How to gear up for the mountains

Less than you think. A merino tee, a fleece, a rain jacket and solid hiking shoes cover most Slovenian trips, all together under €350. Better a good base with no ballast than half a catalogue at once. You upgrade later, once you know what draws you.

For marked trails to a hut, no: a lighter hiking shoe is more comfortable and quite enough. Mountain boots earn their place on trackless ground, scree, snow and under a heavy pack. Buying mountain boots “just in case” is the most common expensive misunderstanding we see.

In a shoe: in dry summer weather your foot is happier without one, while in wet grass and snow a membrane shines. In a jacket: wear the membrane when it rains or blows, not all day. A membrane is not magic, it is a compromise between dry and airy.

Cotton soaks up sweat, holds it against your skin and chills you. In the valley that is unpleasant; on a windy ridge it can be genuinely dangerous. Merino and synthetics move moisture and keep you warm when damp, which is why they are the first layer and cotton stays at home.

We quote them by the standard: “comfort” is where you still sleep well, while “limit” is the lowest point at which an average sleeper gets through the night curled up rather than rested. Survival is the “extreme” rating, and you should never buy by it. Buy by the comfort rating for the conditions you actually sleep in, and add a couple of degrees of reserve if you feel the cold.

Down is warmer per gram and smaller in the pack, but it stops working wet and asks for care. Synthetic forgives moisture and carelessness, in exchange for weight and bulk. Synthetic for huts and camps, down for light bivouacs. It really is that simple.

Less often than ordinary clothes, but properly: a liquid detergent for membranes and never fabric softener, which finishes the water repellency off for good. A dirty membrane does not breathe; most jackets die of not being washed and of softener, not of use.

Almost certainly not. In 9 cases out of 10 only the outer water-repellent finish (DWR) has worn off and the membrane is healthy. A wash and a renewed finish cost from €15. This is our most common job.

We buy refurbished gear back, strip it down, inspect it and mend it in our own workshop, then give it six months of warranty. If we cannot put something right, we do not sell it. For beginners it is often the cleverest purchase in the shop.

Call us or drop into the shop in Kranj. We would rather answer three questions beforehand than have you buy the wrong thing. If a piece is not right for you, we will say so, even when it means a smaller invoice.