Contents
Cover
About the Book
Title Page
Dedication
Epigraph
Introduction
Chapter 1 GEAR
Chapter 2 TOOLS OF THE TRADE
Chapter 3 CAMPCRAFT AND PIONEERING
Chapter 4 FIRECRAFT
Chapter 5 CAMP COOKING
Chapter 6 LIVING WILD
Chapter 7 BECOMING A PATHFINDER
Chapter 8 NATURE’S WATCH
Chapter 9 FIELD FIRST AID AND RESCUE
Chapter 10 MIND, BODY, SPIRIT TO SURVIVE
Index
Author’s Note
Picture Credits
Copyright
ABOUT THE BOOK
In this essential guide to living wild, Bear Grylls reveals the secrets of his years of fieldcraft experience.
It’s all here, from mastering the art of making the perfect campfire and constructing the best camp, to navigating safely through all terrains in all weathers – with or without a map . . . The only other thing you’ll need is this book!
Never say die till you’re dead!
Lord Robert Baden-Powell, K.C.B.
We are the Pilgrims, master; we shall go
Always a little further: it may be
Beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow,
Across that angry or that glimmering sea
From ‘The Golden Journey to Samarkand’ by J. E. Flecker, inscribed on the memorial clock tower at SAS headquarters, Hereford
This book is dedicated to every one of the 28 million Scouts worldwide. You are part of a global force for good and one of the largest, most positive youth movements of all time. That is good reason to be proud. But Scouting pride requires us then to walk humbly and to give of ourselves. Remember that your strength lies in the skills you are learning, the camaraderie you share and the adventures you are living.
As UK Chief Scout, I am continually filled with admiration for the great spirit that I see in Scouts from all over the world. Long may that spirit thrive.
Bear Grylls, UK Chief Scout
INTRODUCTION
More than a century ago, a Lieutenant General in the British Army organized a week-long camp for twenty boys on Brownsea Island in the south of England. His name was Robert Baden-Powell. He called his recruits ‘scouts’, after the military scouts who, in his own words, were ‘chosen for [their] cleverness and pluck to go out in front of an army in war to find out where the enemy are’. The skills he taught his scouts were those he himself had mastered during a spectacular military career; skills such as observation, woodcraft, life-saving and shelter building.
Baden-Powell could never have imagined that his Scouting movement would be bigger today than it ever has been. Or maybe he could. But then, ‘cleverness and pluck’ never go out of fashion, and they are really what this book is all about. Indeed, cleverness and pluck are the beating heart of a Scout.
In the hundred years since Baden-Powell started the Scouting movement, many things have changed. Cities have grown, technology has moved on. But the natural world remains timeless. The stars we use to navigate by are still in the same place; the sun still rises in the east and sets in the west; animals still cast the same tracks and fire still burns just as bright. Our duty as Scouts is to nurture this natural world and every living being in it, to understand the wild, to harness it and to have the courage to follow our God-given spirit of adventure wherever it leads.
I have often written in books about survival or the great outdoors with much reference to previous expeditions or adventures that I have been lucky enough to be involved with. But I have rarely written about the skills I learned during my time with 21 SAS. Much of the information contained in this book comes from these skills that I continue to use to this day. The reason for this is simple. There is a very strong link between the disciplines crucial to the world of Special Forces and those used in the world of Scouting. What I have endeavoured to do in this manual is to highlight those links and adapt many of the practices that make good Special Operations soldiers to the skills required to be an elite pathfinding Scout.
The Scouting motto is ‘Be Prepared’, and life, in essence, is all about being prepared. Being prepared and trained for adventure, trained to survive, trained to operate in small teams, being prepared to understand nature and how to live wild, and ultimately being prepared for both life and the life-after. It is through our faith that we find peace, but that same faith can also give us great boldness to reach out that little bit further than maybe we are comfortable. Everything worthwhile in life comes from reaching beyond that point of comfort; daring to risk it all; following our dreams despite the cost; loving despite the pain; hoping despite the doubts; and living boldly despite the fear. If I have learned anything it is that together we are stronger. The great key to Scouting and living wild is to embrace that: to laugh, to strive, to dream and to explore, and to take those you love along with you for the ride.
