Jacket – A good jacket should definitely be waterproof, but again has to also fit properly and be comfortable. The jacket should be sealed all around to keep out the wind and rain etc. It should also be lightweight as you are wearing it whilst walking around. The jacket should also be easy to store in your bag. It should also have a lot of pockets and compartments to put important belongings such as maps and compasses.
Trousers – Again they have to be waterproof and lightweight. They should be easy to store and easy to get off of you in case of an emergency. They shouldn’t be too long as they will catch on the bottom of your boots while walking. They should fit around the waist quite tightly so they don’t slip off of you.
Camping Equipment:
Such as sleeping bags, tents, stove, pots & pans, matches/lighter, toiletries, knife & fork, spoon, water filters, cleaning equipment etc.
Sleeping Bags – Need to obviously keep you warm in cold temperatures, but also needs to have ventilation sections to keep the air flowing through your sleeping bag. A sleeping bag also needs to be easy to pack away as they are usually very long in size and can roll up to be quite large.
Tents – Need to be both durable and waterproof to deal with tough weather conditions. Should be fire retardant in case fire incidents. The tent should also have repair kits in case of any breaks or tears in the tent.
Water Filters – Should be easy to maintain and easy to use. Do not need to be expensive; you can buy cheap ones that work just as well as others. Should be lightweight and easy to store away.
Safety Equipment:
Such as survival bag, first aid kit, insect repellent, sun screen, sunglasses, spare clothing, how to summon help, rope, flares, mobile phone, group shelter.
Insect Repellent – Should do its job obviously but should also be safe for children and non-toxic if swallowed. Needs to be medically proven and non allergic.
Sun Screen – Should have a high SPF factor to stop you from getting burnt. Should be small and easy to carry in your pocket. Wear clothing once you apply cream.
Survival Bag – Needs to be extremely tough and durable to deal with major weather conditions. Using a survival bag will mean your last attempt at survival so it needs to be very durable. Should also be very lightweight and very easy to store in a rucksack or pocket in you trousers or coat.
P5 – Describe and comment on the effectiveness of a range of different types and designs of personal, group, safety equipment used in walking and camping.
Personal Equipment:
Such as boots, socks, shorts, shirt, trousers, gloves, hat, jacket, rucksack, knife, compass, food, hot & cold drink, money etc.
Boots –
Walking boots need to firstly be comfortable, that is the most important aspect of a boot. It must fit properly and be easy to walk in, as that is what they are made for. Secondly they should be waterproof; walking through wet areas can sometimes not be avoided. Look out for boots with GORE-TEX technology; theses are boots that let the air from the outside into the shoe but keeps water out of the shoe and away from your foot. GORE-TEX boots are more expensive than regular walking boots.
Your choice of boot will depend on the terrain and weather you will be en-counting, if you are walking on even paths then a lighter, more flexible boot would be preferable. If you are going to be hill walking on uneven surfaces or scrambling over rocks you need something that is going to provide you with more support.
Leather boots tend to be tougher and more waterproof but heavier and more expensive, while fabric boots are lighter and cheaper. Fabric boots also make use of modern materials like Gore-Tex to give them breath-ability.
You can get some good walking boots from around ₤60. They will be available at all good camping shops.
Jacket –
Jackets should be lightweight and waterproof. Jackets that are waterproof obviously keep the water out in heavy showers. It helps also if they are lightweight as you are wearing it and you don’t want it to weigh you down whilst your walking because you already have a bag with you. Jackets should be easy to pack away in case you become too hot and decide to take it off. Again you can get jackets that have GORE-TEX technology but there are jackets that work just as well that are cheaper. A good jacket will cost you around ₤30. They will be available at all good camping shops.
Trousers –
Trousers should again be lightweight and waterproof. They also have to fit properly, if they are too short they wont keep the wind and water out and if they are too long they will catch on your boots and you will ruin the ends of them. They need to also fit your waist properly so that they do not keep falling down whilst you are walking. A good pair of trousers may only cost you around ₤20. They will be available at all good camping shops.
Clothing
Always dress in layers of clothing. It can keep the body a lot warmer and sensible layer can also keep you cool, if the weather turns colder. Having lots of layers of clothing makes you more flexible towards weather changes, if it start to get colder, you can out more layers on, whereas if it starts to get warmer just take layers off.
