| Kit |
Make |
Comments |
| Rucksack |
MacPac Cascade |
Excellent NZ pack - never let me down |
| Plastic bags |
Various |
Because no sack is truly waterproof |
| Sleeping bag |
Various |
Started with a down bag then discovered that all gites and refuges provide blankets so a sheet or light sleeping bag is all that is required |
| Waterproof coat |
Colombia Omnitec |
Kept me dry and warm though tended to get a bit heavy when wet |
| Waterproof trousers |
Colombia Omnitec |
Never needed to wear them |
| Gaiters |
Adventure Designs |
Never needed to wear them |
| Warm hat |
Fleece material |
Never needed to wear it |
| Warm gloves |
Fleece material |
Only used once |
| Walking boots |
Gaumont - NZ |
Excellent though well worn by the end |
| Light shoes |
Squash shoes |
Not essential but I didn't want to go clumping around gites in my boots or socks. Most refuges offer green rubber slippers to wear - odd things |
| Walking shorts/ trousers |
Gondwana |
I managed to obtain a pair of these lightweight zippable shorts/trousers from a mate in NZ. Excellent although I needed to buy a belt after 2 stages |
| Walking tops |
Lowe Alpine/ Adidas |
I found these lightweight, breathable tops great, especially the Lowe Alpine. I wore it in all conditions |
| Fleece |
Lightweight |
Just to wear in the evening, although occasionally I wished I has carried something more substantial |
| Long trousers |
Lightweight |
Again, just for those smart evening does |
| Swimmers |
|
Used once in a hotel in Andorra but useful backup in case I ripped the walking shorts |
| Towel |
Smallish |
We all have our foibles - one of mine is carrying a proper towel. I know the walking towels are lighter and dry faster but I can't be doing with them |
| Underwear |
Lots |
The question of how many spare pairs of knickers and socks to carry has divided the walking community over many years - I am firmly in the camp of carrying too many, especially socks. There is nothing worse than having to put on wet and smelly socks in the morning |
| Walking socks |
Wool |
Again, I carried two pairs as it allowed me to put on a dry pair in the mornings |
| Polyprop |
Everwarm |
Excellent for putting on at night or on those really cold days, the modern day woolly vest |
| Water bottles |
SIGG/ Laker |
Lighweight aluminium bottles - I had two, one 1.5 litre and the other 1 litre and I would carry one or both depending on the stage |
| Sunglasses |
Oakley |
Essential for those photos on the snow |
| Camera |
Rollei |
Ditto |
| Hat/cap |
Whakapapa |
I was given a floppy hat for Christmas and, despite it looking ridiculous, it was ideal for keeping off the sun and rain. Caps are fine too but keep you can end up with a red neck |
| Maps |
IGN |
Lots - see the Planning section for details about my map fetish |
| Guides |
FFRP GR10 Guide |
Again see the Planning section for details. I carried the guide on all sections except for 3 and 6 which were mainly on the HRP |
| Cash |
Euros |
Useful stuff - most refuges and gites only take the folding stuff |
| Book |
Paperback |
Good for both the long evenings and the never ending train journeys |
| Credit card |
Carte Blue |
Handy for those moments of weakness |
| Clock/watch |
Various |
An alarm clock or watch is useful, alas mine went bugger up half way through the walk so I had to rely on the sun or fellow walkers to wake me up. Essential also for counting down the minutes to dinner |
| Penknife |
Swiss Army |
Never leave home without it - how else would you slice up the salami and fend off marauding bears? |
| Torch |
Decathlon |
I feel my kitbag let me down a bit here, my Decathlon cheapie, though it did the job, didn't stand comparison to the snazzy LED headlamps worn by several of my compatriots. Still it did tuck into my pocket and was borrowed a few times by the aforementioned compatriots so they could get their aforementioned snazzy LED headlamps from their bunkrooms... |
| Spare boot laces |
Red |
Borrowed by John on étape 8 to stop his second hat blowing away in the wind, and very silly it looked too |
| Compass |
Silva |
Ah the trusty compass. Used on several occasions and never let me down |
| Survival blanket |
|
Cheap, light and dang useful if you have to spend the night in the open but nowhere near as comfortable as a gite |
| Pen/paper |
|
Useful for writing down phone numbers, making hitching signs, origami ... |
| Medical kit |
|
Again - not a strong point I'm afraid. Mine consisted of plasters, parecetamol and a tube of antiseptic cream. Soundly told off by several of my walking companions for not carrying bandages, scapels, operating table etc. |
| Toilet bag |
Airline giveaway (first or business class) |
Great opportunities to blow the weight budget here - I took the dregs of shampoo bottles and half empty toothpaste. Loo roll is useful in case the refuge runs out or you get caught short in the woods |
| Puritabs |
US brand - PA |
Good investment - iodine tablets to kill the bugs and neutralising tablets to get rid of that iodine taste. Pricey though |
| Sun cream |
Sainsburys Suncare |
Found that this mix of suncream is ideal for walking, it doesn't sweat off and start dripping into the eyes like normal suncream |
| Chap stick |
|
It can get very dry in them there mountains |
| Lunch and snacks |
Various |
I carried salami and Ryvita crackers for lunch as they were light and lasted for ever, backed up by a mixture of meusli and chocolate bars |
| Gadgets |
Various |
More often carried by walking companions than myself but excellent for the cool looking walker. Chris's ultra-lightweight digital camera scored highly, eclipsed only by John's GPS |
| Walking companion |
Various |
Always useful. If live companions were not available I found lightweight stuffed animals sat nicely on the pack and helped the image of eccentricity engendered by the hat |