So get out there, guys! Life is an adventure that is best lived boldly.
God bless, and go for it.
Lt Cdr (Hon) Bear Grylls RN
UK Chief Scout
‘Adventure only happens to those incompetent of planning an expedition.’
Roald Amundsen, polar explorer
PROTECTION FROM THE WIND, RAIN, COLD, HEAT AND SUN – THE KILLER COMBINATIONS
Don’t underestimate the elements. You don’t have to be exposed to the heat of the Sahara or the biting chill of Antarctica: the weather can kill you wherever you are. Respect it, understand it: then you have a chance.
To understand how the killer combinations of wind, rain, cold, heat and sun can affect you, you need to understand how your body deals with temperature. Human beings are ‘homotherms’. This means that they keep their body temperature at a constant level. Various mechanisms have evolved to let us do this. For example, when we get hot, we sweat – our body’s way of cooling us down; when we get cold, we shiver – a reflex action that makes our muscles move and so create warmth by expending energy.
Regulating our temperature like this is essential for survival. Our bodies consist of a hot inner core (home to our vital organs such as the brain, heart, lungs, liver and kidneys), surrounded by a protective cooler shell (our muscles, skin and fat). The hot core is normally around 36.8°C. Even in very extreme climates, that core temperature shouldn’t vary by more than two degrees in either direction. If it does, you’re in trouble. If your core temperature goes higher than 42.7°C or lower than 28.8°C, you die – either of hyperthermia or hypothermia.
Even at lesser temperatures, extremes of hot and cold can be severely debilitating. It’s easier than you might think to succumb to frostbite and hypothermia when you’re outdoors in the cold, or to become dehydrated when you’re too hot. Later in the book we will deal with how to cope with these problems if you encounter them. But it’s much better to avoid them in the first place, which is why it’s essential that you have a good working knowledge of how to shelter yourself from the elements. And by shelter, I don’t just mean tents and sleeping bags; I mean clothes and footwear too. They are, after all, your first line of defence against the extremes.
FOOTWEAR, ITS SELECTION AND CARE
‘A soldier’, so the old saying goes, ‘is no better than his feet.’ It’s true. Just ask any member of the armed forces who has served in southern Afghanistan. There, most of the fighting happens in the Green Zone, the lush, fertile area around the riverbanks. The ground can often be marshy and treacherous and, no matter how good the troops’ footwear, their skin can remain wet for hours – even days – on end. When it does eventually dry, it becomes cracked and sore. Infection can creep in. Once that happens, you’re in for an uncomfortable, painful time.
With a bit of luck, you won’t be tramping through the Green Zone. But you will certainly encounter a wide variety of terrains and it’s crucial that your footwear should be up to the job. Long hikes can be punishing on the feet. You need to make sure that you take care of them.
Deal with uncomfortable boots before it’s too late. In the military, sunburn is considered self-induced through negligence and is classified as a court martial offence. Likewise, the state of your feet is your own responsibility. So whenever you have a few minutes, dry them, check them and guard them with your life, because as sure as eggs are eggs, life without them becomes much, much harder.
Boots
Regular trainers might seem comfortable (and look cool), but for most outdoor activities they’re just no good. They’ll absorb the wet, get cold, chafe and collapse. The only time I ever choose trainers for an expedition is if I’m doing a lot of climbing in temperate conditions and I need the flexibility of good cross-trainers. But, as I said, the price you pay is that they get wet easily and tend to stay wet.
A pair of good quality, sturdy hiking boots will last you a long time and keep your feet in good working order. In an ideal world, you’d carry different boots for different terrains, but that’s just not practical or affordable. Better to choose an all-round boot.
