Regatta Review – Ultimate Winter Dog Walking Kit List

At this time of year it’s a real struggle to know what to wear when you head out for a dog walk isn’t it? You leave the house with all the layers because it’s so freakin’ cold, only to walk for about 5 minutes and find yourself sweating like mad and desperately stripping them off. And then of course you need something waterproof in case it rains, plus think about what you’re wearing on your feet because it’s likely to be muddy and slippy, and that’s before you’ve even thought about the dog!

Me and my dog Baxter (a one year old Cockapoo for anyone that’s interested 😉 ) love nothing more than a muddy walk in the woods. To make sure we both continue to enjoy our long woodland walks throughout the winter months I need to make sure we’re fully kitted out and thankfully the lovely people at outdoor clothing company Regatta have come to our rescue.

I’ve put together a little review collection of the products that I recommend for my ultimate winter dog walking kit list so that you lovely lot can decide if you need them in your life too.

Matching Coats

You know how dressing all matchy matchy with your kids is like a thing (at least while they’re still young enough to let you get away with it anyway) I’ve decided that since mine definitely don’t think it’s cool, I might as well inflict it on my fur baby instead. Well they do say that dogs look like their owners 😉

So I’ve chosen two navy blue jackets that look similar enough to be cute, but still different enough to not look like complete idiots. And of course, all joking aside, our needs are very different when it comes to what coat suits us best – I’m all about the pockets and how waterproof it is, and he’s got more of a ‘can I still run around like a loon in this mum’ vibe.

I am loving this dog coat from Regatta because aside from any practical reasons just look at how country gentleman he looks in it – I love how the brown trim matches his own furry trimmings. The Odie dog coat is available in extra small, small, medium, large and extra large. We went for medium, which was described as being suitable for Springer Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels, and Beagles but it’s probs best to measure your dog to get it completely accurate.

Features include – quilted water repellent finish, Thermo-Guard insulation, polyester taffeta lining, suedette trim, and adjustable hook and loop straps to make sure it fits snugly. What I love is that it is lightweight and unrestrictive; he was able to run around without it getting in the way, plus it’s not too warm, after all dogs are already blessed with their own furry coat. In an ideal world I’d have liked it to have a hole for the lead to feed through so that it sits more snugly around his neck, however I get that this may affect how easy it is to put on.

This is prefect for a country trot in the woods, or for a quick walkies around the block if it’s drizzly, to stop your dog from getting absolutely soaked but also to give them just that little extra layer of warmth when the cold sets in.

And so moving on to a jacket for me. Now a dog walking jacket for me must first and foremost have decent sized pockets for poo bags, tissue, hand sanitizer, treats and my phone. Secondly, it needs a hood and to be waterproof, And thirdly, I want it to be lightweight enough to be able to layer it up over big jumpers, but also warm enough to keep the wintry wind out. I don’t ask for much, do I!

This waterproof jacket from Regatta has ticked all of my boxes, because it has 2 deep pockets on the outside and a hidden secure pocket on the inside – tick; a foldaway hood – tick; it has a durable water repellent finish – tick; and lastly it is lightweight and breathable yet is also fully lined – tick. Available in sizes 8 – 20, I also love that the cuffs and waist are adjustable and that there are vents at the back that can be undone for easy movement. As someone who has a narrow waist and larger hips and thighs this is literally the dream as it means I can adjust it to fit my body shape and feel comfortable moving around in it without tugging at it every 5 seconds.

I think you’ll agree we both look pretty cute in our new jackets don’t we 🙂

Walking Shoes

I was out on a walk with a friend a couple of weeks ago and I happened to look down at what she was wearing on her feet, because I was slipping and sliding around in the mud in my boots whereas she seemed totally fine. She was wearing walking shoes, sort of a bit like walking trainers I guess, not as bulky and heavy as full on walking boots but more sturdy and with more grip than a standard pair of trainers. So it was on my mind that I needed to get myself a pair, and then like a message from the walking Gods, Regatta got in touch.

