4 major points to consider when buying women's rucksacks

We all love hiking and rambling and getting out in the fresh air and getting amongst the countryside and of course It does not matter if you are a man or women. However whether you are a man or a woman we all need the same type of gear but there is a problem that can be gender based. Are their different types of gear required?

In particular are there different types of rucksacks required between a women and a man? If so what is the reason and in particular (in the case of a rucksack) what do women need to consider when purchasing woman's rucksacks. This is the particular question I will cover for Women’s rucksacks

I have heard some people say that Women buy more than men and therefore all women's products including women's rucksacks are geared toward a woman's market. I am not sure I agree and believe that Women’s rucksacks are needed for physical reasons and are different from men's rucksacks. It’s a matter of opinion. There are no catwalks in the mountains!

So here are differences and the areas to look for when buying Women’s rucksacks.

1. The shoulder straps are actually on narrower Women’s rucksacks to ensure a comfortable fit however are curved to allow for the bust area.

2. Women’s rucksacks are built with a wider waist belt. Getting a little technical - the waist belt should ideally have a conical shape to it. This conical form is achieved by angling the belt diagonally upwards and by curving the waist belt wings. You can get Women’s rucksacks that contain a frontal adjuster system. This will simplify the waist fitting procedure and will add some value.

3. The rucksack frame is shorter on a Women’s rucksacks than a man's. When choosing a rucksack (for anybody) I suggest going to a recommended hiking and rambling shop and getting yourself measured for the right women’s rucksack.

4. The back of the women’s rucksack are generally shorter. Although just because Women’s rucksacks are shorter this does not mean a women has to buy this type of rucksack. Some Women have longer backs and should look at a obtaining a man's rucksack for best fitting. It really is a personal thing

So there are the main four points which is not clear cut but a good way forward. A man could buy a man's rucksack and a woman could buy a women's rucksack and both could report uncomfort. They could swap and everything could fit nicely. There is no sure thing. However the above main 4 points are the points to consider when buying Women’s rucksacks.

So I hope you buy the right rucksack whatever your gender. More importantly hope you have a really great hike and ramble wherever this may be

How Ramblers Benefit by Joining a Rambling Club

I know that if you are out hiking I can fully see the joy that ramblers have. You will know how great it is to get outdoors, to challenge yourself to either height or distance and immerse yourself in the wonders of nature. Also of course it is a great way to exercise. Just ask other ramblers

That is whether you hike, are one of the ramblers or just walk often. You may be new to this and not confident to venture out. Or you may be on your own and want more company

However ramblers need to organise there hike. If you do this on your own you will need to work out where you want to go, what route you wish to take, where you wish to stay and who will go with you.

So a really simple solution to these type of problems is to join a Ramblers Club. There are many benefits. When you first join a Ramblers club they usually allow you to ramble with them to ensure you are happy with the club and they are happy with you before joining.

Fitness does come into it but you can ramble at the pace you need to. You must never or allow anyone else to hike or ramble at someone else pace unless you are ready for problems.. A Ramblers Club will take this into account. You will also be with very like minded people who love the great outdoors. Rambler Clubs are usually well organised, will have a list of great routes and do most of the preparation and organisation.

It is a personal choice to join a ramblers club. My personal choice is to hike with friends and family. However other people have different circumstances and a ramblers club might be the thing for them

Looking at the favourite search engines there are many clubs that ramblers use which are very localised to each area. Some Rambling Clubs consist of just a handful of members whilst others are greater in number and who meet regularly for walks, talks and socialising. These groups usually welcome new members as they share a common like for walking and rambling.

The way that clubs are organised is that they have different grades of hikes or walks and It is up to the individual which walk they wish to join. The decision here will of course very much depend on your level of fitness compared to the difficulty and length of the hike and your experience

You can be a rambler on your own and many people enjoy hiking in their own groups. This is what I usually do. After all hiking can be enjoyed however it is organised. If you do not have a like minded group of friends and want to join other Ramblers then a Rambling Club could be a great way to enjoy this excellent pastime.

Walking on your own? Take a Guided Walking Holiday

I have just had a great time from a walking holiday in the Lake District. This type of vacation I am familiar with and I simply can not get enough of it.

However it may be a different scenario for you. You could be in the position where a walking holiday is something you really want to do but you will have some challenges. A walking holiday could be for you but this may mean going on your own and you would rather go with a group of like minded people. Or maybe this is something you have never done before and the prospect appears scary.