It’s a good idea to choose boots that are about half a size too big. This allows you to wear a couple of pairs of thick socks (important for comfort and to prevent blisters); it also allows for the foot’s tendency to expand when it gets hot. High boots that support the ankle are essential in uneven terrain. They need to be strong, but lightweight – a few extra ounces over the course of a full day’s hiking can mean you’ll use up a lot more energy. Hooks and D-rings are very useful if you’re trying to adjust your laces with cold hands.
Leather is the traditional material for boots. It’s naturally water-resistant up to a point (much more so if treated) but also allows the perspiration from your feet to evaporate. Some leather boots are lined with material such as Gore-tex, which makes them more waterproof but prevents your feet from breathing. After a long day in the field, this can be a real problem.
It’s a good idea to wear your boots in before you spend a serious amount of time with them on out in the field. To do this, put your boots on along with whatever socks you’re most likely to be wearing with them, lace them up and stand in a bowl of water for a minute or two. Then walk around in them until they dry. This moulds the boots to your feet as well as loosening the leather and making them more comfortable to wear.
I will never forget my first day of simulated basic training with the French Foreign Legion in North Africa. We were issued with our kit and, before even seeing where we would be sleeping, were ordered out on our first drill – a long route march. We started marching in these hard, shiny, new leather boots, with one pair of very thin socks, across mile after mile of rocky, sandy desert. It wasn’t many miles until all of our feet were bloodied, and I have an enduring memory of being part of this hobbling rabble of tough ex-convicts and mercenaries tiptoeing like old women across the desert in agony. It took some of the recruits many weeks to be able to walk pain-free again. I learnt a lesson that day: wear your boots in and never trust the Legion to do it for you.
Socks
Wool is by far the best material for your socks. It will absorb the sweat from your feet and, unlike other materials, it will allow the moisture to evaporate. Always have a spare pair of dry socks in your pack. Never wear socks with holes in them. This isn’t just because your mum will tell you off; more importantly, if the material around the hole becomes wet from sweat, it will roll and form a hard ring. The result will be a painful blister. (I once saw a soldier wring blood out of his socks due to blisters. They are not fun.)
Taking care of your feet and footwear
The British Royal Marines, along with most of the world’s other special forces including 21 SAS with whom I served, are well trained in travelling long distances by foot. As a result, they have developed a number of techniques for the care of their boots and feet.
GENERAL CLOTHING FOR DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS AND CONDITIONS
More than anything else, your clothing protects you from the elements. In extreme conditions, the right clothing can be the difference between life and death. Even in more temperate climates, the clothes you wear can spell success or failure for your expedition.
The kind of clothes you need to wear outdoors obviously depends on what sort of weather conditions you are expecting. But no matter what you wear, you need to take care of it. That’s why military units, including the US Air Force, teach their soldiers the COLDER principle. It’s just as useful for civilians as it is for them:
C Keep clothing CLEAN. In the summer, this is important for hygiene and comfort. In the winter, clean clothes will keep you warmer. If they are covered in dirt and grease, they lose some of their insulating qualities.
O Avoid OVERHEATING. When you get too hot, you sweat – it’s your body’s natural mechanism for cooling down. The trouble with sweating too much in the field is that the sweat gets absorbed by your clothing, which decreases its insulating qualities. Also, as the sweat evaporates, it cools your body down. Both these facts mean that overheating now can lead to being too cold later, so it’s better to avoid overheating by wearing clothes that you can easily loosen or unzip to stop you sweating.
L Wear your clothes LOOSE and in LAYERS. The best form of insulation is air pockets. If you wear several loose T-shirts, you will create several insulating layers of what the pros call ‘dead air’. These will keep you warmer than one thick jumper, which has no dead-air layers. If you wear a number of layers, it also means you can easily remove something if you start to overheat. And keep the layers loose, because tight clothes restrict the circulation of blood, which will make you cold and numb.
D Keep your clothes DRY. Wet clothes can sap your body’s warmth, so when you make camp at night, one of your priorities should be drying out any clothes that have become wet, either from the outside (because of rain, snow or frost) or from the inside (because of sweat). Out in the field, it is often difficult to avoid getting wet. Choose a water-repellent outer layer if this is at all likely to happen.
