Equipment for the West Highland Way


I thought I'd post the equipment that I will be taking on the forthcoming trip. Most of the equipment I have had for a number of years and have served me well. Also, in order to keep the cost down  I have borrowed some items from my wife. Some of the items may not be the lightest, but I'm not paying over the odds to save a few grams, although I am conscience of the weight I'll be carrying. Detailing my equipment will help me to refine this process in the future.  The items are shown below, I've left food out just now as I'll probably make a separate post about this.

Gelert Rucksack

Rucksack
I'm taking my wife's Gelert X-plorer 65l bag which will be more than enough to see me through the hike. The bag weighs in at 1.6kg, a bit on the heavy side but it is comfortable.There is no frame back support, not that I'm used to that, but it'll be interesting to see how I feel about it after a week of use.

Hilleberg Akto Tent


Tent
When I walked the West Highland Way back in 2005 I used a cheap festival tent that leaked. After that I was determined to get a decent  tent that is light and can stand up to the elements. At the time the Hilleberg Akto 1 man tent was the tent of choice for hiking and solo camping. It is very comfortable and can withstand the varied weather conditions. Total weight 1.7kg 


Sleeping Bag

Sleeping bag and mat.
I'm borrowing my sleeping bag from my wife. It's a 3 season Highlander bag that weighs in at 1.1kg. I had thought about a 2 season lighter bag but the weather in Scotland can be unpredictable so I though the 3 season will ensure I'm not left cold and miserable. I am taking my old foam mat to use under the bag. I had thought about a inflatable mat but the weighed much more than a simple mat.


Stove
I'm using my trusty Trangia 27. I'm ditching the spirit burner this year in favour of the gel burner. This will arrive soon so I get a chance to test it out before I start. Total weight 0.4kg

Poncho

Waterproofs
The waterproof trousers are the inexpensive Peter Storm that must be over 20 years old. They are light and will keep the rain out, apart from the rip in one of the trouser legs. For a jacket I opted for a poncho that can cover my body and bag and so eliminating a bag cover. I'll see if this one works okay or if a proper hiking jacket is needed. Total weight 0.3kg

Clothes
So far I've figured that for my upper body I'll take 2 sports t shirts, a charity t shirt, a fleece and a mid layer long sleeved top, which I've still to buy. In the lower half I'll use my hiking trousers which can be converted to 3/4 cut offs. Hiking leggings and a pair of shorts. Oh and a couple of pairs of under pants. Total weight should be less than 1kg.


Footwear
There were no socks on my clothes list since I'm using hiking sandles. On previous long distance hikes I have used sturdy hillwalking boots, which kill the feet after a couple of days. About ten years ago I had a pair of Teva sandles that worked fine for a day out on the hills but started to hurt my feet when using the on consecutive days. This year I am using Keen Newport sandles and these have been a fantastic buy. I'm confident that they will support my feet during the 179 miles.


Water
I currently have a 1 litre Nalgene bottle which I was going to take. I'll probably supplement this with a water bladder with tube so that I don't dehydrate.


Map and phone
The total weight of this including the solar charger will be 0.4kg
Other items
Medical kit and toilet bag. Walking poles

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