There are certain fabrics and materials that you should use for each layer:
- Base layer: Thermal top and bottoms
- Mid layer: Trekking shirt and trousers
- Top layer: Thin fleece/jumper
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Outer layer: Heavy fleece
Once you start to work also your body will heat up quickly and you will have to take layers off, but once u stop your body will start to cool down, you need to put more layers back on so u don’t cool down to quickly.
‘’ When buying a fleece look out for fabric types such as Polartec and Wind stopper. These are well established brands that many of the top clothing designers like Berghaus and North Face incorporate into their products. In particular Polartec do a range of fleece weights that are perfect for layering. ‘’
Source :
You can also buy GORETEX clothing this fabric keeps the rain out but lets sweat evaporate from the body. This prevents you from getting wet from either the rain or your own sweat. Obviously GORETEX equipment costs more than normal clothing items.
Camping Equipment:
Such as sleeping bags, tents, stove, pots & pans, matches/lighter, toiletries, knife & fork, spoon, water filters, cleaning equipment etc.
Sleeping Bags –
Should fit your body tightly to keep the maximum amount of warmth in. A mesh lining to allow air to circulate within the bag is also useful. It should be very easy to pack away as they can weight quite a lot when rolled up, it can also be quite large. The bag should also be waterproof to keep yourself from getting wet. To cut down on weight and bulk the outer shell should be made of a light man-made material. These materials also give some water resistance. The inner fabric can also come in a variety of materials. Fleece is warm but bulky. Silk is good but much more expensive.
If you are going to a particularly cold or wet destination you may want to invest in a Gore-Tex bivvy bag. This handy item is like a breathable, sleeping bag-shaped waterproof for your bag. If you’re planning a major expedition to Antarctica you will need a top performance sleeping bag, which will obviously cost a lot. If you’re planning a small expedition somewhere in the U.K. (Thetford forest) you won’t need a top performance bag. A good sleeping bag can cost around ₤20-30. They will be available at all good camping shops.
Tents –
Good tents need to be waterproof and lightweight but also fireproof. They need to be waterproof to keep the water and wind out whilst your sleeping. Being lightweight will help, as you have to carry around your tent whilst you are walking. Being fireproof can also help if you are cooking near a tent you do not want it burning down as it would contain a lot of your belongings and would be your shelter for the night. You should make sure the tent that you buy fits the amount of people that are going to sleep in it.
Other things to look for in a tent are: porch size (a decent sized one will allow you to store backpacks at night) and whether it has any interior pockets.
When it comes to deciding on which make and model of tent to purchase - like in most things - you get what you pay for. If you are travelling in comfortable, warm weather then getting a more basic design would be perfectly acceptable. Cold, windy weather requires a tent that is tougher. A good tent will cost you a lot of money so you need to be sure that you are buying one that will perform. A normal 2-man tent should only cost you around ₤30; bigger man tents like a 9-man tent will cost you around ₤100-150. They will be available at all good camping shops.
Water Filters –
Water filters are very important piece of equipment as they filter all the bad components out of the water. It can save you from bad illnesses whilst on an expedition. Filters need to be lightweight and should also be quite small. They should also be easy to clean, as they can get dirty very easily. A water filter should not cost more than ₤10. They will be available at all good camping shops.
Safety Equipment:
Such as survival bag, first aid kit, insect repellent, sun screen, sunglasses, spare clothing, how to summon help, rope, flares, mobile phone, group shelter.
Insect Repellent –
Needs to work properly but also be lightweight and small in design, so that it can fit into your pocket easily. Shouldn’t be toxic or allergic and should be safe to use on children as well as adults. It should have a medical safety mark on the product so that the user knows that it is trusted. They are a very cheap piece of equipment that will only cost around ₤5. They will be available at all good camping shops.
Sun Screen –
Should again be small and lightweight so that you can carry them on your person. Should also have a medical safety mark on them so that they are trusted piece of equipment. If you are going to a tropical place you should obviously take a high SPF factor sunscreen but otherwise buy wisely and choose a factor will best suit your destination. Sunscreen comes very cheap and you can buy a bottle for around ₤10. They will be available at all good camping shops.
Survival Bag –
A survival bag should not cost a lot of money. Make sure what you buy is authentic, as this piece of equipment can save your life. Most bags are lightweight but make sure you can unpack it easily and that it can store in your bag without taking too much space up. A survival bag should not cost more than ₤20, you should be able to find ones cheaper than that though. They will be available at all good camping shops.
