Fight! Fight! :wink: Au contraire James Keen: I recommend the fake Crocs you can buy from Asda for £4. They weight virtually nothing and are the business not just for knocking around bothies/campsights (it IS good to get your boots off) but also for river crossings, protecting your feet (and balance) and keeping your boots dry. Used them recently at Sheneval and returned to bothy via two river crossings and a bog, all just wearing the pseudo 'Crocs' and in perfect comfort. The cool of the water was even quite nice after my feet being cooped up all day.

James, thanks for the mod and update.

With regard to footware I dont carry a change for the evening although this is nice idea I still cant quite justify the extra weight. The fake crocs idea might work but how much does next to nothing weigh? Arent they a bit bulky though?

Dunno about the weight, but however heavy they look they're actually lighter than that. Bulky? If my pack is too full I just clip them on the outside with a krab. I can see why you might not fancy the idea if you're counting all the ounces (mony a mickle makin a muckle etc), but I habitually carry a six pack of beer if I'm heading for a bothy and often a bag of coal too, so the two or three oz the shoes add really make no difference.

Film cannisters are really useful watertight containers - but with digital photography I guess they may well start to become scarce.....buy some old fashioned film to make sure you've got a good stock for future use!

Thanks James. I've known about PART of that tip since I was but a lad, but in my days we didn't have such luxuries as trekking poles and just had to drain the worst of the water and put the boots back on moist :( It was certainly better than breenging through with socks etc still on, but the trekking poles sound like an excellent refinement - especially since they involve sitting on your behind for a bit!

LOL! That sounds familiar James. I did exactly the same thing with a North Face Starburst years ago. Came out the Kingshouse bar years ago, walked over to my tent in the dark, and crouched down for the zip. I proceeded to pitch forward into the tent, destroying a pole in the process. The broken pole ripped the fly-sheet as well. I was too 'tired' to care, but woke up in the morning with a hangover and a wrecked tent! Happy days! :D

Just saw eigg head's tip in TGO and thought I'd warn that there is some concern over chemical residues in film cannisters.

When I go wild camping, if I know there is a reasonable amount of vegetation, I will use leaves and grass instead of toilet paper. If I have to carry toilet paper, I carry wet wipes. If you want to save weight let the wet wipes dry out before you go on your trip and then just rehydrate when required......... Wet wipes are incredibly versatile and not just for the obvious....:P

A good tip to keep hold of your mitts/gloves in the winter, is to make some 'clothing elastic' armbands. These are tied though any loops on the gloves/mitts. You can pull these loops up onto your elbows when taking off the gloves/mitts, for fine tasks in the wind.

not so much of a good tip as more a versatile piece of kit post..... get a buff! I find these incredibly useful items and I use them for various functions.......neck gaiter, balaclava, hat, towel/flannel, make shift food tray to carry hot mugs/pans whilst eating.... the list is nearly endless........:)