You can still get a GPS fix in airplane mode which extends the battery life a lot. If you can't charge your phone, you might want to consider a larger battery extender. I've got an Aukey 12000mAh (PB-N28) which cost £17 from Amazon. Gives about 5 charges for an iPhone and weighs 235g. With careful use, that should get you through the Challenge.

Looks good to me. The weight isn't really that important - tho' for myself on extended trips (ie 14+) it seems to settle on around 8.5/9kg before consumables. On a long trip I tend to carry eight daze food - but hey, you eat the weight down.

For me what's more important is the carry of yr pack - which kicks in to yr carry weight. We all have our own takes - I prefer an Osprey 45, but each to their own. A good pack will shift the weight to yr hips, is stable. I've used an Osprey 75 with 18kg loads and you don't even feel it. Frankly I'd rather go for a pack that can handle loads and eat the weight diffential against an ultra-light that requires brain-strain when loading.

100% with Andy re first-aid - having broken a fibula in a boulder field at 2,200m in the French Alps a few weeks ago, I was able to lay on a compression bandage/splint and get to a road-head (crawling like a bear, oh yea!). Not clever, but these things do happen!

Re camp material. My own take is that once I'm pitched up I don't move. I do like the PHD bootees. And I do reckon that a change into warm dry gear is essential. I can understand the Sealskin option - tho' frankly this is not for me. I prefer to get my feet out, lay on some Gewohl cream (is the biz, uh huh) and get some air to them. I don't do much padding around outside - but if I did I'd go for either my favoured Zuucs or, #shudders, Crocs. Camp for me is a chance to re-group and to give love and comfort to arms/legs/limbs/whatever.

After each trip I take a look at the shattered remnants of my kit and try to figure out what I carried and what I never used. First-Aid is out of the equation, but the rest takes a hit. And no, I don't cut my tooth-brush in half . . .

Thanks Humphrey, yes I agree that Osprey packs are very comfortable. I have a 55 and a massive 75 which fits me very well being a long back version. Like you l've carried much heavier weights with ease using these packs.

The Exodus is a bit tricky to get packed right and mine doesn't allow me to carry the weight on my hips as much as the Osprey packs.

But I'm happy with it as long as it's under the 12kg mark.

Zuuks and crocs do certainly seem to be the favourite option but man are they bulky.

Sorry to hear about your injury, presumably this rules out 2017 for you?

Ps my toothbrush is also full length!

Hi Rich no it was but a minor injury and I should be able to torment you all in 2017 if I make the draw!

Ah ok, glad to hear it.

Being new to this, I'm not familiar with the draw process. Presumably we find out if a draw is required this weekend? And assuming ones required we have another week or so to endure before finding out (via email?).

Sunscreen.

I'm taking one for the team here...if I leave it behind we'll be sure to need it.

Rich, I'm with Humphrey on First aid kit. Mostly my stuff is given to other folk. However,I broke my forearm & dislocated my elbow on my first Challenge; became unwell on another when Ibuorofen was a godsend for 2 days until civilisation.
2 weeks ago, I took a rather hefty tumble coming off Ben Nevis summit when other folk patched me up (bleeding head injury) using my kit. They were not carrying any.
Midges are a rarity until June.

Yeah I've been lucky and not needed my first aid kit but always carry one.

My kit contains:

Plasters (assorted sizes)
Burns dressing and cream
Blister kit and zinc tape
Dressings x2
Super glue
Iboprofen
Paracetamol
Water purification tabs
Imodium
Small scissors
Alcohol wipes
Bandage length of
Tick removal tool
Tweezers

All of which are stripped down (without damaging anything) and in a dry bag.

Gortex laces and carbon fibre plasters, come on everyone does it really matter? Rab boxers really. Go commando that will save you a couple of gramms?

Gets a bit addictive!

Rab pants...only the best for my peach!

I'd consider swapping the plasters for melanin dressings and micropore tape - much more versatile and less waste that gets whipped away by t hewind when you're trying to dress the wound. Small cuts can also be treated with the tape directly.

For painkillers, I always carry a melt-on-the-tongue variety called Meltlets, cos when you need to take the **** things you don't always have the water you need to wash down a tablet.

And ... take LOTS of painkillers.

If you rub a blister iyt's FAR better to load up with painkillers and walk on as if it was not there than it is to adjust your gait to favour the blistered foot and end up wrecking your hips and knees!

I'm not entirely sure that "plan for hte worst and hope for the best" quite works if you're going to go high. What's the worst that could happen? Wind blows you clean off that high ridge, so better take a parachute just in case. Hmmmm ... I saw somebody last year with a wet suit, but a really wouldn't know how to fit a parachute in ...

Thanks Jeremy, I'll have a look into melanin dressings, I must admit I very rarely use plasters, more of a nuisance than anything. I'd rather slap some dressing over it and tape it up or worse case glue it up.

I'll make sure I'm fully stocked with painkillers.

Probably not the recommended treatment but if I get a blister I cut the dead skin off, apply some alcohol and tape it up with zinc oxide.

A wetsuit wasn't at the top of my packing list, but I guess could be useful when crossing Loch Ness?

I've got a parachute, it doubles as my pack cover!

One thinks this is just a statement to show everyone you have wasted all your money on un-necessary brand names. I personally wouldnt scrimp and scrape on wet weather gear, however ultra light expensive everything else is just not necessary. I dont get your posts each to their own i guess.

The kit you take is the kit you need to be happy and safe. If you can save a bit of weight here or there and take stuff you want, it's all good.
At the end of the day, kit is kit that works.
More importantly kit that works for you, and you are happy and able to carry across, or wherever you are going.
Indeed, it may not work for others.
Also expensive waterproofs aren't always the dogs....
There is some great cheaper stuff out there.
Which reminds me, I need to proof my top.... ;-)
So, kit that works for me, works for me.
My kit for 2017, should I be one of the lucky will be pretty much identical to 2016... Because it works.
That said, every SAFE lb off you back is less pounding on your knees & joints, and that is a big issue on my knees after a life of sporting abuse.

I wasn't suggesting that you plan for an asteroid strike or nuclear war

Now thats a thought a titanium bowler hat and a carbon filter type 1 respirator but i cannot find room for my geiger counter in my pack now :-)

You could probably leave out the sunglasses. I've never taken them and only missed them once (2012). And I've rarely seen a midge on the Challenge.

People vary how much warmth they need in the evening but you seem a little short on clothes to me.

Otherwise it looks like a good list.

Vanessa

YesI'm probably being a little optimistic with the sunglasses, although they're not that dark so also wear them in windy conditions as well. I've dropped the smidge but keeping the net..just incase.

I tend to run on the warm side but if the weather looks unusually cold then I may swap out my down jacket for a heavier Alpkit one.

hi all, Im a bit worried about this tread, its not happened yet!!!! Im absolutely with Robin on this, plan for the worst
that the challenge can throw at you and believe me it can!! its not the end of days if you carry an extra Ib come on guys!!!
and besides most of you light weight grupies only do low level any way!!!!!

I do take sunglasses. Having fallen and had a nasty bang on my head (I think it was in 2013) which included bending, but not breaking my glasses (phew!!!) I realised how vulnerable I would be if I broke my glasses. Always carry a spare pair now - and being hopeful, that spare pair is my prescription sunglasses ....

I decided not to take my Rab Spark this May and took my Rab Mountain Dru instead. With the driving rain over the Cairngorm and some cold winds on other days I was glad of the winter jacket. I wouldn't have enjoyed my high days as much in my Spark.

Bin the deodorant and smell like a stag!