recommended that I got a couple of sizes, tried them with the socks that I’d wear on the trip, wore them around the home and then returned the ones I didn’t want
the boots are great! I’ve got good use out of them by wearing them for walks and hikes before and after the trip
Alpine Trek suggested that I use some sort of spray-on waterproofing to ensure my boots stay the way they were when I got them. They suggested this one by NIKWAX. I messaged them on Facebook to find out if this product was vegan and they replied with; “Nikwax products do not contain any animal products and are not tested on animals.“
Boot bag
We’ve been on some muddy walks or gone out somewhere after going on a walk and therefore needed to change out of our boots and into some other shoes
So far, we’ve used a carrier bag to transport our boots but I’ve recently purchased a bag, which has been really helpful
a boot bag is easy to carry, it stops any mud or dirt from falling out and it means that it doesn’t matter if the bag gets thrown around in the car ie the car won’t get dirty or wet or muddy
Gloves and snoods
Rucksack
I got a small 20-litre rucksack from Regatta Outdoors. I got it because it had these features:
it was made from tough-wearing ripstop fabric
it had a mesh back construction for cooling airflow
the shoulder straps were thick, padded and comfortable
it had an internal key clip
it had a bungee cord on the front, for storing wet jackets etc
there were side mesh water bottle pockets on both sides of the bag
However, after using it a few times, the zip stopped functioning, so I contacted them and they replaced it.
I didn’t use it for a while and then used the bag a few times and the same happened again! This time, they wouldn’t replace it because it was outside of their warranty period. I took it to dry cleaner to find out how much it would cost to fix or replace the zip. He was impressed with the quality of the bag and therefore shocked that the zip wasn’t working. He said he’d try and fix it without replacing the zip. He did this and it broke again. He said the bag was tough but the zip kept getting caught on the lining or material that covered the zip and it wasn’t strong enough to cope with it, so it would come off the chain and become dysfunctional. He replaced the zip with a stronger one and cut the material which covered it.
Do vegans need to go against their beliefs and buy non-vegan things for hiking trips?
Nope.
all of these items were vegan
I didn’t pay extra because I wanted vegan options
I didn’t get lesser quality items because I wanted vegan items
they’ve lasted a number of years and I’ve got good use out of them
I’m still using them now
“Every country can be cycled, cuisine conquered and mountain climbed with a vegan diet!”