1.Your pack must be absolutely 18Kg or preferably less including water:

2. Take well worn-in hiking boots – a must! Hiking boots will typically have a metal spine through the sole. This protects the foot from rock injuries.

3. Use Gaiters / over-boots – helps stop rocks and some water entering your boots. But expect your feet to get wet – no matter what you do.

4. At least one Quality hydro-pack

* Some take el-cheap-o hydro-packs. They’re in trouble when they leak!

* Two hydro-packs suggested – both 2 or 3ltrs – see reason below.

* Fill just one and use. When nearing empty, fill the second and insert puritabs. Must wait 30mins before drinking. Once purified, switch to full water pack. This way, you’re rarely without of water - waiting 30mins for the puritabs to work.

* Extra hydro-pack also useful for long stretches between water refills. More of an issue in the dry months.

5. Good hiking socks:

* Super-fleece hiking socks from BCF or camping stores are excellent.

* Never wear cotton socks – like gym socks. They’ll trap water/moisture and your feet will rot.

* Some wear two pairs of socks at once. Trial in training what’s best for you.

6. Heavy duty plastic poncho

* light & handy.

* Can throw on over pack and self at moments notice – don’t need to stop

* Also allows excellent ventilation

7. First-aid kit. Suggested inclusions:

* 1 or 2 packs of Scholl’s blister covers. These things are awesome – like a second skin.

* Puritabs – to clean water. Never take a chance. Getting the quirts is bad news.

* gastro-stop tablets – just in case you do cop it.

* nurofen-plus (stops pain and reduces inflammation)

* quality Sports tape. Good for repairs to body and equipment, and strapping!

* Small tub of Vasoline – to smear on soles, heels & between toes before putting socks on each morning. Also repels water from skin and is an anti-fungal – reducing foot rot.

* Iodine to put on cuts and abrasions

* Medi-swabs for cleaning wounds

* Dressings, bandaids, bandages to suite

* Antibiotics – just in case

* Malaria tablets.

* Splinter remover

* Spare pair of boot laces

* Insect repellent.

* Sunscreen for face and neck.

* Vaccination records

8. Trim toe nails or lose them!

* Seriously – the constant downhill impacting is very tough on the toes. Failing to trim toe-nails will cause pain during the trek and eventual loss of the nails.

9. Electrolytes: Gatorade or alike

* With the humidity and work rate, you could drink around 12ltrs per day without trouble. But water alone is not enough because of the body-salt loss.

* Gatorade or alike provides a noticeable boost – even if only used when feeling flat.

* Maybe even some extra salt in the first aid kit could be useful. Your body will crave it like mad.

10. “Bushmans” – sun-block + anti-mozzie

11. Hiking stick

* A mud cap on the point is a must – else the point spears deeply into soft mud under load when climbing. This is frustrating when you’re really needing your arms to provide extra lift.

* A hiking stick with a spring shock-absorber is recommended by some to lessen downhill impacts

12. Digital camera with flash + rain-proof pouch

* A camera that also takes videos is a bonus. So many things are better captured with movement and sound

* I use a simple Sony Digital camera (that also does videos) with a 2Gb card

* Take a spare set of battery too. Disposable Lithium batteries are what I use. It gives more operating life.

13. LED Head-lamp

* Almost every morning starts pre-dawn and maybe some notes into your diary each night, so having an LED head lamp keeps your hands free to pack-up/write and is very economical on batteries. One set in the shute is plenty.

14. Sleeping Bag

* Apparently it can get quite cold in the upper regions of the Owen Stanley ranges, so a warm (and light) sleeping bag is recommended.

15. Tent

* Use a wedge-shaped tent – not a dome tent.

* Must have fly-screens to keep mozzies out

* Blackwolf Mantis 2p tent is what I use and is a good example

16. Sleeping mat

* Self-inflating.

* Make sure it’s 1kg or less. Some of these mats can be huge and heavy.

* Kathmandu has Half-price Sales several times a year and their own-brand self-inflating mattress is very light and comfortable.

* Take a pillow slip to stuff clothes into – to use as a pillow

17. Clothes

* New clothes are a strict NO NO.

* Taking too many clothes is a common mistake causing unnecessary pack weight.

* A Day set of clothes for hiking. You should expect to use the same set of (what will become) filthy, stinking, cold & wet day clothes for hiking. You can wash these each night in a creek as you bathe, but they never dry in time for the pre-dawn kick-off the next day. So you’ll be climbing into cold wet clothes each morning – a good wake-up call! Remember – if you do err in judgement and put on your clean-dry clothes, they too we be dripping wet within 15min of the day’s hiking – so don’t. Keep your fresh & dry clothes for relaxing and sleeping in each night.

* The night set. The clean, dry set to climb into after a creek bath, dinner and into bed to enter an exhaustion-induced coma for a few hours.

* Consider using Lycra pants under your shorts instead of jocks etc. They reduce chaffing and support the thigh muscles – reducing muscle fatigue.

* Some take track-pants to sleep in.

