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[LennyJ1]

Ok so I have bitten from the last tread.

With 2 people losing the torches and not being able to complete there walk I feel we should look at what kit we take and identify where some have gone wrong (including myself).

My kit list is as follows

Waterproof Jacket and Trousers (in Exped bag)
Hat, Gloves & Buff (in Exped bag)
First Aid Kit
Torch & Spare Battries (Spare small maglite penciel torch - 1 AAA Battrey one)
Water
Camera (With Tripod)
Spare mid Layer (in Exped Bag)
Sunglasses & Suncream (If sunny)
Food
Walking poles
Gaiters
Flash of Coffee in cold weather
Map & Compass
Phone (in Exped bag)
Headphones (for the tunes)
Knife

Now I do own a Bivi bag but tend not to take it unless its winter and I am exped to be out at night.

This is all the gear I take on every trip even if the sun is spliting the skys.

I always try to remember something I got taught a long time ago, The 7 p's

Prior, preperation, planing, prevents, piss, poor, performance

Feel free to pick apart my kit if you feel I have missed something.

[Oisín]

Honestly, I bring a coat and not much else. Maybe some light snacks and water. I don't feel I need much else if I'm only going for a walk during the day.

It will obviously change if I was going for an overnighter.

[LennyJ1]

Honestly, I bring a coat and not much else. Maybe some light snacks and water. I don't feel I need much else if I'm only going for a walk during the day.

It will obviously change if I was going for an overnighter.

Seriously. What would you do if you cut yourself or if you came up against a bear?

[hud]

Lenny - your list looks pretty similar to mine...I loose the headphones (only cos I'm not that into music) but add:

Whistle
Small fire starting kit [maya, lighter, striker]
(And only if with a group) Emergency Bothy

Out of interest, do you use 4 drybags inside, or say two with two items in each?

[Oisín]

I don't see a high chance of cutting myself if I was out walking. But if I did I guess I'd try keep it clean and get a plaster or something on it when I got home.

[LennyJ1]

Lenny - your list looks pretty similar to mine...I loose the headphones (only cos I'm not that into music) but add:

Whistle
Small fire starting kit [maya, lighter, striker]
(And only if with a group) Emergency Bothy

Out of interest, do you use 4 drybags inside, or say two with two items in each?

Yeah each item(s) have there own drybag. I do have a whistle but its on my shest stap on my bag.

never really thought about a fire starter kit.

[LennyJ1]

I don't see a high chance of cutting myself if I was out walking. But if I did I guess I'd try keep it clean and get a plaster or something on it when I got home.

I really think that you should reconsider you outlook on this when going into the hills. In fact if all you take is a jacket food and water then you are seriouly under prepared and if you did take a fall or have a injury then you would be up sh*t creek without that paddle.

[Fred]

Have you forgotten the orange survival bag or equivalent? Its a good idea to carry one in the mountains, summer or winter just in case things go wrong and you just cant get down.

fred

[LennyJ1]

Have you forgotten the orange survival bag or equivalent? Its a good idea to carry one in the mountains, summer or winter just in case things go wrong and you just cant get down.

fred

As I said - Now I do own a Bivi bag but tend not to take it unless its winter and I am exped to be out at night.

[hud]

Hmmm the old survival bag - defs take it if I'm with someone, if I'm on my own...bit like Lenny, only if I'm planning to stay out - the extra mid layers, and waterproofs should be enough I believe - but happy to discuss and be proved wrong

One thing I forgot to say - I always have space laces in the First Aid Kit

[phil_b]

Looks like I need to go and do a bit of shopping!

[twentyclicks]

Depends on a lot, but I mainly subscribe to the alpine philosophy of light is right, and speed is safe...in terms of only taking on risky challenges in good weather windows...it's also a philosophy that relies on knowledge, improvisation, and prepared to put up with a lot of suffering. If I purposely go out in bad weather I'll expect to have to hole up if necessary. If I'm out with slower people I need to wear more to begin with and carry extras for new-comers. You may be a bit stuck with just boulders on the side of Lamagan these days, but generally in the Mournes you're not far from a nice wee hollow of heather to curl up in out of the wind....ask any collie 

If I'm going for a run then it's precious little. It's a compromise, but I accept it as part of the activity.
Wear shorts, baselayer, cap.
Waistpack with water bottle, whistle, windshirt or light waterproof, buff, some toilet paper!, compeed & safety pin & ibuprofen, charged phone, lots of gels & carb powder.
Carry map & compass unless on low trails the whole way (like Mourne Way).

If a day trek in the hills I'll additionally always have a waterproof, a bigger FAK (with plasters, steri-strips, crepe bandage etc, alcohol gel +now some spare batteries), hat & gloves, an insulating layer, headtorch, mini pen-knife, RAB survival zone bivvy, camera. Usually just the one drybag for a day walk...camping requires a little more organisation. For a short forest/estate dander a jacket may be all that is required if the sun isn't out.

If it was winter (cold winter, not year-round winter) there'd be a stove, waterproof trousers, extra hat and mitts, beefier insulation (maybe leg insulation).

Of course, letting people know roughly where you are going and when you expect to be back is a bit of safety kit you don't have to carry. I'm more at risk of forgetting something on an overnighter when there are a lot more 'bits' to pack, like recently I've forgotten my hat and gloves, but not exactly life & death when you have a sleeping bag and bivvy. Anything more than an overnighter tends to be meticulously planned. Overnighters are definitely my weak area of preparedness as they are usually last minute or squeezed in with a million other things.

[Kayakgirl]

On my Mountain Leader course I was always told to bring extra clothes, hats, gloves incase of emergency. A dander in the hills can always lead to a what if...
Here is my list of essentials..
Water proof trousers and jacket
Spare pair of trousers/leggins/fleece and socks
2 Hats and 2 pairs of gloves
Whistle
Water
Walking poles
Spare Laces
Phone
Small Flask of hot juice.. Large flask in the winter time
Head torch and batteries
First Aid kit to include Blister plasters
Chocolate, Jelly babies and Digestive biscuits
Bothy/shelter tent
Bivvi Bag
Small sleeping bag
Belay jacket
Map and compass
Tissues and plastic bag
Baby wipes
Duck tape
GPS
I also let home know where I am going and ETA of when I will be back.
I always have a mindset of in case of an emergency
If I am taking a group out onto the hills I would bring extra clothing for them and maybe two flasks.

[harveymt]

1.) What would you have in a first aid kit?

2.) What are the walking poles for? Are they just to help you about generally or is there a survival aspect as well?

3.) Are we talking a pen knife, swiss army knife or full on Rambo?

[Rusty Madra]

I took the basic elements of a first aid kit and stripped it down to what I'd realisitcally use / need. I put it all in a snug pouch that can clip onto any pack I'll use. Basically a bandage, tampons (none better for stemming blood flow & starting fires  ) anti-septic gel, scalpel, painkillers, plasters, suture kit, face shield etc. To this I added an emergency foil blanket, compass, a lighter (high polished silver zippo doubles well as a signalling device), small torch, zinc oxide tape, mountain whistle and a bar of Kendal mint cake.

The kit in my pack will have the usual stuff mentioned before but with that small pouch I always feel a little more comfortable.

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