A decent pair of walking shoes is an absolutely crucial bit of kit for dog walking in winter. They need to be waterproof (there is nothing worse than getting cold, wet feet), they need to be comfortable (you’ll be wearing these everyday, so comfort is key), and they need to be grippy enough to withstand even the slippiest of mud. And I am pleased to report that having tested out this pair of walking shoes from Regatta, that they are definitely up to the job.

These Women’s Samaris II Low Walking Shoes are available in sizes 3 to 8 with the choice of a Dark Cerise Ash (pictured), Moroccon Blue Black, Shoreline Blue Ash, Granite Red Sky, or Black Purple colour way. It’s not about what they look like really though is it (although it does help that these are pretty for sure), but more about how comfortable and up for the job they are. And I’ve got to say that from the moment I slipped my feet into them they are the most comfortable things ever, like literally they feel like slippers; outdoor slippers. You know how when you first wear a new pair of shoes, especially if you go on a long walk, your feet can feel achy afterwards and you might get a blister? Well I wore these for the first time on an hour long walk on both trail and road terrain and nothing. No sore bits, no blisters, no aches and pains, nothing. Seriously impressed.

To be fair though, take a look at all this lot and it’s easy to see why they’re so blinkin’ good!

  • Isotex waterproof, seam sealed with internal membrane bootee liner
  • High performance nylon woven Endurance Mesh and PU upper with extra space around the toes
  • Hydropel water resistant technology
  • Neoprene collar for added comfort
  • Deep padded neoprene collar and mesh tongue
  • Rubber toe and abrasion resistant heel bumper
  • Moulded EVA comfort footbed
  • Stabilising shank technology
  • New XLT sole unit for improved traction and self cleaning

I’m not going to even pretend that I know half of what the above means, but the proof is in the pudding as they say and these have fast become my winter footwear saviours.

Keeping Out The Chills

This might be the best thing I’ve seen in a long time. I know it might look like your average neck warmer/snood/buff whatever you wanna call it, but this can be used in a whopping 8 different ways! It’s a neck warmer, a scrunchie, a head band, a hat, a wristband, a legionnaires shade, a face mask, and a balaclava all rolled into one and I love it!

To give it its proper name, it is a Regatta Fleece Lined Stretch Multitube – multi because it can be used in lots of different ways, tube because well it is quite literally a tube of fabric. And at the risk of sounding like an M&S advert, this isn’t just any old fabric tube, this is knitted stretch, fleece lined, seam free, quick drying, lightweight, wind resistant fabric tube. Oh yes this bad boy’s got it all going on!

I’ve got a couple of these (1 in black and 1 in purple) and use them all the time both on dog walks and when I go running, mainly as a neck warmer, but they have also come in real handy when I’ve forgotten a face mask and I need my post run coffee. Simply pull it up over the nose and job’s a good ‘un.

Cleaning Up!

Being prepared for a dog walk is all well and good, but what you really need to make sure of is that you’re prepared for the clean up when you get home. And if your dog is anything like mine (he loves mud, water, bogs, if it’s messy he’s there!) then you need this towel in your life.

The Regatta Dog Towel dries four times quicker than a standard towel, which is great because it feels like I am forever shoving wet towels in the washing machine at the moment. It is lightweight and compact so can be folded or rolled away neatly for storage (I don’t know if you can see in the photo below, but I keep the dog towels in baskets underneath the TV unit to ensure they’re within easy reach of the back door while also being hidden from view). Sizewise the towel measures 160 x 80cm, which means it’s bigger than a bath towel and allows me to wrap Baxter in it so that I can rub the top of him at the same time as his belly. The fabric has also been treated with an anti-bacterial formula to help keep it as clean and fresh as possible, because no one wants their home smelling of eau de damp dog, do they?!?

Super soft and quick drying this towel has already saved my floors and sofa from plenty of mucky paw moments, so for that alone Regatta I am truly grateful.

So there you have it, pretty much all the kit you and your dog need to help you enjoy those winter dog walks. You may have noticed that I haven’t listed the prices and that is purely because they often have sales on (they’ve got a great one at the moment) and I wouldn’t want to quote you the wrong prices. But trust me there are some fantastic bargains to be had, so now is the time to hop on over to the Regatta website to take a look.

*products gifted for review

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