* Some take sandals to do creek crossing in – to avoid getting their boots wet. These are also useful to wear around camp of evening when your boots are wet.

* Some take rain coats in addition to a poncho. Personal choice.

* Some take knee-high gaiters (instead of over-boots), but the heat typically ensures these come off pretty quickly.

18. Odds & Sods

* Toilet paper in a resealable plastic zip-lock bag. Wet loo paper isn’t fun!

* Container to eat from – like a bowl.

* Tools to eat with. A spoon is enough really.

How to avoid dehydration ?

Drinking water alone is not enough when you are dehydrated. In order to replenish your body fluid, you need to take water with a bit of salt and one teaspoon of sugar mixed in the water. You can prepare this solution in a cup / glass. This solution is also applicable if you have diarrhea.

How to cross a river?

Don't cross unless you're sure you'll survive a dunk. If you wouldn't be able to swim those downstream rapids, look for a place where you can cross safely. * Estimate the river's power (depth x speed). Even shin-deep water can knock you off your feet if it's flowing fast enough. * Look for braided streambeds, which split big currents into smaller, more manageable channels. * Consider the river's conditionsa wide, smooth river is easier to traverse than one that is narrow and deep or running fast. The outside of a bend is typically deep and fast, and the bank may be undercut. * Watch for smooth streambeds (indicated by a smooth water surface) they are much safer to cross than rocky ones. But beware of slippery, algae-covered stones. * Make difficult mountain stream crossings early in the morning, before the sun melts the snowfields above and increases flow. After a rainstorm, wait for the water level to drop.

Prepare carefully

* Waterproof critical gear in multiple plastic sacks or specially designed "dry bags. * Wear socks, slippers, or sandals, even for easy crossings, because cold bare feet can get cut or make you trip on underwater objects. For tricky crossings, wear boots, but first remove the insoles so the boots will dry faster. * Three or four legs are better than two, so use trekking poles or a sturdy stick. * Unbuckle your pack's hipbelt and sternum strap and loosen the shoulder straps so you can ditch the load quickly if you're swept off your feet.

Cross quickly but safely

* To avoid the biggest hazard, getting an ankle trapped and your body pulled under, shuffle your feet, testing the footing as you go. * Walk diagonally downstream for easiest travel, and drag (don't lift) your legs. * In strong currents, link arms with your partners. The upstream person breaks the current while the others provide a buttress. * Never tie in to a rope. It can drag you under. * If you have to swim, float your pack ahead of you and use it for balance. The pack won't sink, especially if the contents are in waterproof bags.

If you dunk...

* Ditch your pack. It will wash ashore downstream. * If you can't stand up immediately, point your feet downstream to push off rocks, float on your back, and aim for quiet water. * To rescue a buddy, offer a stick, toss a rope, or make a human chain. Don't let yourself be pulled into the water, and never enter the water if you don't feel safe doing so. * Dry off thoroughly, eat hot, sweet foods, and hike fast to warm up.

Quick Tip: The Heavier, The Better In a fast-water ford, keep your pack on (with the hipbelt and sternum strap unbuckled). The pack's extra weight will give your feet added purchase against the current.

How to check edibility of wild fruits?

1. Never eat large quantities of an unknown food without first testing it. 2. When in doubt, chew a berry or small portion of a plant to taste possible bitterness or astringency. Spit it out. 4. When cooking facilities are available, cook the plant 5-15 minutes. Take a teaspoonful of the plant and hold it in your mouth five minutes. If no burning sensation is noted, then swallow it. Wait 8 hours. If there are no ill effects such as nausea, cramps or diarrhea, eat more, and wait another 8 hours. If no ill effects are noted, the plant should be edible. 4. Cook all plant foods when in doubt of their edibility. Cooking, however, does not always destroy toxicity. 5. When cooking facilities are not available, it is generally considered safe to try foods that you observe being eaten by birds and mammals. However, this does not always hold true, as birds will eat baneberries, etc. 6. Never eat a wild mushroom without positive identification. Cooking does not dissipate the poisonous properties of mushrooms. BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL! 7. Avoid eating an unknown plant with a milky juice. There are some edible plants, however, with milky juice, such as dandelion, wild lettuce, milkweed, figs, papaya, etc. 8. Most blue and black berries are edible, red berries are sometimes edible, and white berries are never edible.

EDIBILITY RULE - MEMORY TOOL If it's blue - it's good for you. If it's red - use your head. If it's white - do not bite.

Easy Fire Starter Tips

1 Place dryer lint or wood shavings in a cardboard egg container, then fill the individual cups with melted paraffin. Cut apart the cups after the wax cools.

2 Tear cardboard into small pieces, then stack three or four pieces atop each other on a piece of aluminum foil. Pull up the sides of the foil into a cup. Pour melted paraffin over the cardboard. When it cools, wrap the foil around the firestarter in a neat package.

3 Slather cotton balls with petroleum jelly and store them in a film canister.

4 Ask your grocer for wax-coated boxes. Cut them into strips and pack them in a zipper-lock bag.

How to Avoid Lightning

* Place a non conductive material between you and the ground.

