Walking Equipment

Click on the image on the left to view our bird watching and nature binoculars

Walking is one of the best exercises there is for your body. It doesn't stress your joints as much as running does, but still gets your body working hard enough for it to benefit from the exercise. You can go for a walk just about anywhere. You can walk around the block or the local park. You can walk to work or to school. You can walk around the supermarket. They are all good for you, but none of these walks really constitutes hiking. Walking becomes hiking when you go off the beaten track, to places unspoilt by mankind, and rely on your own skills and abilities to get you to where you want to go. With this seclusion comes a closeness to nature that you just don't get in towns and cities. You become more aware of your surroundings, the plants, animals and general geography of where you are and the sense of achievement you get when you successfully complete your hike is very gratifying.

Hiking generally also means walking for longer distances than most of our other walking, but this is not absolutely true. Many hikes are for only part of day. A very short hike could be less than a mile on a nature trail or a coastal path. On the other hand a hike can be a very long walk. Some people hike for days, weeks, or even months at a time. With the rise of the internet, more and more people are able to access organised hiking holidays in locations all over the world which means an increase in safety giving people increased confidence in going somewhere new and opening hiking up to many more people than in the past.

As I said before, you will see some of the most spectacular sites that nature has to offer and you will want to capture some of those images without carrying lots of heavy photographic or observatory equipment around.
When choosing acamera, binoculars, spotting scope or night vision for a hiking trip the most important thing to consider is weight. If your kit is too heavy, you will more than likely leave it at home.
Secondly it is important to consider its durability. With binoculars, this will mean finding some that are rubber armoured, waterproof and fog proof. With spotting scopes it is the same but you will also need a lightweight and compact tripod. With a digital camera you are best to have a metal bodied one as they are a stronger build and perhaps a waterproof case for it so that you can still use it in the rain. If it is an SLR type, you may want a rain cover when you have a telephoto lens attached. If you have a lot of kit to take out with you a photo backpack is ideal. There are many types and sizes to choose from and they have great features such as rain proof zips, waterproof covers, easy access pockets etc.

Finally, with regards to digital cameras, it is a common misconception that the larger the camera the more sophisticated it is. With the current technology a lot more features can be fitted into a more compact body which is great for the hiker. It means that you get much more creative control in a pocket sized camera, thus making it more user friendly.
Another couple of very useful items for the more advanced hiker are a digital compass or a GPS system. Bushnell make some very good ones and they will be available to buy on our site shortly.
To take a look at our optics, cameras and waterproof bags, click on the link below.

Click here to view our free walking pole and Rucksack offer

Click here to view our range of Tamrac Photo Backpacks


Click here to view our full range of Binoculars