Expeditions

Kit

Download the master kit list (Save to your computer before attempting to open).

The contents of the downloadable kit list above is taken from the official website. In the table below, I have added comments to the various items. You will need to make various decisions and then edit this list (see instructions in the box). Later, after your first night out, you will review it, eliminating some items and adding others, so as to arrive at a better list for the second time. It is really important to watch weight. Believe me, every ounce counts in the last few miles! ** means that we would expect to supply you with this item, but you are welcome to use your own if you wish. * means that we may be able to help you with this, but you will have to ask well in advance.

For the most part, the items are presented in the left-hand column of the commentary below (and on the kit list that you will download) are exactly as they appear on the DofE central website.

Pre-expedition procedure

It would be amazing if you could bring yourself to follow these instructions quite carefully - please don't use your initiative! I have an immense amount of paperwork to get through during the Expedition season, and these instructions are designed to reduce my workload just a little. But it only works if you follow the instructions pretty exactly (for reasons that are too tediously long-winded to explain here).

Download the Excel kit list
In column B (CampOne) or column C (Real thing), put 'y' against all items you propose to take (leave columns B or C blank for others - don't use 'n' and don't delete the items concerned!). The table below is exactly the same list of stuff with advice to help you reach a decision about each item. You really ought to read it as you go down the spreadsheet.
Wherever you have put a 'y', put a second 'y' either in column D or in column E. Note that borrowing from friends or family counts as owned. Only put a 'y' in column E if you want to borrow from us.
E-mail the Excel kit list to AJPA or your trainer. It helps if you save it as xls (although I can, with a bit of trouble, read xlsx files) and it is useful if your name is part of the file name.
Upon the list's return, amend the y's in the light of our comments and re-send it.
---------------- End of procedure for CampOne -----------------------------------------------------------
Save the current version as your personal master list, and make a copy to use in the rest of this procedure
In the copy, eliminate all rows without a 'y' in whichever of columns B or C you have used
Highlight the contents of column A (and only column A), and press Ctrl-C
Open a Word document and select Edit > Paste Special > Unformatted text - you'll find it worthwhile obeying this instruction precisely, as it removes all the grid lines, and leaves the text in an easily editable form.
Personalise the document: i.e. remove asterisks, remove all material in brackets, remove all reference to alternatives, remove all material that is giving you advice, and replace many of the items with descriptions of your particular gear.
Add your name and a title. Format the document to taste. The idea behind these two instructions is to produce a set of kit lists for your group that look different rather than looking like clones of each other. They are different, because you have all made your own personal decisions, and we'd like that to appear to be the case as well as actually being the case!
E-mail the document to AJPA

