Can Someone Review My Gear List Please?

[DocG]

No one has shot at me yet and I've been around.

I usually buy two at a time and use a sewing machine to stitch them together along one side. This doubles the thickness, makes for more insulation as a scarf and provides a bigger towel when needed.

Brilliant idea! I will copy it at once - thanks for sharing.
All the best.

 

[NothingRhymesWithRachel]

Haven't read all the responses, but from about forty years experience of the out doors, as a scout leader and mountain
rescue leader of 13 years, I would strongly advise you to modify your target. In Scotland we can have arctic conditions
at any time of the year. I have been in Aviemore in the Cairngorms in June on the main road north and had snow and blizzard conditions, it is not impossible to have a hundred mile a hour gale on Ben Vorlich, when a pal and myself had to
crawl on our hands and knees within a 1/4 of a mile of the top in summertime. In the Summertime it is common for the rescue teams to rescue people from down South who having travelled a great distance to come up here to climb here
go against local knowledge and attempt things that locals advise against. I have climbed Ben Nevis three times in
good conditions, but there are many times that I would not consider it. Why not modify your target a bit till you have
a bit more experience. There are many challenging walks you could do in preparation. Before picking a route like this..
many of the rescues that are required, are due to people from down south, at a considerable distance who having come
so far, refuse to re consider, and go for their original target against the advice of locals, resulting in local volunteers having
to risk their lives to bring them out from impossible conditions, In Scotland we can have Arctic conditions at any time of the year. Don't forget, we love to have you up here enjoying yourselves, but safely.

Hey Smokey! (great name)

I've done a fair bit of research regarding weather in March, and I have come to learn that you should generally prepare for cold, perhaps a bit of ice or snow, but mostly just wet and damp (and so, so windy haha). If you read earlier posts I made in this thread, I do ask about MicroSpikes for ice and Crampons for snow etc I'm looking to be as prepped as I can!

I'm not actually 'southern' (although I guess compared to Scots I'm very Southern!!) our own weather is mostly windy, cold, foggy, gross, etc. Not to be TMI about this, but at home even in dead of winter I sleep in the nuddy, cos I just run quite warm most of the time. So in that respect, I can't see the weather being an issue!

Thank you though, I will do more weather research closer to the time (obviously if it's all snowed in I'll have to re-arrange some routes etc).

 

[DocG]

Great thread - been reading it a bit between evening chores.

My concern, and I think I'm echoing other posts, so please accept my apologies if you've heard this before, is that your first planned hike is in Glen Affric in March. I have led groups in the area for many years and I have to add a note of caution: that's a challenging area, especially at that time of year. Last May I had to shorten a route for some experienced walkers as we were hit by sleet at valley level and the tops received a new coating of snow that stayed for all five days I was in the area. Temperatures plummeted at night to the extent that we abandoned our plan and used a bothy to dry out and warm up. It's worth finding about the Mountain Bothies Association (MBA) before you go to Scotland as the huts can be great refuges in hard times.

If you are able to reconsider your route, I would do so. Perhaps a March circuit of the Lake District passes would be an easier start. The area has tons of challenge to offer walkers but has the added bonus of being more inhabited should "things" not go according to plan.

I wish you every success with your plans and I'll keep an eye on your blog to see how you're doing.
All the best.

 

[WoodGnome]

I can recommend this first aid kit. I use it myself and while it might be too big for some people, I still like it because that is actually nothing I'd like to mess up.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Holthaus-Fi...1444682830&sr=8-9&keywords=holthaus+first+aid

I modified mine with a metal mirror, 5 razor blades, iodine ointment, fenistil gel (you probably don't need that in the winter...), 10 alcopads, charcoal tablets, a whistle and something against heartburn and some pain killers. I really like the kit.

For hiking in mountainous regions in the winter: always carry Blistex and have sunglasses with you. I don't know for Scotland in the winter, but sunny days in the Alps can get you into serious trouble when you don't have them as you just don't see anything, so I'd pack them.

 

[forrestdweller]

Just google 'Hobo Fishing Kit', there are various designs and types.

