Nowadays, there is a huge range of clothing designed for winter outdoor pursuits. The traditional wax jacket and rubber boots have largely been superseded by man-made fabrics such as ‘Gortex’ and designer hiking boots.

(1) __________ (RESPECT) of your preference in clothing on your winter walks, the main priority is to keep you warm and dry. To this end, the old adage to use the (2) __________ (LAYER) technique still applies. Thermal underwear and socks, topped with an outer shell of jackets and overtrousers in (3) __________ (PERMEATE) fabric which keep out the wind and (4) __________ (MOIST) and are also breathable, keep you warm and dry. For wet weather or shore walking, rubber boots are best, but these are (5) __________ (SUIT) for real walking. This will require proper hiking boots, which these days are sturdy and light. Boots designed (6) __________ (SPECIFY) for hiking have a stiff insole and provide good ankle support as well as giving good traction on (7) __________ (SLIP) surfaces. A small rucksack of 15-25 litre capacity is suitable for short walks, but the more intrepid hiker will probably need a substantially larger backpack of around 25-40 litres. Hiker’s rucksacks have been considerably (8) __________ (LIGHT) over the last few years and new fabric technology will make them even lighter.