I Need a Water Filter?
This is a common question from beginner bushwalkers.
The following list is not all inclusive but is a guide as to what you may need. Depending on the time of year, the area you will going, how many days you will be walking and personal preferences you may make your own additions and deletions.
Keep everything light and small: it is YOUR back it is going on!
Most of the items mentioned are for weekend walks. For day walks however, the items marked with an asterisk are advised.
If you are contemplating buying equipment it is not a bad idea to do a walk or two before you purchase so as to compare notes and see what others have. There are a number of specialised outdoor/bushwalking shops in the city and suburbs that stock the necessary items and have useful advice. It is not much good buying items at disposal or department stores as the quality is very often questionable. Above all else it is quite easy for bushwalking to be a healthy sport for you and your wallet.
CLOTHING
Clothing should be strong natural fibre fabrics e.g. wool, cotton or specialised fabrics such as japara, goretex. It should keep you both warm and dry in conditions not necessarily found in the suburbs. Many people find it preferable to wear shorts in all but the coldest of weather. Jeans are generally not suitable unless it is bound to be a fine day, they become very cold once wet. If you don’t have bushwalking boots when going on a daywalk, runners generally suffice.
| BOOTS | * PARKA/RAINCOAT |
| * THICK WOOLLEN SOCKS | * WIDE BRIMMED HAT |
| * JUMPER |
EATING & DRINKING
Take appropriate food for the type and number of meals you’ll have on the track. For a daywalk, this will be lunch, a drink and some nibblies. Taking into account that you will be getting some good exercise, any food that is sustaining will suffice. For a weekend walk, it will generally be two breakfasts, two lunches, one dinner, drinks and nibblies. It is important to keep food light and to take into account the absence of available refrigeration. Therefore, dried foods are often best.
| * WATER BOTTLE | BILLIES |
| PLATE | CAMPING STOVE AND FUEL |
| PLASTIC MUG | MATCHES |
| CUTLERY (Often just a spoon and pocket knife are sufficient.) | WATER BAG (The bladder from a wine cask works well.) |
CLEANLINESS & HYGIENE
Calls of nature must be attended to well away from water courses and tracks. All waste must be buried (dig a small hole before you start). Wash your hands in a container of water, not in a stream. Rubbish should be carried out by YOU as you carried it in, therefore take that into account when putting items in your pack. Leave any unnecessary packaging behind, it adds weight and then needs to be carried out again.
| * SOAP | POT SCOURER |
| * TOILET PAPER | COMB |
| * SUNSCREEN | TOWEL |
| * INSECT REPELLENT | TOOTHBRUSH, TOOTHPASTE |
| * BASIC FIRST AID KIT | PLASTIC BAG FOR RUBBISH |
| TEA TOWEL (½ size is more than adequate) |
SHELTER AND SLEEPING
Should your tent get wet it should be put into a plastic bag then into the tent’s stuffbag in order to keep the rest of your pack dry. A sleeping bag should be put into a plastic bag, then into the stuffbag so as to ensure it doesn't get wet.
| TENT (including poles and pegs) | SLEEPING BAG |
| GROUNDSHEET | INNER BAG ( to protect sleeping bag) |
| PLASTIC BAGS | SLEEPING MAT, "THERMAREST" |