Yes! The Goretex lining is waterproof and breathable which cuts down perspiration to a minimum. However it is still necessary to proof the outer layer of the boot, which in this case is leather. The proofing helps to stop the leather from wetting out. i.e. becoming saturated. Wetting out could result in external water being pumped through the Goretex membrane due to the action of walking, causing the boot to leak.

You should not use a heavy wax based proofing for boots with breathable membrane linings. This could result in the pores of the membrane becoming clogged, so reducing its ability to breathe. A better solution is to use Nikwax Aqueous proofing. Water based, it effectively proofs and conditions the leather outer of the boot without affecting the Goretex membrane. Nikwax Aqueous can also readily be applied to damp boots.

For Nubuck leather, use Nikwax Nubuck & Suede proofing.
For Fabric boots, use Nikwax Fabric & Leather proofing, or Grangers G Sport spray.

The choice of outdoor clothing is to say the least, bewildering these days. When choosing an important piece of kit like a waterproof jacket, you should take into consideration the type of activities you plan to use it for. How much you can afford will also play a big part in your choice. Fashion, although important these days, should take a secondary role to the practicalities of the purchase.

Jackets at the lower end of the price scale may well be waterproof, but for how long? Not really suitable for extended use I would suspect, and they certainly will not be particularly breathable. At the other end of the price range you may be looking at a fully featured Goretex jacket suitable for extended expedition use, and probably over the top for your purposes. Somewhere in the middle, you should find the jacket you need.

Goretex prices have come down in recent years, and £140 to £200 will buy a good quality garment that will be highly breathable, fully waterproof, and if looked after, will give years of good service. If your budget will not stretch to Goretex, then there are lots of good quality jackets on the market at prices lower than Goretex, but offering performance at a similar level. It is well worth looking at Mountain Equipment Dri-lite, Karrimor's range, or Sprayway's Hydro/dry. Plan to spend £80 - £150 if possible.

A grading system has been devised by Mountaineer and Mountain Guide Brian Hall. It should be emphasised that this system is a guide, and is no substitute for good advice from our experienced shop staff. Boots are graded for use with crampons as follows:

BO Unsuitable for crampons. Most walking boots are designed to flex for comfort, and do not have sufficient lateral and longitudinal rigidity in their midsole. Additionally the upper is often made from soft calf leather or a combination of suede/fabric which compresses easily under crampon straps causing discomfort and cold feet.

B1 Suitable for the easiest snow and ice conditions found when hill walking, using crampons more for emergency or for crossing a short patch of snow or ice, rather than being in initially fitted for a full days walk. They have a reasonably stiff flexing sole and the uppers provide enough ankle and foot support for traversing relatively steep slopes.

B2 A stiff flex boot with the equivalent of a three quarter or full shank midsole and a supportive upper made from high quality leather (probably over 3mm thick). These boots, designed for four-season mountaineering, can be used all day with crampons, whilst easy alpine terrain and easy Scottish snow and ice climbs can also be covered.

B3 A technical mountaineering/climbing boot regarded as "rigid" both in midsole and upper. Used for mountaineering and ice climbing.

It is part of the clothing layering system used by many serious outdoor people these days to control body temperature and moisture levels. The base layer is as the name would suggest, the clothing layer worn next to the skin. This garment should be made from one of the high wicking fabrics freely available these days, and comes in various forms from zipped turtle neck to a straight forward T shirt. Fabrics also vary, and we would recommend something like the North Cape Rhovyl Modal Zipped turtle neck or Karrimor ABL for winter use, or for more static situations, or garments made from Coolmax or Powerdry for summer or more active use.

The purpose of the base layer is to wick perspiration away from your body as efficiently as possible, thus preventing cooling by evaporation. The moisture is then transferred to the next wicking layer, and so on until it is finally transferred to the air. This is why it is important to use shell garments that are as breathable as possible.

GPS (Global Positioning System) is a navigational aid. A hand held device receives information from a number of satellites. This pinpoints your position on the planet to within a few metres. The information can be given either as latitude/longitude, or as a grid reference using one of many mapping systems appropriate to the country you are in. It is also possible to pre-program your route using waymarks, and to download maps from PC based software. These are very useful aids, and are fast becoming standard kit for many outdoor people.

Gas is often the most convenient form of fuel, however there are many areas of the world where it is not possible to obtain gas cartridges, and for obvious reasons, airlines do not allow gas to be carried on flights. I would therefore suggest that one of the multi-fuel stoves from the MSR range would be eminently suitable. The Whisperlite 600 will burn White gas (coleman fuel) Kerosene, Jet fuel and petrol. I personally would choose the Dragonfly from the same range. It has the advantage of having a highly controllable flame, is more stable, and will burn just about anything.

There are two separate elements in the waterproofing of Goretex type clothing. Firstly the Goretex itself is a waterproof breathable membrane that is laminated to the outer face fabric of the garment. The second element is the DWR (Durable Water Repellency) finish on the outer fabric. The DWR has the effect of stopping the outer fabric from wetting out thereby reducing the breathability of the garment, and increasing the likelihood of leakage, and condensation.

To maintain your garment in tip-top condition, it should be washed regularly. We recommend Nikwax Loft Tech Wash for this purpose. It is a non-detergent soap and will clean the garment without affecting the DWR finish or the Goretex membrane. When using Loft Tech Wash, you should be able to wash your garment 6 - 8 times before it requires re-proofing. The application of heat by tumble drying or ironing (Where the garment care label allows) will also help to rejuvenate the original DWR finish.

When re-proofing becomes necessary, we would advise you to wash the garment first in Loft Tech Wash and then wash again immediately after in Nikwax TX Direct. (Machine washing gives the best results, but hand washing is possible.) This does not affect the Goretex membrane, but adds a new water repellent finish to the outer fabric. Again, the best results are obtained if the treated garment can be tumble dried. (Most garments can be safely tumble dried on a low heat setting, but please check garment care labels.

The PPC card is our way of saying Thanks! to our growing band of loyal customers. Spend £100 or more in our stores, or on our web site and ask to be added to our PPC (Privilege Purchase Card) list. We will send you a card which will allow you 10% discount on your purchase, and on any future purchases. All that we ask in return is a note of your Name, Address, and e-mail address (if applicable) so that we can occasionally let you have details of special offers, events etc. I promise that you will not receive loads of junk mail.