To wear walking
Walking Boots (broken in)	Really important (trainers will not do: Corps boots will, but aren’t ideal). They need to have Vibram-type soles and to give ankle support. They should have sewn-in tongues to help keep the water out. I tend to wear a lightweight Gortex boot in the New Forest. Many people opt for leather.
Walking socks	Theories abound. Many say you should wear two woollen pairs. Or you could wear nylon inside and wool outside (that’s what I do in mountains). In the New Forest I just wear one pair of thin ordinary socks. The crucial thing to consider is slippage: you want it to occur between the outer sock and boot or between the socks. You don’t want it to occur between your skin and inner sock, because that’s how blisters start. One anti-blister strategy is to encase your feet in sticking plaster. That prevents all slippage, but it can lead to (painful) hair loss when you remove the plaster on your return. You’ll try out all sorts of ideas before you find one that works for you. If you are buying boots make sure that you wear your chosen sock combination when you are in the boot shop, as their thickness is not negligible.
Thermal top / tee shirt	The idea is to use the principle of layers: several thin layers being (a) more effective than one thick one and (b) easier to fine tune to the prevailing conditions. The layer next to your skin should be 'thermal' - i.e. a wicking material that removes moisture from the skin and pumps it to the next layer out.
Shirt	see above
Sweater (woollen or fleece)	Again, you’ll try out all sorts of ideas. It’s quite warm in summer and you really won’t need three layers. I shall wear a thin thermal-type of shirt and my anorak. If it gets really hot, I’ll take my anorak off: but wearing it is the easiest way of carrying it, and I don’t have to stop if it starts to rain. I tend to use the so-called ‘comfort control’ method of regulating my temperature: opening/closing the various zips on my anorak. In the winter I wear a thermal garment under the shirt. I only ever put a sweater or fleece on if (a) it’s cold and (b) I’ve stopped for a break: I never walk in one. The point about thermal fabrics is that they ‘wick’ the moisture away from the skin, so that you tend to stay dry. Staying dry is key! If you’re not sure which of several favourite shirts to wear, choose the one that dries the quickest and forget about fashion.
Trousers (warm; NOT jeans)	The trouble with jeans is that they are slow to dry, and the clinging wet fabric is uncomfortable in wet weather. What’s more they can expose you to considerable heat loss in cold windy conditions, so they can be positively dangerous. Warm tracksuit bottoms might be good. It’s worth testing fabrics by putting them to your mouth and sucking. The less air you can suck through, the more effective the fabric will be at keeping out the wind and therefore keeping in the warmth. You might be tempted to wear shorts. I’d counsel against that on the grounds that (a) you don’t want to be attacked by adders or, more insidiously, ticks that can carry Lyme’s disease (b) your D of E expedition is not the time to acquire a leg (or shoulder) tan: if you burn yourself early on you then have to endure another two days of abrasive misery. Leave tanning to the holiday.

