UKH

Hi All,

I posted a couple of months back about gear recommendations for a trip to the Cairngorms early Feb with MR. I was amazed by the response and found all comments very helpful. I just wanted some more advice on things I missed in the original post and things that were brought up that had originally not thought about.

Number one, Belay Jackets, this had totally slipped my mind on the original post but was brought to light by some people. I have been browsing and have looked at midweight jackets such as the ME Fitzroy or Rab Photon X, has anyone any experience with these jackets and will they be warm enough for the Cairngorms in Feb or should I be looking for a more heavyweight belay jacket as i will be standing around alot due to the course being MR orientated?

Two, Socks, I have a pair of Falke TK2 socks which i have found to be warm and very comfortable but slow to heat if damp. Ive had other cheaper warm socks in the past but these havent been very durable in my experience.

Three, Mitts, should these be worn over a good pair of thick waterproof gloves and if so should i buy a size or two bigger in order to fit?

Four, Boots, a massive hurdle I have found so far is finding a good pair of B2 rated boots for a reasonable price. At a push my budget can expand to maybe £250 but would prefer a cheaper pair. I do plan on heading over to Keswick and Ambleside in Jan to sample a few pairs before i buy. I was looking at a local shop that has a number of La Sportiva Trango Alp for £150, I have read some good reviews online but have seen mentioned alot that La Sportiva boots are narrow fitting. Also the instructor of the course was a little sceptical of these boots at the meeting.

And finally some bits, a good size for a flask and water bottle in winter? The best size to weight and bulk emergency shelter, i was thinking maybe 4 man is a generous enough size possibly, does anyone recommend a certain brand for an emergency shelter? And last but not least Buffs/Balaclavas what are peoples experience using these? (Are they needed?) And if so any recommendations?

Thanks a bunch in advance,
Connor

In reply to ConnorMak:

If you want a bargain B2 boot you could do a lot worse than these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B011KID9JO/ref=asc_df_B011KID9JO48564970/?tag=g...

Alternatively if you are going to be doing a lot of Scottish winter then the la Sportiva Nepal Extreme is a great boot, a bit on the neavy side but bombproof. You see a lot of them for a reason.

Decathlon have them at a good price and if you are cheeky enough you can get Go Outdoors to price match and knock another 10% off, should get them well within your budget.

In reply to Andrew Lodge:

Ive had a quick look and sadly decathlon only have them in a small number of sizes that wont fit my size 11 boat feet, thanks for the recommendations though!

In reply to ConnorMak:

Imho don't scrimp on boots. Boots are the one piece of kit where the right fit and level of warmth beat bargain prices every time ml

In reply to ConnorMak:

ME Fitz Roy, warm enough? Almost certainly, always found it to be a great bit of kit.

Flask. I take a small 400ml flask and refill on the hill as needed and where possible. I also take a small ~1/2 litre thermos probably made by Lifeventure I think. I find that a big 1litre bottle is a bit of an encumbrance in my bag, whereas 1 or two small flasks can be tucked away. Worth making sure you're properly hydrated before you head out.

Shelter. You say you're going with 'MR' I don't know who they are but if they're some sort of professional guiding/instruction service then they'll carry a group shelter. I usually carry just an orange survival bag tucked down the back panel of my pack and assume my partners do the same/similar. On the one or two occasions I've carried a group shelter in Scotland or the Alps it's been a two man one for two of us - all the bulk adds up after all.

Cheers.

In reply to ConnorMak:

Belay jacket, I'd go heavyweight if you are expecting to be standing around. Second hand is a good shout, especially if you aren't totally sure what will work for you.

Socks, I like the bridgedale summits, but it depends on you and your boots, you may be comfy in mid weight socks.

Mitts, I go as warm as you can and waterproof, they are the same as the belay jacket, you want to be warm and comfy when hanging around so you can pay attention to what's going on. Size wise, I go big so my hand can move easily, but wouldn't wear anything underneath as it insulates your fingers from warming each other.

Boots, go for the ones that fit you best, second hand can work, but make sure there is enough sole so you don't have to resole then straight away.

Water bottle, I use a 500ml peach ice tea bottle, because it has a wide neck. I prefer small bottles as you can easily keep them inside layers to prevent them freezing, fill it up on the hill too, to keep weight down. Flask wise, I don't think a small flask is worth the effort, but have a 1.2 litre Thermos (the steel one with the rattly handle, it really keeps drinks warm over 24 hrs,) that I sometimes bring so warm drinks can be better shared. I have also taken a jet boil instead of bottle and flask and just make warm juice from melted snow, which is luxury. Make your own mind up. For a course, I'd probably go for the big flask. As Tom says, make sure you are well hydrated before you leave the carpark, a 2 litre bottle of water in the car is great for this.

Emergency shelter; for who? For you, go for an orange bivvy bag, if there are more of you, get one with a size that suits. I have a 4 person one, it's robust as it sits at the bottom of a bag, doesn't get used and I want it tough enough to put up with this and not fail in high winds when I want to use it.

Buffs are good and recommended.

Don't be in too much of a rush to spend money, figure out what you want based on the experience of your first few days out. If you are in a course they should be able to provide you with all you need.

In reply to nathan79:

I'll take that into account, hopefully some good boots will come into the boxing day/january sales

In reply to Tom Last:

Thankyou! Read good things about the fitzroy and it would seem to be a better option to purchase for future ventures to scotland rather than forking out for a thicker one for a two day course. And yeh i was looking at a 4 man shelter as it would be handy to have when out on the hills on a MR call out.

In reply to jonnie3430:

Thanks i'll have a look at all you have mentioned! I had a few people recommend buffalo mits as a good cheap and warm option to get me started out, also heard theyre pretty good handling the damp. Also i was looking at a 4 man shelter for the fact that it would come in handy on future MR callouts.

In reply to ConnorMak:

So long has it all works together, that's the key

In reply to ConnorMak:


I have a Terra Nova Bothy 4:

http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/tarps-bivis-bothies/all-bothies-bothy-bags/both...

(often available for about £40) and it gets used a fair bit. Ideally sized for three, 4 is a squeeze with sacks, two is a little bit flappy. I use mine for everything from eating my sandwiches, to taking stock in a white out for nav, to packing the sac sat the top of a route. Brilliant bits of kit.

In reply to ConnorMak:

Hope this isn't too late to be useful to you. I wore La Sportive Trango Alps on a winter walk up Ben Ledi on a very cold day (-10 C near the top) . After a shortish lunch break my toes were painfully cold and took a while to warm up. Part of the attraction of these boots is their relative light weight, the downsides are the reduced insulation and narrow fit at the toebox. If you will be loitering on the Cairngorm plateau for hours I suggest you wear boots with more insulation than the La Sportivas to be on the safe side.

FWIW I sold the La Sportivas and bought Zamberlan Jorasses which are much wider, better insulated and of course quite a bit heavier. They performed well on a February trip to the Cairngorms a couple of years ago, although we were blessed with blue skies and sun for that trip (still cold at rest though).