Or just make your own, very easy it is too.

i've seen the locals in east timor using a piece of plastic pipe, bamboo or empty spray bottle with a piece of mono fishing line, stone as sinker and a hook- and catching fish very successful! you could carry just a line and some hooks and improvise on site if you want to save weight....

 

[Quixoticgeek]

I agree about the buffalo stuff.

I would add two 'buffs', one for round your neck, one for your head.

As for a knife - a swiss army knife with scissors. You are going hiking, not bushcrafting. Trimming torn fabric, cutting open plastic packets, picking out splinters; that's the most likely use.
Get a tom o tick tick remover. Keep it somewhere fairly accessible but secure. actually get two and put one in the first aid kit.
Baselayer; wool, if you can stand it, just doesn't get as smelly. That fact can save a lot of weight because you need to carry less clothing.
Stuff to treat blisters.
Walking poles. Even the cheap ones help a lot.

Completely agree. Buffs are so damn useful. I have 1, but I think I'll get a second before the winter gets here.

Agreed on the knife point. Many of us have the view that a fixed blade is better etc... and it is, but when you need it, when you don't why carry it. I have a Svord Peasant mini that does everything I need. Highly recommended.

Not sure if I mentioned, but the RAB MeCo Baselayers are *BRILLIANT*, I have 4, and will likely get others. Sure they are pricey, but they are worth it. I've managed 2 weeks of wear, including lots of cycling and walking, and you'd barely notice it had been warn to smell the base layer. Brilliant.

I used to think walking poles were a gimmick, now I won't hike without them. If on a budget, look at the mountain king poles.

rachel .assuming?

people do and still die on PCT. the desert sections are tough. last year someone died when a tree fell on their tent in high wind. unlucky or bad camp choice. ?? john donovan snowstorm in late may. people die walking up snowdon, scafell, the ben. it happens. most deaths on high level long distant footpaths occur to solo walkers as well. i solo walk more now than ever. but thats our choice. consider a personal locator beacon. delormes explorer my choice. but you are a long way off that cost issue

People also die crossing the road. Hell trousers kill more people in the UK than lightning strikes... and the stats on biscuit related injuries...

I do agree with the Personal Locator Beacon, I too have the Delorme InReach Explorer Brilliant bit of kit and worth it just to give friends and family peace of mind. I don't leave home without it.

Do you know, I am so so sold on poles now. I always used to think 'but all that extra STUFF, and carrying it everywhere', but from what I hear they can make a heavier pack feel much nicer over long distances; I'd rather look a little silly and have a few ounces extra weight than a bad back. I saw some Black Diamond ones (nice and short, just like me haha), for about £50 on sale on Amazon.

Consider Mountain King poles, very affordable.

Aye loo roll is on the 'list' (in my head, certain things like basic toiletries etc I didn't write down cos they're cheap and easy and little to no research is required). Loo roll is like God out there haha, I'd hate to be caught without it!

I have a sea to summit "outhouse" which is a toilet roll holder dry bag thing, makes a visit to the shrubbery a lot easier, esp when it's raining. Also consider a shepee.

i usually carry a handline when (overnight) walking in case there is an opportunity to catch a fish for diner...

Not legal here in the UK. Not sure about along the PCT.

Let me see - J cloths.
An ex-army friend put me on to using these to camp. They serve as T towels, for washing up, even a washcloth for yourself. Best of all, they are cheap and available from just about any shop. Bars of simple soap can work for washing hair as well as body - and wrapped up in a freezerbag they won't leak and take up minimal weight. It's easy to get a bit too relaxed about washing hands when hiking/camping but it is really important to do if you want to avoid stomach upsets (another thing from ex-army friend).

Rather than J cloths, consider the Compressed towels. Lightweight, and very compact, add a drop of water and they expand to a large cloth.

