Equipment will find useful
I need to point out here that anyone coming on one of our Trails of the Spirit ecoTrails or Vision Quests don't need tents, or cooking gear. All shelter, hotels, Village accomadation and tents whilst in the Jungle are supplied. Whilst travelling on the river and in the jungle we will have a cook with us.So here's what I'll cover here:
- Rucksack
- Rucksack cover for airport handling
- Mattress
- Sleeping Bag
- Torch
- Matches
- Knife
- Water Container
- Washing Kit
- Lightweight Towel
- Bits and Pieces
So here we go one by one. Remember the example I show here are of items and brands I've personally found to be good. There are a lot of other good brands and kit out there. As always if your budget's tight, just get what you can and/or borrow what you need from friends. It's all optional, the important thing is to arrive.
Rucksack
Strong, sturdy and light and just the right size for you. A rucksack is one of those pieces of kit that's so versatile as a way of transporting your stuff. If you're tempted by one of those suitcases on wheels I advise you not to bother. Try hauling one of those things over a soggy piece of land, along a jungle track, across a log bridge or up a narrow steep cobblestone lane in high altitude! I'm sure you don't need convincing.
Strong and sturdy means the straps won't part company with the bag when you sling it over your shoulder packed to the hilt, or when a taxi driver or baggage handler picks it up by a side strap or a pocket. Just the right size for you is important. it depends on your strength and stature. As a very rough rule of thumb, a rucksack with a capacity rating of 60 to 65 litres is suitable for a woman and one of around 75 to 80 litres capacity for a man. That's just a guess and you could reverse these estimates depending on your build.
Don't fall into the trap of buying just the biggest in the shop as we all have a tendency to fill our packs to the brim. A smaller pack means you will be more selective in what you bring and that's a very good thing for your back. The best packs have quite a sophisticated system of strap adjustment to enable the pack to fit your body well. This is one area (like buying boots), when the advice and patience of an experienced shop assistant is invaluable.
I like the NorthFace rucksacks but most of the manufactures I've already mentioned in the clothing pages also make good kit, and of course there are many other good brands.
Rucksack cover for Airport handling etc
This is really handy and avoids problems like loose straps and petty pilfering, (all those top and side pockets are beloved by thieves). I've had items taken from my rucksack when travelling with RyanAir. It happened some years back between booking it in in Cork and picking it up from the carousel in Stanstead, I've never travelled without a rucksack cover since. Some airlines will insist a rucksack is enclosed because of all of those traps get caught up in other luggage, conveyors etc and won't let you book it in otherwise.
Without a rucksack cover you might be forced to pay for one of those plastic wrapping services at some of the airports. An added expense and time consuming especially if you'll cutting it tight for boarding time. When you arrive at your destination the rucksack cover can easily be packed away back in your rucksack, (which of course you haven't over packed). If you don't want to buy a rucksack then borrow one from a friend rather than bring a suitcase.
Inflatable Mattress
This is really an excellent thing to have. In my last journey in Peru I used it so many times. Not only for sleeping but sitting on when travelling in hard or wooden seats for hours on end and in the likes of boats with small wooden benches. Or waiting around for hours in ill equipped airports whose management think comfortable seats are a luxury. I highly recommend getting one.
The Cascade Brand I think is the very best. Although there are other cheaper brands, this one is generous in size, light, (rolls down into a small bag), durable, doesn't easily rip or puncture, comes with a good guarantee and can be repaired by purchasing a small kit or by sending it back to the manufacturers. It's highly recommended.
Sleeping Bag
We provide sleeping bags for your use for some of the evenings when travelling in the jungle. You won't need one in the Andes as we don't use tents there. But if you plan on doing some travel on your own, or would just prefer to have your own sleeping bag, the best way again is to go to a good camping shop and try them out. Make sure you get into one in the shop, the wrong bag can be short, tight and claustraphobic. As regards to how much insulation you need, you can see the typical nightime temperatures for both the Amazon and Cusco region by going to the Weather in Peru page. You might also consider getting and bringing a sleeping bag liner which is always a good idea even if you don't bring your own sleeping bag. These pack very, very small and the best are made of silk.
Torch
There are now some great waterproof torches that use bright LED's. The great advantage of these is that the batteries last for ages and they're usually more compact and lighter than conventional torches. The fact they last for ages means you tend to get more use out of them like reading or writing at nights as well as making your way down the jungle paths. Remember most of the regions we go to on our eco Trails and Vision Quests don't have electricity or generators, when out of the towns.
Matches or a Lighter
Not much to say here except bring some or get some when you arrive. In the jungle the locals mostly use candles. It's not that important as there's usually some around, but don't count on others having a light just when you need one.
Knife
I've always found one of those multipurpose knives to be really handy, even if it's only just to open a bottle of beer or uncork a bottle of wine!
Water Container
As all the water you'll be drinking should be bottled or at worst filtered and boiled. You can either just use the plastic bottles the water comes in or get one of those really excellent light, strong and wide necked polycarbonate bottles. These are particularly good on hikes and day trips, don't leak no matter what and will take a lot of abuse. I've had the off the shelf 1 and 2 litre bottles of water, split and burst on me in my day bag, soaking my stuff and leaving me short of water. I'd rather pour the water from the shop bought bottles into my robust container(s) before going on a hike. Some of the places we will be using as HQ will have very large containers of drinkable water and you top up from these for walks and hikes.
Washing Kit
It's good to have all of your washing kit in a compact pack. These are great and usually include a small mirror and a hook to hang it up by.
Lightweight Towel
Another innovation now commonly available. The material is light, compact, highly absorbent and easy to dry. It works like a chamois. An ordinary towel by comparison is so bulky to carry and slow to dry.
Bits and Pieces
These can be things like an needle and thread, safety pins, strong luggage straps, small waterproof bags, zip-lock bags, string, and a roll of strong Duct tape. These kind of bit's and pieces don't take up much room in your pack but can really come in handy. I was a real hero, or so she said, to one of my travelling companions on an arduous four day hike on the Inca trail in the Andes. Her bra strap broke, nothing to do with me! A safety pin I had with me at the time did the trick. Without that simple safety pin there was no easy way to repair it.
Trails of the Spirit facilitates Sketching Workshop
Adventures in Peru and Ireland
