Technical clothing and layers

Advice on what to wear and layering your clothes to be comfortable whatever the weather on expedition.

What kind of clothes are best for a DofE expedition?

What clothing should you wear under your waterproofs
DofE recommended expedition clothing
Save money on expedition kit

What clothing should you wear under your waterproofs?

The word is: layers. Underneath your waterproofs you’ll want a middle layer – warm and insulating, like a fleece. Under that, you’ll need a base layer – breathable and tight-fitting to absorb moisture away from your body.

Remember – avoid cotton and denim! They let heat escape, get heavy when wet, and dry slowly. So no jeans or joggers.

All this helps you manage your temperature on your journey, and keeps you comfortable in all weathers.

DofE recommended expedition layers


Base layer: Craghoppers Fusion Base T-shirt – Mens Lightweight Moisture control Fast-drying View Craghoppers Fusion Base T-shirt – mens	Base layer: Craghoppers Fusion Base T-shirt – Mens Lightweight Moisture control Fast-drying View Craghoppers Fusion Base T-shirt – womens

Mid layer: Craghoppers Vector Hooded Jacket – Mens Insulating Wash and wear sweat/fleece hoody Lightweight View Craghoppers Vector Hooded Jacket – mens	Mid layer: Craghoppers Vector Hooded Jacket – Womens Insulating Wash and wear sweat/fleece hoody Lightweight View Craghoppers Vector Hooded Jacket – womens

Mid layer: Craghoppers Vector Half Zip Top – Mens Technical fleece Half-zip Insulating Reflective detail View Craghoppers Vector Half Zip Top – mens

Craghoppers Traverse Trousers – Mens SolarDry polyester Water repellant Sun protective Zip pockets Toughened fabric View Craghoppers Traverse Trousers – mens	Craghoppers Traverse Trousers – Womens SolarDry polyester Water repellant Sun protective Zip pockets Toughened fabric View Craghoppers Traverse Trousers – womens

All Duke of Edinburgh’s Award recommended clothing is affordable, breathable and lightweight. It’s designed for a specific role and layer. And ideally, you can get FREE professional advice on what clothing to buy at your nearest GO Outdoors, Blacks, Millets, Ultimate Outdoors or Tiso store (Scotland only).

Ways to save money on your DofE expedition

Whilst lots of layers of specialist clothing might seem unnecessary, it’s really important to wear the right clothing during your expedition to be prepared for all weathers. There are lots of ways to keep your costs down:

You can substitute these products for loose fitting long sleeve tops or long lightweight trousers. But avoid cotton, jeans, tracksuit bottoms and onesies!
You can get a FREE professional fitting before you buy, at your nearest GO Outdoors, Blacks, Millets, Ultimate Outdoors or Tiso store (Scotland only).
Use your exclusive DofE Card or Voucher to claim your discount* in all local GO Outdoors, Blacks, Millets, Ultimate Outdoors or Tiso store (Scotland only) and online.\