On the personal admin side of things and keeping it multifunctional I do like my shemagh. (We've had a few threads on 101 things to do with a shemagh). I like to think of it in terms of a towel in Douglas Adams Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy... Always know where your towel is.
Mine is mainly used as a scarf, headcovering but also as a towel to keep clean, pot lifter, after dip robe, basket when foraging all sorts of things. I like all my kit to do more than one job if possible as it lightens the load and builds in redundancy. It may get you shot at in some countries but on the whole I've survived intact so far.

I have a large lifeventure travel towel that I've used as a blanket on more than one occasion. Bit heavy for long trips, but I do like it.

Ahhh, would if I could, mate! I have one friend who might do the odd day hike (I am gradually convincing him to hike the first 100 miles of the PCT, though in reality he may hike the first 50 or so). My friends mostly have kids or husbands/wives and cannot/don't want to hike.

If you can get down to Sussex or Kent you're welcome to join me for a hike. I don't have a spare sleeping bag, but I've got duplicates of pretty much everything else.

J

 

[mrmike]

+1 on the buffs, I always pack two, they take no space and weigh nothing...
The merino ones are awesome!

If you run hot, take a look at the buffalo teclite or activelite shirts/jackets.
Not as warm as the mountain shirt but packs waaay smaller and is still windproof.

Re. first aid kits, get an empty pouch and make your own?

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[NothingRhymesWithRachel]

Great thread - been reading it a bit between evening chores.

My concern, and I think I'm echoing other posts, so please accept my apologies if you've heard this before, is that your first planned hike is in Glen Affric in March. I have led groups in the area for many years and I have to add a note of caution: that's a challenging area, especially at that time of year. Last May I had to shorten a route for some experienced walkers as we were hit by sleet at valley level and the tops received a new coating of snow that stayed for all five days I was in the area. Temperatures plummeted at night to the extent that we abandoned our plan and used a bothy to dry out and warm up. It's worth finding about the Mountain Bothies Association (MBA) before you go to Scotland as the huts can be great refuges in hard times.

If you are able to reconsider your route, I would do so. Perhaps a March circuit of the Lake District passes would be an easier start. The area has tons of challenge to offer walkers but has the added bonus of being more inhabited should "things" not go according to plan.

I wish you every success with your plans and I'll keep an eye on your blog to see how you're doing.
All the best.

I'll look up the MBA, thanks for the suggestion!

Aye, the weather is something I've been attempting (in vain, of course) to get a more solid bit of background on but, as you know, it's quite unpredictable and therefore nobody can really tell me anything. Seems like a 'wait and see' ordeal.

I've no issue finding alternative routes (can always do Affric later, after all), the only thing that troubles me is camping is not legal in the Lake District (although the gov page on it basically says something like 'it's not allowed, but people do it, just know you may get in trouble'). That puts me on edge more than the weather! lol

 

[NothingRhymesWithRachel]

If you can get down to Sussex or Kent you're welcome to join me for a hike. I don't have a spare sleeping bag, but I've got duplicates of pretty much everything else.

J

*does a Google*

Sussex is only about 120 miles from me (about the closest I'll get in terms of camping/hiking terrain to be fair haha), so it's not too bad. Given the distance, though, it'd likely need to be multi-day (just to make the hours of there/back train hopping 'worth it', so to speak!). Might be something to consider though thanks!

 

[widu13]

Before you start spending any more money. May I make a suggestion? Fill your rucksack (with anything) so that it weighs 15kg and go for a walk. Anywhere is good, with hills is better. Aim to do 15 miles (or more if you are up to it). Camp out or go home and then do the same the next day.

You will then have a gauge as to the weight you can carry day to day on the PCT. Buy your kit according to the weight you are prepared to carry. You have a nice large bag so big/bulky, but light stuff will be relatively cheap, it's small, light and warm/roomy that kills the prices.

When I was a young lad I would think nothing of walking with a 25kg bag. My 3 day bag now weighs 10kg (max) with food and water. I'm not saying go ultralight, what I am saying is gauge the weight you are happy carrying and then spend your money achieving that weight.

 

[mrcharly]

I've stealth-camped in the lakes a few times. They have been instructive experiences. The first time I had a saunders spacepacker tent; just got it up before the blizzard struck. The tent was pushed until flat on the ground and the pole snapped. Spent the night under a gorse bush in my sleepingbag. that's when I learned not to leave boots outside; they froze overnight and gave me horrendous blisters the next day.

