Scottish Watershed Gear

Camping somewhere on the Watershed

I'm currently writing a trip report on the gear I used on my Scottish Watershed Walk last June and July for the November issue of The Great Outdoors magazine. Before the walk I wrote a piece about the gear I was planning to take, which I've posted below.  I did make some changes before the walk, particularly in clothing so this isn't a list of what I actually carried though it's fairly close.

Scottish Watershed Gear

Late in May I’ll be setting off to walk the Scottish Watershed from the English Border to Duncansby Head, a distance of some 1200km (though I’ll walk more with side trips for supplies). The average elevation of the route is 450 metres and it crosses 44 Munros and 24 Corbetts as well as many other tops. I’ll need gear to cope with everything from hot sunshine (optimistically!) to heavy rain and strong winds. And of course midges.

My gear selection is based on what has worked on other long distance walks, especially the TGO Challenge. Gear that works well on a two-week walk across the Highlands should prove just as good on a two-month walk the length of Scotland. After the walk I’ll report on whether I was right and how well everything worked. In the meantime here’s a rundown of the main items.

Footwear

Having worn Inov-8 Terrocs on several TGO Challenge walks and on the Pacific Northwest Trail I know these ultralight trail shoes are excellent for backpacking so I shall be wearing them again, with Superfeet footbeds. As back-up and for really hot weather I’ll also take Hi-Tec Owaka sandals (my Best Buy in the sandals review last year) as these are light and comfortable. Having had to buy sandals on a previous TGO Challenge walk and on the Pacific Northwest Trail I know it is false weight-saving not to have spare footwear.

Pack

My biggest dilemma has been in choosing a pack. I’ve oscillated between the Lightwave Ultrahike 60, Montane Grand Tour 55, Lowe Alpine Nanon 50-60 and the original GoLite Quest that I used on the Pacific Northwest Trail (I don’t like the current Quest – it’s heavier and not as comfortable). After much deliberation I’ve settled on the 1230 gram Ultrahike, which I think a good combination of toughness, comfort and light weight. It’s just about waterproof too – though I’ll still pack sensitive gear in waterproof stuffsacks. My only reservation is the lack of a big pocket or pouch on the back but I’m sure I can cope without this.

Shelter

After its superb handling of the big storms during the first week of the 2012 TGO Challenge the Mountain Laurel Designs Trailstar was the obvious choice. I love the space and the wind resistance. As there are likely to be midges later on in the walk rather than just a groundsheet I’ll pair it with a mesh inner, the Oookworks Trailstar Nest. My Carbon Fibre Pacerpoles will be used to support the Trailstar. The total weight, including pegs, is 1157 grams.

Sleeping Bag & Mat

Last winter I was very impressed with the Rab Infinity 500 down sleeping bag, which has amazing loft for the weight. However I think it’ll be too warm for a summer walk so I’ll be using the Infinity 300, which weighs 650 grams and has a comfort rating of +3º. If it’s like the 500 that rating will be very conservative.

My mat will be a NeoAir XLite Small, which weighs just 230 grams and packs into a tiny bundle. I have had a few failures with air beds in the past few years but as this is a summer trip I’ve decided to take the risk again, reckoning I can just sleep on the ground if it fails (after all, Hamish Brown did the first continuous round of the Munros without a mat at all – and he started in April).

Kitchen

Having used it successfully on last year’s TGO Challenge and on the Pacific Northwest Trail I’m sticking with the 225 gram Caldera Ti-Tri Inferno, which I hope to use with wood in any fine weather but will probably mostly use with meths. As I may not be able to get the latter everywhere I’ll also carry the tiny 3 gram Gram Cracker stand for solid fuel tablets, which I’ll put in my postal supplies.

With the Ti-Tri I’ll use my now 22 year old Evernew 0.9 litre Titanium Pan. An MSR 0.6 litre titanium pot that nests inside the Evernew one will double as a mug and a second pot. The two together weigh 220 grams.

Clothing

Temperatures are not usually very low in Scottish summers but rain and wind can make it feel very chilly. Good waterproofs are essential. Having been impressed with Polartec Neoshell the last few years I’m taking the new lightweight 430 gram Rab Myriad jacket in this material, paired with an old pair of GoLite Reed overtrousers, which weigh 110 grams.

Good though Neoshell is I still prefer a light windproof top in dry breezy weather. One adds a surprising amount of warmth when worn over a base layer too. My choice here is the Montane Lite-Speed, which is made from Pertex Microlight and weighs 170 grams..

For warmth I’m taking my well-used 215 gram Jack Wolfskin Gecko microfleece top, a veteran of many long walks, plus a Patagonia Ultralight Down Shirt, which at just 158 grams won’t add much to my load but which will be really welcome on chilly nights.

My main legwear will be Paramo Merapi Active Trousers, which I’ve been wearing recently and have found to perform well. They’re made from very soft comfortable polyester and weigh 308 grams. I’ll also carry some running shorts for that fabled hot weather. These will double as underwear.

On my top I’ll wear a Rab MeCo zipped base layer. I’ve used this merino wool/Cocona polyester top on the Southern Upland Way and the TGO Challenge and know that it can be worn for two weeks without smelling or failing to wick. On this walk I might found out just how long it stays acceptable!

Other clothing will consist of my cotton Tilley Hat for sun and rain, a Buff for warmth and Teko merino wool socks.