In reply to Jcroney:
Without knowing what you have, or what you plan to do, it's hard to give advice. Boots for walking on Dartmoor in summer are different from boots for walking the around the Cairngorm plateaux in winter, for example. But in general:
- Good boots. Fit is more important than brand, but choose a flexibility and build appropriate to what you want to do.
- A decent pack, simple, with good straps and a waist belt. Put things inside in plastic bags to keep them dry.
- Full waterproofs, jacket (with hood) and trousers. A decent jacket is worth the money, but you can get away with fairly cheap trousers.
- Some warm clothes. Try for artificial fibres (fleece) as your first choice, then wool. Err away from cotton and avoid denim like the plague. You probably won't need to buy clothes especially to start with, just pick the right things from your wardrobe.
You'll want a map, compass and the associated skills if you're going without someone who can do the navigating.
If you're out in winter, take a torch. Any old torch will do, but a headtorch is much easier to walk with. Take enough spare batteries to last fully though the night if you end up lost.
If you want more specific advice, you need to give us some more details. Where are you hiking? Who with? Do you want to buy kit that is good for bigger things in the future? if so, what?
If you want recommendation of particular brands or models, you'll have to answer the above, plus say how much money you have to spend, and maybe age, build and gender too. Money buys comfort, but you can go a long way on cheap gear too.
Post edited at 00:14
