anyone got any good advice for minimal equitment to take on a weekend camping trip?
anyone got any good advice for minimal equitment to take on a weekend camping trip?
"Fire-wood makes you warm three times; first collecting it, secondly shifting it and third when you burn it." - Ray Mears
Just remember the basics: knife, shelter, fire, food, water, navigation and first-aid and base your choices around these.
Shelter - tarp/poncho (take paracord), bivi bag and sleeping bag
Fire - firesteel,/matches/lighter/other (take 3x methods to be sure!) and tinder materiel
Food - hobo stove/fuel burner (take fuel) and/or rations and spoon/fork and cup/billy
Water - couple of lightweight bottles (think min 2L pp per day)
Navigation - compass
First-aid - kit
Hope this helps
Steve
thanks for that steve
"Fire-wood makes you warm three times; first collecting it, secondly shifting it and third when you burn it." - Ray Mears
spot on Steve.
Also consider your destination. Get an OS Landranger map (usually good enough). Some water purification kit - plenty of fresh water about trossachs/highlands if your headed there. A boil will do the job but failing that a simple filter and chlorine pill.
My advice, for what it's worth, is to take what you think you'll 'NEED'. When you get home, look at all the stuff you took and discard all the bits you didn't use (except emergency/safety items), then the next time you go out, leave all that at home. Gradually, you'll get lighter and lighter. Aim for a pack weight of around 10Kg excluding food and water and you won't be doing badly.
Martin
Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
Martin makes a good suggestion in my view. I still have my wild camping/Bushcrafting "L" plates on (or maybe my green "P" plates by now) but anyway, I applied Martine's logic last year and it works well. You get to know what "you" need based on your needs, style of camping, trekking etc and learning it the hard way (heavy packs to start with) means you'll remember it next time...!Originally Posted by Martin
Don't sweat the small stuff - and it's ALL small stuff...!
Hi I can manage a 2-3 day hike on 9 kg including my food and water= 3l hydration pouch.
try looking around for the lightest sleeping bag with the highest rating on the budget you have set then go for the tarp and hammock again go for light.
my gas stove is a mear 47 grms whilst i opt for the noodles and dried mash when it comes to the food..
try this site for lightweight gear. although maybe not everything is the lightest still very good.
http://www.backpacking-lite.co.uk/
Also http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/
good luck and have fun.
You are spot on Martin. I do a lot of wild Brownie fishing in the streams of Wales and being light is a must. I did exactly what you said took out what i didn't use bar essentials each time i came home. Now I carry very little with me.
some good sites there, especially the last one, can see why it's a favourite for many people on here.
Just got back from 2 nights of camping. We made our shelter and slept with a fire for extra heat.
1) good sleeping bag/bivi or poncho - lightweight and fast
2) a good knife
3) a folding saw was fantastic
4) some para cord
5) water
6) food
7) maps
Clothes we wore and good fun was had.
Check out the forum "2 nights in the woods" for kit pics and camp set up
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote