Kit Talk

Notes on Kit

Experimenting here trying to get some pages added lets see what happens

The First Installment of my kit stuff and nonsense.


I decided to put this/these sections in just to give people (new to adventuring) an idea of what I, and this is my personal kit, not recommendations of the exact stuff you should be toting about this you but an idea of what I have and what has worked for me.  Very little of what I use is expensive, when I have spent what I consider to be a fair amount of dosh I make sure that I make it work, I look after it and that it is fit for purpose, this way it lasts a long long time.   I do confess to being a bit of a kit junkie and do like to buy bits and pieces that take my eye. I also have a soft spot for the pound shops it's amazing what you can pick up in there.

So here is my first entry  -  Walking Bags.


The Dog Walking Bag - this is a very old Mountain Warehouse Bum Bag  that my daughter bought me for Christmas more years ago now than I care to remember and it's still going strong.  It has a central compartment and two other zipped pockets one on the front and a mesh one on the top.
It is big enough for dog treats, poo bags, money, pair of gloves, light hat.  What more do you need on a short dog walk.  I also always, on a dog walk have my whistle round my neck - never know when you might need a good whistle.  I have thought of getting a bigger one for longer dog walks but......



The longer walk bag -.this is the backpack of choice for me at the moment and has been for about five years now.  I bought it for my original Lakeland 50 and have been extremely attached to it ever since.   My event bags have evolved a little as you will see later but I still love this one and it does what I want it to do and has been an almost constant companion on adventures far and wide.

I give you the Inov8, 12litre.
A bit battered and bruised but  still very comfy and serviceable.
Back view, slighted padded.
Close up of Whistle (in orange) and attachements for bottles.

The pack has two side pockets easily opened and closed without having to take pack off.  An stretchy front pocket with an elasticated bungee.  A large central compartment and a compartment to the reat which will hold a water bladder.  I don't use this for it's original purpose I pop my map in there when not in use.  It also has a seperate zipped compartment along the bottom which I use for all sorts of bits and pieces.  Sometimes I forget what I have stuffed in there.

The next picture gives you an idea of the "stuff" I take with me on the average adventure.  Obviously just the normal one half or one whole day advenuture not anything longer or further from civilization.  What's in the backpack is over and above whatever I may have on in terms of clothing.  These are the spares, because you just never can tell.  


So in the pack I generally carry:-

Flask - coffee mostly.
9 Bars, high energy small snacks, nuts are favourites, chocolate etc sometimes I carry a roll, flapjack etc it depends on how long I want to be out and what facilities there are along the way.  I do love a good tea room/cafe/coffee shop.
Spare hat and gloves (these ones are waterproof).
First aid kit - containing plasters, blister plasters, small bandage, wipes, antispectic cream, painkillers, tweezers, small scissors.  Enough stuff for me and the dog lol
Anti bacterial wipes.
Hand Cream
Lighter and fire starter kit.
Money both cash and card.
Small swiss army type knife
Map, compass and GPS unit with spare batteries.
Small hand held torch, plus head torch and spare batteries.
1 Pair waterproof leggins and a spare waterproof jacket. more detail on jackets etc to come in another post)
1 Spare warm top.
Warm Headband for when a hat is too much but you need something to keep ears warm.
Fully charged mobile phone.
Poo Bags and dog treats.  It's amazing the uses you can put a clean poo bag to.

So there we are and yes it all fit is with room to spare.

When adventuring particualrly if it's just me and the dog I tend to err on the side of caution or worst case scenario -what would happen if I fell and need to wait to be rescued.  Priority would be to keep warm and be nourished.   That's also why I generally have coffee, something warm to sip on.  I'm always amazed at how quickly the weather can change, one minute it can be warm and sunny and the next wet, cold and blowing a gale, even in Summer.

So those are my walking bags.  Next time I'll put on my running, cycling bags.  (Who said I was a bit odd - however I don't think I'm the only one lol).






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