Compass Companion's Gear Guru

Compasses | Walking Boots | Blisters | Waterproofing | Trek Poles | Tents |

Three golden rules before parting with your hard earned cash....

You get what you pay for!

• You'll have it a long time so don't skimp on quality.
• Take your time deciding and don't be afraid to ask for advice from friends and shopkeepers.

Buying a compass Compass care

Don't buy a compass with a bubble in it.

• Consider your eyesight, try reading it without your glasses
• If you can't read small print consider a compass with a magnifying lens built into the base plate. It makes map reading much easier!
• Try the rotating Bezel, will it turn easily when wearing gloves?
• A long base plate makes it easier to take readings off the map.

I use a 'Silva' (type 3) make of compass and love it! Simple to use, easy to read and tough as old boots - plus a five year warranty! 
Other excellent makes that are well worth considering are: Sunnto and Recta.
The most important point is to master a normal compass - before you even consider a 'GPS'  

Compass care:

• Look after your compass and it'll look after you!
• There are a few things in life that you can rely on and one of them is your compass, trust what it tells you rather than your own instinct but please treat it kindly! 
• Don't worry if a bubble forms after buying it. The bubble will not affect it's accuracy unless it's bigger than about 1/4" (5 mm)
• Protect it from extreme heat (that means don't leave it on the car dashboard) - unless you like bubbles.
• Don't leave it next to metallic objects or other compasses. Metal objects can make your compass inaccurate. Keep this in mind when using your compass near metal or
• electronic objects, overhead cables or pylons, metal gates etc. Even small metal objects in your pocket or on your clothing can affect it, so consider carrying it in a separate pocket.
• We don't advise carrying it around your neck.
• Never leave it at home - you might regret it one day.

Related: How to use a compass with the 'Compass Direction Finder'

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Walking Boots - Buying | cleaning | drying boots | water repellency | blisters | waterproof gloves

• Spend the most you can afford on boots - at the expense of everything else!
• Ask your walking friends if they would buy the same make and type again and if not - why not?
• Decide if you want leather or fabric (leather is usually best for all weather walking in this country).
• Take the socks you intend to walk in with you (one pair or two?)
• Don't attempt buying boots if you only a short time to spare or the shop is nearly closing
• Remember, your feet swell later in the day.
• NEVER buy boots with rounded heels - unless you fancy a sprained ankle (the most common outdoor accident)
• Make sure you try both boots on and tie them up properly, then walk around the shop
• Try on as many as you can and don't be afraid to ask for advice. If the seller can't spend time with you or offer good advice - walk out!
• GOOD boots feel GOOD, fit GOOD and won't need much 'breaking-in'!

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• Wear them indoors for a few days to ensure that you are pleased with the fit (and to prevent blisters).
• Wear the socks that you will be using with the boot.
• Allow adequate time to break in your new footwear although most good boots are usually supple enough to wear almost immediately. 
• Start out with short walks working your way up to longer hikes. (Tip: take a couple of 'COMSPEED' blister plasters with you on your first long hike - just in case).
• If the boots are smooth leather and you have decided that they are a good fit then a Nikwax Liquid Conditioner can be applied to help break in your new boots (a water based treatment that restores suppleness of dried out leather or reduces break in time for new leather). Can be applied to wet or dry leather). Conditioners should be applied to smooth leathers only, they can wax down the finish of nubuck and suede.
• New boots can sometimes feel a bit slippy underfoot and a bit clumsy. This soon wears off but be a little extra cautious the first few times you wear them outdoors until you feel comfortable in the fit and grip.
• After the boots have been worn in the outdoors a couple of times and the factory applied water repellency is beginning to wear off apply the appropriate Nikwax waterproofing treatment to extent the life of your footwear. 
• If your boots are still rubbing apply a coat of leather softener and walk around the house for a while to help mould the leather to your foot - CAUTION: don't apply more than one coat the first time you apply it or you may make the leather too soft and therefore lose vital ankle support. Re-apply after twenty four hours if necessary.

Liquid Conditioner- A waterbed treatment that restores suppleness of dried out leather or reduces break in time for new leather. Can be applied to wet or dry leather. 
Liquid Nikwax - Ideal for breaking in new boots or rejuvenating older boots. Conditioners should be applied to smooth leathers only, they can wax down the finish of nubuck and suede.  

