Hi all,
I'm new to this forum and relatively new to hiking. I have done quite a few walks and hikes in the past, but now I'm looking to do them more often and would like to invest in some appropriate gear.
I have spent several days trying to decipher all of the advice, research and options - mainly to do with clothing - and I think it's left me more confused than when I started.
For some brief context, I am not looking at multi-day hikes at this stage. I mainly walk/hike in dry weather, but I do most during the colder months as there are fewer people (and snakes) around. The places that I hike are mainly in mountains and hills in Victoria, such as the Central Highlands, Otways and Dandenong Ranges (so cold, but not snowy).
With this in mind, I am after any advice on both the type of clothing that I should be seeking for these sorts of activities and any specific brands or products.
The whole softshell/hardshell thing is particularly confusing to me - I'm unclear as to what is an appropriate level of warmth to aim for in clothing for a Victorian winter. Almost all of the advice and reviews that I can find relates to non-Australian contexts.
Happy to clarify anything and thanks very much in advance