* Get away from water, hilltops, open spaces, anything metal, tall lone objects such at trees, poles or towers.

* If caught in the open, make for the lowest possible place you can find.

* Get rid of all metal and lie down. (climbing gear, belt buckle, metal frame packs, keys. If you feel your hair stand up, this indicates that a strike in about to happen near you.

* Crouch with your feet close together adn place your hand over your ears. It the stirke misses you, the thunder will deafen you.

How to retrace when you are lost?

* The hunter tries as calmly as possible to calculate the place where he is from, then using land mark such as dead or high tree hills etc. he walks the most straight forward as possible toward his goal. Meanwhile he marks trees on both sides with his knife or axe or a rock so that he can come back should he have to.

* Then he MUST try to evaluate as best as he can the travelled distance rarely more than one mile and not to overpass this distance. Even counting his steps so as to do walks as similar as possible 1000 double steps give roughly 1 mile, then after that he should come back to his starting point, easy since he marked his way.

* He then will go in the opposite direction for the same time or distance and mark his trees with 2 landmark and ALWAYS on both sides, then return if unsuccessful.

* There is NO doubt that if he does the 4 lines he will find his old trail back. He will not have walked more than 8 miles which is easy to do in one day.

Build your own Survival Kit with these

For just a few bucks, you can build a survival kit that'll get you out of all kinds of trouble. Fold everything neatly, pack efficiently, and the whole 3 pound 14 ounce kit and caboodle will fit inside a standard fanny pack. The survival kit is intended to supplement the regular contents of a hiker's pack. It should be worn at all times and separate from the backpack. Don't leave camp without it. Here's what you'll need:

• One each of gallon- and quart-size zipper-lock bags for holding water and building stills; the bags should have wide mouths so you can skim for water and reach into crevices.

• Tincture of iodine to disinfect water; use five drops per quart.

• Plastic drinking tube (3 feet long) for drinking from stills or crevices.

• Orange flagging tape to mark your route or write a message.

• Dental floss (100 feet); a tough string for many uses.

• Duct tape (3 feet); get the strongest variety available.

• Mini flashlight with spare bulb.

• Extra flashlight batteries with date marked; replace every 12 months.

• Magnesium block with striking insert; carry a minimum of three means of starting a fire.

• Cigarette lighter; get a bright color so you won't lose it.

• Strike-anywhere matches dipped in paraffin.

• Firestarters; cotton balls saturated with petroleum jelly and stuffed in a film container pack the smallest, but you can also use chips or other dry, fatty foods or even dryer lint coated with paraffin.

• Magnifying glass for signaling and fire starting.

• Glass signal mirror with sighting hole and a whistle.

• Light space blanket for shelter and signaling.

• Heavy-duty space blanket with grommets and reflective side for shelter and signaling.

• Three heavy-duty, plastic leaf bags; use as a rainsuit, shelter, tube tent, tarp, or for collecting rainwater.

• Military parachute cord (50 feet), 550-pound test.

• Extra knife; should be all-purpose with a fixed, double-edged, carbon-steel blade that can throw a spark.

• Brightly colored bandanna; doubles as a pot holder, hat, and water filter.

• Basic first-aid kit; contains wound dressing, moleskin, antibiotic ointment, and other items.

• Topo map and compass.

Avoid a Bear Attack

Bears will attack for a couple of reasons. If you know these reasons, you might be able to avoid a confrontation.

Reasons:

* A sow may be with her club.

* You may be too close and startled the Bear.

* A bear may be guarding a carcass and it may appear as if you are going to take its meal.

* If in the Spring, it could be in the mating season and you are interfering.

There are a couple of things you can do to discourage a meeting. Here are a couple of suggestions:

* Make a lot of noise so you will not surprise the Bear. However, if some meat eating animal is hungry and near bye, you could be the next "Meal on Wheel". * Carry a flash light at night on pepper spray.

* Pepper spray is reportedly better than a gun. Chance you will only have one shot and if you miss, you will only piss the bear off more. Pepper spray will not do any long term harm and discourage the bear in such a way a skunk might.

What if the bear is advancing towards you!

* Drop something to distract it. (DO NOT USE FOOD)

* Talk Quietly and Back Off. (A prayer is a good suggestion)

* If it charges! DO NOT RUN. A bluff is common. However if it does continue to advance, use pepper spray.

If none of the above works, lie on the ground on your stomach. Place your hands behind your head and neck and play dead.

When the bear loses interest and goes away, wait a few minutes before getting up and change your pants.

Know your Directions - Create your own Compass

Place a stick in the ground perpendicular to the surface. Mark the end point of the shadow. Wait 15 minutes and mark the next end point of the shadow. Connect the two points. This will be our east and west line. Bisect the line and this will be your north and south line. Remember the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. The first point you mark will be west and the second point will be east.Remember as the sun moves to the west the shadow moves to the east. Practice this.