Scientific Kit List.

[Old Bones]

Postgrad research? If your lucky, you can get out of fieldwork entirely, by saying you just so busy (thats what I did for my PhD).

The first thing to ask is - why walking? I can understand if the sites are all clustered close together, and there is no real access otherwise, but on the whole, I'd drive when I can, and walk when I must. Its faster and more comfortable.

If your walking, then weight really is an issue. A two man tent would be better than a one man, and something like the Zephyos 2 (which is what I've got) might work - relatively light, but not stupidly small. A big pack with small lightweight stuff would perhaps be the way to go, but its not the cheapest approach. I certainly would not want to live for a week on what I'd cook in a Jetboil....

Laying up is really important, and I'd think the same way about work clothes. A jumpsuit/overalls are fine until is boiling hot, or it gets sodden. Old shirts, tops, etc are all much more flexible.

TKMaxx is a good place to fine bargains, as long as you do your research, and if your not too chosey about labels, you can do pretty well (A muddy fleece by Craghopper/Regatta is still a fleece). If you have a smart phone, you can check on a brand you've never heard of, since foriegn makes will try to offload their excess stock in the UK, to avoid people finding it cheap in the home market. But dont forget Cotswolds, etc either - some good bulk deals and flash sales as well.

The weather? Its SCotland, so who knows? There are plenty of websites which will give you averages for a particular location, but try to be flexible - if its the wettestand coldest June in 30 years, its no good tuning up in sandals.

I got the tip about Podsac from the bargain thread on Outdoormagic http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/forum/gear/5.html , and there is also a thread for TKMaxx bargains as well. Keep an eye on the forum generally, becuase there is a lot of useful info. Frankly, I'd ask the same question as you did there on that forum as well. I think there are a couple of geologists on the fourms, and one is an archaeologist. They might also have useful advice.

I'd think about whether walking is the best idea - your not just walking, your working, and for six weeks. I'd car camp if I could, its just going to be more comfortable.

 

[rik_uk3]

As others have said, go for a bigger tent. You need something you can at least sit up in and get out of wet clothes easily; plus if the weather is really bad you may need to (at your own risk) cook in the tent/porch.

 

[coolerking]

Forgive me if it has been mentioned already but i couldnt see it.

Tent, your going to be putting it up and taking it down a hell of a lot in that time, anything can happen, even to the most experiencesd amongst us, it may be worth having a bit of a repair kit and if you can, possibly a spare in the car? A cheap tent may not stand to that 'abuse'.

 

[Toddy]

Everything OldBones said +1

The first item on your kit list ought to be a Beaton's Midge Jacket.
Do not skimp on this. Trust us, we live and play here. This is a necessity if you do not want to be beyond miserable.
They are worth every penny.

The midgies do not fly in windy weather, they do not fly in full sun, but that leaves cool, overcast, and dawn and dusk for them to make life hell. The clegs are worse, but thankfully rarer.

You need a tent with a midge proof (not mozzie proof, but midge proof) mesh door. Trying to escape midgies in a coffin tent is an exercise in futility….and it's damned miserable to try to spend any longer than sleeping time in one.

Clothing for yomping is not worth spending silly money on; it all gets knackered (+1 to what OldBones said there too) army gortex waterproofs from Endicott's….phone Kev and tell him what you're doing and he'll sort you out decent kit very cheaply indeed. It can be perishing cold even in Summer, especially if you're up high here. It's not so much the rain but the wind chill that makes like miserable, so good waterproofs are worth the weight of carrying them. But, the kit you're lugging and where you're going will shred kit, so the army goretex ones are worth it. They take a lot of hard use and still keep you dry (or windfree warm)


Wellies are beyond brilliant….good wellies that is. If you can afford muck boots your feet will bless you though
Otherwise pure wool socks and just keep drying your feet off every chance you get.

Campsites usually have a wee shop, but they sell small, so they can't compete with the supermarkets. It makes them expensive. Suss out supermarkets or Nisa shops to stock up at the weekends.

You could have beautiful sunny weather, with no midges and hot humid nights, so you need sunblock and a hat and that mesh in the tent so that you can actually get some sleep in a sticky hot tent.

