Hiking, backpacking, trekking, mountaineering...

alexthecheese said:
I really want to do some wild camping, orienteering stuff, but I don't have any money for the kit involved.
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Yeah, there is a fair bit of kit to get if you're just starting out and the good stuff is often really expensive which can be daunting. Keep your eyes open, check outdoor forum classifieds and ebay and build your kit over time.
 
GingerNinja1989 said:
Just got back from a bimble around the Beacons today. Lots of lovely, lovely snow :)
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Nice, did you get any pics?

I've just spent a bit on shiny new kit, not sure exactly how much as some was ordered from the UK, some was from CZ and there were a few things for a friend in the orders. My stuff includes, Kahtoola microspikes, Woolpower zipped top, gravity water filter, down booties, snow baskets for poles and various other bits :D
 
Col_M said:
Nice, did you get any pics?

I've just spent a bit on shiny new kit, not sure exactly how much as some was ordered from the UK, some was from CZ and there were a few things for a friend in the orders. My stuff includes, Kahtoola microspikes, Woolpower zipped top, gravity water filter, down booties, snow baskets for poles and various other bits :D
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My pal had his camera, I'll see if he's got anything decent.

:)
 
robj20 said:
Does anyone drink from streams without trouble, i have had the occasional mouthful but never drank a few days worth, wondering if some sort of filter would be a benefit.
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Whenever I'm in the hills up here, I'd have no issue drinking straight from a stream.

Have to pick a sensible place though, as I wouldn't just fill up anywhere. But high up in the hills, with a decent flowing stream, I must have filled up hundreds of times and always been fine.

Fresh, cold water up in the hills is hard to beat.
 
Just sat on Sportpursuit.com and racked up over £700 in my basket.... sooo tempting, but do I NEED it? No! Do I WANT it however? Of course! :D

Anyhow, I closed the page and told myself to grow up lol.
 
alexthecheese said:
I really want to do some wild camping, orienteering stuff, but I don't have any money for the kit involved.
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It can be done on the cheap. I have a lot of army surplus stuff that is brilliant for people on a budget. I mostly got it from ebay. Its often heavier than the commercial equivalent but its tough and lasts forever. Only downside is that everything is either green or green/brown camo.

Here is an example of the super-cheap setup i started with:
Gore-Tex Bivi Bag £30
4 season sleeping bag £45
hexi stove and mess tins £15
Small tarpaulin to shelter your face ~£5-10
Walking pole to prop up the tarp £10

It's not the the most luxurious, and certainly not the lightest, but it will keep you warm and dry. Thats everything you'll need (other than your clothes, food, etc). Just dont go for cheap boots if you're walking (i dont have that problem because i always take my bike).
 
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^ sound advice. I used a lot of my issue kit. However, in time I found myself buying better things instead so perhaps it makes more sense to invest in the better thing first. The sleeping bag, for example, is far too heavy. It's overkill for anything better than sleeping under a bivvy in winter. Investing in a much lighter 2-3 season will more than suffice. Although hexi-stoves are alright, for the same price you can get a decent mini stove and use gas, which is quicker and more convenient than farting around with hexi-blocks. The key to wild camping is to pack as light as possible. I cut my load down by over a half the weight cutting out stuff I didn't need and investing in nice lightweight kit.

+1 for ebay stuff though. You can pick up 2nd hand quality kit on there. Just need to hunt around.
+2 for decent boots. Never scrimp on boots. Decent boots pay back in dividends. Mine are very comfy and have lasted years and will last for many more. I think I will always stick to Scarpa now. I don't see anything wrong with a pair of 2nd hand boots if you can't afford new though. Just go to an outdoors shop (GoOutdoors/CCC/Cotswolds). Try on some pairs, see how they fit, then buy them off ebay much cheaper and already bedded in :D
 
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anyone else cook on day trips, nothing like a bacon sarnie to boast moral and if you place yourself well enough you can troll others walking up the hill with the smell :D
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Col_M said:
I just stumbled upon a freeware gear list app, it may be useful to some so I thight I'd post it here - http://www.sherpa-en.pistoo.net/index.html

Not tried it yet but it seems pretty good, I'm going to have a play when I get home.
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OK, this app is freaking amazing! :D

