TGO 24 list so far....
- Thread starter Rob Mac
- Start date
On my Challenges I used the old maxim of “plan for the worst and hope for the best”. Everyone has different comfort/weight trade offs. The things I considered were:
1. how would I manage several cold, wet days in a row?
2. how would I manage hot sunny days (don’t forget sun screen and a hat!)?
3. how would I manage river crossings (footwear, trekking poles)?
4. would my tent stand up to high winds/rain (I used a Scarp 1 on three Challenges and a Tramplite on one)?
5. I took an extra set of clothes for hotels and so I could wash my clothes in civilisation.
6. did I have enough pairs of socks to rotate and wash?
7. it’s a holiday!
You will probably have different trade offs to me, but that’s your decision. I used a Mariposa on all my Challenges and found it ideal. If you are restocking with food from small supermarkets you often end up with more bulk than normal so having a bit of spare capacity can be useful.
1. how would I manage several cold, wet days in a row?
2. how would I manage hot sunny days (don’t forget sun screen and a hat!)?
3. how would I manage river crossings (footwear, trekking poles)?
4. would my tent stand up to high winds/rain (I used a Scarp 1 on three Challenges and a Tramplite on one)?
5. I took an extra set of clothes for hotels and so I could wash my clothes in civilisation.
6. did I have enough pairs of socks to rotate and wash?
7. it’s a holiday!
You will probably have different trade offs to me, but that’s your decision. I used a Mariposa on all my Challenges and found it ideal. If you are restocking with food from small supermarkets you often end up with more bulk than normal so having a bit of spare capacity can be useful.
Rob Mac
Backpacker
Great questions and a sensible way to plan what is in the bag. Most of the above is taken into account with what I have but the all important weather forecast will help me decide on tent (Scarp or Duplex) and therefore pad (swap in the Exped if Duplex).
With shorts and a fleece I am ok for washing the rest of the kit plus can sit in a pub wearing anything and I find the longer I sit the less self conscious I get!!
Yep - definitely a holiday and for me the route planning, food parcel planning (am resupplying my self) and kit planning is all part of it. However, I do appreciate that if you don't take the correct kit you open yourself up to a cold and miserable time!
This thread has helped immensely and I will continue to tweak! Thanks again.
With shorts and a fleece I am ok for washing the rest of the kit plus can sit in a pub wearing anything and I find the longer I sit the less self conscious I get!!
Yep - definitely a holiday and for me the route planning, food parcel planning (am resupplying my self) and kit planning is all part of it. However, I do appreciate that if you don't take the correct kit you open yourself up to a cold and miserable time!
This thread has helped immensely and I will continue to tweak! Thanks again.
edh
Thru Hiker
Why not?
I pretty much take the same stuff all the time, or pretty near, it depends on what you need to be comfortable; mountain weather forecasts are not reliable.
Deviations from this are for hard routes (infrequent at the mo) when I try and cut weight to the bone - and that is normally in terrain and climes where I know what to expect.
Rob Mac
Backpacker
HI - Yes, I appreciate the changing weather conditions and although will use long range weather forecast, I also appreciate weather is always changeable!
I am only planning so far out because I enjoy it- such as planning an Iceland Trek (will probably be in 2025) and The Beacons Way (January) - all part of the trekking / long distance walking hobby! No doubt it will all change. If I remember I will post the kit list again just before I leave and see what the changes have been.
cathyjc
Thru Hiker
i have a partner who likes to plan holidays/travel years in advance - a whole string of them from next year to forever.
His ideas change frequently so I can never remember any of it - drives me bonkers - so now I just demure with a "yes dear" ......
Hi Rob
I managed with a 42l bag this year though I think that only works if you’ve plenty of room in external pockets and 2-3 resupplies. I was right on the limit (for me) of using a frameless bag when full but it was fine when part of the food had been eaten!
The alternative to a spare pair of crocs is something like bread bag type plastic bags to wear with your dry socks in wet shoes.
I took a WM astralite quilt this year and I was a bit cold on a couple of nights (despite it being warm during the day I had a couple of frosty nights). I think like most things I would tailor my gear depending on route and weather forecast. No experience of EE but when I was reading up about quilts there didn’t seem to be much love/trust for their temperature ratings. I’d probably have gone for a Cumulus quilt if I’d not found the WM quilt. My quilt was used with a short Neoair xlite plus a trimmed 3mm piece of evazote (more to prevent slipping than for warmth).
Fuel - did you use all 480g? I took around that much but by the time that I’d eaten in cafes/pubs etc en route I didn’t need as I much I expected so I tried to be pretty ruthless about chucking excess fuel. The alternative I’m going to look at is taking a smaller amount and either re supply from a shop or switching to solid fuel tablets and posting those with resupply parcels.
I think conditions will dictate what I take next year plus how high I want to camp.
cheers Mike
I managed with a 42l bag this year though I think that only works if you’ve plenty of room in external pockets and 2-3 resupplies. I was right on the limit (for me) of using a frameless bag when full but it was fine when part of the food had been eaten!
The alternative to a spare pair of crocs is something like bread bag type plastic bags to wear with your dry socks in wet shoes.
I took a WM astralite quilt this year and I was a bit cold on a couple of nights (despite it being warm during the day I had a couple of frosty nights). I think like most things I would tailor my gear depending on route and weather forecast. No experience of EE but when I was reading up about quilts there didn’t seem to be much love/trust for their temperature ratings. I’d probably have gone for a Cumulus quilt if I’d not found the WM quilt. My quilt was used with a short Neoair xlite plus a trimmed 3mm piece of evazote (more to prevent slipping than for warmth).
Fuel - did you use all 480g? I took around that much but by the time that I’d eaten in cafes/pubs etc en route I didn’t need as I much I expected so I tried to be pretty ruthless about chucking excess fuel. The alternative I’m going to look at is taking a smaller amount and either re supply from a shop or switching to solid fuel tablets and posting those with resupply parcels.
I think conditions will dictate what I take next year plus how high I want to camp.
cheers Mike