After that experience I bought a bivvi bag. They are great for stealth camping, as long as you don't mind a bit of damp.
So, camping on not official campsites is officially not allowed, but possible and tolerated if you are on the tops. Here is an official statement about it (it's more lenient than I thought) http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/wheretostay/wildcamping The info is a bit contradictory; we don't allow this but here are the rules.
Plenty of official campsites in the Lakes, they just aren't cheap.

 

[Chiseller]

ear plugs...comfy ones like the mouldable gel type from a well known chemist. these are great for helping with a good nights sleep or helping you to think a little clearer when the wind is howling and your negotiating a section. You will need to practice walking and negotiating obsticles with them in.

has anyone mentioned a shemagh ?

super multi use piece of kit....from the obvious to the not so obvious uses like using it as a hat, scarf, balaclava, extra insulating layer , pillow case , bandage , sling , water gatherer / filter , foraging container be it fuel for your belly or a fire , sun shade , padding, replacing rucksac strap or belt cusion , towel ....if you dye the shemagh orange....as a signalling flag or a marker.

the list goes on for that simple piece of hardy cloth.

+1 to a good swiss army knife..I dont go anywhere without my champ.

couple of glow sticks or a tritium marker....or both. attach them to a length of cord and they can be swung in a circle to make a very effective signaling marker. or just give you a failsafe method of lighting.

yellow tint saftey shades..(less than a tenner from work saftey shops )...they protect your eyes from blowing debris...grit from the rocks , plant tree debris etc. the yellow ones also provide extra clarity and perception in low light and a better depth in foggy conditions. They give you the illusion of having an extra half hour of daylight and can help lift up your spirits .

.....just a few ideas.....great thread...hope your journeys are enjoyable and trouble free.

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[rik_uk3]

Rachel, does your trip have to be a fifty mile hike during the tale end of a Scottish winter given your level of actual experience? If the weather goes breast up you could end up...dead.

I'm a brummie by birth and you are only two or three hours away from the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia and I'd suggest a few trips to one or both locations. Don't underestimate the Welsh weather, in the past I've experienced snow and gale force winds in April/May.

Good look with your plans but please listen to the advice thats been posted here by people with way more experience and knowledge than you and I.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

*does a Google*

Sussex is only about 120 miles from me (about the closest I'll get in terms of camping/hiking terrain to be fair haha), so it's not too bad. Given the distance, though, it'd likely need to be multi-day (just to make the hours of there/back train hopping 'worth it', so to speak!). Might be something to consider though thanks!

Picking an arbitrary Birmingham New Street start point, and Wye as an arbitrary destination. £74 quid, 2 hours, 59 minutes (change at Euston, walk to St Pancras, train to Ashford, change, train to Wye…



J

 

[C_Claycomb]

Have you read:
Trail Life: Ray Jardine's Lightweight Backpacking by Ray Jardine?

A truly excellent book about hiking the long trails in the US. Not everything is applicable for use in the UK, particularly Scotland, but some is. Using a quilt instead of a sleeping bag, for instance. Tarps instead of tents won't be great for a short trip with midges, but they make a very compelling case for them on the long trails. They are great advocates of sewing your own gear and have enough instructions that even a talent-less bloke like me can make some headway.

Sleeping bag vs quilt. I like my down quilt, I have a Jacks-R-Better from the US, but if I was shopping for another such thing now, I would get one of these:
http://ukhammocks.co.uk/products/ukhammocks-down-tq-winter?variant=1064806648. I have one of his underquilts and the quality is a very good and no messing with shipping, handling and Parcel Force ransoms. After reading the afore mentioned book though, I would probably make a synthetic quilt for the long trek.

From what I can tell, the long hikes in the US drive gear selection quite differently than gear selection for shorter multi-day hikes. A couple of weeks is a reasonably long walk in the UK but will only just be getting started on something like the PCT.