M2 – Explain the choice of equipment and materials taken on an expedition.
There are lots of different types of equipment that are available to take with you on an expedition. You not only have to think just about personal equipment (Boots, Trousers, Jacket, Hat & Gloves etc.) you have to think about camping equipment (Tents, Sleeping Bags, Stoves, Pots & Pans etc.) and safety equipment (Survival Bag, First Aid Kit, Rope, Flares even Mobile Phones).
Going on an expedition obviously takes a lot of planning and you have to buy equipment carefully as it may save your life. There are lots of different varieties of personal equipment such as boots, which can cost a lot, but if you shop around you may find cheaper boots that do exactly the same job as more expensive ones. You should try to find equipment that has a top specification with a cheap price; you could also borrow equipment from friends, just make sure that it works as good as new.
When it comes to certain equipment such as first aid kits, sleeping bags, tents etc. there really should be no price limit as this is important equipment for camping. You should research the product to see which performs best for the cheapest price, but make sure you feel comfortable with what you are buying especially products such as, Boots, Trousers and Jackets as you have to wear them a lot.
To make sure you are buying correct equipment ask experts in the store that you are buying from, they should be able to find you the right equipment for your expedition, remember you don’t want to pack too much or too little. You should ask whether they think the product is any good or which did they find performed best. All information like this will help on the expedition as you won’t suffer in cold temperatures if you chose the right clothing. You may find that the information can save your life.
M3 – Analyse and evaluate the design and properties of materials used and the selection and care of equipment.
There are many factors that can either make you buy the product or prevent you from buying the product. When buying camping gear you need to really scrutinize the specification to make sure that it is up to stop standard and it has all the performance criteria that you want.
Here’s what you should be looking for when buying camping equipment and clothing:
Boots:
Comfort – need to be very comfortable as you are walking around in them.
Size – are they too big or too small. Need to fit right otherwise they can fall off your feet or your feet can be too crunched up inside the shoe.
Waterproofing – a major criteria, needs to keep your feet free from water.
Durability – you want your shoe to last you as long as possible. It should be very durable as it is the most used piece of all of your equipment.
Sole grip – does it have enough grip. Make sure you can grip in the shoes otherwise it is pointless in buying them.
Lightness – are the shoes light, heavy shoes can weigh you down and start to hurt your feet.
Price – is it too expensive, shop around to get the best deal.
Rucksack:
Comfort – try the bag on and see if it feels comfortable on your shoulders, it needs to be as you are carrying all your equipment in your bag.
Size – is it too big or too small. This criterion really depends on what you are taking with you and your own personal preference.
Waterproofing – a major criteria, needs to keep your belongings free from water. Waterproofing can save you a lot of money.
Durability – you don’t want your rucksack falling apart only a day into your expedition. Load it up with heavy weight to see if it can take a strong load.
Pockets – does the bag have enough pockets to suit your needs are they easy to reach.
Price – is it too expensive, shop around to get the best deal.
Jacket:
Size – make sure what you are buying actually fits your body, getting a jacket too short wont keep the wind and water out whereas if you get a jack that is too big you will find it harder to manoeuvre.
Comfort – obviously important because you are wearing a jacket a lot of the time whilst on an expedition.
Waterproofing – this keeps you from getting wet and cold.
Hood – whether it has a hood or not determines whether you can keep your head warm. Try to choose a jacket with a hood.
Pockets – are there lots of pockets are they big enough to store gloves, hats, and knives even.
Insulation – will it protect you from the wind and stop you from getting cold.
Price - is it too expensive, shop around to get the best deal.
Sleeping Bag:
Size – is it big enough for your body.
Comfort – do you feel comfortable sleeping in it for 6-7 hours.
Weight – how much does it weigh.
Warmth – will it keep you warm in low temperatures.
Small packing – will it roll up to a small package, does it store easily.
Hood – does it have a hood to keep you head warm during the night.
Price - is it too expensive, shop around to get the best deal.
Tent:
Size – is it big enough for the amount of people.
Setup – is it easy to build.
Fireproof – is the tent fireproof.
Weight – does the tent weigh a lot.
Strength – is it strong in bad weather conditions. Does it keep upright.
Waterproofing – does it keep the water out of you tent.
Price - is it too expensive, shop around to get the best deal.
