YOUR CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT LIST

Please read this information carefully!!! It is vitally important, both from a point of view of SAFETY and YOUR ENJOYMENT, that you take with you everything that is on this list and of course you don’t take things that are not on the list.

The equipment and clothing list has been based on many years of experience and development. PLEASE TAKE HEED OF IT! If there is anything that you do not understand or are having trouble finding, talk to your friends, your teachers and your family.

In a nutshell, all your clothing and equipment needs to serve 4 basic functions:

1. It must keep you warm
2. It must keep you and keep your gear dry
3. It must be as light as possible
4. It needs to be suitable for a range of weather conditions

When you are packing keep all of these things in mind. For example, an enormous puff jacket might be warm, but it will be heavy, and will not go well in the wet. The better option would be 3 thin woollen jumpers, which are lighter and more versatile.

This list assumes you will have three sets of clothes: one set for travelling to and from the camp (you won’t need to carry these during the camp itself); one is for during the day and during activities; and the final set as a spare for changing into at campsite if you get wet.

CLOTHING
1 set of travelling clothes

PROGRAM CLOTHING (see notes following) (tick as you pack)
2 – 3 Thin woollen jumpers or fleece 4 pairs of thick socks e.g. Explorers
1 set of thermals (top and bottom) 4 pairs of underwear
2 shirts (long sleeves are good) 1 broad brimmed sunhat
2 pair long pants (see notes) 1 pair walking boots/shoes (see notes)
1 pair shorts 1 pair shoes for water activities (see notes)

CAMPING EQUIPMENT (see notes following)
(Tick as you pack)

1 Sleeping bag
1 Small lightweight torch and battery and spare globe
3 Strong large garden tidy plastic bags (orange ones)
6 Strong large rubbish bin plastic bags
3 Supermarket plastic bags
4 Strong rubber bands or hair elastics (for tying plastic bags up)
1 Plastic bowl, mug, fork & spoon
1 Sharp Knife for cutting vegetables
3L Water bottles.
1 Cleaning kit (in plastic bag) - 1 scotchbrite, 4 Jex Pads, tea-towel
1 Whistle on cord

PERSONAL ITEMS (tick as you pack)

Any personal medication e.g. Ventolin, allergy medication (make sure this is on your medical form)
Toiletries - comb/brush, toothbrush, toothpaste
Sunscreen and lip balm
Toilet paper in two snaplock plastic bags
Matches in waterproof container (eg. old film canister, make sure you take the striker too!)
High energy munchies - Trail mix - nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, jelly beans, no wrapped lollies.
Personal 1st aid kit (e.g. bandaids, roller bandage, strapping tape and personal hygiene needs)

OPTIONAL
Camera in 2 plastic bags
Book to read
Insect repellent
Diary/journal for writing (include a pen!)

OEG ISSUED EQUIPMENT
Waterproof Japara jacket and overpants Backpack
Stove and fuel bottle Sleeping Mat
Maps and Compass Tent (2 person)
Safety Equipment All activity equipment

DO NOT TAKE THE FOLLOWING:

• Mobile Phones
• Walkmans
• Wrapped lollies
• Electronic Games (eg Nintendo)
• Any items that are against normal school rules

Note to parents: Please do not allow students to bring any of the above items, especially mobile phones. We have experienced difficulty in the past with phones being lost/damaged etc. The Outdoor Education Group organises the best possible communication system (eg radio/phone/sat phone), and in the event of any situations/incidents, to prevent any confusion or double messages it is vitally important that the official communication methods are the only means used.

Thank you for your support in this matter.

NOTES ON CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT: PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

CLOTHING

Thin woollen jumpers or fiberpile

A number of thin jumpers are the most effective way to keep comfortable. You can adjust the number of jumpers you wear with how cold it is, and the air trapped between layers is most effective at keeping you warm, more so than one thick jumper.

The golden rule of any fabric is that it must be able to keep you warm even if it is wet. Only wool (also wool mix) and fleece will do this. Cotton will actually make you colder if it gets wet. If in doubt check the label.

The best and cheapest place to get wool jumpers is from the op shop. You won’t need to spend more than $5 on a jumper and the range is fantastic!

Other Clothing

The principle that you want to go by here is lightweight, compact and quick drying. A wet pair of jeans will be a horrible experience.