Text output
Code: 
Multi-day winter hike

PACKING
   Osprey Exos 58                                       1.14 kg
SLEEPING
   Mountain Equipment Lightline 550                     1.26 kg
   Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor plus                  263 g
   Therm-A-Rest NeoAir All Season                         611 g
   Warmpeace Down booties                                 230 g
   IKEA Pillow case                                        96 g
   Ear plugs Ear plugs                                      6 g
   Vaude MkII Inner                                     1.30 kg
   Vaude MkII poles                                       867 g
   --------------------                                 4.63 kg
CLOTHING
   Alpkit Wool socks                                       66 g
   Bridgedale Coolmax liner socks                          31 g
   Marmot Solaris 1/2 zip                                 341 g
   Berghaus Velum jacket                                  335 g
   Montane Atomic pants                                   193 g
   --------------------                                   966 g
FOOD & HYDRATATION
   Camelbak 2L hydration system                           161 g
   Any 1L PET bottle                                       36 g
   MSR Gravity water filter                               403 g
   Jetboil Sol Ti                                         300 g
   DIY FBC cozy                                            13 g
   Sea to Summit Alphalight long spoon                     12 g
   --------------------                                   925 g
TOOLS/MISC
   Zebralight H600 + battery                              107 g
   Goal Zero Luna                                          50 g
   Silva Type 4 compass + case                             67 g
   Deuter First aid kit                                   152 g
   --------------------                                   376 g
ELECTRONICS
   Goal Zero Guide 10+ + 4AA batts + iphone cabl          199 g
   Sanyo Eneloop AA batteries x4                          105 g
   --------------------                                   304 g
EQUIPMENT
   Kahtoola MICROspikes                                   379 g
TOILETRIES
   Sea to Summit bag+iPood+sanitiser+paper                266 g
CONSUMABLES
   Food Food                                            2.30 kg
   Jetboil 100g gas cart                                  194 g
   Earth Water                                          3.00 kg
   --------------------                                 5.49 kg
MISCELLANEOUS
   Therm-A-Rest Sit pad                                    98 g

 WORN/CARRIED
   Icebreaker 200g zip neck top                           209 g
   Icebreaker 200g long johns                             164 g
   Alpkit Wool socks @(worn)                               66 g
   Bridgedale Coolmax liner socks @(worn)                  31 g
   Patagonia Alpine pants                                 624 g
   Montane Extreme smock                                  884 g
   Outdoor Research Crocodiles gaiters                    289 g
   Buff Merino wool                                        54 g
   Mountain Equipment Drilite mitts                       140 g
   Unknown Silk liner gloves                               23 g
   Lowe Alpine Mountain cap                                79 g
   Apple iPhone 4                                         139 g
   Sony TX5                                               146 g
   Leki Makalu titanium                                   540 g
   Aquapak phone case                                      38 g

   PACKED                                              14.58 kg
   WORN/CARRIED                                         3.43 kg
   CONSUMABLES                                          5.49 kg
   TOTAL                                               18.00 kg
Image output, ignore packed volume as I've not filled it out for everything and not sure why the bottom was cut off but I think everything is still there.
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Pretty cool for free! You can also put things for sale between other Sherpa users.
 
OK, next up for us is Scafell Pike. Have any of you guys been up there before? What's it like compared to Snowdon?

We'll be heading off around the 15th of March. Hopefully the weather will be kinder to us than Snowdon.

Got a question around parking - might be taking our motorhome, which is pretty long. Will we be able to park it anywhere? Are there any dedicated parking areas, or will it be a case of parking on the road?
 
Best parking is at the end of the road in Seathwaite its free as well, probably not big enough for a motor home.

Abraxaz1 said:
anyone else cook on day trips, nothing like a bacon sarnie to boast moral and if you place yourself well enough you can troll others walking up the hill with the smell :D
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Yes from time to time i take my Dragonfly with me and some burgers or steak.

Going to get an Ospray Exos soon for my camping, think 48L should be enough for two days/one night.
 
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alexthecheese said:
OK, next up for us is Scafell Pike. Have any of you guys been up there before? What's it like compared to Snowdon?

We'll be heading off around the 15th of March. Hopefully the weather will be kinder to us than Snowdon.

Got a question around parking - might be taking our motorhome, which is pretty long. Will we be able to park it anywhere? Are there any dedicated parking areas, or will it be a case of parking on the road?
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Depends where your approaching from, shortest route if from Wasdale head, plenty of parking if it's not the weekend normally and a couple of campsites but not sure if they allow motorhomes. You can also go from Greater Langdale but its a bit of a mission, think its about 24 miles off the top of my head as a round trip. From Wasdale I'd say it compares best with the Pyg track though the path is a not as well defined at parts and there is a bit of a scramble near the top though it think you can circumnavigate that. Easy peasey if the weathers on your side but you'll need to pay a little more attention to Nav than you would on Snowdon if the visibility is poor.
 
robj20 said:
Going to get an Ospray Exos soon for my camping, think 48L should be enough for two days/one night.
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I got the Exos 58 and just took it on a four day hike at the weekend, it was great, I was a little concerned about the minimal padding on the straps but I have no soreness at all and it was very comfortable. Make sure you get the right size and they seem to be a great bag.

Me wearing it on Saturday :)
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Other pics from my trip
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This thread is really making me want to get into hiking/mountaineering properly. The only slightly tricky climb I’ve done is Mont Buet (3096m) in the Alps at 16. Done countless 2000m+, but never in winter and never longer than 1.5 days.
 
There are 2 carparks at Wasdale head, and you can definitely leave a motorhome in the one en route to the pub if there is space (and in winter there will be). It's just a muddy free-for-all.
 
Tom_ed1987 said:
There are 2 carparks at Wasdale head, and you can definitely leave a motorhome in the one en route to the pub if there is space (and in winter there will be). It's just a muddy free-for-all.
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Parking at Wasdale Head is probably your best bet at getting a space as others have said.

Although get there early as it will fill it up quickly.
 
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