Backpack Camping/Walking

"Masklin GT" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

The questions I have for people are the following:-

Quoted message said:

1) Rucksack Reccomendations - For a weeks Camp & Day pack. (Although we are planning a 2 week one
next year, Coast to coast!!)

I would recommend you set aside a fairly hefty chunk of cash for your rucksack, because you've said
you want to do some extended walking with some reasonable-sized loads, and a cheap rucksack could
make your life very unhappy. Sizewise, something about the 60-65litre mark would do; big enough to
carry all your kit (but not so big you'll be tempted to carry too much), and just about small enough
to use as a day sack from a basecamp. Look out for MacPac, Lowe & Karrimor. Though you'll pay for
them (£90+), they'll last for years. When looking for a rucksack, obviously check the comfort with a
big load (get the assistant to load it up in the shop). Cheapy ones tend to be made of lower
toughness fabric meaning lower durability & lower life expectancy, and are more likely to become
uncomfortable quickly. Anything else on a rucksack is (give or take) a gimmick, though I prefer
haiving and adjustable back system and plenty of external fixing locations. Side pockets can be
useful, but IMHO they aren't *that* useful - and you can always buy detachable pockets later on.

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2) Sleeping mat,bag etc (Camping March - Late Oct)

Get a foam mat & some sort of man-made fibre bag (though *not* polyester). Thermorests are a more
comfy sleeping mat, but expensive & heavier. Down bags are warmer, but less durable and again more
expensive. As you get into it you can buy fancier & more expensive gear.

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3) Cooking utensials

Stove should be small & light. Gas stoves are generally a good balance (cleaner & lighter than meths
or petrol/multifuel stoves). Pots should also be small...ideally the stove will fit inside the pot,
once the fuel bottle is detacted. A good 'all round' solution to start with is a Trangia (it will
last for *years*, though the meths burner isn't great), but if you've got something already, save
your cash. Utensils: a fork, a spoon and a knife from the kitchen drawer. You might want a penknife
to open tins/bottles, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend taking tins with you (they are heavy). A
plastic insulated mug is a good idea, and you don't need to pay more than about £4 for one. You'll
also need some sort of water carrier - something cheap, plastic, and 1 litre would do. 35mm film
cannisters can be used to store spices/herbs/sugar/salt, and can be packed in the pan. It's imporant
to have plenty of means to make fire (matches/lighters), distributed about your kit, so if one gets
wet/damaged, there is another elsewhere.

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4) Map, compass. What scale maps do I need?

A reasonable Silva compass will set you back £15-£20, and maps at the
1:25000 scale. If you've never had any training in navigation, get some as soon as you can,
otherwise they will be utterly useless.

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5) Day Pack contents?

First aid kit, torch, sandwiches/snacks, water bottle (full!), spare clothes, map, compass. In my
kit I also take chlorine tables (for water purification) and a polythene survival bag. Take a stove,
mug, pan & fire if the pleasure of tea at the top outwieghs the pain of carrying it all.

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6) Boot reccomendations

Whatever is comfortable. Good makes that spring to mind are Brasher, Salomon, Karrimor, Scarpa,
Berghaus....but whatever fits your feet best. I'd recommend suede/man-made (rather than leather)
uppers, as they'll be lighter and easier to wear in. Take or leave waterproof (eg. Gore-tex)
lined variants - if it's wet, they won't keep your feet dry, but if it's damp they might. Look to
spend £60-80.

With the exception of boots & a rucksack, I'd recommend you start off cheap & cheerful with whatever
you can lay your hands on, then acquire more expensive & fancier kit as you work out what you like
to do, and what you want from it. It's important to get boots & rucksack right because you are
likely to be stuck with them for several years, they require a sizable outlay anyway, and it's only
after several hours of walking that you'll start to notice if you haven't got the right kit.

I'm sure you'll get other recommendations - it tends to be a personal thing - but in general the
less kit the better, so don't get suckered into gimmicks or expenses that you *really* need.

Ken.

Slightly O/T as it were but my half penny as it were is too make it as pleasent as possible - and as
light as possible.

(I'm in a similar position with my partner come this summer - and I'm damned if her introduction is
to be under a 30lb pack !! :O) She'll never speak to me again!)

I'm sure there's some very specific advice that people here will be able to provide regarding
individual items - but this is more general.

Don't necessarily avoid carry what you need, but try and ensure to the best of your ability that
it's one of the lighter versions.

Manage expectations.

