Great breakdown of your winter kit! It’s always helpful to see how others prep for Scotland’s cold conditions. Your attention to layering and what’s in your pack is super practical - definitely gave me some ideas for my own setup. Thanks for sharing! 👌
Great video Callum, with lots of useful information, so thanks for sharing your experiences. One thing that I have learned from personal experience is that trying to change my head torch batteries in the dark with a wind chill that was approaching -20C was impossible. I couldn't open the casing with my gloves on, possibly because it was frozen shut, or maybe it was just tighter than normal in the severe cold. I took my gloves off and tried again. I eventually managed to open it with great difficulty, but by that time, my hands were so frozen that I'd lost all dexterity, and I couldn't get the batteries out. Fortunately, I was with another person and got off the hill by following the illumination from their head torch. If they hadn't been with me, I would have had even more problems trying to change batteries without the illumination from their head torch. I could have tried using the light from my mobile phone, but it would have been difficult to direct that light if I'd been by myself, especially in the very strong wind and given the need to use both hand to try to open the head torch. My advice to everyone is don't carry spare batteries for a head torch; it's much easier to carry a spare head torch. They're not particularly expensive or heavy. In winter, I also carry a vacuum packed thermal survival bag, which expands into a kind of honeycomb structure and a two person survival shelter. I also have a small, lightweight, foldable snow shovel, though I've yet to walk in conditions where I've needed to carry it. Hopefully, this winter, I'll get a chance to practice digging a snow shelter. Another piece of equipment I have found very useful is TSL Symbioz Elite Snow Shoes. Unlike most snow shoes, these are slightly flexible, making them much easier to walk in than rigid ones. They have built-in crampons, meaning that I can traverse different snow types and ice without constantly changing from crampons to snow shoes and back again. They work on moderately steep, smooth slopes but aren't as good as crampons on steeper or more technical slopes. They are too big and cumbersome to use on steep, rocky slopes. They might work on boulder fields, depending on the gradient, size of the boulders, and the amount of snow, but I've not tried them in these conditions yet. They work reasonably well in deep powder, but not as well as rigid snow shoes. Like most equipment we use in the mountains, they are a compromise, but one that I have found is well suited to Scottish mountain conditions. They're not light, and they are huge, so they take a bit of getting used to. I'd never climb mountains in winter without having crampons available in my backpack, but I have found the snow shoes to be an invaluable addition when snow has been drifting and hasn't had time to consolidate yet. On one occasion, I was sinking maybe 18 inches into soft snow, even with snow shoes on, and thought that maybe it would be easier without them. I took them off, took a few steps, then sank up to my waist in snow, and had a helluva job extracting myself and getting the snow shoes back on again. Lesson learned!
Another piece of advice, if the wind chill is severe, is to protect your drinks and food from freezing. I've had the tube and mouthpiece of my hydration pack freeze solid, leaving me with very little in usable drinks, which can be dangerous. I've had water bottles in the outside pockets of my pack freeze and I've had food freeze too. In severe winter weather, I pre-warm my water, add a little salt, electrolytes, and lemon to it and keep it in half litre metal vacuum flasks. I bought some cheap flasks from a caravaning store for a fraction of the price that mountaineering shops sell them. I keep food halfway down my backpack, and close to the heat from my back to try to prevent it from freezing. Frozen bananas are usually edible but frozen sandwiches, not so much. Jelly babies can be as hard as boiled sweets when frozen. They're still edible but take a little longer to eat. Cashew nuts are an option, as are dry biscuits like oatcakes, digestives etc.
Nice wee video Calum. 👍🏻 Always interested to see what folk take on the Hills. I always find these videos are good for getting hints & tips & sharing knowledge. I agree with phorrohman, I always take a spare head torch. A 2 man shelter too & 1 of they emergency foil blankets. I did a 'what's in my pack' a few years ago. I might do one for winter. Have. A good Xmas bud. 🎄👌
Lots of spare are saying they take a spare headtorch... and of course a foil blanket (bivvy). I do actually have an emergency blanket, but it generally stays in my running vest, as I tend to have less clothes on when running. I'm always keen to see what other people do/pack, so I look forward to that video Kev!
Thanks David. I've never heard of Teko Socks... I'll need to check them out. I tried a Keela Baselayer years ago and really didn't like it, but I'm guessing they've probably made significant improvements since then. Thanks for watching :)
@@calumpaterson123Thanks, I am trying to find a hat like yours but most of them look small, yours still have some space left, so maybe my head will fit 😂
Great breakdown of your winter kit! It’s always helpful to see how others prep for Scotland’s cold conditions. Your attention to layering and what’s in your pack is super practical - definitely gave me some ideas for my own setup. Thanks for sharing! 👌
@@TalesFromAbroad-SJ cheers very much! I’m glad you found it useful
Great video Callum, with lots of useful information, so thanks for sharing your experiences.
