First frost on the moor
24 October 2026. From the Wrexby fitting bench.
The week the ground freezes is the week people arrive at the counter with wet feet. The frost does not make the moor drier; it makes the top crust hard and the water underneath colder, and a boot that was fine in September goes through the crust and comes up full. Five things to swap before the next walk.
1. The socks
Thin summer socks in a boot fitted for them leave room for cold air. Move to a mid-weight wool sock, and if the boot now feels tight, that is a fitting problem, not a sock problem. Bring the boot in.
2. The gaiters
Gaiters are what keep the crust out of the boot when it breaks. Short ones are enough on the paths; long ones for the open moor.
3. The map case
A frozen map case cracks. Put the map in a dry bag with the compass and keep the case for spring.
4. The stove
Canister stoves lose pressure below freezing. If you are stopping for a brew above the tree line, take the liquid fuel stove or a canister with a regulator.
5. The spare layer
The spare layer in October is a fleece. In November it is an insulated jacket, and it lives at the top of the pack where you can reach it without unpacking in the wind.
All five are on the floor at every store this week. The fitting bench is open without appointment.