It's early days, but, as my gear choices remain more or less the same year-on-year, I've arrived at my gear list for the The Great Outdoors Challenge in May next year.
My choice is dictated by the need to be comfortable and safe in the sort of conditions I could expect to find in Scotland in May. In other words, 4 seasons.
I've finally treated myself to an accurate pair of scales. Previously I used a spring balance - as used by fisher-folk.
The list is virtually the same as last year and the combination of gear which can be worn inside my sleeping bag means that I can be comfortable in temperatures that dip well below freezing.
Here is the excerpt from my spreedsheet:
| Shelter and sleeping | Weights in grms | |
| Tramplite Cuben Shelter | 675 | |
| Wickes secondary glasing film | 105 | |
| Stakes - Easton Alloys in bag | 155 | |
| PHD Minim Marathon S/Bag | 545 | |
| Thermorest Xlite sleeping mat | 365 | |
| Inflation bag for Xlite mat | 98 | |
| Exped Pillow | 46 | |
| Cuben dry bags | 45 | |
| 2034 | ||
| Wearing | ||
| Montane special edition trousers | 421 | |
| OR short gaiters | 203 | |
| Rohan pants | 45 | |
| Smartwool Socks | 93 | |
| Innov8 290 mids | 888 | |
| Marmot Dri-clime vest | 215 | |
| Arctyrx LS merino base top | 320 | |
| Rab Boreas | 291 | |
| 2476 | ||
| Carrying | ||
| Gossamer Gear Gorilla pack | 920 | |
| Extremities fleece gloves | 52 | |
| Extremities Tuff Bags | 75 | |
| Buffalo Mitts | 80 | |
| Black Rock Down Hat | 28 | |
| Montane Cap | 67 | |
| Buff | 37 | |
| PHD Alpamayo Smock | 463 | |
| Berghaus Paclite waterproofs | 231 | |
| Bed socks (liner socks) | 33 | |
| Arctyrx Squarmish windshirt | 169 | |
| PHD 1000 fill Vest | 94 | |
| Rohan Spark Top | 239 | |
| As Tucas Sestrals trousers | 210 | |
| Rab SS top | 86 | |
| Spare Rohan Pants | 45 | |
| 2 prs Rohan Boxer pants | 84 | |
| Spare Smartwool socks | 93 | |
| Hi Tec Zuuks | 351 | |
| PHD Down Socks | 127 | |
| Compass | 42 | |
| Maps | 300 | |
| MSR Blizzard Stake (toilet trowel | 20 | |
| Kitchen Roll (toilet paper) | 30 | |
| Tissues | 30 | |
| Petzl E-lite | 27 | |
| Credit card + rail pass | 25 | |
| Reading glasses in case | 102 | |
| First Aid Kit | 151 | |
| Leatherman knife | 58 | |
| Easy Acc Charger 10000mAh | 233 | |
| Leads and plugs | 68 | |
| HTC One M9 | 181 | |
| Headphones | 12 | |
| Toothbrush | 15 | |
| Dr. Bronners liquid soap | 26 | |
| Small towel | 73 | |
| Black Diamond Carbon Poles | 503 | |
| 5380 | ||
| Kitchen | ||
| DX Stove and Stand | 103 | |
| Tibetan 900 Pot | 152 | |
| Kichen roll | 30 | |
| Windshield (radiator insulation) | 38 | |
| Lighter and matches | 34 | |
| Pouch for dehydrated meals | 30 | |
| Fuel bottles x 3 | 372 | |
| 3 1L collapsable bottles | 90 | |
| Zip lock pee bags x 3 | 22 | |
| 871 | ||
| Other | ||
| 3 days food | 1800 | |
| Whisky x 3 | 372 | |
| 2172 |
Weight worn and carried comes to 10761 grms.
With food and whisky for 3 days total weight worn and carried comes to 12933 grms.
Weight carried comes to 10457 grms which includes 3 days food and whisky.
Every piece of gear has been well tried and tested.
It's my list - born from experience - and is not necessarily what may suit others.
Berghaus Paclite waterproofs 231gms? Mine weigh more.
ReplyDeleteIt would be helpful if people mentioned how much gear weighs when wet. The Hilleberg Enan, for example is about 5lb wet, and in the UK one would often have to carry it wet all day. Useful list though: thanks.
Should have said waterproof overtrousers.
DeleteI appreciate that gear weighs more when wet, but it would be hard to weigh wet gear. To my knowledge, all gear lists are dry weight.
Cuben fibre doesn't absorb water as much as Silnylon, but any wet tent and pack will add to the weight.
Your pack weight always impresses!
ReplyDeleteYour pack weight always impresses!
ReplyDeleteGordon i know this is going to sound like a daft question but what's the wickes secondry glazing film for .
ReplyDeleteI will make a guess Chris, Tent footprint.
DeleteNot daft at all, Chris.
DeleteI use it under the outer to protect, and, keep clean, the cuben floor of the inner. I use more than is absolutely necessary. I used it when I had my Trailstar and bivy. It's very strong, cheap and light.
Exactly, Alan.... :-)
DeleteNice list Gordon - I too use a Gorilla and PHD smock and rate them both highly. How would you say your Tramplite shelter compares to the Trailstar? My fingers are hovering over the 'pay now' tab on the MLD site but I keep hesitating in case something comes along that might be better suited to Scottish weather. I'm also looking at some offerings from Tarptent and Trekkertent. Interested to know why you decided to part with the TS in the end.
ReplyDeleteCheers. Pete, Scotland.
Hi Pete, the Trailstar is a great shelter and I still miss it in many ways. The main issue I had was that an inner would have been too cramped. I used a bivy bag for the years I had it. I was OK with this, but, the Tramplite was a totally different story. Colin Ibbotson is tall and he designed the "prototype" to fit him (even though he used an MLD inner at first). It had a Trailstaresque pedigree ( based on Trailstar and Cricket)and will take storms just as well. I love it. Having an inner is a big plus over a bivy bag - especially when the weight is so low.
DeleteTarptent and Trekkertents have their fans, but I don't know how good they'd be in Scottish weather.
I'd press "pay now" on an MLD Trailstar without hesitation. I only sold it on when I got the Tramplite.
Great to see a kit list for this years challenge. Maybe our paths will cross in Scotland as im on it!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mark. I hope you have a good Challenge crossing. I enjoy the prospect of meeting both old and new folk on the Challenge. It's what makes it such an enjoyable experience.
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