Personal kit (to carry)
**Large Rucksack (approximately 55-65litre capacity)	We can lend you one. If buying, make sure that it has a size-adjustment facility. Multiple pockets are useful because you can store things that you are going to need on your walk and don’t want to have to unpack to get at.
2x Strong, large plastic bags (to line your rucksack)	Dustbin liners are what people generally buy. If they are thick then I can’t see why you should need two. But you might want a second if anything has to be strapped to the outside of your pack: I sometimes wrap my ThermaRest and tent bundle in one, for example. It is absolutely essential to have your pack lined, as their fabric is not waterproof and you really don’t want a wet sleeping bag!
**Sleeping mat	This is mainly to keep you warm. If you want comfort as well then you need a ThermaRest. You inflate these and they finish up like a 4 cm sleeping mat as opposed to the 0.5 cm standard issue version. I regard my ThermaRest as my best piece of kit after my map and compass. But they do add weight.
Sleeping bag (in a waterproof bag)	Two liners and a dedicated waterproof bag might seem to be taking the dryness of the sleeping bag very seriously! But it’s quite sensible, given that the sleeping bag often goes into the bottom pocket of the rucksack, outside the protection of the main bin liner. Sleeping bags come as one-, two-, three-, four- or five-season. The word 'season' means nothing in this context. A two-season bag will be fine in summer conditions, but you'll probably want a three-season bag for Gold. Although down bags are probably the warmest and lightest, I go for Hollofill (or similar) on the grounds of easy drying (and the fact that I suffer from mild asthma).
Sleeping bag inner (optional)	Optional if it’s your sleeping bag (I don’t bother – extra weight), but compulsory if it’s not yours.
**Survival bag	This is a 8’ x 4’ heavy gauge plastic bag. You can use it instead of a tent if you get stranded or separated from your party in foul weather. I always carry one. I’ve only ever actually used it in earnest to rescue a dying sheep from a snowy Cumbrian hillside during a CCF Adv Trg camp one Easter.
Personal First Aid Kit	I like to have some sticking plasters, a small pair of scissors, small quantities of suncream and antiseptic cream, a couple of safety pins, a crepe bandage, Imodium or similar, Paracetamol or similar as well as my regular medicaments. You may like also to have something for dealing with blisters. I keep mine in a small tin, which also conveniently houses some thread, a couple of buttons and some needles. Current thinking is that you don't have a group First Aid kit but, instead, pool resources from your personal kits if necessary. This means that your personal kit has to contain a triangular bandage, some sterile dressings, a phial of sterile saline solution for cleaning wounds as well. The school can supply a basic personal kit in a rigid plastic box, to which you can add your own stuff. It costs £4.50, and represents good value, being sourced by bulk purchasing.
Watch
Whistle	A safety item, so you have to have it.
Maps	Laminated maps or those printed on waterproof paper are infinitely superior to paper maps in a map case, although they do cost a little more. I notice that the compass has been relegated to the Group list. This is CRAZY. Win Coll D of E absolutely will not allow you to go an expedition unless you own, carry and know how to use a compass to go with your map. We will teach you how to use it on NavOne. It should be of the Silva type, illustrated here.
Small quantity of money (optional)	Not very useful since you aren’t supposed to go near human habitation and, these days, you will summon emergency help with a mobile rather than a public telephone (of which there are precious few in the New Forest anyway).
Notebook & pen/pencil	Pencils work better in the wet than do pens. You need a notebook in the event of an emergency for writing down the grid reference of your location before you set off to seek help. You also need a means of making notes for your project. But quite a small notebook, one which will fit easily into a pocket, will be quite sufficient.
Torch & spare battery (e.g. small Maglite or Petzl headtorch)	Go for one that uses LEDs rather than incandescent bulbs. Carry a spare battery (and a spare bulb in the case of an incandescent torch). Headtorches are much more convenient than hand-held ones.
Emergency food rations (NOT to be eaten until the end!)	Give thought to the energy content. I carry a 0.5 kg bag of nuts and raisins, which will give me 10,000 kJ – enough for a full day’s activity. I don’t eat them ever, rolling them over from expedition to expedition until their use-by date is reached, when I ditch them and buy new. It’s important not to confuse emergency rations, which are an item of kit, with snacks.
Water bottle (e.g. Sigg or strong plastic, to hold 1 to 2 litres)	If it’s a 2 litre bottle, you probably won’t want to carry it around completely full! Don’t try to make do with an ordinary water bottle bought from the supermarket with water in it: it might not survive the knocks etc. during the walk, and you might end up with soggy kit.
Knife, fork, spoon	These days, sporks are common. They work well, but are smallish, and if you mislay your only eating implement . . . . . .
Pocket Knife (small)	I do carry one, but I can’t recall ever having had occasion to use it.
Plate/bowl Mug	I use (slightly flexible) plastic in both cases. I use a large-area bowl and no plate.
Box of matches (sealed in a dry container or bag)
Wash kit (small)	It's worth saving an almost-used bar of soap (in a polybag rather than a soap box) along with an almost-used tube of toothpaste. You could even cut off half of the handle of a toothbrush. The whole lot in a polybag rather than a sponge bag, of course.
Towel (small)	A tea towel might prove perfectly adequate for drying your face, hands and feet. Water evaporates off you quite quickly, and you might not need a towel at all.
Cagoule/coat (it must be waterproof and windproof)	Aka mountain jacket, anorak etc. Again, apply the suck-through-the-fabric test to determine windproof-ness. Gortex and other laminated fabrics provide the best solution to keeping rain out at the same time as not keeping sweat in. You don’t want one with a fleece or other lining in the summer, so make sure the lining (if any) is removable. Hoods are good news. If you are buying new, this is likely to be your most expensive item of kit.
3x pairs Underwear	Fewer or more, depending on the length of the trip
2x pairs Walking socks	The number of pairs of each is up to you. I take one for each morning and one spare. I put them (and my other clothes) in a thin polybag. I have tried waterproof socks, but have found them unsatisfactory in that they seem to de-laminate in the washing machine, at which point they become scrap.
2x Tee shirts 1x Shirt (woollen, cotton or fleece) 1x Spare sweater (woollen or fleece) 1x Spare walking trousers (NOT jeans)	More choices to be made. I don’t use T-shirts when walking at all. I take a fresh shirt for each day (tho’ past three days, I’d tend to launder so as to save weight). As I only wear a sweater when stopped, I regard that one sweater as my spare. As for spare walking trousers . . . yes, I reckon that they are definitely worthwhile, if warm. It’s really good to be able to climb into completely dry clothes when you get into camp. You do have to discipline yourself to put the wet ones on next morning – hoping that they will dry out during the day – so as to have the dry set for the next evening.
Trainers (optional)	They do weigh, so it’s a close call. Many people take flip-flops as being lighter and more comfy.
Hat (warm)	You lose more heat through the top of the head than by any other mechanism. So this is quite important.
Gloves (woollen)	There’s much to be said for thermal gloves and woollen mittens.
Shorts (if appropriate)	Generally not appropriate, in my view. Waste of weight. And in the New Forest you want to avoid being bitten by adders or by ticks (which can cause Lyme's disease)
Sunhat & sun cream (if appropriate)	Definitely worthwhile, in my view. I dislike getting sunburnt almost as much as I dislike being wet.
Thermal long johns (optional) Gaiters (optional)	These two items are definitely not needed for the New Forest in summer!!
Waterproof overtrousers (essential for Gold & Wild Country)	Yes, most certainly. And put them on before you’ve got wet, rather than waiting to see whether it will be worthwhile. These and the cagoule constitute what is known as your ‘shell’ clothing.
Book, mobile, sunglasses, pillow, Antiseptic gel for hand cleaning, Water-purifying tablets, Housewife, gaffer tape (duck tape)	*Additional suggestions from WinColl* For a pillow, I just roll my fleece up. The gel could be useful after using the trowel and loo paper. You don't need water-purifying tablets in Hampshire (we supply you with water in roll-along barrels) but you might want them in the Lakes and you almost certainly want them on Dartmoor. A 'housewife' is a needle & thread mending kit. Many people store it in their First Aid box. The gaffer tape is for temporarily mending tears in tents, clothing, etc.

