There's nowt worse than a grade one packing frenzy with piles of
kit silently demanding to be stashed in your sack and dragged off for
a day in the hills. But do you really need to pack a pair of spare
wicking boxer shorts? And what about those boxing gloves your sister
told you would come in useful for beating off hungry sheep?
Yep, it's a dreadful dilemma, but follow our Beginner's Basics kit
list and advice and you'll have more of what you need and less of
what you don't. Bear in mind that there are no hard and fast rules,
as you gather more experience, you'll get a better idea of what you
need and what's just a pointless burden...
Navigational Necessities
You
should always carry a map - preferably of the area you're
walking in - and a compass. If you're part of a group, aim to
have a spare of both, just in case. GPS is fine, but like anything
with electrical components and batteries, it can fail leaving you
helpless. Bear in mind too that GPS works less well with tree cover
and sometimes under thick cloud.
If you're using a guide book, consider photocopying the
relevant pages pages and popping them in a zip-lock bag for weather
protection. Laminated maps are great for wet conditions, but an
alternative solution is the excellent Ortlieb map case.
A Mobile Phone
No one
is saying you have to carry a mobile, but it's a fact that it
can be a lifesaver in emergency situations and increasing numbers of
mountain rescue call-outs are made using mobiles. Bear in mind
though, that network coverage is patchy in many upland areas, so you
can't rely on it. Again, batteries can run out.
If you do feel you need to call help, use some common sense. If
it's a genuine emergency, call mountain rescue by using 999, but work
out your location first to avoid the archetypal, 'hello, we're lost'
conversation... Finally, be aware that many people enjoy the solitude
of being in the mountains, so your call home from the summit of Ben
Hopeless may not be appreciated by everyone else huddled in the
summit shelter.
Emergency Shelter
You
should carry some form of emergency shelter, even if it's a group
one, which in any case will allow you to share body heat. Forget
about space blankets and bags, most are prone to tearing and instead
opt for a classic emergency polythene bivvy bag. Not light,
but very effective.
The next step up is a group shelter like the Karrimor KISSU
or Vango's Storm shelter. Generally you sit on your pack and pull the
umbrella-like shelter over the entire group. Combined warmth and
shelter from wind and rain makes these very effective.
Big organised groups sometimes carry sleeping bags in
winter conditions, but for individuals it's not really a realistic
option, though a down jacket may be. The heavier your pack, the
slower you're going to move, so be realistic about what you can
carry.
Rucksac Liner
A basic polythene bag-type liner will keep the contents of
your pack dry in wet UK conditions. The next step up is a proper
dri-bag style liner with roll-over seal like the ones from Berghaus
which are more durable and seal better. If your pack has a waterproof
cover you can get away without.
First Aid Kit
You
should always carry a basic first aid kit to tend to minor
injuries. You'll want to be able to cope with cuts, grazes and minor
injuries, but not open heart surgery in the hills so be realistic.
One answer is a made-up mountain kit from the likes of Gregson, but
it's easy enough to make your own. Bascics include a selection of
plasters, some antiseptic wipes to clean cuts and grazes, crepe
bandage, some sterile dressings, zinc oxide tape, antiseptic cream
and a triangular bandage in case you need to construct a sling.
Add to that some blister treatments - Compeed works well - and
possibly some aspirin or paracetemol to cope with headaches and
rehydration salts for, erm, rehydration.
Spare Cothing
A
fraught business, spare clothing. Some people insist on bringing
along most of their wardrobe, others will happily venture out with
nothing at all. In serious winter conditons, we'd definitely carry
some form of light, compressible, insulating garment - either
a light fleece or a synthetically filled top using something like
Primaloft in case you have to stop for an extended period.
We'd also, in serious winter conditions, carry a spare hat and
gloves. The hat could make the difference between life and death
in really cold conditions since you lose so much heat through your
head and it'd be a shame to die just because you've dropped you hat
off the edge of a cliff...
Food And Water
All the
time you're out, you'll be burning calories and consuming water which
you'll lose in the form of perspiration. What you eat is partly down
to personal taste - dried fruit, fig rolls, muesli bars, bananas and
so on - but try to avoid high fat snacks while actually walking. You
should also carry some sort of emergency stash of high energy
food. Chocolate is a good option, but too tempting in
non-mergency craving scenarios. Kendal Mint Cake is so sicky that
it'll lie undisturbed in your pack for years... A proper lunch,
sarnies and fruit for example, is great for morale and an energy top
up.
We reckon the optimum solution for water is a hydration
system - aim to consume between 500ml and a liter per hour
depending on how hot it is - and a three-litre bladder works well,
though it won't fit in some packs, so check before buying. There's
nothing wrong with a humble water bottle of course, try to remember
to drink regularly - try setting a timer on your watch to go off
every 15 minutes for example - but it is less convenient.
Torch and Whistle
In the
days when head torches were the same size as small cars, the decision
to carry one was always borderline. Now that LED lights are tiny,
there's no excuse not to. Ditto an emergency whistle to attract
attention.
Speaking of which, the recognised 'I've ballsed up' signal is six
successive quick blasts of the whistle or flashes of the torch, wait
a minute, then repeat, until someone saves you.
Bits and Bobs
Of
course there are lots of other bits and bobs you can carry to some or
no particular advantage. A Swiss Army knife is great for opening
bottles of wine or skinning rabbits, duct tape - wrap it round a used
35mm film canister, often comes in handy, and you can, of course,
always carry a camera to capture those classic sheep attack
moments.
Sun cream and insect repellant as required should also be on your
list along with chapstick / lip balm and possibly sun glasses, if
you're an eternal optimist...
Boxing
Gloves
Hey, we were joking about the boxing gloves, if a sheep's after
your lunch box, you're better off using your feet either on the sheep
itself, or if things get really ugly, to run away...
Our advice is to treat all sheep with extreme caution,
particlularly those evil bleaters who hang around Kinder Downfall
preying on hapless walkers. See also first aid kit, above...
More
Help and Advice
Hopefully this article will have given you some basic pointers.
The good news is that there's a load more advice on
OUTDOORSmagic:
- Ask on the gear
forum about general issues or specific items.
- Check the member
reviews section for user experiences of kit.
- See OM editorial reviews on the front of the site for our
impressions.
- Ask
Richard Gear if you have a specific question you need
answering.
