Monday, May 2, 2011

Clothing for the UK winter !

So, what clothing do we buy in preparation for the UK winter?

We haven't lived there for over 30 years and then I went from centrally heated house to heated car to heated pub etc. Never used public transport.

So now we envisage a lot of time spent walking along the towpath and standing on the stern of a boat in "chilly" weather.

So far we have bought a couple of Goose/Duck feather filled coats from Kathmandu which are very light and supposedly very warm; makes us look very Michellin Man, mind you I (Paul) don't need the coat  to look like him!  We are also buying thermals, and are also considering the Driza-Bone full length riding coats - the problem being that I think we might look a couple of nobs with matching Driza-Bones. It gets worse, they also do Driza-bone dog coats!!  Elaine's brother thought the Driza-Bone thing might be a bit excessive but Elaine is - as they say up North - quite 'Nesh' - so the warmer I can keep her, the better my life will be !

So any suggestions would be appreciated re clothing, boots and socks etc. - remembering we will not have a lot of storage space!

    

5 comments:

  1. Hi Paul and Elaine
    We also frequented Kathmandu before leaving NZ and bought lots of thermals of which most were unused. Its very warm on board in the winter and you get warm doing all the locks. We have never been fitter.

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  2. I too am outfitting myself for an English winter, for the first time. I am doing so through LL BEAN in the U.S. I have several Scottish friends who recommended them and said "buy your thermals in the states not in England." I was also told to layer my clothing: silk thermals, flannel lined jeans, turtlenecks and sweaters under a down jacket, and really good warm waterproof winter walkers. I found it all in the LL BEAN catalog. They started out as outfitters for Gloucester, Maine fisherman and back woods folks. Best of luck to you and hope to see you both on the cut.

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  3. Thanks guys, I checked out the LL Bean catalogue they certainly have a lot of gear plus good prices!
    Paul

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  4. The cold is not a problem - the lashing wind and rain are the only things you need to prepare for so your drizabone with hood and leg straps will be ideal - you can layer under - that and some wellies - sorted!

    You got a time frame on this yet! Are we buying Christmas presents?

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  5. Elaine and Brian HamerMay 7, 2011 at 7:52 PM

    Hello you two down under!!!
    If we had known you were selling your house we would have swapped with you!
    I [Elaine] thought the real Manly Ferry was just the best way to travel
    You talk - re the hard core thermals - as if you are moving to the Arctic not the canals of old Blighty although imagine it to be very damp in our winter.
    Good luck to you both and trust you can cope with the English climate
    Hope to see you soon E&B X

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