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Will4Adventure: 2011 Calendar of Adventure Travel Holidays, UK and Worldwide T. Page 1 of 4
Ausangate Trek - Peru - KIT LIST
Cost Versus Quality
Do not feel that you have to buy the more expensive items. If you are unable to borrow
the equipment from friends, do shop around, in stores and on the internet. It is easily
worth your while joining the British Mountaineering Council, and then in all likelihood you
will get a discount on many shop products of up to 10%.
If you intend to get a lot of use from your equipment prior to or after the expedition, then you may feel that you prefer to buy leading brand items. These will probably last for longer, particularly if you envisage continuing your interest in the outdoors after the expedition. The purchase of equipment is a sensitive issue and care should be taken when putting together your personal expedition kit. Where possible keep the cost sensible, try to borrow kit, and not spend unnecessarily. Also please be cautious when seeking advice, especially from people that have not been to the destination. Advice gleaned from other parties may be inaccurate for the season and the type of expedition that you are going to undertake. The attached list is your official expedition list and should be strictly adhered to. If you are in any doubt then please do contact Will Legon at Will4Adventure with any questions. Below is some general advice for this destination and on equipment requirements. Some Recommended Retailers
The following offer some good kit at discounted / low prices.
Cotswold Outdoors – 15% discount with the Will4Adventure code. Alpkit.com – excellent sleeping bags, mats and down jackets at low prices Gooutdoors.co.uk – sell a range of equipment and always have a sale on! Decathlon offer some perfectly adequate waterproofs and fleece tops at good prices. Peru – July
This season in Peru is the Peruvian “winter” – thankfully dry (mostly). Cloud cover
should not be too extensive, so you can expect blue skies and sunshine, and little rain.
However there will in all likelihood be days when it could be raining, and at times
especially higher up, it will get bitterly cold to possibly as low as -0ºC. Thus it is better to
focus on getting only one or two quality items of cold weather gear, and not worrying too
much on the quality that comes with expensive waterproofs – though you will need
these.
Rucksacks and day-sacks
On this trek we are supported by mules and donkeys carrying our main packs for us. So
take care to buy a good day-sack – which youwill be carrying a lot of the time. When
choosing a sack, remember that if it’s uncomfortable when loaded that your life will be
made a misery! Do try on several in the shop. Put weight in them, take plenty of time to
walk around and adjust the straps to see if it is suitable. Last of all, never believe that
your bags are waterproof – whatever the man in the shop tells you. There are few things
worse than climbing into a wet sleeping bag after a long day on the hill, so be sure to
buy some sort of liner. Avoid kitchen disposal bin bags – these are too flimsy.
http://www.will4adventure.com/ausangate_trek_peru_kit_list.shtml Will4Adventure: 2011 Calendar of Adventure Travel Holidays, UK and Worldwide T. Page 2 of 4 Size
The bigger the sack, the more you will be tempted to carry in it. Too small though and
you will end up strapping cumbersome objects onto the exterior. For rucksacks,
something between 60 and 75 litres should be enough for you. Day-sacks should be
somewhere between 30 and 40 litres in size. They need to be large enough to carry
sufficient water and provisions for the day, including any additional clothing that may be
required.
Sleeping Bags
Sleeping is an extremely important part of your expedition. There are two types of filling
used in sleeping bags, down (i.e. feathers) or synthetic. Down bags are usually warmer
for the weight and pack size but offer virtually no insulation if wet. Synthetic bags remain
warm when wet but will be bulkier than down bags. For this expedition you will need at
least a three season bag – though it will not matter to you really what type of bag it is.
Sleeping bag liners
Designed to help keep your sleeping bag clean and add a couple of degrees warmth.
Silk or cotton liners pack down small and can be washed easily. A single duvet cover,
although bulky, can suffice and makes a less expensive alternative. Fleece liners are
bulkier but upgrade the sleeping bag by a season. Sleeping bag liners are very useful if
you expect to experience different weather and climatic conditions on expedition as they
provide some versatility. They are also useful in budget hotels where linen may be in
short supply or of questionable quality!
Sleeping mats
Thin inflatable ones (eg Thermarest) are the most comfortable to sleep on but they are
heavier and can puncture. Thermarest offer a good lifetime guarantee but are expensive
– cheaper imitation versions can be bought from stores such as Alpkit and Go Outdoors.
If you are planning on bringing a standard foam mat make sure it’s as thick as you can
get!
Boots
There are two types of boots, leather and fabric. As a general rule of thumb leather
boots will give slightly better support to your ankle and will last longer but simultaneously
will take longer to break in. Fabric boots lined with Gore-Tex are getting better and offer
a lightweight alternative to leather. Whichever boot you choose, it must have rigidity in
the sole, have good tread, offer ankle support, and be comfortable. Purchase your boots
well in advance so that you get ample opportunity to break them in. Note – wear your
boots on your flight – in the event of lost luggage these will be hardest to replace!
