The Importance of the Right Kit [Part 2]

Food and water

Always, always carry water with you. It’s no fun to run out of water on a long hike. But just in case you do, you should take a filtration straw too (see ‘Equipment’ below)

Food

a.    Trail mix/nuts

b.    Sandwiches

c.    Biscuits

d.    Crisps

e.    Obviously stuff for if this is an overnight camping situation – you never know where the next shop might be, or even if it will be open when you get there!

Equipment

Backpack – obviously you need something to carry your gear and while the list looks rather long, you don’t need to take everything on every trip. Some things are for winter, some for summer. Some are of course essential, so you need something to carry it in. For a day hike anything from 20 to 35 litres size is sufficient. If you want to camp overnight, you will need something larger, but remember the rule is not to try to carry more than 2/3 of your own body weight.

Mine has padded shoulder straps and a padded waistband. It’s not necessary to have a waistband on the smallest sizes, but anything from 35 litres and over really is more comfortable if the weight is supported on your hips rather than hanging from your shoulders.

Your backpack should have a rain cover. Most come with an integral one these days, but if not, you can get separate ones.

Now what should you carry in the backpack?

Spare socks – these are essential as there is nothing worse than wet feet, which are not only uncomfortable, but are also a danger to the condition of your feet.

Emergency blanket – a lightweight silver blanket can be a lifesaver. They are not heavy, nor do they take up much space; mine fits in my first aid kit. If you get stranded in fog or late in the day/at night, a space blanket is essential.

Water filtration straw – the one I have is called a ‘lifestraw’ – it filters the nasties out of the water should you need to drink ‘wild water’ – ie from streams. Better to use water from a stream than a pond.

Waterproof jackets/trousers – these speak for themselves and are addressed more under Clothing, above

Map/guide book – never, never go out without a paper map. Gps signal can fail, phone batteries can fail, but a paper map will still be with you. Some are coated to prevent them getting too wet and thus damaged.

My preferred maps are the orange OS maps - larger scale with easy to see terrain and boundaries

Map case – to keep your paper map dry and also so you can hang the map round your neck and leave your hands free for whatever else you might need

Compass – not essential, but can be useful. But do make sure you know how to use one and how to use it in relation to the map you are carrying. It helps to understand that the top of the paper map is always north, so you can orient the map and compass to see which direct you are going in. Of course, if you do not know where you are on the map, it won’t help at all.

Whistle – in case of emergency, when there is no signal for your phone, you can use a whistle to summon help. The emergency whistle signal is three blasts. DO NOT EVER USE IT TO ‘SEE IF IT WORKS’; ONLY USE IN A REAL EMERGENCY.

Torch/head torch/glow stick – you can use a torch like the whistle – three flashes – to summon help if you need to. A head torch is even better as it leaves your hands free while still giving light. A glow stick is not essential, but they flash red and/or white, in set patters that repeat to enable you to put it somewhere in the open while you make yourself comfortable in a sheltered spot.

When we walked the Cape Wrath Trail in 2006, we used a torch to guide the rescue helicopter (that’s another story!) by flashing it inside our bright yellow emergency blanket.

Phone – useful for taking photos if nothing else, to summon help if necessary, and to let your friends know where you are and what you are up to. Hardly anyone goes anywhere these days without a phone somewhere on their person, but it might surprise you to know it is not essential – people went walking safely without them for hundreds of years before they became a ‘thing’.

Batteries – a spare battery for cameras/phones etc. My phone stops working about ¾ of the way round my walks, so a back-up is necessary. You can even get a gadget that you can plug into the phone that acts like a reserve battery – I’m considering investing in one, but meanwhile I use my proper camera with spare batteries at the ready.

Sunglasses – very helpful in bright light, not only sunshine.

For the ladies, a 'she-wee' is invaluable - but do practise at home first 😉

A strong, but lightweight trowel - if you need to ask what for, you've never had this problem in the wild 😃

Walking poles – some peple love them, others hate them. I prefer not to have them, but there have been a couple of occasions recently when they would have been useful – like climbing up (or down) very steep banks and maintaining balance in streams etc.

Tissues/handkerchief - you can leave the hanky at home, but tissues are really useful in lots of situations.

Knowledge

a.    Knowledge is very useful, takes up no room and weighs absolutely nothing!

     FAK – if you have a first aid kit, be sure you know how to use it. Even if it doesn’t help you personally, it might help a fellow walker or even save someone else’s life. Failing that, make sure you have a leaflet at least showing what to do with the contents of your FAK.

b.    Navigation – knowing how to use a map (and compass if you carry one) is important; understanding all those squiggles and marks on a map is equally important; knowing where you are on the page is as important as knowing where you are on the ground and knowing what might stand between you and your destination is more than helpful. Cicerone publish a guide on navigation if you want to improve your skill in this area.