This is the first in a
series of articles on what equipment you should take for your assessment in a
range of qualifications. This week is Basic Expedition Leader (BEL) and Lowland
Valley Leader (LVL), and over the next week I will also be posted on both
Mountain Leader and Single Pitch Award. I have also previously done articles on expedition kit, mountain leader kit, and winter kit for feel free to have a look at them too! Enjoy!
I am a qualified Mountain
Leader currently working towards both my Winter ML and Mountaineering
Instructor Award. I am also a course director for the Basic Expedition Leader
Award and soon to be a Director for the Lowland Valley Leader too. I have a
wealth of experience working with groups for over 10 years, and the
recommendations made in this article are based on that experience. Choosing the
right kit for taking groups out can be tricky. This is complicated by the fact
that during assessment your choice of equipment will be scrutinised for
suitability by your assessors. This article is meant as a ‘foundation’ on which
you can develop your personal equipment choices, this list is not exhaustive
and there may well be other items you wish to add to your kit. This article
also focuses on the equipment required for a day walk as opposed to a multi-day
expedition.
Rucksack:
Choosing the correct
rucksack is essential as it allows you to not only fit the required amount of
equipment in, but also remain comfortable throughout the day. An ideal rucksack
for your leader kit on BEL or LVL would be around the 40 Litre mark. In my
personal opinion Osprey packs are worth considering, whilst at the top end in
terms of price, they are also at the top end in terms of performance, providing
excellent comfort and well-designed packs. 40 Litres is only a guide size, and
you may wish to carry a pack that is either bigger or
smaller than this.
Key things to look for:
When you buy your rucksack
test it! Most reputable shops will have weight bags you can place into the bag
to test it. Do not blindly buy off the internet! Also bear in mind that many brands of
rucksack now produce packs in different (fixed) back sizes, so do your research
and make sure you get the right size for you!
First Aid Kit:
As a group leader you are
responsible for ensuring you have the correct equipment to deal with a range of
emergencies on the hill. One of the key items in your emergency kit is your
first aid kit. Your kit must be big enough to deal with multiple injuries to
multiple casualties, but also take into account the fact that you need to be
carrying it around with you all day. The result needs to be a balanced kit
comprehensive enough to cover all scenarios, and light enough not to be a
burden on the hill. My kit began life as a Lifesystems Mountain Leader first aid kit. I added several items to the kit and removed items such as painkillers
(as leaders we cannot administer these to young people). I added; foil blankets
x 2, small GPS, incident card, blister plaster pack, tick tweezers, and extra
gloves. Adding these items is not required to make the kit usable, but I have
found these are the items I use most frequently and aren’t included in the kit,
and therefore top up the kit to provide everything I need. You may wish to add
extra items not mentioned above, or add nothing. I also like the Lifesystems
First Aid Kit layout because it splits the sections of the kit down into usable
areas like “breaks and fractures” and “Bleeding” which means anyone can know
where the items in your kit are stored in the event you are incapacitated, or
need someone else to use it.
Key things to look for:
When buying a first aid kit
make sure it is big enough to cover everything you need. Some people prefer to
buy an empty first aid kit bag and add their own equipment. Don’t overload
yourself with kit, you have to carry it all day remember!
Group Shelter:
A group shelter is an
essential and sometimes overlooked item of emergency kit. It provides a
temporary emergency shelter for injured parties, provides a temporary respite
from poor conditions, or even a convenient place to hide during a lunch a stop.
There are various sizes and brands of group shelter available. When choosing a
group shelter bear in mind the potential size of your group; a 2 person shelter
is no good if you plan to be working with groups of 8-10. Group shelters can be
found in sizes up to 20 person. Personally I carry an 8 person shelter (Terra
Nova Bothy 8), which will work for
around 10 young people. All the brands of shelter are broadly equivalent and
will generally work for 2 or more people than the size stated (i.e. a 10 person
both could fit 12 at a push). Group shelters are a balance between size and weight, the bigger they are
the more they weigh, so consider what size you want to carry to provide shelter
in an emergency without burdening you with extra weight.
Key things to look for:
There are 3 main brands of
group shelter; Outdoor Designs, Vango, and Terra Nova, all produce shelters of
varying sizes. Terra Nova sell a “Superlite” version which costs a lot more but
weighs less (the 4 person standard shelter weighs 600g and costs £45, the
superlite weighs 400g and costs £120). In my opinion such a huge difference in
cost does not represent value for money where the saving in weight is only 33%.
GPS:
In the modern world it makes
sense to take advantage of current technology. I believe all leaders working
with young people in the hills/mountains should carry, and know how to use, a
GPS handset. In a pinch these provide simple, one touch access to a pinpoint
location which can be provided to emergency services. This also takes the
pressure off you in an emergency, allowing you to focus on treating the
casualty, rather than needing to work out an accurate location. There are several
dedicated GPS handsets below £100 on the market, with the Magellan eXplorist110 and Etrex 10 being 2 of the most popular – both reviewed on this blog if
you search back. On a budget? There are a wide variety of apps available for
android and iOS that use the GPS functionality of your phone to provide
accurate fixes. Before using one of these make sure you check whether your
phone has a GPS antenna or just uses an internet fix to provide location.
Failure to check this could mean you think you have access to GPS in an
emergency, when in actual fact it relies on a solid 3G or H+ signal to work.
Key things to look for:
Keep it simple, there a wide
range of GPS sets that have OS map functionality etc. Do you really need access
to these features? Or do you need a simple set that provides a quick and
accurate read out in an emergency? Consider this when buying a GPS. Also check
that the handset is fully waterproof, this may come in handy for UK weather!
Spare kit:
When operating with groups
it is often prudent to carry spare equipment in case of drama on the hill! This
can vary depending on the leader. Most leaders carry spare hats and gloves.
Personally I carry spare hats and gloves x 2-3 pairs, in addition I carry spare
socks, and spare laces, along with a spare warm layer such as a down jacket or
belay jacket. The equipment you choose to carry is completely down to you, but
also consider the time of year, the location you are operating in, and the
weather.
Key things to look for:
Your spare kit doesn’t need
to be expensive!
 |
| Consider conditions when packing your leader kit |
Personal Kit:
- Waterproofs
- Warm layer (down jacket etc)
- Map and compass
- Water + Spare water (consider a hydration system of some description)
- Walking poles (can also be given to a group member in event of injury)
- Penknife or similar
This article contains
recommendations for equipment to be carried, however I stress that choosing
YOUR leader kit should be based on personal preference. Your equipment will
constantly evolve, as you gain more experience what you carry will change. Consideration
also needs to be given to your group size, conditions, time of year, which may
mean you carry more or less of certain items.
