Our Kit

Preparing for the Unexpected

In choosing what to take with us, our chief watchword was size... size and weight... weight and size... Our two watchwords were weight and size... and rugged durability. Our three watchwords were weight, size and rugged durability... and an almost fanatical devotion to a colour scheme... Our four... no... Amongst our watchwords... Amongst our considerations... were factors such as weight, size... I'll start again.

Our biggest single item of expenditure and the choice on which we spent the most time is our most important bit of kit: our tent. We were given quite specific limits on size and weight for this and also had to consider how well it was likely to stand up to, at times, daily pitching and striking in all weathers. We looked at a lot - and, in particular, we'd like to thank Ellis Brigham in Castleford, Leeds for their help and forebearnce - but eventually settled on a Mountain Equipment Dragonfly 3XT as being the right weight and size and the simplest to put up. To go with it, we had a footprint/groundsheet made to measure by Oookworks in Cumbria.

The next most important items on the shopping list: our sleeping bags. We did a lot of research on this and struggled to find bags warm enough for everest base camp (on the itinerary until UK to Oz changed their route) but small enough to meet the size limits. Our final choice were two bags from British company, Cumulus sleeping Bags' Quantum range. (Shown left compared with a 1 litre drinks bottle.) Paired with a couple of Therm-a-rest NeoAir sleeping mats (ultra warm, ultralight and ultra small when packed) we should be comfy and cosy at night.

The only other things we've both gone for are our water bottles (clear 'Better Bottle's by Camelbak) plus neoprene sleeves to go with them, and a couple of door wedges for extra security in hotel and hostel rooms. For more on our indivudual choices, see below.

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Personal Equipment Notes:

• Juli
• Nick