Gear list for the Tay catchment walk
Two days until I start walking. I've had a sense of ground rush this week. A million jobs to do and suddenly so little time to do them. Add in trying to spend as much time as possible with my girls, and finishing a work assignment (although I'm officially on sabbatical now), and the week has flown away from me.
At least now the kit list is finalised and my bag is packed. I haven't weighed it - I probably should but don't have the means to do it and frankly it's not a priority. I think I've honed it down to what I really need without compromising safety and a modicum of comfort. It's heavy but bearable, and would have been a lot heavier if I hadn't changed my thoughts on a few things - that is, got real about weight.
The two big purchases have been a PHD Minim 300 down bag in their recent spring sale, and a Gossamer Gear Mariposa pack from Backpacking Light UK. The overall weight saving, compared with the old synthetic bag and Berghaus Vulcan pack I was originally planning to use, is about 2.5kgs. That's hard to ignore. The Mariposa pack is a masterpiece of design in my opinion. Yes it's spare, light and minimal, but it's the pockets that make it as well. The long side pocket can take a shelter and the big mesh pocket on the bag can be stuffed with rain gear, making it easy to keep your dry things and wet things separate. It's remarkably waterproof as well. The Dyneema material doesn't soak up water and get heavy and soggy like others do.
I may not have made my own gear, but my Mum has: a woollen jumper, which I'm taking instead of a down jacket, and a pair of wool socks.
Anyway, here's the full and (almost certainly) final kit list, now packed along with a couple of days' worth of food and fuel to get me to Kirriemuir:
At least now the kit list is finalised and my bag is packed. I haven't weighed it - I probably should but don't have the means to do it and frankly it's not a priority. I think I've honed it down to what I really need without compromising safety and a modicum of comfort. It's heavy but bearable, and would have been a lot heavier if I hadn't changed my thoughts on a few things - that is, got real about weight.
The two big purchases have been a PHD Minim 300 down bag in their recent spring sale, and a Gossamer Gear Mariposa pack from Backpacking Light UK. The overall weight saving, compared with the old synthetic bag and Berghaus Vulcan pack I was originally planning to use, is about 2.5kgs. That's hard to ignore. The Mariposa pack is a masterpiece of design in my opinion. Yes it's spare, light and minimal, but it's the pockets that make it as well. The long side pocket can take a shelter and the big mesh pocket on the bag can be stuffed with rain gear, making it easy to keep your dry things and wet things separate. It's remarkably waterproof as well. The Dyneema material doesn't soak up water and get heavy and soggy like others do.
I may not have made my own gear, but my Mum has: a woollen jumper, which I'm taking instead of a down jacket, and a pair of wool socks.
Anyway, here's the full and (almost certainly) final kit list, now packed along with a couple of days' worth of food and fuel to get me to Kirriemuir:
| CLOTHING | ||
| Waterproof jacket (Rab Myriad) | ||
| Waterproof overtrousers (Berghaus Gore-tex Paclite) | ||
| Trekmates Gore-tex gaiters | ||
| Windbreaker (Montane Lite-speed) | ||
| Hand-knitted woollen jumper | ||
| Berghaus pullover fleece | Half-length zip | |
| Merino wool base layer long-sleeve T (Quechua) | ||
