Lesson 3: Other Factors to Consider in Your Walking Program
Clothing
There is a wide variety of clothing you can wear walking and your choices will depend on factors such as weather, and length and intensity of activity. Whatever the conditions, you want clothing that is comfortable and allows you to move easily. When walking in cooler seasons, it is a good idea to dress in layers so that you can peel off and put back on clothes as desired.
Socks
Next to shoes, socks are your most important gear item. The main objective is to avoid blisters, so your socks should fit evenly. If you are just getting started in a walking program, use any pair that meet this requirement. However, one of the other ways to avoid blisters is to have socks made out of a material that wicks moisture away from your skin when your feet sweat. Cotton doesn't do this, so you will eventually want to purchase socks that are made for walking. For a thorough listing and review of brands of socks, see Top Ten Walking Socks.
Shorts or Long Pants
Initially, any shorts or pants that are comfortable and allow you to move freely will work. Unless you plan on wearing lycra which stretches easily, you will also want your pants or shorts to be loose fitting. If your thighs rub together when you walk and you want to wear shorts, you will want shorts long enough to protect them from chafing. Bike style shorts are good for this purpose. After a while, you may opt to buy shorts or pants that have that moisture wicking capability. Cotton sweatpants, though comfortable, can be become heavy and uncomfortable once you start perspiring. And even worse, cotton loses it's insulating capability once it gets wet.
Tops
In the summer, a cotton top can be a fine choice to wear walking but, though breathable, cotton does not wick moisture away from your body. There are many wonderful tops made from CoolMax, that feels like cotton but has the wicking properties.
Women have the option of wearing a sports bra either under another top or by itself, if it is warm enough outside. There are many stylish choices made using cotton, or one of the synthetic moisture wicking materials.
In the winter, it is particularly important that your inside layer will wick moisture to avoid getting chilled. Several companies make great synthetic materials similar to CoolMax such as Capilene and polypropylene.
Hats
In the summer, a hat is important protection from the hot sun. In the winter, hats protect you from heat loss. We can lose up to 50% of our body heat through our head.
Insulating Layer
An insulating layer will provide warmth in the early part of your walk, and you can remove it once you warm up. There are several good materials such as wool, fleece and pile.
Outer Layer
The outer layer is to protect you from rain, wind, snow and ice. It is a light layer in that it's main purpose is to protect you from outside conditions and doesn't need to provide insulation. Ideally it should be both waterproof and breathable. Goretex and Ultrex make many jackets that fulfill this purpose. However, if you are going for a 30 minute walk and don't want to buy these more expensive jackets, a simple nylon windbreaker will work fine to protect you from wind and drizzle.
Gloves
Gloves can make all the difference in the world on a cold day! Even if the rest of you is warm, cold hands can be very uncomfortable. The gloves you choose can range from simple cotton gloves (gardening or painting gloves) to a heavier mitten. If it is cold enough that you want to wear a heavier mitten, I recommend also bringing a lighter pair, perhaps a glove liner, to wear if your hands warm up. When I walk in the winter, the gloves are an item that I remove and replace frequently.
