Author Topic: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry  (Read 9236 times)

Owen

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Re: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry
« Reply #30 on: 12:10:44, 18/04/18 »
I know nothing about the DoE system but I've done lots of wild camping. Have to say if I was carrying a tent I wouldn't consider also taking an emergency shelter. It's either one or the other, don't duplicate. Ever hear about the straw that broke the donkey's back? 

sussamb

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Re: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry
« Reply #31 on: 13:43:03, 18/04/18 »
DofE is a completely different scenario.  If I was out solo camping I wouldn't carry both either.
Where there's a will ...

Maggot

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Re: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry
« Reply #32 on: 23:01:19, 18/04/18 »
I think all of you have missed the key aspect of packing for a DofE expedition. 


Make sure your daughter has all manner of extraneous tat hanging off the rucksack on the outside.  This will mean that when they are their lowest, they will sink either lower when the realise they have lost their mug and the bin liner they wrapped their sleeping bag in ripped at 10.15 in the morning and it's soaked  ;D

alan de enfield

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Re: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry
« Reply #33 on: 23:16:38, 18/04/18 »

I think all of you have missed the key aspect of packing for a DofE expedition. 


Make sure your daughter has all manner of extraneous tat hanging off the rucksack on the outside.  This will mean that when they are their lowest, they will sink either lower when the realise they have lost their mug and the bin liner they wrapped their sleeping bag in ripped at 10.15 in the morning and it's soaked  ;D


When I did my DofE (up to Gold) I was taught that everything should go inside the bag, nothing to rattle, get caught, ripped or lost.
Anything that was on the outside was removed before you departed - mind you 45 years ago it was a different era, as kids we climbed and fell out of trees, ate our sandwiches with filthy hands, and carried our ex-army, steel  A-Framed rucksacs with half-a-hundredweight of 'stuff' and survived.

sussamb

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Re: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry
« Reply #34 on: 06:29:58, 19/04/18 »
mind you 45 years ago it was a different era, as kids we climbed and fell out of trees, ate our sandwiches with filthy hands, and carried our ex-army, steel  A-Framed rucksacs with half-a-hundredweight of 'stuff' and survived.

Ah, those were the days ... I remember them well  O0
Where there's a will ...

harland

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Re: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry
« Reply #35 on: 09:08:31, 19/04/18 »
Ah, those were the days ... I remember them well  O0
Snap but 55 years ago, held me in good stead ever since! :D

fernman

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Re: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry
« Reply #36 on: 09:13:56, 19/04/18 »
That's an interesting point about items outside the rucksack.
Only last Saturday I was window shopping in a large outdoors store (no, not GO) where one item that caught my eye was a budget backpack. Just looking, you understand.
Back at home, I searched for it on their website, where there was a large photo of a guy wearing one up in the mountains - and there was a stainless steel mug hanging from the pack.
I immediately thought that anyone advertising a backpack like that couldn't be the greatest expert in that field, and my interest in their product fizzled out.

NeilC

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Re: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry
« Reply #37 on: 22:08:29, 19/04/18 »
My son's doing his bronze practice expedition next week. I'm gonna let him use all their hire kit and take whatever. No doubt it will be twice as heavy as it needs to be.


Maybe then he'll appreciate all the effort I to for our weekend backpacking trips and take a bit more interest in what unpack and why.

dartmoorrambler

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Re: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry
« Reply #38 on: 09:10:00, 08/05/18 »
I was a D of E trainer and asessor for many years in the Lake District. One of the things we taught was how to get your pack as light as possible while still being safe in the worst conditions.
One example was to share whatever could be shared - one tube of toothpaste was more than enough for 6 people for two nights, or get the tiny free sample tube from a friendly dentist. You can do without any cosmetics for two days.
Weigh your clothing and make sure you use the lightest you can find - fleece rather than wool.
Weigh your sleeping gear -go for the lightest.
Go for high energy foods, not bulk, and food that takes the least preparation.
The simplest rucksac are often the lightest. Pockets, zips etc all add extra weight.

Jac

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Re: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry
« Reply #39 on: 09:21:14, 08/05/18 »
............... get the tiny free sample tube from a friendly dentist.

I got one several years ago and just refill it from the main tube at home whenever I go away. Lasts a couple of weeks easily.
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

fernman

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Re: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry
« Reply #40 on: 09:37:19, 08/05/18 »
@ dartmoorrambler, that's my philosophy entirely!

get the tiny free sample tube from a friendly dentist. You can do without any cosmetics for two days.

If you don't have a friendly dentist, or maybe not one at all (!), you can buy those tubes on eBay. Even better are the really tiny ones given on long-haul flights, my travelling wife keeps me supplied with them.


The simplest rucksac are often the lightest. Pockets, zips etc all add extra weight.

I tried on a loaded Osprey Aether AG 70 in Cotswold and fell in love with it, so superior to and more comfortable than my old pack. Unfortunately it is also two pounds heavier than mine, so I shall stick with what I have.

alan de enfield

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Re: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry
« Reply #41 on: 09:51:14, 08/05/18 »



Deleted as picture won't post.






RogerA

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Re: Duke of Edinburgh - Weight to Carry
« Reply #42 on: 09:59:08, 08/05/18 »
My daughter did her DOE bronze expedition trial run at the weekend.
I managed to get her pack down to 13kg, still heavier than I would have liked but far lighter than she started with.
Her teacher at school had been talking about under 20kg where I think she meant under 20% bodyweight perhaps (or perhaps my daughter misheard). So she had worked out that 17.5kg (the start point before I helped - 28% bodyweight) was doing well.

In reducing weight I looked at her food - leaving in pasta and vegetables for the evening meal, dried fruit for snacks, sandwiches, 2 apples and 100g emergency chocolate we took out 24 mars bars (1.4kg) 2 dairy milk (0.2kg) a tub of flapjack (~1kg) 2 bags of boiled sweets (0.4kg). (Someone else was carrying the other meals).

It was frustrating to see her walk off carrying things she wouldnt need like waterproof overtrousers on a blazing hot weekend.

The pack was a 60l Vango Contour - not the lightest but it worked and fits well.

Thanks for all your advice guys, I'll see what we can get the pack down to for the real run in July.
 
« Last Edit: 10:26:14, 08/05/18 by RogerA »

 

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