Kit list for a winter running & camping expedition
How much stuff does one need to be self-supported? How much can one carry and still run? Only one way to find out...
This is the second edition of a kit list I published right at the start of my run. Having been running for over two months (and nearly 800 miles) I've made some changes to what I carry! Changes I have made to my kit as I go along are in red.
NB. This kit list is for the SOUTH of England. By the time I am up North I suspect my kit list will look very different to accommodate the harsher climate and the fact that there are less villages and pubs for me to hide in!
Clothes:
- Cycle top. T-shirt shape with a collar to prevent my backpack rubbing on my neck- couldn’t find a short-sleeved running top! £15ish
--> Changed to long sleeve collared running top for the coldest months
- Two pairs of 2XU running tights. Compression leggings are FAB. I sleep in one pair for recovery and run in the other - my legs haven’t ached yet! £179.98
--> Got a new pair for Christmas as I felt them loosen slightly over the weeks.
- Added some thermal leggings to sleep in. Found sleeping in 2XU tights a uncomfortably tight.
- TwinSkin Hilly socks- Over the ankle because fashion choices have literally ceased to exist for me (and to prevent grass cuts). £12
--> Now that it is winter I have switched completely to sealskin socks as they are completely waterproof and it is raining/hailing/snowing/boggy a hell of a lot more now.
- Saucony Pereguine trainers. I’ll need several pairs of these as I go along. £110
--> On my second pair
- Two pairs Runderwear: low rise hipster. Definitely not good-looking pants but they are super comfy! £35.90
- Peter Storm running jacket (BRIGHT PINK). For light drizzle or fierce wind. Cows don’t like florescent pink one bit but cars spot it a mile off! £21.25
- Seal skin socks: to keep my feet dry at night when camping- crucial when putting dry feet into soggy trainers! £29.75
--> Bought a second pair of these that go halfway up my calves and which are designed for super muddy situations!
- Marino baselayer (borrowed mum’s so not sure of cost)- doubles as PJ top and when washing other clothes.
--> I have two of these now, one slightly thicker, not quite sure how I'm fitting in all this extra kit...
- Berghaus shell jacket- so nice and cosy warm (also my ‘pillow’ when wrapped in dry bag). £68
- Peter Storm Frosty Navy jacket. For heavy rain or wind. It adds warmth and covers my shell jacket. £51
- Seal Skin gloves. Waterproof. £15ish
- Say Yes More Buff (and wristband because I’m keen and it makes me smile!) £10 from Yestival
- M&S high impact sports bra. Might change this as sometimes the straps dig in with the backpack on top, but ok so far. £25
For the camping:
- Tent: Nordisk Telemark 1, Green. £252, on sale from Trekitt Hereford. Super lightweight, having a little trouble with condensation but will experiment with the breeze flaps for better circulation.
- Light weight teeny-tiny tent pegs. - Notdisk V peg, titanium, 9 grams each.
- Sleeping bag: Mountain Equipment Firelite Regular, Goose Down, 770g -9 degrees C. £360+
- Bivvy bag. I've added this to prevent the condensation from dripping onto my sleepingbag
- Exped SynMat UltraLight, winter medium. Super important to have a thick mat in the winter. £123.20
- MSR Pocket Rocket Stove. Very light. £24.70 (plus mini gas canister and flint)
--> I'm not a natural with flint... so I've switched to a normal lighter!
- MSR Titan Kettle. A Mug for tea, porridge, cuppa soup. It fits the stove and gas inside - and a sock to stop it all rattling around! £48.40.
- Fresh20 sawyer mini water filter and two pouches (1x1L 1x2L). So you can drink muddy water - not actually tried this yet. £42.44
Gadgets and Tech:
- SpotGen 3 Tracker. Bought second hand with contract still running from these two amazing women. I feel (and my family!) much safer having this as a beacon in emergencies, as well as a handy tracker, linking to a map on my website £200+
- Headtourch: handy in winter, vital for pitching a tent at night or running on roads in the dark. Just got a really cheap £5 one.
--> Note to self: dont skimp, or else you'll end up stumbling through fields in the pitch dark stepping in cow pat and wishing you had spent more on a bloody head tourch! I've bought a new more powerful one now.
- iPhone. Some sort of phone is provably vital- so I can call ahead to campsites (if they are open!), phone home or play radio 4 in the mornings, listen to audiobooks, take photos etc. It has a pretty hefty case to make it 'Frances Proof'... though unfortunately not waterproof.
- iPad Air 2: for reading, so that I can write about my journey, watch films etc. £439.99 With a cover. £35
- Small notepads, tiny watercolour set, pens and pencils. Random scraps of leaflets I seem to always pick up. Little scissors, prit stick, an eraser, pencil sharpener and a couple of crayons.
- Small purse: ID, cards, some cash.
- Battery pack, leads and a plug.
Wash Bag:
- Eurohike trek towel, small: cut in half. £4.42
- Soap and Shampoo leaves- so handy, small and light! £6.80 by Lifeventure
--> OK I thought these would be amazing... but what actually happens is that the leaves mold together and stick in a green clump in your hair that you cant wash out... So normal travel wash it is for me.
- Toothbrush and paste, razor, small deodorant, tiny folding brush/mirror, sun cream, earplugs,
- Plasters/tape, ibuprofen, antiseptic cream, small bandage.
Believe it or not this all fits in (and on and strapped to) my 32L backpack alongside food for the day!
- OMM Backpack Classic 32L - just about fits everything in (if I don’t pack too much food!) Lightweight, no frills. £90. - 4 lightweight dry bags. Handy for organizing as well as keeping stuff dry. £28.90
Food stuffs:
- Tea bags and powdered milk.
- powdered porridge oats pre-mixed with some powdered milk.
- Peanut butter, raisins, a tin of fish. Alongside food I buy for each day as well as a decent pub meal and pint every now and then!
--> This has been my BIGGEST cost... FOOD! I am far too tempted by pub meals and cafe stops, for their warmth and sociability.
- Metal spoon, nothing fancy, good for grub.
- Pen knife: super handy.
--> I assumed it would be super handy, but I honestly have only used it twice in nearly two months.
NB. None of my kit has been sponsored - mostly because I didn’t have enough time to email different companies before I set off!
I hope this might provide a starting point before wading through all the choices out there when it comes to expedition/adventure kit, as well as giving an idea of the cost of it all!
Let me know what you think:if it has helped? If you would have bought anything differently? What would add to or take away form this list?!