winter rucksack size

aj said:

what size rucksacks are you all carrying for a average days winter walking
in the hills & whats in them?

About 40l and everything but the kitchen sink, or that's what it feels
like :-(

Depends on the hills. But there will be extra clothing, down jacket
for stops, spare socks and hat, mega warm mittens to supplement the
gloves and extra food in there that doesn't get taken in summer. A
head torch to eke out short days and pointy things (crampons and axe -
though that is outside the sack) also ski goggles to keep the wind out
of my eyes.

The most important thing goes in my pocket - lip salve.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

Quoted message said:

what size rucksacks are you all carrying for a average days winter walking
in the hills & whats in them?

Last winter I used a 55l Mountain Equipment Diamond sack weighing 2.25kg but
this winter I've got myself a 45l Golite Jam sack. It's got fancy velcro
straps for the ice axes and the hydration pouch is a much better fit for my
Camelbak. Weight? 620grams!

Main stuff:
400-500g Extra fleece or Paramo shirt
367g Rab Survival Zone bivvy bag - if alone
623g Vango Force Ten Storm Shelter 400 - if with a group
174g Nokia 6250 phone - waterproof brick!
227g Petzl Myo5 - headtorch
105g Inova X5 - backup torch
500-600g Stove, pot, lid, gas cannister and lighter - if want a hot drink

If it's looking really grim I migt pack my 1550g Rab Expedition down jacket.
It's a bit overkill though! Hopefully get something lighter like a PHD
Minimus or Rab Neutrino and save a kilo on my back.

Cheers, Jiffy

aj said:

what size rucksacks are you all carrying for a average days winter walking
in the hills & whats in them?

That'll depend on where I'm going and what an average winter day is, but
typically a 40l, sometimes for more serious days a 50.

Compared to what I'd take in summer, add more clothes (including gloves,
seriously warm mittens Just In Case, a small selection of headgear and a
downie for stops), flask for hot drink, axe/crampons/shovel/probe/pinger
according to conditions, goggles, more likely to carry a bothy bag.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Peter Clinch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

aj said:

what size rucksacks are you all carrying for a average days winter

walking

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in the hills & whats in them?

That'll depend on where I'm going and what an average winter day is, but
typically a 40l, sometimes for more serious days a 50.

Compared to what I'd take in summer, add more clothes (including gloves,
seriously warm mittens Just In Case, a small selection of headgear and a
downie for stops), flask for hot drink, axe/crampons/shovel/probe/pinger
according to conditions, goggles, more likely to carry a bothy bag.

I have only walked in groups (in winter), when a 37l bag with side pockets
seems to suffice. The only things I wasn't carrying (from Pete's list) were
shovel/probe/pinger. In a group you can share some stuff about (survival bag
etc). I have seen people with less but, if you don't get into trouble, you
don't need much, it's when you do...

--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

Quoted message said:

what size rucksacks are you all carrying for a average days winter walking
in the hills & whats in them?

On the South Downs an ample 35L Lowe Alphine, but in the serious hills, ie
The Lakes, Snowdonia etc a 50+15L Lowe Alpine.

What do I carry in my 'serious' rucksack? Well, when I see others in The
Lakes I often wonder if I have got it wrong! I see skimpy little backpacks
as people venture up into the snow and ice. I normally carry the following:

Extreme Gortex leggings
Triple-point Ceramic Lowe Alpine jacket (but now my recently acquired Marmot
Glenmore jacket)
Firstaid kit
Emergency strobe light
Two Marmot double-shell fleeces (great warmth and light)
Spare woolly hat
Extreme winter mitts
Spare mitts
Spare fleece gloves
Spare laces
Head torch
Litre of water if walking without Clare, otherwise 2 litres
Flask (if without Clare otherwise she carries it!)
Lunch
Whistle (on rucksack shoulder strap)
Spare compass
Wire and duck tape
Crampons and ice-axe if snow/ice around (or is forecast while I am out)
Sit mat
Emergency survival bag
Mobile phone
Money
Spare batteries for GPS
Tissue paper
Mini camera tripod
Multi-tool penknife

See, a 'mountain' of equipment. I know a lot never gets used, but my
philosophy is 'better to have it and not use it, than not have it and need
it'

--
sandy saunders @ www.thewalkzone.co.uk

'Mountains or Mole Hills ... summiting still
brings the same excitement'

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from "aj" <[email hidden]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

what size rucksacks are you all carrying for a average days winter walking
in the hills & whats in them?