Another vote for J-Cloths. I use one for a wash cloth & as a first stage towel which saves my light Paramo travel towel from having to get too wet. J-Cloths are anti-bacterial, very fast drying and can be easily squeezed out. They don't start smelling like swamp water after a couple of day's in the field, unlike a lot of things. I am not a fan of cotton shemaghs for that reason. Only down-side to J-Cloths is that they lack scrubbing power, so they don't do a great job of scrubbing ones face as clean as you might want. Jury is still out on these new "E-Cloth" cleaning cloths. They certainly scrub well, without soap, but not sure how well they will dry. probably not fast enough, but better than cotton.

Used a shemagh on a canoe trip in the west of Scotland. Never again. Never dried out, stank.

Ditch toilet roll, use pre-packed Kleenex tissues. I know Mors has his methods, but the individual packs are a safer option in our wet climate. Balsam ones burn well, but don't soak up water as well as the standard ones. One packet per day, all purposes, and they won't go to instant mush if you drop them in the wet heather. Just don't leave them as litter. Don't take any form of wet wipe or cloth, they are not biodegradable in the environment, whatever the packaging may say.

I have an Aquapure traveller water bottle, http://www.purehydration.com/all-products/emergency-aid/aquapure-traveller/
which I like, but it claims to be good for only 350 liters. No batteries to run flat, but if the water is not clear you probably won't get the same one to work for the PCT that you use in the run up to it. Steripen might be better in that regard. Not sure.

Another fan of merino wool and Paramo clothing. There is a paramo seconds shop on e-bay that is worth keeping an eye on, otherwise the gear can be hellish expensive. I have managed to get a lot of mine on sale, but that takes time.

Very best of luck! and don't over-do your training too quick, injuries are all too easy to pick up, and can take a long time to go away.

 

[sandbender]

"...Ray Jardine's Lightweight Backpacking....Used a shemagh on a canoe trip in the west of Scotland. Never again. Never dried out, stank..."

Thanks for the book tip, I've not read that one.

There are shemaghs and there are shemaghs, proper middle eastern ones have a pattern woven into them and are made with decent weight cotton. Cheap ones are printed and may have a plastic content and are made with a weaving machine that can cleverly use less cloth per square meter than has ever been possible before.

Each to his own though.



Edited to add:

A video made by a chap walking the PCT, one photograph a mile for the entire trip...

[video=youtube;xyo8OIp7aHM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyo8OIp7aHM[/video]

...best diet ever.

 

[mousey]

Now that video was impressive, I was also surprised by the amount of sunniness, I'm sure whenever I go anywhere it rains an awful lot more....

 

[Goatboy]

Ray Jardines book is good. There's a few good ones on the subject. Will have to get into the loft and dig some out to get the titles for you.
Think quite a few were done by the same publisher as the aforementioned if you go looking on the web.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[Chiseller]

an then theres the silk blend shemagh....

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[troutman]

Joining this thread slightly late but when you suggest a weatherproof coat what do you have in mind? Everyone's views of clothing will differ greatly but I personally would be going for technical layers: long sleeve base, pull over fleece. I would also be taking a primaloft jacket which you can use as an outer layer or as another mid layer under a fully waterproof shell.

For a waterproof hard shell I would also go for goretex- proven and doesn't need to be washed and reproofed as often as hyvent etc. Avoid regatta, craghoppers etc as they generally aren't very breathable.

This will be a much better option than one thick heavy coat. Good brands for these: Rab, Mountain Equipment.

For leg wear you may get away with just a pair of technical trousers but take some merino base layer bottoms just incase- plenty to choose from but Helly Hansen are well respected.


Socks- smart wool are good, get some that match the season you will be going.

Gaiters- personal choice if you decide to go for them again I prefer goretex.

Boots- as others have said you will need crampon compatible boots if you decide to go down that route, Cotswold outdoors is a good option as you can find a boot with the right amount of flex and get measured properly.
Once you have these items go out and test them to see what works and what you might need to add to them. Once you have these items down to a level where you are happy then I would start to consider utensils, stoves etc.