Monday 29 March 2010

Packing Bags, Part 2

Last of my packing list....


DAYSACK

My first choice for a rucksack would have always been a Karrimor, having used a 'Hot Ice 30' for many years when I was in the military and when travelling Asia.  However, the quality and construction of Karrimor rucksacks seems to have changed a great deal in recent years (the company was bought out), and when looking at their products I don't get that 'industructable' vibe any more.  The other main options were Berghaus (£££), Osprey (£££££) and Lowe Alpine (£££), who all make very good bags in to the 35-45 litre range.  I spent a lot of time 'lurking' on Ebay and hoped to get one of these bags for cheap, but sadly time was against me.  In the end,  I opted for a brand that I knew nothing about, except for it having a good reputation amongst the Alpine Endurance racing community.  To be honest, my main reason for choosing this bag was because it was being sold, new, at about 1/3rd the RRP, and it had good online reviews.



OMM (Original Mountain Marathon) - The Villain 45+10 RL MSC

Described as an 'advanced mountaineering pack, I was shocked by how lightweight this rucksack was.  At less than 1kg, there really seemed to be nothing to the bag, and I am currently a little doubtful of how rugged it will prove to be.  However, it is highly regarded, so I hope to be surprised.  After all, the RL in its name does stand for 'Rugged Light'.

It is a single compartment bag, with a drawcord/snowlock at the top for access.  This will work perfectly for keeping sand and dust out of the bag.  There is an access zip on one side, that would be useful for drinking bladders/tubes etc.  The bag can be compresed with a 'Naase Cord' that  wraps around the torso.  It also has two mesh pouches on the side for holding drinks bottles and a further two (useful) zipped pockets on the hip belt.

Only time will tell how 'rugged' this bag will prove to be.  I am sure it will be thrown off a few helicopters over the coming year, be dragged or kicked in the sand...and be an occasional pillow. We shall see if the 'RL'  designation is deserved.


TORCH

I've always used Maglight torches in the past, and they do a decent job at a reasonable cost.  However, I really wanted to get a good LED torch this time, and the Maglight AA LED torch was difficult to source.  My first choice of new torch would have been  the excellent 'Surefire' brand, but the cost of these was excessive in the UK.  My local outdoors shop was having a sale and I managed to get a half-price LED Lenser P5 torch which has really impressed me.


LED Lenser P5

As soon as I tried this torch, I was extremely impressed.  At less than £20 (on sale), it delivers a powerful focused beam (95.5 lumens) that seems bright even during daylight.

It is lightweight, small size and the LED techology allows it to be powered by a single AA battery (3 hours life).

Perfect for anything I may require of it.  The 'Surefire' will have to wait for another day.

Tuesday 23 March 2010

One bag - 12 months: what to pack?

Preparation for departure starts this week.  I am planning on having a 20kg luggage allowance (flights to Kandahar via Dubai), and there will be very little opportunity to get replacement kit in that location, if I choose badly now.  Over the following 12 months, I will be living in a sandy/dusty/rocky environment with a temperature range between 50c (summer max hi) and -10c (winter max low), so whatever I pack needs to cover the widest range of temperature possibilities and be extremely rugged. Most importantly, clothing and boots need to be very comfortable, as I will be wearing it day after day.


Boots
My biggest decision was on boots. These really did need to be exceptionally comfortable, but hardwearing enough to cope with months in the grinding dust, sand and stones of Helmand province.  I tried a lot of boots from companies like Berghaus, Karrimor, Salomon and Meindl.  I loved the Meindl Ottowah boots, but eventually opted for the most comfortable option. The Meindl felt more sturdy, but the Merrell cannot be beaten for comfort.

Merrell Moab Mid



These boots really offered a very fine balance between comfort and (stated) performance and durability.  The are Goretex XCR lined and have a hard-wearing Vibram® Multi-Sport Plus™ sole.

The boots are designed for hot climates, wicking sweat away from the skin for comfort in extreme temperatures. Breathable mesh and nubuck leather uppers and mesh bellows tongue enhance ventilation. Keeping my feet cool is very important, as they do tend to 'rot' easily.

I opted for a mid-length boot, just to help keep sand and small stones out of  boot when moving around.

These boots will either become my  best friends, or worst enemies, over the next 12 months.  Having owned 3 pairs of Merrell shoes before, I have high hopes for them...but will definitely report later on their performance. I hope that I never regret not getting the Meindl's.

Jacket / Outer Layer
I also did a lot of research to purchase a decent waterproof outer-layer.  I expect my equipment to get battered and bashed over the coming months, so I didn't want to spend a fortune on a 'rolls royce' jacket. I knew that I wanted Goretex fabric, as the breathability is essential for that climate. I do own a nice goretex jacket, but it is a US military issued one, and I don't want to wear that in an operational area.  I definitely want to look like a civilian at all times!

Having inspected expensive offerings from Arctyrx, Berghaus and North Face, I evaluated the 'pros and cons' of heavyweight XCR fabric versus the super-light 'paclite'. I won't be facing much torrential rain and the jacket itself shouldn't need to cope with much direct abrasion, so I decided to get a  'paclite' goretex jacket.  After doing some more research, I found what seemed like a great economical choice.

 Craghoppers 'Bear Grylls' Paclite Jacket


 I chose this as a very cost effective Goretex Paclite jacket.  At only 500g weight, it is the perfect choice for my limited baggage allowance.  I am not expecting very intense rain, but it should work excellently to keep the cold desert wind away at night times.

I am also a big 'pockets' person and this jacket offered a better stowage selection than many of the more 'minimalist' hardshell jackets.  As I will be wearing this day-to-day, rather than hanging from a cliff face, the extra chest pockets will give me somewhere to stick a wallet, sunglasses, IPod and (several) mobile phones etc.



