We hope you find this clothing and equipment guide useful for some helpful pointers, it is not our intention that this is an instruction of all the things you must take.

When it comes to clothing and equipment it helps to consider the following points,

• Pack according to the international baggage allowance, usually 20kg (44lbs) excluding hand luggage.
• Buy for practicality, not fashion. Keep it simple and respectable. Temperatures may fluctuate.
• For those who wear contact lenses, it’s advisable to take a pair of glasses as well.
• Make sure all your equipment, within reasonable limits, is marked for insurance purposes. Take note of serial numbers of cameras etc. Leave a copy at home and keep a copy with you.

We have included gear for our more adventurous types of trips i.e. trekking or mountaineering but it also includes those essential items for a beach holiday.

Bags and Rucksacks

• soft holdall or rucksack (approx 65 litres) for the bulk of your gear.
• large rucksack liner or set of re-sealable plastic bags for water proofing kit.
• x1 small day-backpack (30 to 40 litres) for your own personal gear.
• (optional) rain covers.

Buying a rucksack?

Rucksacks vary enormously in price largely due to the materials used and the quality of the stitching. The more zips and seams the bag has, the more vulnerable it is to breakages and leaks; attachable side pockets sound versatile but usually swing about or even fall off, rucksacks with zipped main compartments might offer accessibility but in reality they rarely do and if the zip goes you’ve had it, try a draw-string.

Try on rucksacks in the shop and make sure they are weighted and take plenty of time to walk around, adjust the straps to see if it is suitable.

Usually to buy a bigger rucksack means that it will just be packed with more unnecessary stuff, however, the lighter and more compact the gear, the smaller the rucksack needed and the more comfortable any excursion or travelling will be.

Headwear

• wide brimmed hat or baseball cap for shade against the sun.
• sunglasses.

Footwear

• sturdy walking boots for a trek, well-broken-in (wear on plane in case of lost luggage).
• trainers or casual shoes.
• sandals or flip-flops.
• gaiters, waterproof & breathable.

Socks and Underwear

• thin socks woollen or synthetic.
• normal quantity of everyday underwear.

Body

• base layers or t-shirts, preferably synthetic for easy drying.
• warm layers (fleece, sweatshirt, micro fleece) to fit over base layers.
• hooded waterproof, windproof outer jacket (breathable).
• lightweight long sleeved-shirt is particularly suitable for avoiding sun burn.

Leg-Wear

• loose (quick drying) trousers.
• loose fitting (quick drying) shorts or skirts.
• waterproof over-trousers (waterproof & breathable).
• swimming costume.

Miscellaneous

• water purification tablets.
• torch, ideally a head-torch, as powerful as possible but light weight, with spare torch batteries and spare
• torch bulbs.
• large and small towel, we recommend a lightweight quick-dry type.

Personal Medical Supplies

• plasters.
• blister pads (Compeed).
• nails scissors.
• aspirin/paracetamol, or other headache pills.
• lozenges for sore throat.
• antiseptic cream.
• sachets of rehydration mixture (Dioralyte).
• any personal medication from your doctor.

Odds and Ends

• toiletries in a wash bag.
• lip balm.
• sun cream (essential).
• ear plugs.
• wet wipes.
• pocket tissues.
• spare contact lenses or glasses.
• sewing-kit.
• tweezers.
• nail cutters.
• extra plastic bags to keep dirty clothes separate from clean ones.
• pencil and notebook.
• camera/video camera and spare batteries.
• binoculars.
• books/kindle.
• travel games/cards.
• a selection of favourite snacks and high-energy bars are nice to have on long treks.

Documents

• passport.
• sufficient spare passport photos.
• copies of key pages of your passport.
• travel insurance documentation with 24hr medical emergency number.