Leaders of the pack: the best new walking gear

A down jacket is a must if you're scaling high peaks – it squashes up small but packs a punch warmth-wise, and makes a good pillow if you're staying in a basic refuge. Rab is many hikers' favourite brand, with several different styles. This women's infinity jacket is available in four colours. £120, outside.co.uk At last, the manufacturers of walking clothing seem to be following the lead of the ski industry, with trend-related colour schemes. North Face's ultra-light Alpine Project Jacket in yellow and blue costs £250, or the similar Stretch Diad in bright orange and purple is a little cheaper at £180 . uk.thenorthface.com/tnf-uk-en Yes, it's a sleeping bag you can wear! Maybe not right for an Arctic trip, but good fun for sitting round a camp fire before bedtime, the Nap Sack from new brand Poler (doing outdoor gear for snowboarding types) has a drawstring bottom and zip-up arm holes. £99.99, snowandrock.com Stop your bum getting cold with a Hi Gear Sitmat – from Go Outdoors. £1.49, gooutdoors.co.uk When it's not icy enough for crampons, but too slippy just for grips, YakTrax fill the gap – metal coils attached to stretchy plastic that slip easily over the sole of your boot. £12.95, yaktrax.co.uk The Mountain Hardwear Summit Rocket 40 alpine pack does the job but looks a bit more stylish than most. £160, snowandrock.com Claiming to be the world's lightest sleeping mat and weighing just 258g, the Klymit Inertia X Frame is barely there, except for a few crucial pressure points adding just enough comfort. £84.99, snowandrock.com Backpack essentials • Clips, pegs, carabiners or string – so you can dangle wet clothes off the back of your rucksack to dry them on the move • A thick plastic bag to line your rucksack so your stuff doesn't get wet if it rains • A few energy bars for emergencies – buy your least favourite flavour so you're not tempted to eat them