An important part of your kit is waterproof trousers to go over your walking trousers, they will keep you dry when the inevitable British weather unleashes torrents of water from above with little warning, weather forecasts are not always as accurate as we would like them to be.

A range of various materials is available for these including Gore-Tex, in my experience there is no need to spend a huge amount on waterproof trousers as the cheap ones tend to last long enough to get through D of E expeditions when required, there are a few things to look out for on these to make sure they are going to work when required:-

• Elasticated waistbands make them easier to get on quickly and easily when required.
• Full length leg zips mean they can be taken on and off over walking boots.
• They need to be big enough to fit over your walking trousers.
• They shouldn’t be so big that they flap around in the wind.
• They obviously need to be waterproof.
• I would recommend a light pair of braces to keep them up, they have a habit of slipping down while you are walking with a rucksack.
• They should pack up fairly compactly so they don’t take up too much room while not being used.

Waterproof trousers can be worn while it is not raining to protect your legs from getting too wet while walking through damp grass, while this is not strictly necessary, it can increase the comfort of your day and improve the overall experience of your D of E expedition, remember that these expeditions should be an enjoyable experience and not an endurance test.

Avoid very heavy waterproof trousers as they tend to be no more effective than lightweight ones and will be bulky in your rucksack taking up precious room that could be put to better uses.