E EXAMINE your clothes for problems. Your clothing is going to get some pretty heavy use, so it’s important you should keep a keen eye on what sort of state it’s in and, if necessary…
R REPAIR your clothes. Clothing should be properly maintained and holes fixed as soon as they appear. It’s amazing how quickly small holes can become big ones. Once that happens, your clothes will stop doing the job for which you’ve chosen them, and you lose a key advantage against the elements.
Once you have understood the COLDER principle, you can start thinking about exactly what kind of clothes you need to wear for your trip.
Underwear
Let’s start at the very beginning: you need to choose your underwear carefully. Too much, or the wrong type, and you’ll overheat and get chafing. Not enough and you’ll freeze.
If you are expecting very cold weather, think about thermal underwear that covers your legs and arms. Make sure it’s not too tight – this can constrict your circulation and stop it doing its crucial job of delivering oxygen around your body and transporting waste products away from your cells. Stay away from cotton underwear, which is fine in dry conditions but loses its insulating qualities when wet (either from external moisture or sweat). Wool or synthetic materials, from which moisture evaporates more easily, are better.
Don’t wear thermal underwear for the sake of it though: if you’re out in hot weather, it can be very uncomfortable.
Shirts
Again, you should avoid cotton if you can. Wool shirts stay warm even when wet (it’s one of their key advantages over non-natural fibres), but there is also a good range of synthetic fleeces available that are fast drying, warm and in some cases even water- and windproof. One of my favourite items that I often use with a fleece or shirt is a very thin, lightweight windproof top that fits over a fleece and under a jacket. It traps and insulates heat very well, keeps the wind out, but is easy to put on and take off. It also scrunches up into a tiny ball making it light and easy to carry.
Trousers
When you’re in the field, your trousers are going to take a battering. They need to be strong, but lightweight and quick drying. Standard issue British Army trousers are good, not least because they have up to ten pockets, which can be useful for carrying things around securely. You should also carry a pair of waterproof trousers. These fit over your ordinary trousers and should be fairly loose so that they don’t cause your legs to sweat and also so that you can get them over your boots easily.
Jackets
Think of your jacket as your shell. It needs to be windproof and waterproof; but there are a few other things you should take into account. The jacket should be big enough to allow you to wear several layers underneath in cold weather, and to allow the air to circulate in warm weather. A covered zip will stop the wind and rain getting in. It should also have a waterproof hood big enough to cover a hat; both the hood and the wrists should have Velcro or elasticated cuffs to keep water and wind out and maintain a layer of insulating air within. Make sure you have a pocket on the outside big enough to hold a map.
It might be tempting to buy a jacket in camouflage colours. But what if you get into trouble and people are out looking for you? A brightly coloured jacket means you’re more visible to any potential search parties. In a life-and-death situation, it could be the key to survival.
PROTECTING YOUR EXTREMITIES
Gloves
You don’t need me to tell you how miserable it is when your hands are freezing cold. Along with your feet, these are the hardest parts of your body to keep warm. We’ve already talked about the importance of good socks (see here). In cold weather, good gloves are just as important.
Mittens are best for heat retention, but have the disadvantage of being a bit fiddly if you need to use your fingers – which you will. It’s not a bad idea to wear a pair of thin gloves under your mittens so that you can take the outer layer off and still keep your hands warm. But, watch out, it’s very easy to lose or drop your gloves, so you should tie each pair together on a cord that threads through your sleeves. This might sound like something your mum made you do when you were little but I still do this today when climbing. If it’s cold and you drop a glove from up a rock face, it can spell the end of the expedition.
I also always take a spare set of inner gloves with me in my pack – just in case. I’ve had to lend these to people on many occasions when they have found themselves in trouble.
Hats
Hats serve two purposes: to keep you warm in cold weather and to protect you from the sun.
You can lose an amazing amount of heat from your head in cold weather – up to 50 per cent of your body heat at an external temperature of 4°C. The best kind of hat to prevent this is a woollen balaclava that can cover the whole head in really extreme cold but can also be rolled up to resemble a normal woolly hat. It’s not waterproof, but of course you’ve remembered to bring a jacket with a waterproof hood (see here).
