What to take:
"If you think you may need it, think about leaving it at home. If you are sure you'll die without it, then it's a taker"
Weight:
Aim for a base pack weight of 12kg, then food and water weight will be on top of this.
To get your pack-weight this low you'll probably need to make some sacrifices, either buy a few key items in a super-light version, or leave some items at home. Every gram you pack will feel like lead as you haul it through the wilderness over rocky ridges and tumble through dry creeks. Leave your extra weight for carrying water and food.
Even starting with this strict ideal, you'll find that the grams creep in as you pack. However, there's no need to cut the end off your toothbrush... hotel toothbrushes are usually lightweight and work a charm. Compared to that 600g DSLR you shouldn't go without, 2g of toothbrush handle is irrelevant. (I did however opt for a AA battery Nikon Coolpix so I could refresh batteries on the track)
Gear Picks:
Climbing Tape - the best option I've found for protecting feet from blisters. Apply it before blisters happen, or if applied after blisters form it sticks over band-aids and blisterpacks so they don't come off better than any other tapes. DSM Climbing Tape is my brand of choice... about $10, can buy from Rock Climbing shops. Also useful for 'tradesies' with other agonised walkers, swapped a length of tape for some AAA batteries at one stage.
Fly net - sanity.
MSR Dromedary 10L with drinking tube - Dromedary is tough and won't puncture. Can treat your water inside it. When you're trying to fill it at tanks doesn't matter if it drags in the dirt. Even use it as a pillow.
Kovea Supalite Titanium Stove - 60g... no more info needed. Actually it's clean, easy to use, tough for how light it is, packs small, burns like a fury or simmers on low well, fuel efficient. All round great.
Long sleeve, collared cotton shirt - saves you from sun, soaks up sweat and makes for cooling system when you stop, helps avoid Horse Fly bites, long enough to stop pack rub on lower back, can rig it as as shade shelter over branches when you stop to rest.
Pack List:
Here is my personal gear list for this trip including weights for those gram counters out there.
Weights are metric in grams.
(This is a ladies list, guys I'm sure you can leave the bras at home)
| Clothing and Items Worn | Description | Weight (g) |
| Wearing | ||
| Base layer Top | Wireless Sport Bra | 66 |
| Icebreaker short sleeve | 110 | |
| Undies | 25 | |
| Base layer Bottom | Compression tights | 182 |
| Pants | Northface Hike pants | 260 |
| Headwear | Buff/ wide-brim hat | 40 |
| Footwear | Hike boots | 500 |
| Long sleeve over-shirt | Cotton | 182 |
| Socks Pair 1 | Icebreaker | 69 |
| Gaiters | Outdoor research Spinifex | 160 |
| Trek poles | Black diamond FL | 445 |
| Watch | 21 | |
| Sunglasses | 28 | |
| Total A | 2088 | |
| Other Clothing | ||
| Other top | Bra | 66 |
| icebreaker short sleeve | 110 | |
| Shell Top | Fleece Jumper hooded | 300 |
| Other bottom | Hike pants | 254 |
| Rain gear | Plastic coat/ wind proof | 381 |
| Insulated Jacket | Synthetic Puff jacket | 510 |
| Head cover | Smartwool Beanie | 53 |
| Gloves | Outdoor research | 44 |
| Socks Pair 2 | Icebreaker hike+ | 73 |
| Undies x 3 | Icebreaker (quick dry) | 75 |
| Total B | 1866 | |
| Sleeping | ||
| Sleeping bag | Sea To Summit TrekII | 1135 |
| Sleeping pad | Exped 7M | 850 |
| Sleeping top | Long sleeve icebreaker | 110 |
| Sleeping liner | S2S Extreme Liner | 200 |
| Total C | 2295 | |
| Shelter | ||
| Shelter | Marmot TrailLight 2p tent | 2200 |
| Poles | Incl | |
| Guylines | Incl | |
| Stakes | Incl | |
| Total D | 2200 | |
| Cooking and Water | ||
| Food | 3000 | |
| Water | 3000 | |
| Water storage | 6 or 10L Dromedary | 284 |
| Drom drinking tube | 55.3 | |
| Bag for cooking gear/ daypack | 29 | |
| Bottles | Squishy bottles Platypus 2 x 1L | 56 |
| Purification | Micropur tabs | 11 |
| Mug, bowl | GSI nesting mug | 129 |
| Pot | Kettle Ultralight GSI | 164 |
| Utensil/spoon | LMF spork | 10 |
| Stove | Kovea titanium | 60 |
| Fuel | Canisters - Jetboil 227g | 356 |
| Windscreen | Alfoil | 5 |
| Sponge | Dish sponge for cleaning | 5 |
| Total no food/water | 1164.3 | |
| Total E | 7164.3 | |
| Small Essentials | ||
| Toiletries | Dr Bronners peppermint liquid, toothbrush, antibac, wetwipes, 3 x pocket pack tissue | 46 |
| Comb | 12 | |
| Tigerbalm | 25 | |
| Pawpaw salve | 20 | |
| Lighting | Black Diamond cosmo | 90 |
| Bug repellant/sunscreen | RID in other bottle | 119 |
| Camera | Nikon Coolpix | 125 |
| batteries | ||
| Paper for Journal and pen | 30 | |
| Book | 120 | |
| First aid | Band aids, tea tree, bandage, triangle sling | 266 |
| Medicine | drugs (imodium, allersoothe, paracetamol, ibuprofen, dolased) | |
| Foot care | Blister kit, climbing tape | |
| Knife | Victorinox pocket knife | 17 |
| Fire starter | Matches | 30 |
| Communication | Sat phone | 300 |
| Repair | Exped patch kit | |
| Map | Guide book | 50 |
| Navigation | Compass | 30 |
| Trowel | Sea to Summit LNT | 80 |
| Pack liner | Plastic garbage bag | 10 |
| Female items | Feminine products | 10 |
| 2m cord | 5 | |
| Total F | 1385 | |
| Packing | ||
| Backpack | 3200 | |
| Pack liner | Orange heavyduty garbage bag | 10 |
| Stuff sacks | S2S drybag 8L | 40 |
| Plastic storage bags | ||
| Wallet | Ziplock bag | |
| Total G | 3250 | |
| Weight totals | ||
| Gear worn or carried on body | 2088 | |
| Personal gear carried in pack | 3251 | |
| Water weight at start | 3000 | |
| Food weight at start | 3000 | |
| Fuel weight at start | 356 | |
| Pack weight at start | 12160.3 | |
| Pack incl food/water | 18160.3 | |
| Skin out weight | 20248.3 | |
No comments:
New comments are not allowed.