There are a lot of folks on the forum who live or play up here, many have geology in their backgrounds and would probably be happy to meet up and walk with you.
Don't know if you're interested in that, but some idea of where you're going and when and folks could quietly get in touch.

Best of luck with it

Toddy

 

[Nemesis]

IIRC Avon 'Skin so Soft' moisturiser is meant to be great midge repellant.

 

[cranmere]

I spent 3 weeks on Dartmoor doing my degree study (ecology of upland peat bogs) and enjoyed it. Whatever else you take, a tent that has enough room for you, your kit and a bit of spare space is invaluable. You don't want to be shuffling stuff around every time you move. One with at least a small porch so that you can get in when you are soaking wet and remove your outer clothes and boots without taking water into the tent, alternatively a small tarp that you can rig to give you a relatively dry admin area.
Be paranoid about keeping your sleeping bag dry.
A sheet of polythene that you can use as an extra groundsheet is very useful.
And what they said about the midges.

 

[Paul_B]

Agree with zephyros 2 tent but whatever tent you choose take into account internal length needs to be at least 20cm longer than your height. I say this as I'm about 2m tall and I can't fit in tents with a claimed 220cm internal length. You lose length with the slope of the end walls and pitching on irregular surfaces can mean the tent is not set-up at its full length. Most lightweight tents are tiny if you're tall. Length is not the only issue, I've never been able to sit up in any backpacking tent.

Good kit lasts longer IMHO. I've not personally found the good kit being more prone to damage than cheap stuff. If you've got good walking clothes, jackets, trousers, etc then they'll probably last ok. I've done enough rough scrambling on igneous rock over the years to know my good kit can cope. I used to use buffalo windshirt when volunteering for conservation groups doing everything from dry stone walking to tree felling to scrub clearance to woodland management and many other activities too. I've snagged it many times without a rip, tear, hole or any other damage.
Jetboil is not what I'd give room on any kit list and definitely not for a long term use. Car camping use it's a two ring stove and one of those heavy gas canisters. Prefer camping gaz to the other brand but that's personal preference. That way you'll be able to cook real food. Suggest a good remote can gas stove from likes of primus or optimus. Even cheapo Vango will do but search for fire maple brand. Chinese firm who makes branded stuff for a lot of expensive and cheap brands from Vango to optimus to... well if it has some components bright red or other bright color it's likely to be fire maple.

 

[Paul_B]

Try out any possible sacks out before buying. If the store hasn't got weights, which any decent shop should have them, then take something in with you. You need to know if the sack fits you comfortably with the weights as close to your intended kit weight as possible. I love the crux ak47 sack, it is light, tough, right size for me, etc, but the straps did not fit me which I only found out after putting in 10kg of weights in the store. Would have been an expensive mistake if I hadn't tried it out properly. Well you'd do the same sort of testing for boots in store so why not sacks?

Skin so soft from Avon changed it's formula a few years back so make sure you get the blue green bottle. The other variants might not work well. It doesn't repel just the midges stick to it on your skin but can't bite.

Different areas have different midge levels and from experience I believe different repellents work in.different areas. Can't remember now but some repellents work well in the east but not at all in the west. Take a few from Quran, feet based (permethrin is just a less effective version I think), wilmas Nordic summer (leaves you smellinglike pine wood smoke though) and even citronella based ones. Can get tea lights with citronella, fit one in a uco micro-candle lantern and it might help while giving you light too.

Cheap tents might not have midge proof mesh doors and vents. Or they are the wrong side so you have to open the mesh to open the solid door for venting, allowing midges in. Nothing worse than hearing a midge in the tent after you've bedded down. Cue the midge clap dance to kill it.

 

[Old Bones]

Agree with zephyros 2 tent but whatever tent you choose take into account internal length needs to be at least 20cm longer than your height.

Totally agree. I bought the Zephyros 2 because it was the best tradeoff I could find between size, weight and price (and when I tried it, I liked it). If I was basically car camping, which is what think 1jack1pike really is or should be doing, then a 3 man tent sounds much more like it. If your on what is basically a 6 week field trip, being comfortable is key.

 

[tiger stacker]

Just a thought, when recording this information/data, will you be tallying up at night time? A camping seat or stool does make a difference, if a trek from the car.