Basic Gear

1
Basic Gear

• Ken Mitton
• MITOC Winterschool 2001
• 8 January 2001

2
Basic Gear

• Packs
• Stoves
• Lighting
• Map, Compass and Whistle

3
Packs Types

• Daypacks
• Short trips, minimal waistbelt
• External-frame
• Not for winter --- too unwieldy
• Internal-frame
• Winter favorite
• Daypacks, I-frames for rent

4
Packs Theory

• Hipbelt takes most of weight
• Shoulders mostly stabilize
• Constantly adjust straps to keep fit as load
  changes

5
Packs Packing

• Bottom --- light (sleeping bag)
• High, close to back --- heaviest (water, food,
  fuel)
• High, far --- midweight (stove, clothing)
• Frequently used items in pockets to avoid opening
  main pack

6
Stoves Use

• Melting snow --- put water in pot to avoid
  scorching
• Boiling water
• Fancier foods

7
Stoves Types

• Butane, Butane/Propane, Isobutane
• Pressurized gas canisters
• Very easy to use
• Poor performance in cold weather
• White gas
• Liquid fuel turned to gas just before burner
• More difficult to use
• Winter favorite

8
Lighting Flashlights

• C, D-cell flashlights overkill
• AA flashlights useful, but need a hand free
• New LED squeezelights useful in camp

9
Lighting Headlamps

• Halogen bright (2 hours on 2 AA)
• Xenon long-lasting (8 hours on 2 AA)
• LED (new) absurdly long-lasting (100 hours on 2
  AA)
• Separate battery packs can be kept inside clothing

10
Three Necessities

• Map
• Each person carries one in a waterproof bag
• Compass
• 10 compass is plenty
• Whistle
• Plastic (sold during office hours)