| Merino wool base layer short-sleeve T (Quechua) | ||
| Shorts (Trespass) | ||
| Trousers (Quechua Forclaz 900) | ||
| Merino wool socks (Smartwool lite) | ||
| Merino wool socks (Icebreaker mid) | ||
| Hand-knitted woollen socks | For sleeping | |
| Merino wool briefs | ||
| Merino wool briefs (spare) | ||
| Merino wool leggings (Quechua) | ||
| Light fleece gloves (Berghaus Polartec) | ||
| Rain mitts (Mountain Laurel Designs) | ||
| Liner gloves (Quechua) | ||
| Trekmates Gore-tex mountain cap | ||
| Sun hat | ||
| Buff | ||
| FOOTWEAR | ||
| Plimsolls | For indoors wear on rest days. | |
| Alt-Berg Tethera boots | ||
| SHELTER/SLEEPING | ||
| MLD Trailstar | ||
| Peg & stake set | ||
| Bathtub groundsheet (Oookworks) | Multi-shelter groundsheet, second hand | |
| MLD ultralight bivi bag | ||
| Sleeping bag (PHD Minim 300) | ||
| Silk sleeping bag liner | ||
| Neo-air Xlite thermarest | Full length | |
| KITCHEN | ||
| Trail Designs Sidewinder Ti-Tri stove system | With inferno wood-burning insert | |
| Evernew 900ml pot | Meths burner in ziploc tub and fire grate inside | |
| Pot grab | Tiny rubber thingy from ULOG, weighs next to nothing | |
| Pot cosy | Home made from BPLUK kit | |
| Esbit (x6) | ||
| Meths | Carry 500mls meths at a time | |
| Waterproof / windproof matches | ||
| Firesteel | ||
| 2 x Lighters | ||
| Plastic caddy for stove, esbit, lighters, matches (doubles as mug and bowl) | ||
| Pure Hydration 3-litre bladder | ||
| Pure Hydration in-line filter | ||
| Titanium folding spork | ||
| Swiss army knife | ||
| Half a sponge/scourer | ||
| Lifeventure soap in dispenser | ||
| Cloth | ||
| WASH / HYGIENE / PERSONAL | ||
| Plastic toilet trowel | ||
| Biodegradable loo roll | ||
| A few plastic bags for rubbish | ||
| Lifeventure trekking towel (small) | ||
| Tick-out | ||
| Insect repellent | ||
| Sunscreen (50+ SPF) | Probably optimistic | |
| Toothbrush | ||
| Toothpaste | ||
| Dental floss | ||
| Cotton wool balls | Smear with Vaseline for firelighters | |
| Vaseline | ||
| Hand sanitiser gel in dispenser | ||
| Gewohl foot cream | ||
| FIRST AID / REPAIRS | ||
| Dioralyte sachets | ||
| Regular plasters | ||
| Blister plasters | ||
| Antiseptic wipes | ||
| Ibuprofen | ||
| Allergy / hay fever tablets | ||
| Daktarin | In case of athlete's foot | |
| Germolene | ||
| Paracord | ||
| Bungee cord | ||
| Duct tape | Wound around trekking poles | |
| Trailstar repair (small tube seam grip + silnylon patch) | ||
| Elastic bands | ||
| Therm-a-rest repair kit | ||
| READING, WRITING, PHOTOGRAPHY, COMMUNICATION | ||
| Rite-in-the-Rain notebook | ||
| Pencil | ||
| Plastic travelcard holder with bank card, SYHA card & cash | ||
| e-reader | Could manage without charger? Very long battery life. | |
| Phone + charger | ||
| Camera and bag, Gorilla joby tripod | ||
| Filters | ||
| Camera battery charger | ||
| Spare camera battery | ||
| USB cable for camera | ||
| Zoom HD1 recorder, soft case and windshield | ||
| Spare AA battery | ||
| Head torch | ||
| LOAD CARRYING | ||
| Gossamer Gear Mariposa | Includes hip belt | |
| 1 x 70 litre dry bag | Clothes stuffsack, sleeping bag + silk liner | |
| Large Vango stuffsack | Clothes | |
| 2 x 10 litre dry bags | Food and camera gear | |
| 2 x 5 litre dry bags | Bivi bag and thermarest; hats, gloves, windshirt | |
| 2 x 1 litre dry bags | Tech stuff (Kindle, phone), and 1st aid/repairs stuff | |
| Rainproof rucksack cover (Lifeventure) | 50-70ltrs | |
| Trekking poles (Black Diamond Trail flicklock, pair) |
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