Also remember: sun beating down on an unprotected head can cause all sorts of problems such as dehydration, sunstroke and heat exhaustion. A wide-brimmed hat will protect you from most of these. Don’t try to be a hero – wear a hat in the heat.
Snoods
A snood, or buff, is a tube of fabric that can be used as head protection against the wind and the heat; a scarf; a wind-protecting face mask; a helmet lining; and even an improvised double mitten. All in all, it is a very adaptable and lightweight piece of gear to have along.
Gaiters
These might sound a bit old-fashioned, but they can be a real help. Made from canvas waterproof materials such as Cordura, they bridge the gap between your boot and your trousers. They are attached to your walking boots to protect your lower leg from thorns and branches, and to stop water, mud or snow entering your boots from the top. They can actually make a critical difference when worn in snow, long wet grass and marshy, boggy terrain. These too go on the ‘Bear’s vital list’.
THE GOOD PACK GUIDE
There are lots of different packs available, from small knapsacks to big military-style bergens. The size you choose depends on what you’re using it for – a oneday outing obviously requires less stuff than a ten-day hike. If you choose a pack that’s too big, you’ll probably end up filling it with unnecessary items and breaking the cardinal rule of good packing: only take what you really need.
Types of pack
When choosing your pack, there are several things to look out for. The stitching should be good and strong – the last thing you want out in the field is a hole in your pack. Side pockets are useful for items that you’ll be accessing throughout the day. A padded waist strap will divert some of the weight from your back to your hips and some packs have extendable lids so that you can increase their capacity if necessary.
The traditional way of mounting a backpack is on an ‘H-frame’. But nowadays there are a lot of modern pack frames that are shaped to match the contours of the body. That sounds like a good idea, but people come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. If you go for one of these frames, make sure you try lots of them and choose one that really does fit your own body shape. Remember that most of these packs are designed to fit a male build; women should choose packs specifically designed for females.
How to fill your pack
The most important thing to remember is that your pack should be as light as possible. If you do a lot of walking and you get fitter, you can start adding extra weight to your pack. But remember: just because you carry it easily at the start of the day doesn’t mean it’ll feel quite so light after a couple of hours’ hiking. With the exception of your basic first aid kit (see here), you should eliminate anything from your pack that you don’t really need. Over time, you’ll learn what you need and what you don’t, but a basic list should include:
You’ll probably find that’s as much as you want to carry, so leave your iPod at home and listen to the sound of the birds instead.
TRAINING EXERCISES
Good packing is an important skill that can be learned – in fact, new army recruits are taught how to do it in basic training. You should practise doing this at home. Chances are that for each expedition you’re going to be packing slightly different things. Make sure you know how it all fits together in the pack so that when you’re out in the field it doesn’t take long before you are – as they say in the British Army – squared and ready to go. When you think you are ready, test yourself. Memorize where everything is then, with a buddy, try asking each other to find individual items in your pack against the clock… and then do it in the dark.
The Royal Marines issue special guidelines for packing. These are good tips whether you’re out on special ops or not…
TARPS, TENTS, CANVAS AND SHELTERS
Your clothing might be your first line of defence against the elements, but when you stop for the night, you’ll need something a bit more robust.
Tents
Tents come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Which one you choose is up to you but they’re not cheap, so spend a bit of time on research. It’s a good idea to match your tent to your environment. A-frame tents are good for moderate, temperate environments and give you plenty of room inside. Mountain tents, walled tents and Lavvus (traditional Sami wigwams) are great for low-altitude, cold environments because you can use a wood-burning stove inside. If you’re just going to buy one, a hooped mountain tent is a good general all-rounder.
