Taken: Used or considered necessary (continued)
Swedish cold weather hat, pile lined, supplied by Endicotts, water proofed with Fabsil, worn once, but taken in case the wind picked up or it rained/snowed.
Pocket SAS survival guide​, taken for reference, not used.
Shemagh, worn as a scarf, used to carry snow for melting.
Snood, thinner hat, neck warmer, impromptu filter.
Candle Lantern, and several tealight candles, was going to be used to light and warm the tent.
Large black bin liner, not used, intended as pack liner or emergency vapour barrier.
Ice Grippers, not used, but might have proven useful.
Self heating hand warmer, used in my sleeping bag.
Battery Pack, taken to charge phone and MP3 Player, tried to use it but the cable failed.
MP3 Player, used on second day to fill the silence.
Taken, not used, would be left behind or alternative taken in future.
Tent, Luxe Mini Peak II, next time more likely to take a Hammock +Tarp, given the terrain it would have been more useful.
Crocs, might have used if the snow wasn't there, as it was they were a waste of space and weight.
Tent pegs, no use if you cant reach the ground.
900g Down Sleeping bag, intended as a liner if I were to cold, not used as I slept clothed, and given how the snow was difficult to keep out of my kit would have most likely been wet before to long. If I were to take another bag it would have to be a Softie Merlin 3, to me the same thermal value, same weight, and synthetic.
Fallkniven S1, taken originally as my primary knife, opted to use Mora instead, did not really need two knives.
Carry on Bag, didn't take up to much space, but 400g could have been saved if I used the side pouches instead, Taken to carry most of the extra kit listed above.
Softie Trousers, not used, the long johns and tracksuit bottoms were more than sufficient.
Should have Taken, would have made the space/weight work some-way.
Snow Shovel, available at less than a kilo in weight, would have made things a little easier.
Snow Shoes, would have made walking a lot easier, more packable than skis, and I don't know how to ski
A Hammock, would have made sleeping and resting a whole lot easier.
Milbank Bag, with a decent fire setup, would have made melting snow a little more pleasant, if slower.
Food was mainly flapjacks, Peperamis , belvita honey nut choc biscuits, two dehydrated meals, two ready to eat bacon and bean rations, noodles and instant mash, and two chorizos, and some snickers, figured around 3000 calories a day, weight came in at 5.4 kilos
I might be tempted to go to Norway again in the future, but unlikely on my own, and I would definitely see what the previous weeks weather had been like, ask a local the conditions and be better prepared, also change Kit to keep the weight down and consider only the essentials.
The trip helped me realise that my life isn't so bad, that when pushed I can function, and there is always an exit strategy, maybe not the one you want or with the best outcome, but a change can be made. I still feel down, sometimes really depressed, but I am learning to cope with it, and am trying to make changes without fear.
In the words of John Carter, "I Still Live"
Swedish cold weather hat, pile lined, supplied by Endicotts, water proofed with Fabsil, worn once, but taken in case the wind picked up or it rained/snowed.
Pocket SAS survival guide​, taken for reference, not used.
Shemagh, worn as a scarf, used to carry snow for melting.
Snood, thinner hat, neck warmer, impromptu filter.
Candle Lantern, and several tealight candles, was going to be used to light and warm the tent.
Large black bin liner, not used, intended as pack liner or emergency vapour barrier.
Ice Grippers, not used, but might have proven useful.
Self heating hand warmer, used in my sleeping bag.
Battery Pack, taken to charge phone and MP3 Player, tried to use it but the cable failed.
MP3 Player, used on second day to fill the silence.
Taken, not used, would be left behind or alternative taken in future.
Tent, Luxe Mini Peak II, next time more likely to take a Hammock +Tarp, given the terrain it would have been more useful.
Crocs, might have used if the snow wasn't there, as it was they were a waste of space and weight.
Tent pegs, no use if you cant reach the ground.
900g Down Sleeping bag, intended as a liner if I were to cold, not used as I slept clothed, and given how the snow was difficult to keep out of my kit would have most likely been wet before to long. If I were to take another bag it would have to be a Softie Merlin 3, to me the same thermal value, same weight, and synthetic.
Fallkniven S1, taken originally as my primary knife, opted to use Mora instead, did not really need two knives.
Carry on Bag, didn't take up to much space, but 400g could have been saved if I used the side pouches instead, Taken to carry most of the extra kit listed above.
Softie Trousers, not used, the long johns and tracksuit bottoms were more than sufficient.
Should have Taken, would have made the space/weight work some-way.
Snow Shovel, available at less than a kilo in weight, would have made things a little easier.
Snow Shoes, would have made walking a lot easier, more packable than skis, and I don't know how to ski
A Hammock, would have made sleeping and resting a whole lot easier.
Milbank Bag, with a decent fire setup, would have made melting snow a little more pleasant, if slower.
Food was mainly flapjacks, Peperamis , belvita honey nut choc biscuits, two dehydrated meals, two ready to eat bacon and bean rations, noodles and instant mash, and two chorizos, and some snickers, figured around 3000 calories a day, weight came in at 5.4 kilos
I might be tempted to go to Norway again in the future, but unlikely on my own, and I would definitely see what the previous weeks weather had been like, ask a local the conditions and be better prepared, also change Kit to keep the weight down and consider only the essentials.
The trip helped me realise that my life isn't so bad, that when pushed I can function, and there is always an exit strategy, maybe not the one you want or with the best outcome, but a change can be made. I still feel down, sometimes really depressed, but I am learning to cope with it, and am trying to make changes without fear.
In the words of John Carter, "I Still Live"