If this is the case then maybe a guided walking holiday is for you. This involves a group or a guide taking you and a team of like minded individuals up the mountains on a walking holiday. So this would be a guided walking holiday. There are a number of benefits of this type of holiday can bring and these are

1. You meet other people with similar loves and desires that you have including fantastic scenary, the climbing challenges and the great funny stories that you can share as a group of individuals. The chances are you will get to feel very welcome and very at home with the type people you meet. They are in general not nerdy but fun people to be with

2. You don’t have to worry on a guided walking holiday. Your guide will be responsible and give you the quality time in the areas they believe will be best for you. The reason for this is that they will want you back next year – and of course your money.

3. They will provide assistance with the personal gear you need to take on a walking holiday. Again the worry is taken out of this type of walking holiday.
I have to say this will need to be balanced with the extra cost of a guided walking holiday.

The prices do vary of course depending on whether you just require a guide or it is a complete package of accommodation etc. Nowadays you can pick up a guide in the UK for say £100-£200 per day. Self package guided holidays I have seen for over £1000. However it is a personal view as to whether paying for piece of mind is worth the cost of a guided walking holiday.

My advise on this is that if you are nervous for the first time or want to be with other people – give it a go for one hike and see how it goes. Nothing ventured….
You can easily find these types of walking holidays on the internet. You can use some key search terms such as:

"guided walking holidays" Greece

...If Greece is where you want to visit.

So a guided walking holiday may be for you particularly if you are on your own or want to take the worry out of what could go wrong

Whether you arrange a walking holiday on your own or you do choose a guided walking holiday - have a great walking holiday.

The points to consider when purchasing mens walking boots

I have just returned from the Lake District with my best friend and my kids. We all hiked up Scarfell Pike – the largest mountain in England – it was great. It was great to be surrounded by the great summits in the area.

However before we went we had to plan to ensure we had the right walking gear. However in my view the most important walking gear that men will purchase is mens walking boots. The reason for this your foot is the part of the body that makes contact with the ground, takes the weight and therefore needs the protection required.

So if you are going to spend some cash is best to spend your hard earned money on mens walking boots. What do you need to consider as you want to ensure you get the best value for money?

Firstly you need to consider the sort of walking and hiking you are going to embark on. If you are walking in rough terrain you will need a hiking boot with an ankle support. If you are just going for a long walk on a flat surface (road or tarmac path) which means you do not need an ankle support (in fact some people hate the ankle support). To be honest your mens walking boot should be nearly one size bigger than your normal shoe size.

The reason for this is you need to be wearing 2 pairs of socks with one of them being a thick pair. The reason for the 2 pairs of socks is to prevent blisters. You prevent blisters by your 2 socks rubbing together rather than your skin on your foot. Always wear your thin pair first when wearing mens walking boots

Secondly, you need to go to a hiking store rather than shop online. This is to ensure you purchase the right boot for you. So you need to be able to try the mens walking shoe on and make sure it is a very comfortable fit. The hiking store will give you the best professional advice. You know your foot should not move inside the boot otherwise you could end up with blisters.

Thirdly, to have a better chance of buying quality you need to buy a well known brand of boot.

I mention a mens walking boot as this is very much different to women's walking boots. The main differences are women have a smaller cartilage area and a smaller narrower heel. The boots are not different because they are smaller. So make sure you view and purchase the right type of boot.

The last point is to make sure that you wear the boot a number of times before going walking in the hills. This is called “wearing in” and needs to be done until your foot is virtually a complete mould for your mens walking boot. You will not regret doing these simple things as your feet will be nicely protected in your mens walking boot

So have a great walk after you have purchased, with socks, worn in the correct mens walking boot.

How To Discover and Plan Eastern Europe Walking

I love hiking and rambling and walking. Right now I am currently planning my next trip with a twist. There is so much in the natural world to view and so much great scenery to take in and really discover.

I have been hiking and researching the usual places like the Lake District in the UK, Grand Canyon and many walks in the USA (you may have seen my blog posts) and the many walks in Europe etc including the Alps in Austria etc.

I have been looking on various websites and hiking discussion forums on the internet and I have found that there is a lot more than the usual famous places. So I am looking now at Eastern Europe Walking. Is it not exciting to discover somewhere new.

I did not realise that the countries around this part of the world are so beautiful. Yes it is true that I have not yet actually been to these countries however they are now definitely on my life planner from now.

The countries for East Europe walking I have looked at are Bosnia (Sutieska), Montenegro (Durmitor), Romania and Bulgaria.

Let us take a look at Romania as a starting point. It appears that Sibiu, Sighisoara and possibly Timisoara are a great base for East Europe walking. Sibiu looks great as I am told it is a Saxon city with great beauty. As for hiking areas, the Fagaras, Retezat or Bucegi mountains look very impressive however the research will continue. As for accommodation it appears the best overnight stays are mountain huts. In Retezat the mountain huts are very basic but are very large and homely. The largest is a Pietrele hut and very impressive

Another country for East Europe walking is Bulgaria. I am told that the great walks are in Rila, Pirin or Rodopi mountain ranges.