Most modern tents are very lightweight, so, unless weight is a particular issue, try and choose one that has plenty of space inside. Hoop tents, made from highly flexible telescopic hoops, are more lightweight than frame tents, and easier to erect. Having said that, on Everest I once had to use a self-erecting tent in an emergency. It had a manufacturer’s guarantee that it could be erected in under a minute. At 26,000ft, in the oxygen-starved air and in -45°C, it took two of us about 45 minutes. I was never sure whether it was the tent, the altitude or our own incompetence. But the lesson remains: ‘Keep It Simple, Stupid’. KISS is a good motto to live by.
Generally tents will have a flysheet and an inner sheet. These serve a number of purposes. The air cavity between the two insulates the tent, making it cooler in summer and warmer in winter. The flysheet protects the inner tent from rain; it also protects it from bird droppings and tree sap. It is possible to buy single-sheet tents, but again you should only consider these if weight is a real issue.
And, of course, always make sure you know how to set up your tent before you go out in the field. You don’t want to be scratching your head trying to work it out in the middle of a thunderstorm (or at 26,000ft on Everest!).
Tarps
A tarp – or tarpaulin – is a sheet of waterproof material that can be used to create a quick and effective shelter, either for spending the night, or simply for protecting yourself from the elements. It has a number of advantages over a more traditional tent.
Tarps can be erected in a number of ways. Common configurations include an A-type roof (elevated or at ground level), a lean-to, over a camp cot or hammock, or any combination of these.
I have used tarps in some very obscure, difficult places, from jungles to swamps, and they have been very useful when needing cover in a hurry. They also provide good space to work in while keeping out of the rain. They don’t keep the mozzies out, but a well-placed fire can do that job for you.
HIDDEN DANGERS
If you’re in an environment where wildlife is a consideration, use a tent rather than a tarp as it puts a wall between you and any unwanted visitors. It may not seem to be a particularly strong wall, but no lions or tigers, for example, have ever been known to rip through a tent purely to get at the occupant. Bears have been known to do this, but only when the occupant has made the mistake of taking food into the tent with them – a big no-no if you’re in bear territory.
TRAINING EXERCISES
In the military, soldiers practise erecting their tarps and tents as quickly as possible, and so should you. It’s a skill you could well be glad of if you need quick shelter when the weather suddenly changes or if you’re losing light quickly at the end of the day. The ultimate test is again against the clock and in the dark.
SLEEPING BAGS, MATS AND BIVIS
Sleep is the best natural medicine. Without it, your body will constantly be playing catch-up with itself. When you’re out in the field for an extended period of time, it’s crucial that you do everything you can to get a good night’s sleep. In order to do that you need to be warm, dry and comfortable.
Sleeping bags
The first decision you have to make when choosing a sleeping bag is whether to go for a down-filled bag or one made from synthetic fibres. Both have their pros and cons.
Down-filled bags are lightweight and have a very good warmth-to-weight ratio. However, they do lose some of their insulating qualities if they become wet – and that includes from the inside due to perspiration. Synthetic materials are more common. They perform better when wet and are relatively easy to dry out. But they are bulkier, heavier and not as long lasting as the down-filled bags. If you’re expecting it to be cold and dry (i.e. either in high-altitude mountains or Antarctica) down is the best option; if it’s going to be temperate or wet, go for the synthetic option.
Sleeping bags come in different thicknesses to protect you from different external temperatures. There isn’t a standardized way of presenting these temperature ratings, but the most common method is a season rating.
1 season bags are suitable for temperatures that do not fall below 5°C
2 season bags are suitable for temperatures that do not fall below 0°C
3 season bags are suitable for temperatures that do not fall below -5°C
4 season bags are suitable for temperatures that do not fall below -10°C
5 season bags will protect you from temperatures as low as -30°C, depending on the individual bag
It’s important to remember that wind and damp air can have an effect on how cold you feel, so if you are expecting either of these conditions, you would be well advised to take a bag with a higher rating than you might normally choose. For most outdoor situations, a 3–4 season rating bag is the best. If you have one with a full-length zip, you can always undo it if you get too hot.
Sleeping bags come in two different shapes: mummy-shaped (thinner at the foot end than at the head end) and rectangular. Mummy-shaped bags are more thermally efficient than rectangular ones because they follow the shape of your body.