• Clean boots regularly and as soon as you return home because small particles of dirt can work their way into the fibres of the leather causing it to dry out and break down.
• Always wash the boots in clean water if you have been tramping through peat bogs or soils- otherwise acids in the peat will devour them!
• Rinse off mud and dirt with tap water (especially after walking in Peat) - Nylon brush might be useful.
• Don't forget the tedious task of cleaning the underneath (try using an old scrubbing brush or a stiff nylon brush - better still let your partner clean them!).
• To remove oil-based dirt, excess wax and stubborn grime that will not be cleaned by plain water use NIKWAX Footwear Cleaning Gel and a nylon brush.

Be sure to clean the linings of your boots with a warm damp cloth after each use as well because salt from perspiration can pass into the lining rapidly destroying the leather making it dry and cracked.

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Drying boots:

• Remove the laces and insoles.
• Dry slowly at room temperature. Do not expose boots to a direct heat source as excessive heat can cause irreversible damage to the leather and is harmful to the adhesives used in boot construction.

To help dry a boot that has been filled with water or is thoroughly soaked, stuff it with newspaper. Replace wet newspaper and repeat until boot is dry.

Restore water repellency:
This is important not just to keep your feet dry, but will keep boots cleaner and maintain the leather's suppleness for improved durability.

• Never use 'Dubbin', because it may affect the stitches and break down the sole adhesive. 
• After cleaning boots with water, apply the appropriate waterproofing treatment to the entire boot, paying special attention to the stitching and hardware (anywhere the leather has been punctured) to ensure complete protection from the elements. 
• Re-apply as necessary or after use in severe conditions.
• For best results let boots dry for 24 hours before use.
• DON'T GET WATER REPELLENT MATERIALS ON THE SOLES

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• Make sure your boots fit and are comfy by wearing them for several hours at a time before attempting a long walk. This also applies not just to new boots but also to your old walking boots if they have laid dormant over the winter or any other long period of inactivity.
• Correct any problem areas in your boots before you venture outdoors. Ignore at your peril! (see section on softening leather)
• Socks: wear wicking socks under a pair of wool or wool and nylon outer socks. Wicking socks are less abrasive on your skin and conduct moisture away from the feet. 
• Don't wear cotton socks, they absorb moisture and encourage blisters.
• Blister (friction burn) treatment:
• At the slightest hint of something rubbing, heat or soreness, STOP! If you don't you'll suffer and deserve too!
• Find the cause (boots slack, a pebble, grit, grass-seed, dirt, sand, feet too hot or just a sock wrinkle). 
• If nothing is found check the boots themselves. Try stretching the boot leather around the problem area by rubbing the inside with a bunt rounded stone or pebble etc. 
• Protect any 'hotspot', damaged skin or blister with a 'Compspeed' plaster (always worth carrying on of these, buy at your local chemist) to prevent further damage. Dry the skin before applying. If the blister is bad return home.

Nikwax (environmentally and safe to use)

Wax Leather Waterproofing - For smooth leather. A highly effective waterbed treatment that can be applied to wet or dry footwear. Non-Softening.
Aqueous Waterproofing Wax for smooth Leather: A durable, soft paste wax that cures to a tough flexible, long-lasting waterproof film. Apply to dry footwear only.
Nubuck & Suede- For nubuck or suede. A waterbased treatment which waterproofs while maintaining colour an texture. Can be applied to wet or dry footwear.
Fabric & Leather- For fabric and leather combination boots. A water based treatment that provides maximum waterproofing with minimal change to the look and feel of nylon and leather footwear. Can be applied to wet or dry footwear.

Gloveproof- Waterproofing for all Fabric and Leather gloves. East to use sponge applicator bottle. Apply to ski and snowboard gloves after a day on the slopes. Also enhances grip in wet conditions.
Scotchguard(TM)
Scotchgard will be withdrawn by the end of this year (2000) because of environmental and safety concerns over the use of fluorochemicals.
Nikwax DO NOT USE these potentially dangerous chemicals in their products to achieve water or stain repellency. In fact, NIKWAX contain NO harmful solvents or propellants and are 'user' friendly. 
For more technical information why not visit Nikwax's own webpage
Other excellent products are produced by Grangers

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While polyester fibers are water repellent, fleece still has the ability, by nature of it's knitted construction, to hold huge quantities of water. It is important to remember that any moisture trapped within the clothing system will greatly impair the garment's ability to insulate. Once wet, it takes considerable time for the garment to dry especially in the field . Polarproof will greatly enhance the water repellency and improve the thermal properties of fleece in wet conditions (so you keep warm). Can also be used on Fibre pile (not if worn next to the skin), Wool and synthetic Insulated items.