Some BAD choices of clothing:

• Tight fitting jeans (or any jeans for that matter)
• Singlet tops
• Short shorts
• Tight fitting synthetic underwear
• Bulky clothing
• Wide leg loose fitting pants

Thermals

These are an absolute must. The idea of thermals is to be a layer of clothing against your skin. They are made of special materials that wick moisture away from your skin, leaving you warm and dry, even in the wet. Some cheap places to buy them are Damart (on Cotham Rd), Kathmandu and Aussie Disposals.

Footwear

It is extremely important to have appropriate footwear. The general rule is that if you wear brand new shoes, you will get blisters. Walking boots are best, but don’t buy a pair just before the trip. An old pair of runners is OK but they don’t offer much ankle support. Make sure that your shoes have a substantial sole/tread for grip on wet or rocky paths.
Your wet shoes are for river crossings and water activities. They need to be able stay on your feet if you are swimming and be able to dry quickly too. An old pair of sneakers are great, sports sandals are fine too. If you have wetsuit booties they are ideal.

EQUIPMENT

Sleeping Bag
It is essential that you bring an appropriate sleeping bag. The three key features of a sleeping bag are:

• Warmth
• Filling type
• Size and weight when packed

Warmth
As the program is being held during the cooler time of year, it is important that you have a sleeping bag to match. Look for a sleeping bag that is rated to 3 seasons, or to a rating that is close to, or below zero. Please note that ratings are an indication only and will vary from person to person.

Essential features that will make a sleeping bag warmer are:

• Loft (thickness). Look for at least 10cm thickness in the chest area with the bag fluffed up when lying on the ground
• Zipper
• Hood with a drawstring

Filling

• Natural filling -Down (duck feather). Down sleeping bags are warmer and will compact smaller but loose some of their insulating ability when wet.
• Synthetic filling - Dacron (Hollowfill, Quolofill, Polarguard). Synthetic sleeping bags are cheaper and will retain their insulating properties when wet but are harder to compact.

Either of these fillings are the best for providing adequate insulation. A sleeping bag with cotton filling is totally inadequate for this program.

Size and weight:

• Down: look for a total weight of around 1.5kg, and no bigger than about a 4L ice cream bucket
• Synthetic: look for a total weight of around 2-2.5 kg, and no bigger than a large garden bucket

Water bottles (3 litre total capacity)

If you do not already own a water bottle, don’t go and buy one especially for the program. A used 1.25 litre plastic soft drink bottle is excellent for this purpose. It is essential that you bring at least two of these bottles (i.e. 3L capacity)

At times you will be filling your water bottles up from 25L drums. Make sure one of your bottles has a wide mouth for decanting with. An excellent choice here is a square decor bottle, which can be bought from a supermarket for less than $5.

Strong large garbage bags

These are probably the most important piece of equipment! They are there to keep everything dry. Make sure you bring good ones. You will need to bring along at least the minimum number of plastic bags of the recommended style to ensure dry clothing and equipment.

You need the three super large, super strong bags: two to line your pack for initial waterproofing, and one as a spare. THE BLUE STAND UP BAGS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE AS THEY ARE TOO SHORT TO LINE A PACK WITH.

The other bags are for waterproofing individual items. Buy thick, heavy duty bags: An excellent brand, and highly recommended are “Glad super size, super heavy duty orange garbage bags”

HOW TO SOURCE EQUIPMENT

Outdoor equipment can be very expensive, but there are a number of ways to obtain equipment that is far cheaper and just as effective. Some options include:

• Borrowing from friends/family etc.
  • Many students/siblings/relatives etc may own a wide range of the gear needed, as most schools run outdoor education programs of some kind.
• Purchasing second hand
  • There are a number of second hand sports and outdoor stores in Melbourne.
  • Recycled Recreation has stores on Canterbury Road and on Smith Street, look for their number in the phone book
  • Major chains like Cash Converters often have outdoor gear for sale.
• Opportunity shops
  • A fantastic source of woollen clothing, at very, very cheap prices
• Outdoor stores
  • The main area for purchasing outdoor equipment is Little Bourke Street in Melbourne. You will receive excellent advice from most stores, but be aware of the propensity to “upsell” with things you don’t necessarily need.
  • It is always worth asking for a discount, many of the stores have a discount arrangement with certain schools
  • Look in the yellow pages for location of other camping stores
  • Kathmandu is highly recommended, especially during sales for extremely well priced outdoor clothing. They have a factory outlet in Smith Street (North of Johnson Street) in Collingwood
  • Army disposals and camping stores are great, but less geared to lightweight camping
• Rental
  • A number of the outdoor stores have rental arrangements
  • Holiak Hire in Burwood are a specialist outdoor rental company