One point to remember is that you are always better off stripping down to your thermals before getting into your bag than jumping in with loads of layers on hoping to get warm. This applies even if it is really cold. Sleeping bags work more efficiently when there are more air pockets in which to trap the warmth and absorb any moisture you create. If you fall asleep wearing too many layers you overheat, then you sweat, the sweat can’t escape, which makes you damp, then you get cold. Then when you wake up cold, you have no more clothes to put on… it’s bad all round. So sleep with fewer clothes on and let the air trapped in your bag keep you warm and dry. If you are still cold in the night you can add one layer at a time as needed. I have learnt this lesson through much trial and error.
Mats
You can have the best sleeping bag in the world, but without a mat to sleep on, you’re going to be cold. Sleeping bags keep you warm because of the layer of insulating air between you and the bag. The part of your body that is in contact with the ground, however, won’t have that layer of air and the cold ground will literally sap warmth from your body.
Any mat is better than no mat at all. Foam mats are warm but uncomfortable. Inflatable mattresses are comfortable but easily damaged. Thermarest mats – a self-inflating mixture of foam and air – are the best. They’re more expensive, but will give you that all-important warm night’s sleep.
In the Special Forces, where we had to carry minimal personal kit, we used to cut down a foam mat to the shape of our upper torso. This could then be folded up small, tucked in the side of a pack and taken out easily to lie on, either for sleeping or for sitting on during the long hours of an ambush. This would mean that at least our vital organs (in the area around the chest and stomach) were kept off the ground and warm.
Bivis
A bivouac sack – or bivi – is a cross between a sleeping bag and a tent. It’s a thin waterproof shell that slips over your sleeping bag. It increases the ambient temperature by about 5°C and provides protection from wind and rain. It is often used in conjunction with a tarp as an alternative to the tent/sleeping bag combo. This is always my favoured option if travelling light or as an emergency piece of kit: it is adaptable, lightweight and a lifesaver as it can get you out of the wind and rain fast.
LIGHTWEIGHT REPAIR KITS
Like most equipment, repair kits are very personal things. Yours may only consist of a needle, thread and spare buttons. But if you’re going to be away from civilization for a while, it’s important that you should be able to repair every item you have with you. A more comprehensive repair kit might include:
Real-life campfire story
Whether out hill walking for a day or on an expedition to the summit of Everest, having the right clothing and equipment can literally mean the difference between life and death.
There is an old saying, ‘you can’t talk with experience unless you have experienced’. But this should not always be the case. When Mother Nature is unleashing all her fury and you haven’t got the appropriate protection, that experience could end up being your one and only. You should always plan for the environment you are going into, expect the unexpected and take the appropriate clothing and equipment for your mission.
During the first Gulf war, British Special Forces were tasked to go into the deserts of Iraq. Their mission was to send back intelligence on Saddam Hussein’s Scud missile launchers that were raining death and destruction down on Israel. A dangerous mission in itself, hundreds of miles behind enemy lines and surrounded by Saddam’s own elite Republican Guard. The last thing they expected was to be battling the weather as well. But, as any good Scout knows, you always hope for the best but plan for the worst.
Within hours of being dropped behind enemy lines and commencing their covert infiltration on foot, the soldiers were caught out by unexpected bad weather, including sub-zero temperatures and even snow – in the desert! Snow was not on the mission briefing, but they had planned well and were carrying the right clothing and equipment to combat the severe weather. However, in the pitch black of the night, one soldier became disorientated and was separated from his patrol.
When hypothermia sets in, it does so quickly and can take you unawares. One minute you are shivering, the next you have lost the use of your hands through cold and your mind stops functioning clearly. Sadly for this soldier he became a victim of the freak bad weather and died. But the other soldiers survived by having the right kit and, just as importantly, knowing how to use it before things got out of control.
It may be bright and sunny when you plan your hike into the mountains or your next camping expedition; but Mother Nature can change her plans very quickly. Don’t let this spoil your trip. As the famous Scout saying goes, ‘be prepared’. Then you stand a fighting chance.