Haven't a clue what size rucksack I use but it is probably about
average, whatever that is.

Apart from ice axe and crampons (should the occasion demand them) I tend
to carry much the same summer and winter, the difference being in what I
am wearing.

For a full day out my sack will contain:
Bin liner to keep contents dry
Spare sweater
Litre water bottle containing no more than 1 pint of H20 at the most
Sandwiches in a plastic container
Waterproofs (if not wearing them)
Balaclava and Dachstein mitts (if not wearing them)
Camera (maybe)
Headtorch (not always in summer)
Map(s), etc
2 Mars bars (emergency rations)

If it is cold enough (and by no means all winter days are cold, even
when there is snow on the ground) I might be wearing long johns under my
breeches and possibly a cotton jacket over my sweater. If conditions
change both these items have been known to end up in the rucksack rather
than on my body. :-)

In summer the cotton jacket might be worn instead of a sweater rather
than as well as (if windy) and I might not bother to take the mitts,
relying instead on a pair of Thinsulate gloves but they are a relatively
recent acquisition and prior to that I almost always carried the mitts.

My GPS is attached to a shoulder strap when I am carrying the rucksack
and hangs round my neck when the rucksack is off my back for any reason.
Compass and whistle are attached to my belt by lanyards and stay in my
pockets when not in use. IIRC neither the whistle nor the spare sweater
I always carry have ever been needed.

--
Roger Chapman so far this year 116 summits
New - 88 (Marilyns 14, Sweats 5, Outlying Fells 76)
Repeats - 28 (Marilyns 11, Sweats 21, Wainwrights 16, Outlying Fells 1)

"Roger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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For a full day out my sack will contain:

Bin liner to keep contents dry
Spare sweater
Litre water bottle containing no more than 1 pint of H20 at the most
Sandwiches in a plastic container
Waterproofs (if not wearing them)
Balaclava and Dachstein mitts (if not wearing them)
Camera (maybe)
Headtorch (not always in summer)
Map(s), etc
2 Mars bars (emergency rations)

As a matter of interest, where did you get your Dachstein mitts from?

Ta

--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

Phil Cook said:

The most important thing goes in my pocket - lip salve.

Yes, lip salve in one trouser pocket and nibbly food (nuts or dried
fruit) in the other.

Lip salve is marvellous stuff. I put it on my eye-lids, cheeks and
the backs of my hands when not wearing gloves. Apparently it can be
used on lips too.

Judith

The message <[email hidden]>
from "Bob Mannix" <[email hidden]> contains these words:

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As a matter of interest, where did you get your Dachstein mitts from?

Sorry but I can't remember. It is possible I could still using the same
pair I bought some time in the 60s. However if I bought a second pair
(and there is a nagging thought at the back of my mind that I did) it
would have been before I last moved house (1978).

--
Roger Chapman so far this year 116 summits
New - 88 (Marilyns 14, Sweats 5, Outlying Fells 76)
Repeats - 28 (Marilyns 11, Sweats 21, Wainwrights 16, Outlying Fells 1)

Roger said:

The message <[email hidden]>
from "Bob Mannix" <[email hidden]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

As a matter of interest, where did you get your Dachstein mitts from?

Sorry but I can't remember. It is possible I could still using the same
pair I bought some time in the 60s.

I can believe that... :-)

A quick google brings this top of a shortish list

<http://www.upandunder.co.uk/eshop/catalogue/testbs.asp?Manufacturer_ID=35&Activity_ID=8&Description_ID=57>
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

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

what size rucksacks are you all carrying for a average days winter walking
in the hills & whats in them?

Typical winter munroing day out, good weather, good covering of snow on the
tops, 12 mile + 4000' ascent

Wearing....
High wickable Long sleve fleecy type T-Shirt and bottoms

Carrying.....
25-30L rucksack
Gortex outershell jacket and overtrousers
fleecy type shirt
Buffalo Jacket
Hat & Gloves
Dachstiens
gortex overmitts
map & compass
ice axe
crampons (only if I think they will be absolutly essential)
two cup flask
orange
mini head torch (petzel tika)
sunglasses
altimeter watch

And thats it, no food, no emergency stuff!

Stay light and move fast!

http://www.stuartstuart.fsnet.co.uk/munros

"Phil Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

aj said:

what size rucksacks are you all carrying for a average days winter

walking

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in the hills & whats in them?