East Europe walking costs change between countries. Croatia seems the most expensive. This is closely followed by Montenegro. Bulgaria is a bit cheaper and I am researching Romania and will update content on this later.

Again this is a short report to what I think is a great place for East Europe Walking. I am really on a discovery mission to learn a lot more and will be discussing this in various hiking forums.

However have a great hike. If it happens to be in East Europe I would be particularly interested to hear your story.

Knowing your rights of way when planning walks Britain Activities

I am amongst of the many hikers and walkers that I love to go on many walks Britain activities. Now is the time of year to get out in the sunshine and go on walks Britain. The good thing is that there are a number of footpaths that can be used all around Britain that can be used for walking. These footpaths the council have deemed "rights of way" that are made for this very purpose.

I am sure you are aware however Great Britain is a European country that is a collection of 5 separate countries England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. There are many paths that link throughout these 5 countries and offer some excellent walks and hikes. You can be hiking in the mountains of Scotland, Wales and the Lake District or having a gentle walk on the Devonshire or Yorkshire moors (some may not be so gentle). All of these add up for some pleasurable walks Britain activities.

However there is a problem. I have seen on a few hiking forums that people are not fully aware of their rights and don’t know where to walk. It is very important to know your rights to enjoy your walks Britain time.

So here are some questions and answers that may help.

1. So what could be a right of way?
A right of way is a footpath that has been deemed as a public right of way.

2. What are my rights on a particular public right of way?
Your right is to walk, rest or run or anything legal on a public right of way. However remember this is only on the path deemed as a public right of way. As soon as you move off the path you may not have right of way which is not good. So keep to the path during all your walks Britain activities.

3. How do I know if the path is a public right of way or not?
The way to do this is to go to your local surveying authority and ask for a "definitive map". The definitive map shows you the official public rights of way. However be aware that some paths are "rights of way" but not shown on the definitive map. This is because the official application has not been raised yet however is likely to be shortly. However not all footpaths are public rights of way so be careful.

4. What person or group is responsible to make a path a public right of way?
In England the county councils and local district councils together with top government (i.e. Secretary of State) are responsible for making a particular path a public right of way for all walks Britain paths

My suggestion is that when you are planning any walks in Britain then go to your local surveying authority and ask for that "definitive map". You are then in a strong position to know where to walk and therefore be comfortable planning for your particular route.

Have a really great walk!

4 major points to consider when buying women's rucksacks

It does not matter if you are a man or women we all love hiking and rambling and getting out in the fresh air and getting amongst some great scenery. However whether you are a man or a woman we all need the same type of gear but there is a problem that can be gender based. Are their different types of gear required?

In particular are there different types of rucksacks required between a women and a man? If so what is the reason and in particular (in the case of a rucksack) what do women need to consider when purchasing woman's rucksacks. This is the particular question I will be covered for Women’s rucksacks

I have heard some people say that Women buy more than men and therefore all women's products including women's rucksacks are geared toward a woman's market. I disagree with this and believe that Women's rucksacks are needed for physical reasons and are different from men's rucksacks. It’s a matter of opinion
So here are differences and the areas to look for when buying women's rucksacks.

1. The shoulder straps are actually on narrower women’s rucksacks to ensure a comfortable fit however are curved to allow for the bust area.

2. The back of the women’s rucksack are generally shorter. Although just because Women's rucksacks are shorter this does not mean a women has to buy this type of rucksack. Some Women have longer backs and should look at a obtaining a man's rucksack for best fitting. It really is a personal thing

3. Women's rucksacks are built with a wider waist belt. Getting a little technical - the waist belt should ideally have a conical shape to it. This conical form is achieved by angling the belt diagonally upwards and by curving the waist belt wings. You can get women's rucksacks that contain a frontal adjuster system. This will simplify the waist fitting procedure and will add some value.

4. The rucksack frame is shorter on a Women's rucksack than a man's. When choosing a rucksack (for anybody) I suggest going to a recommended hiking and rambling shop and getting yourself measured for the right women’s rucksack.
So there are the main four points. Of course this is no way clear cut. A man could buy a man's rucksack and a woman could buy a women's rucksack and be very uncomfortable. They could swap and everything could fit nicely. There is no sure thing. However the above main 4 points are the points to consider when buying women’s rucksacks.

So I hope you buy the right rucksack whatever your gender. More importantly hope you have a really great hike and ramble wherever this may be