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Walking / Treking poles  | Notes of caution | Adjustment tips

A few facts to consider:

• Two poles are better than one, otherwise you'll have one leg working harder than the other (an Austrian doctor named Trendelburg discovered that shepherds who used only one crook tended to develop a limp).
• When you walk for eight hours without poles you put a strain on your knees equivalent to about 250 tonnes !
• Poles help you to climb inclines by using your arms to provide extra forward momentum, they also help keep your spine aligned correctly, enable better breathing and increase your stamina
• They steady your progress downhill, increase your confidence, help prevent falls and transfer weight away from your spine and joints 
• Poles provide three points of contact on the ground, thereby reducing the risk of slipping and help maintain balance
• Also usefull for 'feeling' your way over rough ground

NOTES OF CAUTION

• Poles can be dangerous if not carried securely when not in use. 
• If a protection cover for the hardened tip was provided with the pole always use it when the pole is not in use.
• Don't use it to point out objects of interest
• Take care not to injure anyone behind you
• Remember, a pole is no subsitute for proper equipment (i.e. crampons) in rough conditions

Adjustment tips to give maximum support

• Level ground: adjust the pole so thatyour upper arms are at an angle of about 90 degrees to your forearm
• Uphill: shorten the pole until your grip is about the same as for level ground
• Downhill: lengthen the pole until the pole contacts the ground without you having to lean forward
• TENTS | Pitching | Safety | Leaks and Condensation | Tent storage
• Before use: read all instructions carefully and check all parts are correct
• Practice pitching the tent in your back garden first. Pitching a new tent without practice in gale conditions is only for the fool hardy.
• 'Break-in' the cotton tent (called 'Weathering'). This means leaving the tent up outdoors to get wet and then allowing it to dry off naturally (don't use any silicone treatment at this stage). Failure to allow cotton tents to dry naturally could ruin it due to shrinkage.

• If you have looked after your tent it should keep you dry in MOST conditions
• Pitch the tent in a flat area if possible avoiding exposed hilltops, bog areas, marsh lands and dry river beds and any other area than be liable to flooding in a storm. Avoid boggy areas and water to reduce the risk of mosquito attack! Overhanging trees can drop branches in a gale and solitary trees act as lightning conductors. Sap dropping can damage the tent. Check for bees/wasps/hornets nests on nearby trees.
• Make use of any available shelter from the wind and face the entrance away from the prevailing wind (if not windy at the time nearby trees should indicate wind direction by the way they lean). 
• Note: some tent materials are affected by sunlight, if yours is one of these try to keep in the shade whenever possible.
• Clear the area of sticks, stones or anything else that could damage you or your tent!
• Some campers like to carry a spare sheet of thick polythene to lay under the ground sheet to give additional protection for the ground sheet and help keep it clean.
• Don't peg the ground sheet too tightly and drive all pegs into the ground in line with any seams to prevent damage.
• Reduce the strain on zips by crossing any pegs at the base of them. 
• Make sure all peg points are used and guy cords/rubber loops are secure but not too tight. Don't over stretch them
• Don't stand on zips and keep them clean!

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Safety

• Don't cook inside your tent or change gas bottles/cartridges or use any naked flames inside (tents are highly inflammable).
• Keep the tent ventilated especially when cooking (carbon monoxide kills)
• Keep tents entrances clear
• PLEASE DON'T POLLUTE THE WATER AND TAKE YOUR RUBBISH HOME (we all suffer if you don't and that includes animals).

• Moisture from your breath, gas lanterns etc. produce water which must be allowed to escape either through the material or by ventilation. Under the right conditions water may form on the inside on the tent giving the impression of a leak. If this is the case than ventilation is required. 
• Synthetic material seams require sealing. Some tent makers supply sealant, if additional sealant is required consult your local trader for advice. Don't forget, most sealants need time to dry thoroughly- allow at least 48 hours before using the tent after application. Taped seams need no sealing

• Remove all mud etc. by brushing or gently washing with cold water, don't use detergents. Always dry the tent after use (best on a washing line outdoors) otherwise mildew will form and ruin it. 
• If mildew has started to form on your tent (you naughty person you!), dry it completely - outdoors if possible. Gently brush it and re-proof if necessary. 

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