One thing that I have learned from personal experience is that trying to change my head torch batteries in the dark with a wind chill that was approaching -20C was impossible. I couldn't open the casing with my gloves on, possibly because it was frozen shut, or maybe it was just tighter than normal in the severe cold. I took my gloves off and tried again. I eventually managed to open it with great difficulty, but by that time, my hands were so frozen that I'd lost all dexterity, and I couldn't get the batteries out. Fortunately, I was with another person and got off the hill by following the illumination from their head torch. If they hadn't been with me, I would have had even more problems trying to change batteries without the illumination from their head torch. I could have tried using the light from my mobile phone, but it would have been difficult to direct that light if I'd been by myself, especially in the very strong wind and given the need to use both hand to try to open the head torch. My advice to everyone is don't carry spare batteries for a head torch; it's much easier to carry a spare head torch. They're not particularly expensive or heavy.
In winter, I also carry a vacuum packed thermal survival bag, which expands into a kind of honeycomb structure and a two person survival shelter. I also have a small, lightweight, foldable snow shovel, though I've yet to walk in conditions where I've needed to carry it. Hopefully, this winter, I'll get a chance to practice digging a snow shelter.
Another piece of equipment I have found very useful is TSL Symbioz Elite Snow Shoes. Unlike most snow shoes, these are slightly flexible, making them much easier to walk in than rigid ones. They have built-in crampons, meaning that I can traverse different snow types and ice without constantly changing from crampons to snow shoes and back again. They work on moderately steep, smooth slopes but aren't as good as crampons on steeper or more technical slopes. They are too big and cumbersome to use on steep, rocky slopes. They might work on boulder fields, depending on the gradient, size of the boulders, and the amount of snow, but I've not tried them in these conditions yet. They work reasonably well in deep powder, but not as well as rigid snow shoes. Like most equipment we use in the mountains, they are a compromise, but one that I have found is well suited to Scottish mountain conditions. They're not light, and they are huge, so they take a bit of getting used to. I'd never climb mountains in winter without having crampons available in my backpack, but I have found the snow shoes to be an invaluable addition when snow has been drifting and hasn't had time to consolidate yet. On one occasion, I was sinking maybe 18 inches into soft snow, even with snow shoes on, and thought that maybe it would be easier without them. I took them off, took a few steps, then sank up to my waist in snow, and had a helluva job extracting myself and getting the snow shoes back on again. Lesson learned!
Another piece of advice, if the wind chill is severe, is to protect your drinks and food from freezing. I've had the tube and mouthpiece of my hydration pack freeze solid, leaving me with very little in usable drinks, which can be dangerous. I've had water bottles in the outside pockets of my pack freeze and I've had food freeze too. In severe winter weather, I pre-warm my water, add a little salt, electrolytes, and lemon to it and keep it in half litre metal vacuum flasks. I bought some cheap flasks from a caravaning store for a fraction of the price that mountaineering shops sell them. I keep food halfway down my backpack, and close to the heat from my back to try to prevent it from freezing. Frozen bananas are usually edible but frozen sandwiches, not so much. Jelly babies can be as hard as boiled sweets when frozen. They're still edible but take a little longer to eat. Cashew nuts are an option, as are dry biscuits like oatcakes, digestives etc.
Thanks for all of these valuable insights :)
Nice wee video Calum. 👍🏻 Always interested to see what folk take on the Hills. I always find these videos are good for getting hints & tips & sharing knowledge. I agree with phorrohman, I always take a spare head torch. A 2 man shelter too & 1 of they emergency foil blankets.
I did a 'what's in my pack' a few years ago. I might do one for winter. Have. A good Xmas bud. 🎄👌
Lots of spare are saying they take a spare headtorch... and of course a foil blanket (bivvy). I do actually have an emergency blanket, but it generally stays in my running vest, as I tend to have less clothes on when running. I'm always keen to see what other people do/pack, so I look forward to that video Kev!
Very nice 👍
Cheers very much :)
💪💪💪
Cheers pal :)
I rate Scottish makes tbh I have 2 keela munro and find tekko merino socks best I found in 40 years 😂
Thanks David. I've never heard of Teko Socks... I'll need to check them out. I tried a Keela Baselayer years ago and really didn't like it, but I'm guessing they've probably made significant improvements since then. Thanks for watching :)
Like your video, do you have a link to Bam hat ? Is that wool ?
I'm not sure that specific BAM HAT is still available, I've had it for a few years... but I imagine anything from BAMBOO is still great quality.
@@calumpaterson123Thanks, I am trying to find a hat like yours but most of them look small, yours still have some space left, so maybe my head will fit 😂