Don't overdo the mileage.

Compromise.

p.s. Pub lunch/tea doesn't go amiss either if you end up near a town! :O)

I'm prepared to put up with the worst of it - I'm just not sure that my partner will be to the same
extent. At least, not to start with!!! Having a willing partner helps. I have a feeling that I've a
little more persuasion to do...

Anyway, enjoy the walking - it's great fun!

Crash

Masklin GT said:

Hi All

I have been "Car Camping" on and off for the last few years. I have always enjoyed walking at
school but never really took off and "took to the hills" like I wished. Now my girlfriend said she
would like to get into walking a lot more. So this year we have decided to ditch the car and do
some traditional camping so to speak. Combined with this a LOT of walking too.

At the moment I have a two man tent which is quite light and im sure can easily be broke down so 2
people can carry it.

When we go car camping we normally carry everything including the kitchen sink!!! Obviously I cant
do this with the camping I want to do. I have a small camping gas stove and a small cook set that
are all OK.

I shall be posting this on the uk.rec.walking also so please no need to answer twice 😄 The
questions I have for people are the following:-

1) Rucksack Reccomendations - For a weeks Camp & Day pack. (Although we are planning a 2 week one
next year, Coast to coast!!)

Buy a decent one. Find a good store that will give adice and let you try various packs on until they
fit. Karrimor is a good brand although there are many others such as Lowe etc.

Quoted message said:

2) Sleeping mat,bag etc (Camping March - Late Oct)

Thermarest Ultralight if your budget will stretch AND a repair kit. Buying the kit ensures that you
will carry it for ten years and never need it naturally.

Sleeping bag - probably get away with a 3 season synthetic, it's a toss up between weight and price.
All seem much of a muchness. Down bags are a different matter and a lot warmer and pricier

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3) Cooking utensials

Most places do square alloy billy cans for about £8 - I'd buy two of these and then graduate to
better ones as and when you can afford it/decide you need them.

Clip together knife/fork/spoon for a few quid does me fine.

Stove - I'd recommend a gas stove using any canister with an EN compatible thread system (they all
are interchangable except some odd French systems) MSR pocketrocket is a light but expensive stove,
there are cheaper ones on the market that are nearly as good and half the price.

Liquid fuelled stoves are really only for winter and need a little practice to use safely - I'd not
bother yet.

Also get one of the £4 emergency solid fuel stoves - very handy if your gas jet bungs up and an
inconvenient moment.

Quoted message said:

4) Map, compass. What scale maps do I need?

I'd hasten to say if you have to ask the question you shouldn't be relying on them. However 1:50,000
and 1:25,000 OS maps are both as good, the
1:25,000 need refolding more often but have more detail of course.

Get a decent Silva or Suunto compass and make sure you know how to use it. See the thread a few
below this one about Trail mag for the perils of getting your navigation wrong.

Quoted message said:

5) Day Pack contents?

Assuming you are wearing appropriate clothing for the base of the climb. and have a
waterproof shell on

1 extra warm layer + another layer if ascent of 2000+ft map and compass whistle steel signalling
mirror - a custard tin lid does nicely notepad and biro food for the day emergency food that you
normally would not eat water iodine tablets if resupplying water en route. first aid kit head torch
if there is even the remotest chance of becoming benighted - I always carry one + spare bulb + spare
battery. waterproof trousers camera (optional unless you are Paul Saunders in which case everything
else is optional) Swiss army knife is always a handy device In winter I'd add a stove and stuff to
make a brew and extra clothing. Wrap everything in plastic bags to keep dry.

Quoted message said:

6) Boot reccomendations

Ones that fit. Seriously. As per the rucksack recommendation get a good shop that will let you try
them on. If you are within a hundred miles of Leamington its' worth the drive to get boots that
really fit well from these people www.lockwoodsoutdoor.co.uk

Quoted message said:

Thanks all help is appreciated.

Masklin GT said:

Now my girlfriend said she would like to get into walking a lot more. So this year we have
decided to ditch the car and do some traditional camping so to speak. Combined with this a LOT of
walking too.

At the moment I have a two man tent which is quite light and im sure can easily be broke down so 2
people can carry it.

When we go car camping we normally carry everything including the kitchen sink!!! Obviously I cant
do this with the camping I want to do. I have a small camping gas stove and a small cook set that
are all OK.

First decision is whether to use you tent as a base camp and go walking with light packs and
return to it, or move house as you go. You can have a bit of both, moving base every 2 or 3 days,
of course.

