Gear
Kit that works in Scottish weather.
Honest gear reviews. Practical kit lists. Budget guides for people who don't want to spend a thousand pounds before their first walk.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this site are affiliate links. We earn a commission when you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure.
What we cover
Four pillars: kit lists, clothing, reviews, budget guides. We keep it tight and honest.
Kit Lists by Activity
Day hike, multi-day, wild camp, MTB ride, sea kayak day, winter mountaineering. Each list explains why each item is on it.
What to Wear
Layering for Scottish conditions: base, mid, shell. The waterproof debate. Why your trousers matter more than your jacket.
Honest Reviews
We test gear in actual Scottish weather, not on YouTube unboxing tables. If it falls apart in 18 months, we'll tell you.
Budget Gear Guides
You don't need £600 boots to walk a Corbett. Where to spend, where to save, how secondhand changes the calculation.
Try the gear checklist generator
Tell it your activity, the month, the duration and your experience level. It builds a kit list with Scotland-specific items flagged: gaiters, midge head net, waterproof shell, ice axe and crampons in winter. Each item links to where to buy it.
Open gear checklistExample output for “day hike, January, moderate”:
- Waterproof shell jacket (Gore-Tex 3L recommended)
- Insulated mid layer (down or synthetic)
- Base layer top + bottom (merino preferred)
- Waterproof trousers
- Walking boots (B1 or B2 stiffness)
- Hat, gloves, spare gloves
- Map + compass + GPS backup
- Headtorch + spare batteries
- Group shelter or bivvy bag
- Above 600m: ice axe + crampons + winter skills
Latest gear articles
Reviews, kit lists and buying guides.
- Gear14 Apr 2026 · 12 min
What to Wear Hillwalking in Scotland: The Layering Guide
Scottish weather is harsher than almost anywhere else in Britain. The layering system that works in the Lake District falls short at 900m on a Cairngorm plateau in March. Here's what actually works, by season.
Read → - Gear14 Apr 2026 · 17 min
OS Maps vs Komoot vs AllTrails: Which Is Best for Scotland?
The three most-used route apps compared against Scottish conditions — mapping accuracy, offline reliability, route content, pricing. Every one of them is Scottish-good at something and Scottish-bad at something else. Here's the honest call.
Read → - Gear14 Apr 2026 · 22 min
How to Start Hillwalking in Scotland: The Complete Beginner's Kit List
Every piece of kit a first-time Scottish hillwalker needs, with budget / mid-range / premium options for each. Where to spend the money, where to save it, and the stuff you can absolutely skip.
Read → - Gear14 Apr 2026 · 19 min
Best Waterproof Jackets for Scotland: Tested in Scottish Conditions
Scottish rain is sideways, sustained and wind-driven — most jackets that work in the Lake District fail here. The budget / mid / premium jackets that actually hold up to a Scottish hill day, with the specs that matter and the ones that don't.
Read →
Common questions
- What's the single most important piece of kit for Scotland?
- Honestly? A good waterproof jacket. Not the most expensive — a competent one (Gore-Tex Paclite or equivalent, taped seams, hood that fits over a hat) will get you through most conditions if everything else fails. Expect to replace it every 3–5 years.
- Do I need expensive boots?
- For summer Corbetts and Grahams, no. Decent B0/B1 boots from Salomon, Scarpa or Meindl in the £100–£180 range will handle almost everything. Step up to B2 for proper winter (crampon-compatible) and B3 only for technical winter mountaineering. The boot debate online is largely about the top 5% of conditions.
- Are your reviews really independent?
- Yes. We accept review samples but never accept payment for positive reviews, and we will say if a product is bad even when we have an affiliate link to it. Read the full affiliate disclosure for the detail.
- Where should I buy outdoor gear in Scotland?
- Tiso is the obvious answer — Scottish chain, knowledgeable staff, broad range. Cotswold Outdoor is the other big name. Independents like Mountain Spirit (Aviemore), Walking and Outdoor Centre (Pitlochry), and George Fisher (Keswick, just over the border) are excellent. Avoid bargain-bin gear from supermarkets for anything that needs to keep you alive.