Lightweight Hiking Guide

Choosing the right equipment and food for your lightweight hike can make a world of difference to the success of your hike. Experience will teach you a lot, but for now, read the guidelines below and you will be making a good start.

Before taking any item, there are four questions that you should ask:

Is it necessary? If the answer is 'Yes", take it. If in any doubt, leave it at home.
If is effective? ie, will the tent keep out the rain? Will the sleeping bag keep you warm?
Is it as light as possible? The weight carried on one's back will have an important influence on your enjoyment. The correct pack weight is as little as possible, but the maximum weight must not exceed 1/5th of the body weight of each hiker.
Is it compact? Generally the smaller the better because this saves weight and means can more easily accommodate other items deemed necessary.

Personal Gear

Firstly read pages 110 to 117 of the "Fieldbook for Australian Scouting", then take a look at Personal Gear.

Patrol Gear

This is where a lot of additional weight can quickly be added to your neatly packed Pack. As a Patrol, think it all though carefully and make the appropriate allowances. Patrol Gear will help you.

Packing Your Pack

This is something you need to know about, and do yourself. Packing Your Pack will provide you with some general guidelines.

Menu Planning

Planning your Menu will keep your Patrol in good spirits and supplied with enough energy to still be smiling at the end!

First Aid

First Aid is the practice of attending to the simpler needs along the way.