The approach is down to preference and that in turn will be affected by where you are. FWIW I
generally prefer a base camp and then day trips away from it: you carry a mountain to start with,
but then you have a comfortable camp and easy days afterwards. As you'll come out with less food and
fuel it should be easier than the walk in.

Quoted message said:

1) Rucksack Reccomendations - For a weeks Camp & Day pack. (Although we are planning a 2 week one
next year, Coast to coast!!)

Try them on. Everyone's a different shape and different harnesses work differently for different
people. Whan you try them on make sure there's a representative load inside. There are further
details on some of the features available at personal.dundee.ac.ukpacks.htmOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

2) Sleeping mat,bag etc (Camping March - Late Oct)

Depends how warm or cold you sleep and how much you have to spend. Down bags are considerably more
expensive for capital outlay, but they last much longer so the price/time is actually similar. They
are lighter and compress better than an equivalently warm synthetic. OTOH they require more care and
are a pain in the [censored] to wash. You may wish to be sure this is something you really like before
splashing out on serious down bags that will last well over a decade! If you get a pair with matched
left/right zips that can make sharing bed space more pleasant. This needn't necessarily mean the
same/mirror bag for each of you (my ME Lightline joins to my gf's Rab Q600 just fine).

Quoted message said:

3) Cooking utensials

If you're willing to eat out of pans that saves carrying plates, but a good plate doubles as a
chopping board and work surface if turned upside down. You can get "proper" camping cutlery but I've
never bothered, I just take old stuff out of the cutlery draw. You'll want mugs: avoid enamel unless
you like burning your lips.

Quoted message said:

4) Map, compass. What scale maps do I need?

Depends where you're going and what you want to do. On the West Country coast path you could quite
probably get away without any maps at all, bits of the Highlands would be rather dodgy without one.
The most used walkers' maps are the OS 1:50,000 Landrangers (with the pink covers) and they have a
good compromise between area covered and fine detail that suits a lot of people. You can't go too
far wrong with them. If you want to do fine navigation then 1:25,000 Explorer maps (the orange ones)
are better, but typical backpacking trips won't be *that* concerned about the exact locations of
field boundaries etc.

Quoted message said:

5) Day Pack contents?

Whatever you think it takes to keep you happy, which is often waterproofs, something warm as a spare
and some food and drink. You might want a bit more if you're wandering well off the beaten track in
dodgy weather, you may want less if you're not too far from "civilization" and the weather's bonnie
with a big blocking high keeping it that way.

Quoted message said:

6) Boot reccomendations

Fit is the most important factor, try things on. All feet are different shapes, so are different
boot lasts. You don't always need boots to go walking, especially if you're doing day walks.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

Chris Street said:

Quoted message said:

5) Day Pack contents?

Assuming you are wearing appropriate clothing for the base of the climb. and have a waterproof
shell on

1 extra warm layer + another layer if ascent of 2000+ft map and compass whistle steel signalling
mirror - a custard tin lid does nicely notepad and biro food for the day emergency food that you
normally would not eat water iodine tablets if resupplying water en route. first aid kit head
torch if there is even the remotest chance of becoming benighted - I always carry one + spare bulb
+ spare battery. waterproof trousers camera (optional unless you are Paul Saunders in which case
everything else is optional) Swiss army knife is always a handy device In winter I'd add a stove
and stuff to make a brew and extra clothing. Wrap everything in plastic bags to keep dry.

Whoops

Also - silvered space/survival blanket and a bright red survival bag. Spare bootlaces.

Chris Street <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Chris Street said:

Quoted message said:

5) Day Pack contents?

Assuming you are wearing appropriate clothing for the base of the climb. and have a waterproof
shell on

1 extra warm layer + another layer if ascent of 2000+ft map and compass whistle steel signalling
mirror - a custard tin lid does nicely notepad and biro food for the day emergency food that you
normally would not eat water iodine tablets if resupplying water en route. first aid kit head
torch if there is even the remotest chance of becoming benighted - I always carry one + spare
bulb + spare battery. waterproof trousers camera (optional unless you are Paul Saunders in which
case everything else is optional) Swiss army knife is always a handy device In winter I'd add a
stove and stuff to make a brew and extra clothing. Wrap everything in plastic bags to keep dry.

Whoops

Also - silvered space/survival blanket and a bright red survival bag. Spare bootlaces.

Well thanks for the help all 😄 Notes made 🙂