Waterproofs (shell layer)
When you are out all day, good protection from the elements is essential for comfort and
safety. Breathable fabrics such as Gore-Tex are advisable but do not spend a lot of
money on them unless you plan to use them on a regular basis. This holds especially
true for waterproof trousers, which you are likely to need even less than a jacket.
Essential features of a jacket include a hood with a stiffened peak and storm flaps
covering the zips and pockets. The garment’s seams need to be taped. It should also be
large enough to wear on top of several layers.
Fleece Jackets
The aim of the fleece jacket is to keep you warm as part of the layering system. The
layering system works by trapping warm air between the layers, so baggy fitting layers
are not effective. Fleeces wick (expel) moisture from the body and retain little water, but
beware of cheap imitations that will not wick efficiently and weigh more. The majority of
fleeces are not windproof, and nor do they really need to be. If it is cold and windy the
additional warmth can be gained by wearing the shell garment on top.
Base layers
As previously mentioned, warmth and comfort is attained by the layering system.
Thermals are the first layer or bas layer and should be close fitting to work effectively.
Their aim is to wick moisture away from the skin and dry quickly. They are usually
available in different weights and can be quite inexpensive. Avoid those made from
cotton, as cotton does not wick, and can hold ten times its weight in moisture before
http://www.will4adventure.com/ausangate_trek_peru_kit_list.shtml Will4Adventure: 2011 Calendar of Adventure Travel Holidays, UK and Worldwide T. Page 3 of 4 taking heat from your body to dry. Wearing a cotton T-shirt will negate the best properties of the fleece and breathable coat you may have just spent so much money on! Water bottles
Keeping fully hydrated is essential, you will drink far more water than normal whilst
trekking. Whilst on expedition you must carry at least two 1 litre bottles, one to purify
your water in, and one to drink from. Having a platypus (or similar) is incredibly helpful
since it allows you to drink continuously with ease.
Walking Poles
These are particularly useful for longer treks (5 days plus) or high, mountain treks.
Research shows that the use of two walking poles can reduce the strain on the back,
leg-joints, ankles and knees by up to 60% especially on down hill stretches when
carrying weight. They also offer essential support when crossing rivers, and are a great
aid in the event of an ankle sprain. If purchasing walking poles please note that cost
does not necessarily represent extra quality. Two are better than one, and one is better
than none at all!
Money Belt
These are designed to be worn under your clothing around your waist. It needs to big
enough to hold a wad of cash unfolded, and your passport. They are essential when
walking around foreign cities.
Excess Weight and Your Flight
If you fly via the USA this will not be an issue – normally you will be allowed 60Kg
allowance, which is more than ample and will allow you to shop for as many souvenirs
as you can carry. However, if you fly via Europe (with Iberia or KLM for example) you will
only have an allowance of 20Kg.
INDIVIDUAL KIT LIST FOR TREKKING IN PERU
Base layer
2 x long sleeved shirts
3 pairs thin liner socks
2 pairs heavy duty walking socks
3 pairs underwear
2 x thermal tops
1 x thermal leggings
Warmth layer / Trek-wear
1 x fleece jacket
1 x down/padded jacket
1 x inner gloves
1 x ski gloves or mitts
1 x fleece or wool hat
1 x comfortable, strong, quick drying trousers
1 pair comfortable cotton shorts or equivalent
Protective layer
1 x wide brimmed hat
1 x waterproof jacket
1 x waterproof trousers (light-weight)
Equipment
1 pair walking boots
1 pair flip flops or sandals with ankle straps
1 x large rucksack or kit bag with wp liner
1 x day-sack
1 x sleeping bag liner
1 x head-torch with spare batteries
2 x 1 litre water bottle
1 pair sun glasses (good quality – UV a and b reflective)
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1 x roll mat
1 x 3 / 4 season sleeping bag
Please advise us if you intend to bring along your own tent.
Health and Hygiene
1 x washing / shaving kit
1 roll toilet paper
1 x antibacterial hand wash
1 x insect repellent
1 x sun block / high factor sun cream
1 x tube lip sun block, (no sharing!)
1 x towel
1 x biodegradable soap, for body, hair and clothes
1 x bottle of foot powder
1 x personal first aid kit to include:
antiseptic cream assorted plasters & blister kit antihistamine for allergies 10 x rehydration sachets eg. Dioralyte Parecetamol Ibuprofen Sudafed, Lemsip sachets and throat lozenges personal medication (Ventolin inhalers etc.) Diamox Sufficient sanitary products (females) Ancillaries
1 x small penknife
1 x camera
1 x money belt
1 x cheap waterproof watch
1 x set of waterproof bags
1 x spare laces for boots
1 x book
1 x ear plugs
Documentation
1 x passport
1 x flight tickets
Optional Items
1 x neckerchief / bandana
1 x playing cards
1 pair walking poles

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