Equipment Outfitters

Unless you are the sort of person who thrives on assault courses and marathon runs, carrying a loaded rucksack all day long or cycling uphill with heavy panniers is quite strenuous exercise. It therefore makes sense to get yourself reasonably fit before you set out on holiday and to experiment with carrying different loads over a period of several hours. Aching muscles are to be expected in the first few days of a walking or cycling tour however little you carry: you will not yet be fully in trim. But at the end of the holiday you want to be in the happy situation of not even noticing the weight on your back — not worn out and returning home in need of another fortnight’s rest.

Various formulae have been suggested for how much a backpacker should carry. One popular idea is that a person can manage half a kilo of weight for every year of his age — but we grow older, they find this formula less and less attractive ! The truth is that physical strength — as well as the ability to struggle on without moaning — varies widely from individual to individual, so it is no use relying on a rule of thumb. You simply have to judge your own ability.

All that can be said with certainty is that every little bit of weight you can save will make each day’s journey that much more comfortable; although for a lightweight camping holiday lasting two or three weeks, it is very doubtful whether you will be able to reduce your load to less than 9 kg (20 lb). The weights shown in the checklist set out opposite are about average and produce a total, for each of two companions travelling together, of around 11 kg (25 lb).

If during experiments you find that this is more than you can easily manage, consider going on holiday in a group of three people instead of two. Provided that the tent is big enough for three, this reduces individual loads even further. The other two people may also be able to shoulder a few extra pounds in order to lighten your share.

Limiting the carrying-distance also helps. In any case, it is always advisable to plan your holiday so that you do not have to walk or cycle very far in the first few days, to give the body some running-in time. During your practice excursions you can check what distance you cover in an average hour at your most economical pace : then if you reckon to be on the move initially for about four hours, with periodic rests, you will be able to calculate what is an easy day’s journey.

Finally, there is some scope for weight-saving on food supplies provided that you are in an area where you can rely on being able to stock up with provisions at the end of the afternoon. The rule is to eat heartily in the morning and evening when you are in camp and to exist on the minimum while you are travelling.

Checklist for backpackers and cyclists

Lightweight tent (with poles, groundsheet, pegs and flysheet)

Stove (with fuel and matches)

Canteen (consisting of nesting pans/frypans with lids that serve as plates)

Can opener

Collapsible polythene bucket

Torch (with batteries)

Candle

Compass and maps

First aid dressings, aspirins, sun lotion Toothpaste

Butter container and plastic food bags

Long term food supplies (sugar, milk powder, salt, pepper, instant coffee, instant potato, packet soups, salami, cheese spread, jam etc.)

Short term food supplies (bread, butter or margarine, cheese, sliced meat, fruit, frozen vegetables etc. bought as required)

Flask containing drinking water Camera

Rucksack or panniers

Sleeping bag (in stuff sac)

Warm sweater and waterproof outerclothing (more often carried than worn)

Spare footwear (plimsolls or sandals) Spare woollen socks (2 or 3 pairs)

Spare underwear and swimming costume Spare shirt or blouse

Shorts (carried while trousers are worn) Sunglasses and case

Sunhat

Small towel

Soap and toothbrush Razor

Sleeping mat

Clip-together alloy knife, fork and spoon Plastic plate

Plastic mug

Paper handkerchiefs (for use as handkerchiefs, toilet paper and for cleaning and drying utensils etc.)

Passport

Ballpoint pen

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Outdoor Backpack Trails, What to Carry and how far to carry it

• Camping by Bike
• Outdoor Camping and Caravanning
• Traveling by Car, the taste of Adventure
• Motorbike / Motorcycle Ride Gear Motorcycle Helmets and Visors
• Outdoor Backpack, Choosing and Packing a Rucksack
• Outdoor Hiking Clothing and Footwear for the Walker
• Deciding which Holiday to take, Enjoy all the Extremes of Freedom
• Caravanning and Camping Outdoor Gears, Clothing and Living Accessories Guide
• Retiring from Camping? Excited Outdoor Holidays
• Motorcycle riding for two Backpack Travelers