I have been hill walking for the best part of 40 years now. TGO's constant praising of ultra light weight is making me try to be a little more relaxed about not carrying the kitchen sink. But whatever I do my sack always looks bulkier and heavier than most other hill goers on my day walks (mainly in the Lakes). Whenever I see other people's gear lists I always think "but they surely have to take an x, y, or z with them....". So, what do people think about the following which is what is in my rucksack for a typical grey Lakes day in, say Spring or Autumn. And what would others cut back on or lighten?:

Osprey Tallon 33 pack 920 grams
Cag (Berghaus paclite) 490 grams
Overtrousers (Berghaus paclite) 250 grams
Hat 75 grams
Gloves 75 grams
First aid kit 150 grams
GPS (Active 10) 280 grams including batteries
Headtorch 125 grammes including batteries
3 Spare AA batteries for sat nav or headtorch 90 grams
Camera (Sony Cybershot) 240 grams
1:25,000 OS map, waterproof type 240 grams
Wainwright Guide 250 grams (I know I shouldn't need it after 35 years and two rounds of the Wainwrights + hundreds of other days out)
Silva Compass 30 grams
Spare micro fleece or Rab Alpine Generator jacket(not weighed)
Buff
All above in three different sized dry bags
Treking poles, Brasher Hillmaster 525 grams
Water - at least one litre, in Source bladder (I dehydrate rapidly!)
Thermos Flask, 750 mill, taken whenever chilly
Sandwiches ( I am ashamed to say they go in a plastic box), chocolate etc
Tiny notebook and pen, car keys, wallet, reading glasses

Apart from winter conditions I am currently wearing a pair of North Face Cedar Ridge Boots which I think are about 1200 grams and which I have been pleased with. In colder weather I use somewhat heavier Meindl Air Revolution 2 boots which, despite the manufacturer's rating seem to have no problem with flexible Grivel crampons.

I can not see much superfluous stuff here yet my sack looks twice as full as everbody elses! Views please!

If it's not too likely to rain I would suggest ditching Cag and over-trousers. Your Rab Generator should should be reasonably waterproof and getting wet legs isn't the end of the world. Obviously this doesn't apply in Winter.

I would also ditch the first aid kit, although it doesn't weigh much. You can use your Buff as a pressure bandage if you needed one. Other minor injuries/headaches can wait until you get back.

Ian.

When you say "spare" microfleece, does this mean you're wearing one as well? If so then ditch it, you don't need two.

I would also only use one dry bag.

First aid kit could be trimmed down, perhaps - just take painkillers, plasters and perhaps tweezers; the rest you can improvise.

Apart from that, you seem to be carrying similar things to myself (yes, including sandwiches in a plastic tub for day walks!); there's not much else I would leave behind. With the greatest respect to Ian, I would never leave behind my waterproof top (but I agree that you won't always need the trousers). I would also consider ADDING a windproof top to your list. I manage to fit it all into a 20 litre pack.

I would also be interested to see how this list could be safely trimmed down. Any thoughts from the ultralighters...?

Steve.

I use one of these:

rolson clip on light thingy

I can't compare it with your head torch (or any other) I'm afraid but for the weight and size it's plenty bright enough for me.

My scales aren't greatly accurate but it looks to be around 25grams with batteries. Its got a sturdy crocodile clip stlye clamp on the bottom, this swivels 360 degrees stopping at 45 degree increments, it can be clipped onto a cap peak/hat rim, tent pole, walking pole, backpack shoulder strap etc.

The spare batteries barely register on my scales.

I got it in TKMaxx for something like £1.50

The link doesn't seem to take you directly to their page, it's the last item on the second last page on the "lights and torches" link. Or copy and paste this into a new tab:

http://www.rolsontools.com/products.asp?main=5&subM=36&page=13&id=1729&tt=72&ct=65

David.

