For newcomers

At the bottom of each post there is the word "comments". If you click on it you will see comments made by followers, and if you follow the instructions you may also comment and I always welcome that. I have found many people overlook this part of the blog which is often more interesting than the original post!

My blog nick-name is SIR HUGH. I'm not from the aristocracy - my middle name is Hugh which relates to the list of 282 hills in Scotland compiled by Sir Hugh Munro in 1891. I climbed my last one (Sgurr Mor) on 28th June 2009

****************************

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Worried about your weight?

I sometimes wonder about  claims of overall kilograms carried on backpacking trips. There should be a standard:  weigh yourself naked (in my case, including my spectacles to enable reading of the scale) then don all clothing, rucksack, waist pouch, hat and walking poles and weigh again. I think many would be surprised at how much more they are carrying than they thought.  The mental picture engendered prior to this procedure may well put many off.

Hopefully I'll be off on my trip on Saturday 26th.  The long term forecast is for some light rain,  but unless it is  foul I'll be away. Worryingly the temperature is only forecast at 9° (took a bit of finding that degrees symbol).

My kit is packed and weighs in at 9.6kg (21.2lbs) which includes food for one meal and a supply of tea, coffee, powdered mlik, cup-a-soups, and instant potato, and a 500ml. bottle of water. In addition I have a waist pouch which carries bits and pieces which need to be accessible.





For those interested in detail here is the list - others can skip.

If anybody thinks there is anything I have forgotten please say so.




Rucksack Golite Pinnacle - old model. Trekmates rain hood, and Pod liner
Rucksack front pocket Marmot waterproof shell, Toilet paper, 2 x Platypus water bottles, sit mat, headtorch

Montane l/weight overtrousers
Tent Terra Nova Competition
Dry bag (sleeping bag) Rab Neutrino

Thermorest Neo-Air
Dry Bag Berghaus Extrem hollow-fill jacket
Dry Bag (chargers) iPad, iPhone, Mili, camera, AAA batteries (headtorch and radio)
Dry bag (cooking) MSR titanium pot +lid, mug, kfs, tin opener, plastic bowl, MSR Superfly for clip-on and screw cartridges, washing up liquid, scourer, gas lighter. 2 x small gas cartridges (fit inside cooking pot) 
Dry bag Pocket radio. Spare specs
Dry bag (medical) Senokot, Immodium, blisteeze, Plasters, Ibuprofen,Paracetamol, scissors,nail clippers, bandage,  tick remover, surgical tape, wound dressings, ointments
Dry bag (toilet) Half travel towel, soap, toothbrush, 2x Bic razors, toothpaste
Dry bag (misc.) Sewing kit, Adhesive tape, zip ties, Velcro, rubber bands, string /tape,elastic, oddments 
Dry bag (food) Tea, coffee, powdered milk, chocolate drink sachets, 4x cup-a-soups, Instant potato, Tin of meat, tin of fruit. biscuits
Dry bag (spare clothes) 1 x socks, light running shorts (double as underpants), shirt, Odlo base layer, 2 x handkerchiefs 
Waist pouch compass, camera, pens pens, pencil, notebook, lip salve, clip on sunglasses, wallet with credit cards and money. Swiss Army knife

iPhone and iPad with Memory Map GB complete and routes loaded on both
Walikng poles Black Diamond Expedition (flick lock)
Water 2 x 500ml bottles (not always full)
Food for on the walk Biscuits and cheese

13 comments:

  1. binoculars? dried fruit/chocolate?
    otherwise, to me, with memories of Scout journeys, mountain approach marches and lesser efforts, this sounds amazingly frugal and light - shops within a day or so's march help to keep this down, I assume.
    Clothing seems almost an optional disposable item.
    Bon voyage - do call in/rendevous if nearby - you know the numbers: bed or pitch foc!

    ReplyDelete
  2. gimmer - I have dithered about binoculars, and I think I will take them. They are useful for spotting exits to the far side of large fields where the so called footpath is not visible on the ground. Strangely I have some dried apricots left over from a disaster on Sunday - that's given me an idea for another quick post before I depart.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Deodorant? Happy stepping!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mike M - Deodorant not essential although at the end of my 1000 mile circuit of the Welsh Border I felt a bit embarrassed at the prospect of travelling home on the train in clothes I had worn for the last month and I bought a Welsh red dragon t-shirt to travel home in.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Really useful list, which I will return to if I ever do any camping on my coastal walk (might have to in Scotland!). Have you packed any sun screen in there? And I carry both a sun hat and a lightweight but wind-protecting beanie. Agree deodorant is optional!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Ruth - yes, I have a brimmed hat contra the sun - an old friend - maybe worth a post. Sun cream yes - part of the stuff in my waist pouch, and more important anti-sun lip salve. I have suffered from cold sores before brought on by sunburn.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ruth - Having my memory jogged I recalled doing a post about THE HAT, and although it seems like boasting I reckon it was one of my better posts - you may like to read it:

    http://conradwalks.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/two-good-friends.html

    If that link doesn't work look for it from the list on my blog - 2012/ September/ Two Good Friends.

    ReplyDelete
  8. THE HAT post was indeed an excellent one Conrad. I think you were wearing said item when we met on your LEJOG.

    Enjoy your trip and may the weather treat you kindly.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Afoot - You are correct. THE HAT is becoming badly worn, but that is part of its character, but against my better judgement, a couple of weeks ago, I bought a Sealskinz brimmed hat at vast expense. It is waterproof, but very light, and the slightest breeze lifts it from the head making use of the chinstrap almost permanently obligatory, and I just can't get on with it, so for this trip I am happily taking THE HAT again.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Were looking forward to your trip report. Have fun.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Razors? Grow a beard be a proper outdoors person'

    ReplyDelete
  12. Welshpaddler- I tried that before and it made me look horribly old.

    ReplyDelete