How does your SOTA backpack compare?

Equipment
21

I was re-packing my kit into a more comfortable rucksack this evening anyway, so here’s a break-down of what I’m taking on a 16 km / 10 mile hike to activate Kinder Scout (G/SP-001) in the Peak District tomorrow. The forecast is “Extensively fine, sunny and increasingly warm. Small risk afternoon shower.”

SOTA-loadout
SOTA-loadout1536×1315 347 KB

Bag: Deuter Guide 45+

Food & drink

  • Water bladder
  • 0.5l flask of coffee
  • [ Not pictured: sandwiches, snack bars ]

Clothing

  • [ Not pictured: Gore-Tex pac-lite waterproof jacket ]
  • Insulating (wool) & windproof mid-layer
  • Gore-Tex waterproof trousers
  • Woolly hat (knitted by my wife :slight_smile:)
  • Gloves
  • Buff
  • Sunhat
  • Sunglasses + case

Health & comfort

  • Foam “sit-upon” mat
  • Emergency shelter
  • First-aid kit
  • Insect repellent
  • Sun cream
  • Blister plasters
  • Tissues
  • [Not pictured: face mask, hand sanitiser]

Utility

  • Map in waterproof case
  • Compass
  • Head torch + spare batteries
  • Swiss army knife
  • [ Not pictured: mobile phone ]
  • Phone power-pack + charging cable
  • Spare boot laces
  • Spare lid for water bottle
  • Duct tape
  • Fabric repair tape
  • Whistle
  • Mirror

Radio

The only items from this list that I have never used on a day hike are the whistle and the mirror. Clearly all this weighs more than 4.5 kg, however I could stand to lose a few kilos of my own before I start snapping off the handle of my toothbrush, so to speak!

EDIT: I weighed the bag using my incredibly accurate (HI) luggage scales and found it was 13 kg, which includes 2l water and 500ml coffee. Maybe I should take out the mirror and the whistle after all…

4 Likes
22

Good picture and equipment list Richard - thanks!

Best of luck with your activation in the Peak District tomorrow.

73
G0KPE

1 Like
23

I think that would be distinctly off topic for this reflector!

The only times I’ve been out in the wilderness without a torch have been the summers I spent North of the Arctic circle :wink:

24

You could use the bottom of a stainless steel flask as an emergency signaling mirror… Not for tidying your hair, though :grin:

2 Likes
25

About 40 years ago it has been pointed out to me that I described the path over Kinder as like a motorway and scoffed about navigation… and you guessed it promptly got “misplaced” in the mist. We set a bearing and were “suprised” not to find the downfall, bur an edge which appeared to run E/W having missed the downfall completely. The spare kit we carried was useful as we did a longer hike than planned. It is now much harder to get lost with GPS! </Off Topic>.
Your Kit looks very sensible - my pack has similar contents but with a 2m hh and a roll up J pole antenna as a plan “B”, and a “Blizzard Bag” https://www.blizzardsurvival.com/shop/blizzard-active-range-2-layer-survival-bag/ which I can recommend having used one when pretending to be a casualty for the mountain rescue - warm as toast and until it is opened is very small. Good Luck on Kinder! Paul

1 Like
26

There’s a reason MRT gets called out to that particular route often. The path marked on the map is in fact just a “horrible (if weirdly beautiful) boggy wilderness.” A while ago [EDIT: March 2021] the deputy leader of the Kinder MRT combined the team’s call-out locations with Strava data from the area to make this interesting analysis.

1 Like
27

Wow, you guys go light! I have to have my table and chair. My pack is running 25 - 30lbs!

Another country heard from.

73 Eric KG6MZS