Hi David,

You could ditch the GPS. I always seem to question why I carry it around all day at the bottom of my pack. Right up to the point, that is, when the clouds come down and I can't see my hand in front of my face. Then suddenly, I'm not quite as sure as I was exactly where I am on the map!

I opt not to carry a flask, too heavy, tea / coffee always cold when I get round to drinking it, or it's leaked all over the contents of my rucsac. I opt for Ti Mug (60g) and a home-made Pepsi-Can stove (small tonic can actually) and cone (75g) and then carry some 30ml or 60ml of Meths in a Nangalene (sp!) bottle. Either premix coffee and sugar in small container or use sachets acquired from hotel rooms and coffee shops. Would also have a lighter or fire-steel, but I carry that anyway. Guess the whole lot weighs in at around 250g.

Concur on points regarding waterproof trousers.

Would probably add some sort of emergency bivi-bag as well. Had cause to use one before, when forced to spend an unplanned extra evening on the mountain. Which would add another 250g - 300g.

You could opt for a 28g eLite from Petzel in place of the head torch. This gives you an emergency whistle as well. (Though the last time I checked I managed to carry three of these with me. (One built into the rucsac chest strap, one on the end of my compass lanyard and one on the head torch!)

I always carry a first-aid kit, wouldn't dream of ditching it, though at over 200g I'm thinking about pairing it back a bit. Perhaps splitting it in to two halfs, one for short walks and a supplementary pack for longer more remote walks.

I also end up with an assorted odd bag of things like a knife, lighter, lip balm, 5m x 2mm cord, button compass, eLite, spare batteries for GPS, fire steel, tinder, foil blanket, pocket tissues, sanitising gel ... This is usually in with my first aid kit and is affectionately referred to as my "Grab Bag". Something, I think I first came across when I was learning to sail.

I reckon walking in only my thermal top (and trousers!), I'll have just over 4Kg on my back before I add food and water. (3Kg if I was ruthless and did without GPS, warm drink and emergency shelter.) Water will add about another 1.5kg and I always take a little more food than I think I'll need. Interestingly, I reckon I only need an additional 2.7kg to have enough kit for a planned, comfortable sleep out.

Like yourself, I don't think this is particularly light, however unless I was walking in an area I knew really well and was never more than an hour from the car I think I would be reluctant to carry less. I'm now focussing on carrying less weight around the belt line rather than worrying about the weight on my back. So far managed to shed over 7Kg of weight and rather than costing me money, it's actually saved me money. Though my local landlord is the poorer for it.

If you are like me and your rucksack gets used for multiple purposes, it's probably worth emptying it out and removing non walk related stuff. I often carry spare inner tubes and a bike pump, which aren't much use half way up Snowdon. At this time of year I wouldn't bother with a head torch. This last bit of advice comes from someone who managed to produce a head torch with a flat battery from my rucksack when it went dark on a descent in the Lakes on my honeymoon:)

Ian.

I'd carry pretty much the same as you - more than most of the others in my walking group who are not carrying any emergency kit with them on the assumption that nothing will go wrong or if it does a.n.other will help them out.

When I joined a (different) hill walking group last Autumn, the leader who is in the Kinder MRT, went through the contents of his rucksack with us (this was in December) and told us what to get. I have it all and take much of it with me most days. This always includes waterproof over-trousers - it's been a very wet summer so far.

One further thought - one gets used to carrying a certain amount of weight and the more experienced of walkers in my group (the first one mentioned above) are the ones with more rather than less kit.

BTW: the kit list for mountain walking for the Snowdonia Walking Festival (October this year in Betws y Coed) specifies multiple hats and gloves!

Dave

I can't comment on the weight of my gear simply because I've never weighed it. My walking has been largely on the North York Moors and around Swaledale in recent times and involves walks of c.10-18 miles.
I've done a years training with MRT and have followed their advice on kit.

