What to carry and what to leave behind?
Mark Moxon began his Land's End to John O'Groats walk with a backpack full of camping gear and lots of accessories that he thought he might need. After two weeks he was exhausted and injured so lightened his load by dumping stuff.
My total gear weight, including backpack, water, clothes and boots, runs at about 12kg.
I've experimented, added and subtracted, weighed and wondered. This is the kit list that I'll start with:
- AA batteries (for radio)
- AAA batteries (for bluetooth keyboard)
- anti-perspirant (finally decided this was sensible)
- backpack (Berghaus IV Freeflow 50 litre)
- blister plasters (Compeed)
- blister prevention gel (Compeed)
- bluetooth keyboard (links wirelessly to my phone so I can write anywhere)
- 4 bull dog clips (not sure why)
- cash
- cheque book (lots of B&Bs don't take cards)
- comb
- compass
- credit cards
- dental floss
- driving licence (for ID, honest)
- EHIC card (should allow me to get free medical treatment while in France)
- elastic bands
- first aid kit
- food
- foot ointment
- germolene
- hand sanitiser
- handkerchief
- hat (Tilley)
- headphones
- ibuprofen gel
- ibuprofen tablets
- indigestion tablets
- insect repellent
- insoles (Sorbethane, in case the new gel insoles give me trouble)
- jacket – Berghaus, waterproof and warm
- knife, fork and spoon set
- light shoes
- loo paper (half a roll, just in case)
- maps, printed on waterproof paper
- mini-torch
- mobile charger
- mobile phone
- multitool (Leatherman micra)
- notebook (Moleskine)
- passport
- pencils
- pens
- phrasebook
- plasters
- radio
- razors
- shampoo
- shaving gel
- 2 shirts
- skin lotion
- small towel
- soap
- space blanket
- sun lotion
- sweets
- tissues
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- toothpick
- towel
- trousers (light walking) - 2 pairs, one with detachable legs
- trousers (waterproof)
- tweezers (for splinters)
- underwear (3 pairs)
- USB memory stick
- walking boots (Merrell Moab Mid boots)
- pairs walking socks (2 pairs)
- water (between 1 and 2 litres)
- water platypus (to hold the water)
- waterproof bags for shoes, clothes etc. (ziploc)
- wet wipes
- whistle
- wristwatch
I've put together a 'Bournemouth Box' which Jennifer will bring down to the half-way point of the walk. This includes various spares and maps for the second half.
Looks good, you can always cut the toothbrush in half. Take it you have adapter for the charger. No camera?
ReplyDeleteIf I was doing this, my 'one luxury other than the Bible or Shakespeare' would be something to read, though I'd try and get something on a handheld device for weight reasons. Other than that - eye-moisturising stuff, for some reason this makes me feel more awake!
ReplyDelete- Roy (and the previous one)
Good point about the adapter. I do have one. I've got a decent camera and I considered taking it but it's just too heavy. So I'll be using the camera on my phone instead. It's not great and the colours come out like a 1960s hippy film.
ReplyDelete