Gear Check

[Tai]

Hi,

Got my equipment/gear ready for late autumn or early spring overland track, appreciate input re whether i have selected the right gear. Just have to purchase the Aarn bag and etrex and my shopping is done.

Bought TT SS 1 instead of Wilderness Second Arrow 2 tent as it was out of stock when i order them.

Am i being silly for wanting to have showers on the way? (Hence the extra fuel and MSR drom. Bag and shower accessories).

Also like hot drinks, not water, hence thermos on the list.

Not keen on pasta, prefer rice/noodles. Yes i can cook rice using my trangia.

Thk u

Tai



0verland track Gear

Items worn
--------------------------------------------------
Boots - 1000g/pr
Hard shell - 390g
Thermoplus top - 200g
Fleece top - 200g
Soft shell - 400g
Northface shorts - 200g
buff or Kath scarf - 100g
Socks -70g
Gaithers -250g
Trekking poles - 550g
Kath puffin -100g


Weight carried = 13.1 kg ( exclude 300g of liquid in thermos)

Pack, Tent, Sleeping bag & Mat - ttl : 4.1 kg (exclude Sol Lite bivvy)
--------------------------------------------------
Aarn featherlite Freedom pack -2000g
Tarptent StratoSpire 1 - 1000g
Zpak sleeping bag -550g
Tarp - 100g
Thermarest Z lite sol regular - 410g - R2.6 - $63.71

## Sol Lite Escape bivvy - 240g - necessary?


Clothing carried : - 1.5 kg
--------------------------------------------------
Undies - 150g
Icebreaker baselayer top (190g) + pant(160g) - 350g
Socks - 70g
Zipoff pants bottom- 150g
Flipflop - 200g
Gloves - 50g
Down jacket - 300g
Rain pant - 260g


Miscellaneous - ttl : 2.0 kg
--------------------------------------------------
Sawyer filter system - 115g
Snow peak Hozuki lantern - 58g
Petzl tikka XP head light - 85g
Flash mirror - 7g
Leatherman Style CS - 40g
Mobile phone 150 g
AA batteries x 2 - 50g
First aid kit (savlon cream + plaster + bandage + panado ++) - 150g
Toilette paper + Paper towel x 20 + baking paper x 6 - 100g
Kath towel L - 80g
Trowel - 150g
|Toiletries - 150g
MSR dromedary bag 6L - 267g
MSR shower attachment - 99g
Compass - 50g
Map - 50g
etrex - 160g
Rope/ziplock bag/misc - 200g


Cooking utensils - ttl : 1.9 kg
--------------------------------------------------
Methanol ( 1 L) in trangia bottle - 1000g
Clikstand S2 pot stand + windscreen + trangia spirit stove - 200g
1.5 L trangia pot + pot holder - 200g (include alum. plate as lid)
Titanium 300ml cup - 70g
Spork 8g
Matches + Firesteel + sponge + tea towel - 100g
Thermos - 300g


Food ttl : 3.6 kg
--------------------------------------------------

Breakfast & Lunch - 1.4 kg
--------------------------------------------------
Oat meals -50g x 4 - 200g
Instant soup x 4 - 100g
Bacon & Cheese / pork buns x 2 - 125g
Peta bread x 6 - 300g
Cheese - 125g
Vegemite - 50g
Pork Floss - 100g
Cucumber - 150g
Cake/slices x4 - 250g

Dinner - 1.5 kg
--------------------------------------------------
Rice - 120g x 4 = 500g
Instant noodles x 3 + extra - 400g
Dried mushroom, zuchini, seaweed, spring onion, peas- 200 g
Sambal + ikan bilis + peanuts - 200g
0live preserve + salted yellow beans - 100g
Dried pork - 100g

Drinks - 0.3 kg
--------------------------------------------------
tea - 10g
Instant coffee - 10g
coffee (black) 8 tbl spoon - 60g
sugar 20 teaspoon - 150g
Drinking chocolate 13g x 6 - 80g

Snacks - 0.4 kg
--------------------------------------------------
Smarties - 50g
Dried Apple/Longan + nuts - 200g
Assorted chocolates - 150g

[teak]

Privacy when using the shower will be a problem, as will heating enough water with only a Trangia burner. I do not think a GPS is needed unless doing side trips on little used tracks. The bivvy is not really needed as you have a tent and tarp for shelter.

[paul_gee]

Nothing wrong with a bit of luxury. Let us know how you go with it. I've not met many that have taken a 'shower', save the waterfall variety, on a long hiking trip.

[north-north-west]

Am i being silly for wanting to have showers on the way?

A little dirt and sweat won't kill you. Heating enough water for a hot shower would take an enormous amount of time and fuel - certainly more fuel than you have allowed for.
If you can't cope with being a little smelly at the end of the day, a quick APC with lukewarm water will do the trick. A hot shower on a bushwalk is just taking the *&^%$#!.

ps: What do you need rope for? The OT is a freeway. Not even the sidetrips require safety ropes or packhauling.
pps: 6L waterbag is waaaaay over the top. I've never carried more than 3L even at this time of the year in drier areas than the OT.

[Tai]

Oops, dont expect this. someone having a bad day?

Cant understand why anyone would object to my having a shower (no soap) on the track if its possible, especially if i am carrying the extra fuel myself.

Anyway, thanks for the advise re Bivvy and GPS, will not bring them. Do i have to bring the compass if i stick strictly to the track?

[Gadgetgeek]

The only time I'd plan on a shower is if I could heat the water with solar. I take a mini-towel to do a face wipe. Its okay, people just trying to save you some weight.

The 6L bag is a bit much, but you have it, and you don't need to fill it.
I would not buy the GPS for just this trip, only if you were planning on using it on other trips as well.

