Kit List

The kit list below is as recommended by Zest for Adventure.

Individual Equipment

1 Pair walking boots with ankle support (not trainers)
2 Pairs thick walking socks
2 Sets underwear
2 T-shirts or thermal tops (Not cotton)
2 Warm long-sleeved sweatshirts or equivalent
1 Thick pullover or fleece jacket
2 Pairs loose-fitting trousers or jogging bottoms (Not jeans)
1 Pair gloves
1 Warm hat or sun hat
1 Waterproof and windproof jacket
1 Waterproof and windproof trousers
1 Set nightwear
1 Whistle
1 Large expedition rucksack (65 litres, with padded shoulder straps and hip belt)
1 Strong, large plastic bag (rucksack liner)
2 1-litre water bottles
1 Set of knife, fork, spoon or spork
1 Mug and bowl or plate
1 Sleeping bag (3-season) and liner
1 Sleeping mat
1 Torch or head-torch with fully-charged battery
Personal toiletries (soap, hand towel, toothpaste, toothbrush, toilet paper) 1 Personal first aid kit (see the DofE First Aid Kit Guide) including any personal medication required
1 Notebook and pen or pencil
Snacks (2 days) and emergency rations
2 Small rubbish bags

Tent Group Equipment (2 or 3 People)

1 Backpacking tent with separate flysheet and inner
1 Backpacking stove with cooking pots and fuel in specialist safety container (1 litre methylated spirit/220-240g re-sealable gas cartridge) (stoves must not be table-top designs or fuelled by petrol, paraffin or hexamine)
1 Lighter or box of matches in waterproof container
Scouring pads, sponges, small bottle of washing-up liquid and tea towel
1 Watch
1 Tube sunscreen (weather dependent)
Food and drink (1 breakfast, 2 lunches, 1 dinner)
2 Large rubbish bags

Team Equipment

1 Ordnance Survey map (1:25 000 scale) (see Expedition Programme for details) and map case
2 Laminated route maps (provided free at the expedition)
1 Laminated route card (provided free at the expedition)
2 Specialist magnetic walking compasses
1 Group first aid kit
1 Survival bag
2 High-visibility vests (provided free at the expedition)
1 Mobile phone with fully-charged battery and plenty of credit (if required)
Coins or card for telephone (emergency use)
1 Camera

Guidance on Equipment

Getting the right clothing

Base Layers

The base layer helps regulate your body temperature and wicks moisture away from your skin when you are hiking. Avoid cotton T-shirts for use as base layers. Cotton soaks up sweat like a sponge, and when cotton is wet it draws heat away from your body, and this can lead to hypothermia. Hypothermia can happen in even the mildest of conditions

Mid Layers/Insulation Layers

The middle layer is designed to trap body heat and allow sweat vapour to continue moving through the layering system. this can be a fleece or a lightweight down jacket. Avoid cotton hoodies and sweatshirts as these are heavy and take a long time to dry out if they get wet.

Outer Layer

Waterproofs are an important part of your expedition and keep out rain, wind and cold. Good waterproofs are lightweight and breathable, so you stay free of moisture inside your jacket.

Choose a jacket with a front zip for easy removal. You can wear waterproof trousers over your normal walking clothes – choose a pair with wide legs to slip on over your walking boots.

Look out for waterproofs that have taped seams as these will stop water from leaking through the stitching (See image below).

^ Taped seams stop water from getting through the stitching of your outer layer

Getting the right cooking gear

There are a range of camping stoves on the market but only some of them are appropriate for the Duke of Edinburgh Award. The image below shows the stove which are allowed on expedition.

Trangia Stoves

Trangia stoves are the most common type of methylated spirit stove. They have the advantage of being self contained cooking kits including pots, pans and a kettle. The disadvantage is that they are heavy. It is important to remember that if you are carrying methylated spirit as a fuel, you must have a safety bottle to keep your fuel in. Trangia Stoves are good options for expedition as they are very hard wearing and self contained.

Screw on Gas Stoves

Screw on gas stoves are the most appropriate type of gas stoves for expeditions as they are resealable. Removing the stove from the canister is safe and both items can be stowed separately in your bag without fear of leakage. The benefits of gas stoves are that they are often lightweight and can boil water incredibly quickly. The disadvantages are that you will need to carry pots and pans separately and that they can sometimes be unstable on rough ground.

Restricted Stove Types

Aerosol canister stoves, any stove where the canister requires piercing and clip on canister stoves are not allowed. This is because, once the canister has been opened, they do no reseal. This means that they are unsuitable for expedition because they cannot be safely packed away into backpacks without risk of fuel escaping. Solid fuel stoves which take hexamine tablets are often very cheap options but burn with a very dirty flame and often scorch the ground beneath them. They are not allowed on DofE expeditions.

If you have any questions regarding equipment, please contact David Goss from Zest for Adventure.

Getting the right tent

There are lots of tents on the market and it can be difficult to choose the right one. You can rent tents from the kit store at Green Park. See the 'Renting Kit' page for more details.

See the information below for advice on choosing a tent to buy or rent

Packing Your Bag

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