Gear List. Snowshoeing Day Tours and Overnight Trips

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1 Snowshoeing Day Tours and Overnight Trips These are our recommendations for equipment on snowshoeing trips. You might have other equipment or clothes that are equally suitable but if you re not sure about any item please ask in advance! This is not a shopping list! If you re missing any item then please get in touch as we might be able to suggest an alternative or be able to loan you something. For clothing a layering system is the best option, it can be warm on a sunny day snowshoeing up a hill and you ll find it more comfortable if you can take a layer off. At the top it can be cold or windy and you ll want to put the layer back on! Boots These are a really important item, a boot that s not comfortable or doesn t keep your feet warm and dry can make any trip miserable. You can buy specialised snowshoe boots but these are not necessary and most people find general walking boots far more useful. These need some ankle support and they need to be waterproof. Walking in snow all day can make a boot quite wet. Trainers, casual shoes or boots are not suitable. Snowboarding boots are often a good choice if you don t have your own boots, they can be rented from most winter sports stores. Gloves If you have ski or snowboard gloves these are fine. Another option is a lighter pair of gloves and some wind- & water-proof mittens that fit over the top. Hats Hats have two functions, so sometimes it s worth having two! On a sunny day they protect the head from sun and on a cold day they keep your head warm. In spring it s great to have a hat with some sort of brim to keep the sun off the face and neck. Eyewear It s vital that you have sunglasses that protect you from UV light. The mountain versions that are around may be firmly fashioned in the 1980 s but the wrap-around styles give your eyes the best protection. If you ve some ski goggles these can work but often they steam up too much to use for snowshoeing all day. Ski goggles are handy in a storm if you carry them in your rucksack.

2 Base Layer Some sort of non cotton layer next to the skin that helps transport moisture away from the body. This is really important as we can produce some sweat & heat climbing, if the sweat isn t moved away then we can cool really quickly when we stop. In the same way socks need to help move moisture away from your feet and a good pair of walking socks is important. Mid Layer The typical mid-layer would be a fleece jacket but in colder weather a down or primaloft jacket may be better. You can wear two mid-layers and you might find having both a light and a warmer mid-layer is the most flexible. Jacket Your jacket needs to be wind- and water-proof. If you have ski or snowboard clothes these are fine when you re starting out. In the long term you ll probably enjoy the benefits of more technical shell clothes such as GoreTex or event. Trousers If you re using ski or snowboard trousers these are fine with a base-layer underneath. If you have some walking trousers these may be suitable but they re often too light for full winter use and you will need to wear (or carry) some waterproof trousers. If you re using walking trousers then some gaiters are recommended and essential in heavy snow. Mini-First Aid Kit (overnight trips) If you re travelling with someone else you can share this. You need to carry any medications that you re taking. You might also find items like pain medication (ibuprofen etc), blister plasters etc useful. This is for your personal use. Your guide carries a first aid kit also. This is optional for a day trip but most experienced mountaineers and hillwalkers will carry some version of this. Sun Protection It s vital that you wear some sort of sun screen even on days that the sun isn t clearly visible. There s a number of sports versions around that shouldn t run if you sweat. We recommend high factors like SPF30.

3 Rucksack & Bags For day trips a sack big enough to take some sandwiches and a drink with your spare clothes is enough. On overnight trips it s better to have something around 30 litres in size. Please don t forget that you need to carry the avalanche safety gear we loan you. Rucksacks aren t generally waterproof and some people use covers to keep snow or rain from entry. We highly recommend sealing your equipment in waterproof bags inside the rucksack as a better solution. You can buy a single large liner for your rucksack or, our own preference, use several smaller bags. For example, we keep our overnight gear sealed away from things we ll need during the day. Water and Hydration It s up to you if you prefer a bladder or a bottle but you need something to carry a drink. We recommend bottles, they re less prone to freezing in the winter and it s much easier to get them filled at a refuge for an overnight trip. It s often possible to get hut tea from a refuge so a small thermos flask is great. Wash kit (overnight trips) On overnight trips using an alpine refuge there are fairly limited facilities. You ll probably want to brush your teeth so take a toothbrush! Wet wipes are useful and items like travel towels are really handy. If you ve acquired the small toiletry containers from airlines with minitoothpastes or liquid soaps these are ideal. Hut Gear (overnight trips) Mountain huts and refuges normally provide blankets and pillows in the dormitories. For comfort and hygiene you must have a cotton or silk sleeping bag. These should weigh a t most a couple of hundred grams and should pack small. We have a small stock of cotton liners and can loan them out, don t forget to ask in advance! A small torch can be useful in huts where lights aren t on or available all night. It s also useful to have a torch for emergencies on the mountain so the head torches with elastic straps to wear around the head are most useful. Cheap, unbranded LED versions are available in discount stores and hardware shops and are just fine. You might consider taking some other clothes to wear but most people consider the extra weight to carry doesn t make it worthwhile. Things like a spare pair of socks or some leggings can be light enough to carry and provide some extra comfort. But, generally for an overnight trip it s short enough not to worry too much!

4 Other Personal Gear You don t have to bring a camera but it s highly recommended. Other people find a deck of cards useful for entertainment at refuges although there s often (an incomprehensible) selection of board games already. Snowshoes & Trekking Poles We provide both poles and snowshoes, if you ve got your own then please bring them along! If you do bring your own, or decide to rent some, please be sure they have some sort of grip arrangement on the base, spikes or crampons on the toes. We d also recommend models that allow you raise the heel when you re going up a hill. Poles are required as well, ski poles are just fine, there s no real need to have length adjustment. Avalanche Safety Gear Where required this is supplied by us or rented at our partner. If you choose to bring your own please note these requirements : I. Avalanche Transceiver should have new, full batteries. It should be in full working order and regularly maintained. Normally it should be a digital model with two or, preferably, three antennas. II. III. Shovel, should have a metal blade not plastic. Probe, be more than 2m in length. Whilst you may be happy and safe using equipment that doesn t meet this standard we feel our duty of care to other group members is best met with this standard. Medical & Insurance All activities in the mountains have an element of risk, it s vital that you ve adequate insurance cover and that you ve disclosed any relevant medical problems to us. This means : I. To best of your knowledge knowledge you are in good physical and mental health and are not aware of any circumstances why you may have to cancel or withdraw from your trip. II. That you you are not travelling against any medical advice.

5 III. IV. That your insurance provides cover for search & rescue and medical treatment. We suggest you have coverage for cancellation also. You must be able to provide documentary proof of this insurance and take a copy with you on the trip. That we reserve the right to refuse your participation if these conditions are not met.