Essential Kit for Mountain Adventures

Packing for a grand day out or a multi-day mountain expedition may feel like a daunting task. Read on for Steele Summit’s tried-and-tested kit lists to ensure you are not only safe on your adventures, but can enjoy some lightweight creature comforts along the way.

Note: Any products recommended are personal favourites rather than sponsors or ads, linked to facilitate your preparation. Just hover over certain items to find options online.

Essential Kit for Day Adventures

Rucksack and clothing

• Day rucksack 30 litres (with chest/hip straps for comfort and outside netting to stuff waterproofs in)
• Waterproof jacket (with attached hood)
• Waterproof trousers (reproof every 3-4months with NikWax or similar)
• Warm layer (down jacket or thermal fleece)
• Spare warm layer (in a dry bag or plastic bag for waterproof)
• Hat and gloves (waterproof fleeced gloves are most effective and mittens even better, especially if you suffer with Raynaud's)
• Walking boots (worn in with a higher collar and a thicker sole for functional support)
• Walking socks (soft polycotton blend fabrics or even waterproof)

Navigation

• Compass (Silva Expedition 4)
• Map 1:25,000 (OS Explorer are great options)
• Phone for backup maps (download before setting off) and *emergency calls

Safety and emergency

• Head torch and spare batteries (even if you intend to be home for tea!)
• First Aid Kit (including blister plasters, waterproof plasters, tick remover, painkillers, personal medication detailing dosage, tape, scissors, larger wound dressings, whistle, insect repellent, etc.)
• Sun cream (Factor 50)
• Lip salve (mountain weather can be pretty harsh; this has become an essential)
• Emergency Bivvy

Food and water

• Water bottle (1.5 litres)
• Chlorine Dioxide Water Purification Tablets (highly effective and becoming increasing essential in our busy upland areas)
• Snacks. Lots of snacks. Mountain walking is highly strenuous so always pack extra food. Think lightweight, high-calorie options like bars, homemade sandwiches, and fruit and nut mixes (allergy dependant).
• Emergency sugar supply (sweets like jelly babies are just as effective and far cheaper than sports gels)
• Flask for warm beverages.

Leave no trace

• Waste Bag (don’t get caught out) or trowel to dig a hole [Toileting in the Wild]
• Plastic rubbish bags (doggy bags are perfect for your litter and any you find along the trail)

Optional

• Camping stove, gas, and lighter in case you want to make a freshly warmed brew in a sheltered spot or need to warm someone up.
• Personal hygiene items (remember to carry all waste off the hill with you)
• If you are someone who has periods, pack your choice of period products – bring enough to last you on a normal day, plus a little bit extra in case you have any delays or your period is heavier than normal.
• Hand sanitiser, wipes and/or extra water to rinse your hands. You might not need all of these things, or you might want to bring something extra, so have a think about what will be most appropriate for you, your body and your period.

*To register for emergency mountain rescue calls, follow these steps:

1. Text ‘register’ to 999
2. Receive a confirmation
3. Confirm this message by replying ‘yes’
4. In an emergency, contact the emergencySMS service by texting 999. Your message should include ‘Police’ + details of incident + location.

It is recommended to register before heading to the hills to avoid any potential delays in getting help.

Essential Kit for Multi-Day Expeds

• All of the above plus…

Main kit

• Expedition rucksack (65 litres with comfortable hip/chest straps)
• Tent
• Group shelter (you can get different sizes dependant on your group size to share)

Sleeping system

• Everything below packed into waterproof bags (colour coordinated or labelled in permanent marker so you know which is which)
• Sleeping system (sleeping bag, sleeping mat, you can use spare clothes as a pillow)
• Dry kit (to sleep in)
• Spare kit (to change into on the second or third day, including clean underwear and socks)
• Plastic/waterproof bag (for dirty clothes)
• Baby wipes or a reusable cloth (personal admin is essential on multi-day adventures for both comfort and longevity)

Food, water and on the move

• Walking poles (optional but really help on longer distances with much elevation)
• Spare headtorch and batteries
• Camping stove, gas, and lighter for warm dinners
• Spork
• Easy-to-digest snacks that your body is used to (malt loaf is a personal favourite as both high-energy and rucksack-squishable)
• Large water bottle or spare water bladder

Things to consider

• Don’t drink water straight from mountain sources unless you have purified it with Chlorine Dioxide or boiled it first. The increasing footfall over our favourite mountains is making this ever more important. If you need to collect water, take it from where it is running, like streams and waterfalls, away from farm land or heavy grazing.
• Lighter is better but don’t let this override prioritising essential kit.
• Know where things are in your rucksack as there’s nothing worse than the unpack-repack-unpack cycle of looking for elusive items.
• Items less regularly used should go at the bottom while essentials, like Chlorine Dioxide tablets or First Aid Kit, should easily accessible.
• Spare batteries, safety pins, zip locks, and spare laces always come in handy.
• Admin matters! Take the extra time now to stay tidy; your day-three fatigue will thank you.
• Get to know your own essentials (Steele Summit never ventures far without a flask of jet-fuel coffee).

Note on sustainability

Rather than buying everything new, borrow from friends and family and repair old kit. Buy second hand for all things non-safety-critical such as rucksacks and walking poles. If you need to buy something, buy less, buy well, and maintain it. If you can, consider how the equipment was manufactured, transported and packaged. Look for companies with credible commitments around environmental management, responsible sourcing, repair schemes and reducing packaging. And remember, the best mountaineers out there are functional, not flashy. Outdoor marketing can make it seem as though you need the latest jacket, GPS, boots or backpack. If your existing equipment is safe, functional and appropriate for your objectives, continuing to use it is often the most sustainable option. Some of Steele Summit’s greatest adventures has been exclusively in hand-me-downs!

What else would you pack on your mountain adventures and multi-day expeditions?

Explore Steele Summit for more mountain blogs and Mountain Leader services. Here to prepare you for your next mountain adventure, or to organise bespoke days out and expeditions focusing on your goals, whether summits, distance, or depth. Designed to keep you safe and provide you with knowledge and experience to take into all your future mountain adventures. First though, getting your kit squared away sets you well on your way…

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