Start with your feet.
Footwear is where mud, rock, distance and poor fit usually become obvious first. The right answer might be your existing trainers, a walking shoe or a boot depending on the route.
Build weather protection around layers, not panic buying.
A useful waterproof is an outer shell you can actually carry and wear comfortably. The rest of the clothing should be adjustable enough that you are not overheating the moment the group starts moving.
Pack the useful boring stuff.
Water, personal essentials, a layer, weather protection and route-appropriate food usually matter more than filling a backpack with gadgets. Let the current event information decide what gets added after that.
Where affiliate recommendations fit into this.
When a specific product solves a common meet-up problem, Lifted Spirits can recommend it with a clearly disclosed affiliate link. That recommendation should explain who it suits, why it was chosen and when you should skip it.
We will not pretend the most expensive option is automatically the best one, and the community join path will never depend on buying a product.