Appendix 2: Review of Gear

I didn't quite get this selection right for this trip which seems a little odd to me in that my gear list was based on that which I've used on two TGO Challenges. So. I thought it might be interesting - maybe even useful - to review the kit used.

Pack

The pack was a ULA Conduit pack. Weighing just over half a kilo this is a frameless pack that is made of the light, but tough, Dyneema fabric. The total capacity for this pack is about 50 litres but that included the capacity of the back and side pockets. The internal compartment takes just over 30 litres. With a lightweight gear list this was more than adequate. The Conduit easily coped with an Akto and four days worth of food, although there was little spare space left. I could easily use this pack on a full TGO Challenge.

A pack like this, without a back system, does not have to be uncomfortable, indeed, this pack was more comfortable than my ULA Catalyst load carrier. The Conduit is a far simpler design but has extremely comfortable shoulder straps and still retains the useful collection of side and help belt pockets for which ULA is known.

ULA packs have to be ordered from the USA. A reasonably equivalent would be the Golite Jam, also without a back system and made of the same fabrics.

Worked very well.

Tent

The Hilleberg Akto is, for me, a fabulous tent. It is roomy, very stable and comparatively light at 1.5 kg. There are lighter one person tents but they are more cramped. A tent was necessary on this trip really because of the danger of midges. I spent at least one evening in a camp where a small number of the blighters bit me quite happily. Having a bug free tent makes a lot of sense, up in the Highlands, in summer.

Sleeping Gear

My sleeping bag was my trust Minimus 400 bag from PHD. This is light but effective. PHD rate this bag down to 5 centigrade but I regularly, and happily, have it down to around zero. Temperatures touched zero during the evening on this trip but the bag was as comfortable as ever.

My sleeping bad was the Gossamer Gear Nightlight pad. This is a 'torso- sized' solid mat made using an egg box type material. The pad is very light and works reasonably well. I find that I can sleep on my side on the mat which is a good test for a sleeping mat. It's not as comfortable as my Torso Lite inflatable but it is a lot lighter and is far cheaper. Torso sized pads take a little getting used to be as a six footer I've found that this easily provide me with decent coverage for sleep. It's clear that the egg shell shape will depress reasonably quickly. The pad has two scores in it so that it can fold down to a third of its width. One of the scores is already detaching itself from the rest of the mat and this could be a real pain in use. Nevertheless the mat is very cheap and I guess I'd be happy to replace this every year. On longer trips I would take the Torso Lite inflatable mat.

Stove & Cooking

My stove was the Whitebox meths stove that is available from backpackinglight.co.uk. This is a very light and every efficient stove that rally does pack a punch in terms of flame. I'm able to use this stove quite happily in the vestibule of my tent.

The trick to using the Whitebox effectively is to work out just how much fuel you need. I find that a full load in the stove's chamber is too much for a solo hiker, filling this up half way gives me enough fuel to boil water and heat food. The Whitebox suits a wider pot and I used an MSR Titanium Kettle for both food and drinks. This kettle has a wider profile than many other titanium kettles. To use inside the vestibule simply ensure that the flame dies out while the kettle is still in place. The only time you are likely to get into trouble is when you remove the kettle while the flame is still burning. It doesn't take much practice to get this right.

Food was taken to a rolling boil on the stove. The kettle was then placed in a pot cosy for 25 minutes or so, more than enough time to properly re-hydrate my pre-dried food.

I also carried a folding titanium spork and an MSR Coffee mate filter which I use to make both tea and coffee. The stove was lit using a fire lighting steel.

Feet

I used a pair of Inov-8 Terrocs which I find are ideal for this kind of terrain. My single pair of socks were a pair of X Socks Trekking Lites, which I find to be the perfect companion to the Terrocs. Feet do get wet in Terrocs but the dry quickly. I find that these make for more sure footed walking on rocky terrain than boots.

Base Layers

These were both merino wool products from Icebreaker. The top was a Kent shirt which has a good collar and a button V vent at the top. It is also short sleeved; I really don't like using long sleeved base layers during the warmer months. The Kent is quite a fashionable style and makes you feel less like a 'man of the mountains' when you hit civilisation. I also used Icebreaker boxers.

These were my only base layers taken and I relied on their anti-pong ability to keep me smelling reasonably fresh! All I can say is that they work. Thanks to Robin Evans for bringing the Kent shirt to my attention.

Mid Layer

My mid layer was a Paramo Mountain Vent top which is, in effect, a micro fleece. I really like these tops and find that they are very versatile, but on this trip I found that I could have been warmer when walking high in the wind and the rain.

On my last Challenge I took a Montane Kinetic as my mid layer. The Kinetic is warmer than the Mountain Vent but may have been too warm for much of the time.

I think there is a gap in my gear list here. For next winter I shall think about using one of these new, lightly and synthetically filled, tops. Rab, Montane and PHD all seem to produce products that are interesting.

Trousers

On the Challenge I've used Paramo Stretch pants as my main trousers. These are not waterproof but they cope with rain very well. They also keep me warm. On the Challenge I've also taken a pair of Montane Terra Pants for backup, using them in civilisation or when the weather gets warm.

For this trip I just took the Terra Pants and could have done with the extra warmth of the Paramo Stretches. It's difficult to work out what is the best combination to take to Scotland at this time of year but maybe the Stretch Pants and a pair of shorts would have given me a more effective range of options.

I also carried with me a pair of Montane Featherlite over trousers. These are wind proofs and not water proofs. I don't really worry about wet but the extra protection from the wind comes in handy. In the event, these stayed put in the front pocket of my pack.

Other Bits and Pieces

Navigation was by Silva compass and map although the compass was rarely used. I carried a Swiss army knife in the side pockets of my pack, together with a small first aid kit, sun block and a small tube of Vaseline. My watch was a Suunto Observer which I find to be useful in the mountains to take account of changing air pressure. The strap from the Observer perished and broke on the trip. The watch is only 18 months old but I've come to realise that many Suunto products are not that long lasting. It will be interesting to see whether IK can get a replacement and - even if I can - how long it will take to come.