Group Kit (to carry between the team)
**1-2x Tents	As our tents are two- and three- man, the quantities need to be 2-3 to cater for up to seven in a group. It is your responsibility to put the tent up before you go, thereby ensuring that all the bits are there.
2-3x Stoves (& fuel & matches) 2-3x Cooking pots 2x scourers	At the rate of one cooking kit per tent this is about right. I never use scourers, choosing my menus carefully to minimise activity on the washing up front. We’ll be using a mixture of Trangia cookers (which have gas as their fuel) and free-standing gas stoves. The cooking pots form an integral part of the kit. You will probably want to cook by groups, so that a group with three tents will be able to cook three parts of its meal simultaneously on its three cookers. Normally we would reckon to lend you this part of your kit, but you may use your own if you possess it.
Maps (1:50 000 / 1:25 000) 1 Compass (Silva type)	You need 1:25,000 and NOT the other version. You need the New Forest map in the laminated version. You need a map and compass each, so these items should appear in the ‘personal’ part of the list. It's cheaper to buy from us, as we get a bulk discount.
Map cases	Not needed if you have waterproof maps.
1x Camera (optional)	Not really optional, in view of the project aspect of the expedition. You may in fact want to transfer this item to the ‘personal’ list. Make sure you bring spare batteries or films (as appropriate). And remember to download all previous photos before you set off, so as to maximise the number you can take.
2x Tea towels	Stuff will dry on its own in the air. Optional to the point of deletion from the list, I’d say.
Pack of cards (optional)	Yeah . . quite a good idea.
5x Plastic bags (for rubbish etc.)	I use quite small ones. I generally reckon to generate one very small bagsworth of rubbish per day: about the size of a tin of fruit. Again, this involves careful menu planning.
Food (small & lightweight)	See the separate page on menu planning.
String, kitchen towels, Frisbee, cloth, trowel, loo paper.	Additional suggestions from WinColl The cloth is to dry the flysheet before packing up. The trowel and loo paper are, of course, essential if you are camping wild!