TGO 2015 Gear List

Only a few days to the off.

Here is what goes in and on ...............


Shelter and Sleeping

Tramplite Shelter - a hand-made cuben masterpiece with an inner, and weighing in at around

650 grms

Wickes secondary glazing - goes under the cuben floor for protection. 

Stakes - Mix of Tornados (2) Groundhogs (2) and Spears (4). 2 "spares"

PHD Minim 400 - works well with the inner, as it has a full length zip

TheromorestX lite + inflation bag - worked well last year and has done many trips since.

Exped pillow - I'm fed up with lumpy stuffed dry bags

Dry bags 

Wearing

Montane trousers - special edition; good in wind and will shed a few showers.

Integral Designs Short gaiters - keeps out small stones etc.

Rohan Pants - years old and great

Smartwool PHD socks

La Sportiva Wildcat 2s carpet slippers comfort.

Marmot Dri-clime vest - works well under windshirt or just over base.

Buff

Arcteryx LS Merino top - an old favourite.

Carrying

Gossamer Gear Gorilla - eats up all my gear with ease.

Extremities fleece gloves

Extremities Tuff bags

Buffalo Mitts

Black Rock Down hat

OMM beanie

Montane cap

PHD Alpamayo Smock - ace; best waterproof ever.

Berghaus Paclites

Bed socks x 2

Arcteryx Squarmish Windjacket - the best.

PHD Ultra Vest - cosy.

Rohan Spark pullover -  best 40 grm top I've seen. Light and can go over PHD vest.

As Tucas Sestrals - warmth around camp and in sleeping bag.

SS merino top

Spare Rohan pants

Spare Smartwool PHD socks

Hi tec Zuuks

PHD Down socks - worth their weight in saffron. Cosy in sleeping bag.

Compass (2)

Maps - cut up.

TGO Route sheet

MSR Blizzard stake (toilet trowel)

Kitchen roll (toilet paper)

Tissues

Petzl E-lite

Pen and paper

Tool card

Credit card/CAMRAcard/SYHA/Rail pass/tickets

Reading glasses

First aid kit

EasyAcc charger 

HTC One M9 - camera/gps/viewranger mapping/music

Headphones - light in ear ones

Toothbrush - sawn down...

 Dr Bronner's soap - wash everything and "toothpaste"

Tiny towel

Small comb

Hand wash

Footcreme - in tiny zip loc bags

Sunscreen - in tiny zip loc bags

Black Diamond Carbon flicklock poles

Kitchen

DX stove and stand - years old and reliable.

Tibetan 900 mug - holds DX + matches + lighters

Windshield - radiator insulation.

Food pouch 

2 long spoons

Matches and lighters

2L Platypus 

Zip loc pee bags

Others

Food

Meths

Tramplite Shelter ..... more photos

Thanks to Andy Howell - who had the first production model - there are some further photos of this fantastic shelter.

(My "Genius" post has the link to Andy's first Blog post on the Tramplite Shelter.)

I first saw the prototype of this shelter on Colin's Blog, some time ago. I then met Colin in Montrose and saw the shelter for real. Here is the Blog post:

http://www.tramplite.com/2013/10/myog-cuben-fibre-shelter.html#more

After a good discussion with Colin, I has no hesitation in placing an order for it. The only issue was that "it" had not been designed and tested and built.

Colin has developed and built a number of shelters over the years. The prototype that I saw was to be developed and refined .... and tested and further refined. The finished product that Andy now has, and others will get, has been thoroughly tested on Colin's last trip:

http://www.tramplite.com/search/label/Arctic%20Trail  (You can click on Part 1 too)

This shelter weighs 670 grms and needs 6 stakes.

Here are the additional photos:

http://www.andyhowell.info/trek-blog/2014/11/25/tramplite-shelter-more-images/

The attention to detail is just amazing.

Genius!

Andy Howell took delivery of the first of a limited run of Colin Ibbotson's Tramplite Shelter.

Here are his initial views.

http://www.andyhowell.info/trek-blog/2014/11/23/first-impressions-the-tramplite-tarp-shelter/

I feel privileged to be in line for the penultimate model.

Andy and Martin Rye @Rye1966 have used the term and I can only echo: Genius!

Delivery will be in January.

A STORMY NIGHT (MLD Trailstar stars)

A STORMY NIGHT

At 3.30 am I put on my waterproofs. There
was no way I was going to sleep. My 
camping place was as planned - at the 
bealach below Stob Coir' an Albannaich,
high above Glen Etive. But the ground was 
waterlogged, meaning I'd had to triple-
stake three of my shelter's five main anchor
points - and now the wind and rain were 
swirling around the bealach, hitting the
Trailstar from all directions.
       Although I got into my sleeping bag and
bivvy bag I was afraid to go to sleep for fear
of waking up to find that my shelter had
been blown away: the Trailstar is a tarp! I 
stayed dry and reasonably comfortable until 
I decided to pack up at 6.30, delighted that 
the shelter had stayed up.
      I packed up in the storm before 
heading down to Loch Dochard and on to 
Kingshouse. That night, despite more strong 
wind and rain, and waterlogged ground, I 
slept warm and dry, secure in the knowledge 
that the tarp would stay up.
     Was I mad - not using a tent? No! Every 
night that I camped I was dry, warm and 
comfortable. My shelter was light, spacious
and easy to put up. And it coped with the 
exceptional weather that marked the 2011
TGO Challenge.
     Would I use it again on the Challenge?
Definately, but next time I'd take longer
and stronger stakes!
Gordon Green (Challenger 117)

This was published in the October 2011 issue of the TGO Magazine (The Great Outdoors Magazine)

 At the bealach

 At the bealach

Near Kingshouse

My account of my 2011 TGO Challenge - from Oban to St. Cyrus - is here:

http://aktovate1.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/my-2011-tgo-challenge-from-oban-to-st.html

In 2011 the MLD Trailstar was still a relatively new kid on the block. Although it had been on sale by Mountain Laurel Designs for some years before, it hadn't become fairly common place in the UK. I got mine in July 2010 after reading an excellent review by Colin Ibbotson:

 http://www.tramplite.com/2012/02/reviews-test-post.html

Now Trailstars are a much more common place shelter on the hills. The design is superb and the MLD Trailstar now has a reputation for being able to cope with very stormy weather. In 2011, I must confess, I was not so sure on that second night of the TGO.