About 40l and everything but the kitchen sink, or that's what it

feels

Quoted message said:

like :-(

Depends on the hills.

And the time of year

High Summer ~ short ~ 5L Bumbag
Summer ~ Long days ~ 25L
Autumn / Spring ~ 35L
Full Winter ( axe crampons etc ) 45L

These sort of crept up on me over a period of time, The 45L being
about 10 years old, the 25L about 5 years old, the bumbag about 3 and
just bought the 35L a few weeks ago for this time of year before the
snow comes

cheers
Graham

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

what size rucksacks are you all carrying for a average days winter walking
in the hills & whats in them?

ME 45l solitude (use it all year round due to its comfort, but it tend
to be more full in winter! in it will be:

food
2l Platy
flask of soup
stove/kettle/tea bags (yep, I like my drinks)
shell & over trousers
spare fleece for stops (normal or windstopper, depending on route)
Petzl Tikka plus
mobile
Canon 300D
ME grips
gaiters
hat (possibly wearing these last 3)
poles
gps
map
usual bits like first aid kit, whistle, knife, spare batteries, etc.

No wonder its so bloody heavy!

And not even got the axe, crampons and survival bag yet!

--
Darren

Bob Mannix said:

As a matter of interest, where did you get your Dachstein mitts from?

Found here, Tiso's seem to keep them in standard stock.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Darren G" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

what size rucksacks are you all carrying for a average days winter

walking

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in the hills & whats in them?

ME 45l solitude (use it all year round due to its comfort, but it tend
to be more full in winter! in it will be:

food
2l Platy
flask of soup
stove/kettle/tea bags (yep, I like my drinks)
shell & over trousers
spare fleece for stops (normal or windstopper, depending on route)
Petzl Tikka plus
mobile
Canon 300D
ME grips
gaiters
hat (possibly wearing these last 3)
poles
gps
map
usual bits like first aid kit, whistle, knife, spare batteries, etc.

No wonder its so bloody heavy!

And not even got the axe, crampons and survival bag yet!

--
Darren

I must be doing something wrong!
I don't have an ice axe or crampons.
in my 20 litre sac main compartment I have waterproof overtrousers/jacket (a
few years old but breathable & quite bulky),basic first aid kit,fleece hat &
wind/waterproof gloves,1/2 litre stainless flask,survival
bag,headtorch,spare boot laces.
there is room for a sandwich & plenty of room for survival rations..cereal
bars etc to be shoved in without any strain on the zips & a 1.5 litre
bladder zips onto the back.
in the outer pocket the compass & whistle & a few other odds & ends like the
mobile & batteries.

The message <[email hidden]>
from "aj" <[email hidden]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

I must be doing something wrong!
I don't have an ice axe or crampons.

You are Adny (who famously used a biro for aid on vertical ice while
wearing wellies [or something like that]) and I claim my £5. :-)

On Sun, 5 Dec 2004 22:16:17 GMT, Roger <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

The message <[email hidden]>
from "aj" <[email hidden]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

I must be doing something wrong!
I don't have an ice axe or crampons.

You are Adny (who famously used a biro for aid on vertical ice while
wearing wellies [or something like that]) and I claim my £5. :-)

Ha ha! I remember the wellies - but did he really use a biro?!?

--

R
o
o
n
e
y

The message <[email hidden]>
from Rooney <[email hidden]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You are Adny (who famously used a biro for aid on vertical ice while
wearing wellies [or something like that]) and I claim my £5. :-)

Quoted message said:

Ha ha! I remember the wellies - but did he really use a biro?!?

I have a distinct memory of him claiming to use that (or a similarly
feeble device) to help him out on steep ice. The detail has, as per
usual, disappeared down memory lane. :-)

--
Roger Chapman so far this year 123 summits
New - 94 (Marilyns 14, Sweats 5, Outlying Fells 82)
Repeats - 29 (Marilyns 11, Sweats 21, Wainwrights 16, Outlying Fells 2)

aj said:

I must be doing something wrong!
I don't have an ice axe or crampons.

If you do go to places with snow, ice and slopes with dangerous runouts
you should have them, and the knowledge to use them, but there's no
shortage of things to do and places to go that don't need them, and in
such places they're excess weight with sharp spikes to damage things.

There is sometimes a supposition here that "walking" == "most serious
possible hillwalking", but it needn't be so.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/