That difficult first post…

Well, this is it. The first post…

How did I come up with the name wisepacking? Quite simple – I needed a title for a short piece on clothing and equipment that was commissioned for a travel website a couple of days ago. As soon as I’d typed that simple word into the Mac, I knew that it was the one to use.

So what is wisepacking? Choosing the clothing, footwear and equipment to take with you for a day out, a weekend away, a week or a fortnight as a summer holiday. If you’re planning on a longer trip, then that’s fine by me, because the principles, products and techniques can be used on just about any length of trip. I may not have all of the answers, but if I don’t I’ll either say so or give pointers to where the information that’s required can be found.

What’s my background? Over a decade in the tailoring trade, nine seasons as an outdoor instructor, ten years working in outdoor/travel clothing, footwear and equipment shops and around 25 years as a writer on adventure travel, camping, climbing, cycling, hillwalking, rambling and relaxed travel for a variety of magazines and newspapers. Yes, I’m over 50, but I’m not over the hill just yet!

This blog will develop in the coming months and it will feature products, stories, suggestions and techniques. There may well be references to popular culture thrown in for good measure and some personal opinions too. I hope that you like what you see and provide some constructive feedback – once I’ve figured out the best way to get the darn methods to do so set up!