Mine is as follows

Wearing:-
Shirt (plus t-shirt depending on temp) / trousers (always a good idea - save's that embarassing arrest for indecent exposure / blinding people with white legs) / boots of course / fleece (depending on weather I carry it or wear it) / Usually wear a light cap (going bald and it keeps the sun of my nogging)
Carry:-
30+6 litre rucksack
Fleece (but only if I'm not wearing it - no spare)
Water proof jacket and trousers
Gaiters (depending on where I'm walking and on conditions)
Gloves
One of those dare2b versatile headwear thingies
Lunch
2 or 3 litre drink bladder (depending on weather and how hard walk will be) - you really need a couple of litres of drink for a decent walk.
Flask (a luxury I choose to take - not really needed in warm weather of course)
Head-torch and spare batteries
Map/s and compass
First aid kit plus sunscreen in summer
Insect repellent in season.
Safe-knife
MRT recommends spare laces - if mine snap I just tie them together again - however spare laces could always be used for other things as emergency ties I suppose.
I don't use poles but might start to do so as my knees take more hammering.
Whistle.
Mobile phone (switched off!!!)
I also usually carry a small camera and small binocs as well.
I don't use a GPS but would probably take one if I had one - again depending on where I was going.
Bivvy bag.
I will probably start carrying a snap-light or two - very small and light but if the worst happened at night - I'd be found all the quicker.
Paracetemol (handy for the hot sweaty ascent headaches you sometimes get)
Cash and card zipped in a pocket in my shirt - essential for the pint at the end !

It sounds like a lot and there are some personal comfort items in there (flask for example) but it all fits easily into my 30+6 rucksack and I've always had what I wanted to hand. For me those few little extras make my day out all the more enjoyable. Those folk wandering past might look like their skipping along happily with a 20 litre rucksack half-empty but I bet they're thirsty, sun-burnt, wet, lost, sore or any combination of the above - and of course my load gets lighter as I eat and drink half the weight as I go.

I get the flask, waterproofs and gaiters/or hat and gloves in the main compartment along with the drinks bladder in it's pouch / lunch goes in the lid or base compartment / fleece or lunch in the bottom bit with hat and gloves if they're not in the main compartment / the rest of the kit is spread between the two side pockets with the camera in it's case on my belt and the binocs in my hand or pocket.
As to carrying the map it simply gets stuffed in my waist belt - not lost one yet and saves on using an evacuee's sign (sorry map case) around my neck. Extra map (if needed) usually goes in the lid or bottom compartment.

Interesting list, Dave the Viking. Almost identical to mine. But I gave up on gaiters ages ago apart from in snow (I put up with a bit of mud on my trousers, and I stopped carrying an emergency bivvy bag years ago. This was based on the, possibly flawed, logic that (a) having carried one for 20+ years I had never used it (!!!) and, more seriously, (b) as I have a Gore Tex jacket and overtrousers with me I was not certain that the bivvy bag would provide that much more protection if stranded ie the risk of needing the bivvy bag does not outweigh the extra weight of carrying it. But perhaps I am missing something here. I regard a flask in winter as close to essential and ditch the water if I carry one. Hot drinking chocolate on a cold wet day does wonders for the morale, motivation and energy levels and is worth every ounze of extra weight.

I've never used a bivvy bag so I don't really know how effective one'd be but given my waterproofs are simple ones (Berghaus - £100 the pair) they maybe wouldn't be as effective as yours in a pinch so you've maybe got something there. However I have seen ow effective a group shelter is (two-man used on training) and I must say I'll probably change to that - even though there's extra bulk and weight. I've seen one man sat in one on an exercise sweating buckets and having to stick his head out within minutes, although he wasn't all that cold to start with I must admit.
As my walking's mainly a part-day's walking - at most breakfast to tea - the weight isn't as important as it might be - but that morale boost you mention is worth a few pounds and usually take coffee even in summer - I love the time spent sat on a boulder or tussock slowly sipping the brewe and soaking in the surrounds.

Another admission - I haven't used my gaiters outside of training yet, like you not being bothered about the blather.