By Therese Iknoian

The Cost of Fitness Walking

One of the real pleasures of walking comes from its lack of required gear. In the purest form, just slip on your shoes, head out the front door and put one foot in front of the other.

I always gloat just the teensiest bit while watching the skaters and cyclists who unload, buckle up, strap on, adjust gears, and check for tools and pads befor heading out -- with fingers crossed -- that they won't end up with a flat tire or broken wheel. Not to diminish these activities, but what can beat walking's simplicity in gear and cost? Let's take a look at varying budgets for outfitting yourself to walk.

Above all, shoes make the walker, making those the No. 1 -- and perhaps only -- item on a low-budget shopping list. Look for other columns here to decide what you should look for, how they should fit, and how to take care of them. One thing holds true: Since feet are a walker's wheels, don't chintz on "tires" for your toes. Shoes that fit well and are high quality will leave you smiling.

For a pair of shoes, invest anywhere from $50-110. Just add some sweats, jeans, T-shirts and hats from the back of the closet, and you're on the way to better vitality.

For those with a little spare cash or anyone particularly intrigued by modern technology and new designs in fabrics, clothing or electronic gadgets, your walking budget can go up, up, up. You might start at $50, but the top-end budget can easily reach $600 for a basic wardrobe of clothes. Add additional clothing and electronic trinkets, and the sky's the limit.

Maybe you don't want to spend a lot of money. Then make your investment decision using these two tenets:
• Figure out what will keep you moving. If you can't stand being wet, drop some cash on the highest quality Gore-Tex waterproof jacket. If cold puts a stop to good intentions, go for layers of quality Polartec fleece and electric handwarmers. If you love gadgets and their motivation, try a wireless Polar heart rate monitor to track your pulse and times.
• Invest over time. One winter, go for Gore-Tex. Next summer, get a heart rate monitor. In the fall, buy a good top and tights of high-tech "wicking" fabrics to keep you warm in cool weather and cooler in hot weather. Over a couple of years, you'll build a full wardrobe without devastating your budget.

When you're ready to invest, consider the items below. Prices listed are averages and can run more or less depending on brand, retail outlet, or sales:
• Weatherproof suit $250
• Fleece jacket $100
• Zip-leg warmup pants $ 50
• Long-sleeve winter top $ 60
• Ankle-length tights $ 35
• Thigh-length tights $ 30
• Sun hat with neck drape $ 30
• Waterproof hat $ 25
• Supplex shorts with liner $ 22
• Mesh summer singlet $ 22
• Thermal gloves $ 16
• Digital lap watch $ 45
• Heart rate monitor $100
• Sunglasses $ 80

As you can see, dropping a bundle for all this at once, could cut a $865 swath out of your wallet. So analyze your budget, take a look at your preferences, then pick and choose your gear carefully. Remember, the old adage, you get what you pay for, holds true here.