Fleece / Mid-Layer
I had a clear idea what I wanted to fulfil the 'warmth' requirement.  I have owned 'Gore Windstopper' fleeces before and I am always amazed at how they can be so warm, yet so light.  I much prefer them to the big 'snuggly' thick style of polartech fleece.

Having already decided what I wanted, it was just a case to find a well-fitted and economical option.  What I chose was...


Mountain Equipment Windstopper Alpine Jacket

 I found this fleece was a nice snug fit, which is essential to get the thermal benefits of the lightweight windstopper fabric.

It has thumb loops on the cuff and two convenient hip pockets that can be accessed when wearing a rucksack waistbelt.

I also liked the concealed chest pocket, built into the inner mesh lining.

The fleece is also very light weight (for packing) and takes up very little space - so it should be perfect for sticking in the bottom of a daysack, ready for those cold evening winds.

I had considered taking my North Face 'Nuptse' 700 Down Jacket,  but at this point I don't think I will need that much thermal protection.  If I find myself spending more time in the Northern part of the country (Kabul and surrounds) during the winter, then I may get that jacket posted over.


Shirts

I had a few 'travel' style shirts already, from Mountain Hardwear, and these will perform fine in the climate I am expecting.   One new purchase I have made is on a shirt from '5.11 Tactical'.  I was surprised at how heavyweight this shirt was.  It certainly won't have a problem with being rugged enough, but I am not sure how well it will perform in the heat (even with the mesh lining and vented back).

5.11 Tactical Shirt


 One of the reasons, I decided to try these shirts was the novel use of 'concealed' document pockets (velcro behind the main chest pockets), which makes them really useful for travelling in remote areas, where you want your important docs (passport, IDs etc) on your person at all times.

5.11 Tactical do a wide range of clothing specifically aimed at middle east/desert wear and it is usually populatr with journalists and security personnel.





BASELAYER
I've got a selection of baselayer garments/tshirts, that I have used for previous travelling and sporting activities.  I actually use a lot of Marks and Spencer 'Active' wear, as this tends to perform really well and is very economical.  The best performer, that really suits hard-wearing and hot conditions is the famous 'Lifa'.

Helly Hansen Lifa Dry


These have been around for years, and a designed to work as part of a layered clothing approach.  I find mine perfect for sports and hot weather.  I've run, rock climbed and mountain walked in these. They do really keep you dry and 'wick' away perspiration very effectively.  For use in remote areas, they don't get 'smelly'' quickly and are easy to wash and dry.

I wore one of these all around Vietnam and Cambodia whilst trekking, so I know it will suit me perfectly for Afghanistan.

The long sleeve style also helps prevent sunburn on the arms.


Main Bag

I opted against using a large capacity rucksack for my primary bag, as I intend to take a mid-size (45L) rucksack as hand luggage. I've owned a North Face duffle bag for several years now and decided that the 90 litre capacity of this, coupled with the completely weatherproof and hardwearing construction offered great security for my belongings en-route.  Also, the bag is much more lightweight than a simularly rugged rucksack, so I would not be wasting valuable airline luggage allowance on the bag itself.

The North Face 'Base Camp' Duffle Bag

With 70 litres capacity, this bag will swallow my 20kg of equipment and clothing, keeping it safe and secure from start to finish.  Made from thick PVC and well-stitched, it can be left outside for days, strapped to the outside of vehicles, and will keep the rain or dust outside.

I like that there is very little to break, or fail, and the twin zips can easily be secured with a padlock for security.  Unlike most rucksacks, I can pack this so that fragile items are protected in the middle and it should be a lot easier to 'live out of' than a rucksack.

I will still need a smaller rucksack for travelling around the various Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), so I am looking for a 45 litre climbing rucksack for that purpose.  Climbing bags have less pockets, but do tend to be built to a more rugged standard.  Normally I would opt for 1 35 litre 'daysack', but I am also expecting to have to carry a laptop and sleeping bag on these trips around the country. Sadly, for the commercial air travel, I will only be able to half-fill the rucksack, otherwise it would exceed carry-on size/weight allowances. 

I will report soon about my rucksack choice, along with the other 'essentials' that I have chosen. 
















Saturday 20 March 2010

Kandahar Airfield Satellite Image

Location of Kandahar - South Afghanistan Map


A bit rusty, after leaving the military 3 years ago

 Starting to think about my preparations for mobilizing.... Step One, a re-cap of essential situational knowledge.

Elite Surival Techniques

"Survival Tip #6 

Find some means of alerting rescuers to your whereabouts. If you are lost in a desert, writing a large SOS in the sand with your water is an effective means of drawing attention"

Friday 19 March 2010

New Pastures...

Welcome to my new blog!

I'm away to new (ish) pastures, and I intend to record my thoughts as the coming months will bring me new experiences living and working in a very rarely travelled country...Afghanistan.

After several weeks of extreme long-distance telephone interviews, form filling, scanning documents, emailing attachments and security vetting questionnaires, I recieved the congratulatory email today... I am offered the contract as HR Operations Manager for a major international  company, that specializes in supporting military opperations world-wide.  It's a great job, great salary (tax free) and a great opportunity to save money - because I will be living and working on a NATO base in Afghanistan for the next 12 months. 

Luckily, I have previous experience of these conditions, from my time in the Royal Air Force, so  I am getting myself mentally prepared again for the heat, dust and complete lack of recreational stimulus over a prolonged period.  I am drawing up a shopping list (no more military issue freebies) and putting on lots of weight as the natural tendancy to squeeze in as much 'good living' asserts itself in my remaining few weeks in the 'real world'.

Curry night in Derby.....day-dreaming of the coming year eating military canteen food.