UKC

Hi there
I am taking part in the Mount Snowdon Moonlit Hike for Macmillan in Aug this yr. Now I have a few questions about kit in general now Macillan have given us a kit list but to start am slightly confused with the word BASE LAYER??? Is this underwear or do we need like a vest then a t shirt then fleece??? Also was wondering what peoples thoughts on walking poles are, we are doing the Llanberris route and wondered if people think they are necessary or just something else to carry

In reply to jkmurray:

Just put baselayer into any search engine and you'll soon see what it is.

In reply to jkmurray:


If you're only doing the one charity hike - spend the money you would spend on poles on charity instead. Unless (the only exceptions) you're extremely heavy for your size or your knees are in terrible condition, in which case they're not such a bad idea, but in that case you'd be better off trying to find a friend to lend you a pair for the day in that case anyway.

In reply to jkmurray:

I share your worries on the two issues you mention. < jitter~jitter>
Wear a polo neck.

In reply to jkmurray:

Might be a good idea to find out where you're going:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowdon

No 'Mount'.

As for base layers and clothing, see:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=377801#x5471096

In reply to jkmurray:

Base layer is your t shirt. Long or short sleeves depending on the weather. It's best if it's not cotton because that will get very sweaty. Decathlon would be a cheap place to get one, unless you already have something from gym or sports.

In reply to captain paranoia:

No 'Mount'. - someone should tell Macmillan the "Mount" seems to be their embellishment.

In reply to jkmurray:

In August, Shorts and T shirt, a fleece and a waterproof are likely all you'll need. Watch the forcast though and pack extra layers if its looking bad.

In reply to jkmurray:

A Base Layer means exactly that - The base layer of clothing against your skin.
These days it has (wrongly) become synonymous with a long johns style long sleeved merino wool or synthetic top.

Not sure what your list from Macmillan looks like, but for a night-time Aug hill walk, I'd say -

1. Walking boots
2. Any trousers (not Jeans or other slow to dry material) - Light is best
3. Water proof trousers - for rain or if cold
4. T-shirt - cotton is fine, despite what many say
5. Jumper - light and quick to dry if possible
6. Water proof jacket - for rain or if cold
7. Hat & Gloves (yes, even in Aug)
7. Rucksack with spare jumper, food, water, map, compass, first aid kit, survival bag, head torch and spare batteries, mobile phone with full charge.

As long as you've got boots and a good set of waterproofs, everything else can be 'nothing fancy' style stuff in the back of your cupboard. No walking poles required - they're nice to have, but not necessary.

If this is your first hill walk, I'd recommend doing going up another couple of hills of similar size during the daytime before aug.

In reply to jkmurray:

This is brilliant. Full marks.

In reply to ogreville:



Nooooo. Anything but.
You will sweat and have a damp back against your rucksack all day/night. No need for a expensive tech fabric - Sports Direct or Decathlon do loads of microlite tee shirts which are about £3 if you don't have anything