This is a guide to the gear you need to bring with you on meets for your own safety and comfort. Some items are only needed on winter meets or on multi-day meets and these are indicated below. The list also indicates which items are available from the club's gear store. Please note that there is a limited supply of equipment in the gear store hence a first come first served rule applies.
If you have any questions about any of this gear, feel free to ask member of the committee or other experienced club member for their opinion.
"Winter" gear is generally required whenever winter conditions (snow / ice) prevail on the hills. Obviously the timing of this varies from year to year but typically winter conditions will be upon us by around December or January and continue through to March or April. In some years the season starts earlier or ends later. Mountain weather forecasts from MWIS and snow reports from the SAIS can be useful in identifying the current conditions (see weather and conditions page). Additionally an announcement will be made once the winter season is felt to be upon us, after which the carrying of winter gear is considered essential until the season is over.
Essential Kit
Everyone going on a club meet must individually bring the following items:
| Item |
Winter Only? |
Multi-day Meets Only? |
Available from Gear Store? |
Walking Boots (and thick Walking Socks)
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Waterproof Jacket
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× |
Waterproof Trousers
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×
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Gloves
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Wooly Hat
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Fleece / Warm Layer
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Walking Trousers (comfortable, lightweight)
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Rucksack
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× |
Head Torch / Torch
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×
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Food
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Water
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Survival Bag
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×
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Ice Axe
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× |
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× |
Crampons
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× |
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× |
Sleeping Bag
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× |
× |
Spare Warm Clothes
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× |
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More Food - e.g. 2x Breakfast, 2x Lunch, 1x Dinner
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× |
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In addition the following items must be carried by at least one person in each walking group, and should be carried by as many people as possible; consider using the DURC Facebook page to coordinate your proposed group, route and gear:
| Item |
Winter Only? |
Multi-day Meets Only? |
Available from Gear Store? |
Map
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see map library
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Compass
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× |
First Aid Kit
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× |
Whistle
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Recommended Kit
In addition to the list of essential kit above it is strongly recommended everyone also bring as much of the following as possible:
| Item |
Winter Only? |
Multi-day Meets Only? |
Available from Gear Store? |
Spare Batteries and Bulb for Head Torch / Torch
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Gaiters
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× |
Base Layer
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Spare Gloves
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Neck Gaiter / Balaclava / Buff
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× |
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Ski Goggles
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× |
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Carry Mat or Thermarest
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× |
× |
Thermos Flask (of hot drink / soup)
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x |
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Sun Hat
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Sunscreen
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Sunglasses
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Optional Extras
You may also find the following optional kit useful if you have it:
| Item |
Winter Only? |
Multi-day Meets Only? |
Available from Gear Store? |
GPS configured for British National Grid coordinates (more info)
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Walking Poles
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Avalanche Probe
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× |
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Snow Shovel
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× |
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Snowshoes
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× |
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Camping stove and fuel
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× |
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REMINDERS
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boots - Proper hill-walking boots are strongly advised. They should be sturdy, provide good ankle support, be waterproof.. and of course be comfortable! See boots page for info and tips.
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food and water - Take enough to last you the for the day / weekend.
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clothing - Warm! Remember warm hat and gloves and an extra fleece/jumper. Trousers should be lightweight and comfortable. DON'T WEAR JEANS! (Jeans tend to chafe and are even worse when wet - and if they do get wet they'll stay wet all day!)
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waterproofs - Both jacket and overtrousers
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maps - Some maps are available at the gear store (limited supply and coverage - see map library). Maps are also available from any good outdoor shop (see links page). See meets list for information on which maps apply to each meet (remember this is a rough guide only and before buying any map you should check map coverage in relation to your actual planned route, including escape route. You may need more than one map to get the coverage you need).
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ice axe and crampons (winter only) - In winter you must bring these. It's important to make sure your crampons are properly adjusted to fit your boots beforehand. Do this in the gear store or before you leave home - don't wait until your halfway up a mountain! See boots and crampons page for info.
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