As for shelter and safety stuff, I'm a big fan of the AMK blankets and bivys, its simple insurance if something goes wrong, you know you can crawl into that, and wait for help.
I don't think I would take a tarp and a tent, just the tent. you can use the tent outer to wrap up in as well. That's just me though. Otherwise it all seems pretty reasonable.

Take the compass, even just to get used to having it, and figuring out where you are. Even if the nav is simple, its a good skill to build.

[kitty]

Hi Tai, Your pack list looks really good.

Here are some things you might want to consider if you have not already:
hand sanitiser
beanie
sunhat
sunscreen
cup hooks - this will greatly assist with getting a nice pitch on your SS1
extra guy lines (or is that the "rope"?)
groundsheet (tyvek)
sleeping bag liner
pillow
earplugs if you intend to sleep in the huts

Im in agreement with some of the other posters in that...personally I wouldnt take the shower. Can keep v.clean and fresh without one.
But its a matter of personal preference and I certainly take extra luxuries that others would not bother with.

[Moondog55]

I see you have listed Methanol as the fuel rather than the more normal Methylated spirits, is there any reason for that ?

[Tai]

Hi,

Sorry for the wrong choice of words:

Methanol = methylated spirit
Rope = extra guyline & shock cord
Tarp = tyvek

Are u suppose to screw the cup hooks in the gap between planks on the plateform? Not sure if i have the strength to do that. Can i just tie the guylines on to the wood using the extra cord & carabinars? If not what size cup hook should i get?

Wash hands before food + kept food in ziplock bag = no sanitiser? - Just trying to get the weight down.

Can buff replace beanie? Its stupid but cant find any beanie that i like. Will add sunhat and pillowcase.


Thk u.

[kitty]

The SS1 is awesome when well pitched - cup hooks can help on the platforms.
The cup hooks are super-easy to use, even I can do it. Just find a spot between the planks or in a crack in the wood (remember to remove them in the morning). Get the ones with the white coated hook part as they are easier to hold, especially if your hands are cold. Very little strength is required.
There are nails on the edges of the platform, and cables and stuff which you can use...but some tie-down points on the tent will not be near a nail or cable. You probably need at least 4 hooks, to secure the 4 lower edges, then you can use the nails on the edges of the platform to secure the two vestibles and the guy-out from the ridgeline.
Ive included a picture so you get the picture.
Also ...take your pegs too - cause Waterfall Valley there are no platforms (for individuals) and you gotta pitch on the mossy ground.

[Tai]

Hi Kitty,

Got u.

Thks

[Tai]

Hi Kitty,

Got u.

Thks

[wayno]

ditch the softshell. excessive weight, take a windshell jacket you can layer over your fleece and use that for the same effect if you need warm and windproof layers saving most of the 400gm and bulk of a softshell.
or if your rainshell has good venting on it like pit zips or vented pockets that can also serve as a windbreaker.
if you think you need the extra insulation of the softshell, get an insulated jacket, primaloft or alpha type material. but it would need to be pretty cold to need that on top of your other layers, but they are far more compact and usually lighter and warmer than a softshell, or consider a vest instead of a jacket. i use a vest if its cold enough..

[Tai]

Will replace softshell with light vest.

Got some of the gear in today's post, weight is going up. Think i will drop the snow peak lantern.

[gayet]

Drop the lantern. You have a headlamp so that should be sufficient.

[DaveNoble]

You may want some pyjamas and a dressing gown to wear around the hut or camp after you have had your shower?

[philm]

No need for a
Water filter - some of the best water in the world in Tasmania - too good to use in a shower!

[Tai]

Got nothing better to do?

[Eljimberino]

You may want some pyjamas and a dressing gown to wear around the hut or camp after you have had your shower?

And some bootees:

[gayet]

And some bootees:

Hey! Don't knock the booties. I always carry my down booties - but they are lighter and more compact than those.

[Chezza]

I have to agree that having a shower on the OLT seems impractical. I've done the OLT once, in late April, and had dips in Lake Will, the falls that are on that side trip (forget the name), the falls near Pine Valley Hut, and in Lake St Clair. Bit cold though.

Action Wipes are a pretty practical solution. Or a sponge bath in the privacy of your tent fly. You could heat up some water for the sponge bath.

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

I try to take a dip at the end of every day's walk if there is water, even if only shallow (and no matter how cold ... can be invigorating and is good for tired muscles). As mentioned above there are opportunities at pretty much every camp/hut on the OT for a dip (except windy fridge maybe, but I prefer to camp near the river at bowling green anyway). If the water isn't deep enough for immersion I soak one end of my microfibre towel in water to scrub with, then dry with the other end (microfibre dries out pretty quickly). Not exactly luxurious but carrying the equipment and fuel for a shower is madness IMO.

[aloftas]

and just for reference. If people do dip their bottoms in a creek .... do it down stream.


so, it is upsteam for "sip"


and downstream for "dip"

A new mantra for you Tai.

"Lose ALL redundancy"

Or take knee braces and ankle supports to add to the kinetics...

[aloftas]

ha! I think parks should put a snow machine at Ronney creek to ask the real question:

Will you survive?


Cheers, good luck, and please listen to the wisdoms given.

As I said before...ascribed values are simply another extraneous redundancy..
Do some trange (trangia) water boils at home, work out fuel consumption per 1 litre etc

put trange in freezer and then try lighting the thing

what is the solution to that subzero vapourless metho?

etc etc etc
Do a run up the horse track around to scott kilvert first.

Get you bearings, a feel for the task at hand

so when perception and reality collide

it wont be a shock.

Cheers

ps you will use your leatherman for the cuphooks, remember to keep a constant downward force as you tighten them in, clockwise, from memory, once they start, the thread pulls them in.