DofE expedition kit - help!

I'd go for separate fleece and walking jacket, unless there's a good deal on the 3 in one.

DD did the full set. By the last one they'd worked out pretty well what to eat. Iirc for lunches they did flavoured couscous - obviously that meant using the stove but they liked having a hot lunch and a decent stop, and it's just add boiling water and leave for 5 mins. Made in a plastic food box which served as plate/bowl. If they want bread, pittas or wraps are easy to pack and keep well. Don't worry too much about the filling - it's a couple of days of needing energy, they don't need a normal balanced diet.
For snacks, trail mix is good. She made up her own luxury version including chocolate nuts and raisins, and nice dried fruit - cherries and strawberries, maybe apricots. And also quite a lot of individually wrapped cake bars/flapjacks.

Layers. Baselayer like merino wool etc. Top and trousers for sleeping in. Tracksuit bottoms he can wear to sleep in and have as his ‘dry kit’. Long sleeved top. Short sleeved top fleece jumper all that can be worn to bed too. Warm wool hat. Yes to waterproof trousers. He will be very grateful if it tips it down. I would go thin waterproof coat and he can layer up underneath as necessary. Anything too bulky will be annoying. Buff style neck warmer also good for sleeping in. Little single use or even reusable pocket warmers good for warming sleeping bag through.

Boots. Go for a decent brand and WEAR THEM IN PRIOR TO EXPED. Mine are berghus and I’ve had them 10years plus and still going strong. Pack some decent blister plasters such as compeed.

Food - trial mix is good. Dried fruit. Chocolate. Nuts. That sort of thing. Lunch hand and cheese crossaints. Cold pasta. Boiling in bag rice. Baby bel. Pasta n go packets etc. Breakfast porridge sort of thing.

Good luck!

I really rate Mountain Warehouse gear for this type of thing. It’s good quality for the price, and they deliver quick if you aren’t near a shop.

Most outdoors shops offer a 10% D of E discount so always worth asking!

Actually might be worth a trip to Decathlon,

For lunch if I have no cool bag I would take a small tin of tuna and an individual sachet of Mayo and put it on a roll.

With a lunch box sized cool bag you have loads of options. If you want hot then super noodle type noodles are the easiest thing.

Snacks - nuts, dried fruit, sweets, mints.

Go for carby filling foods and worry about nutritional balance another time!

Jacket - it doesn’t matter if it’s a 3 in 1 or a separate waterproof with a fleece jumper, I’d avoid pack-a-Mac type waterproofs as they get very sweaty, but better than nothing if that’s what the budget allows. I’d also avoid anything too padded if the padding isn’t removable if you can, but again if he has a parka and you don’t want to spend any more that’s cool.

Waterproof trousers again the pack-a-mac type ones if that’s what the budget allows or it’s v unlikely to rain, otherwise you’ll get some from Go Outdoors for around £25-£30 maybe don’t take the tags off unless it rains

Walking boots it’s so individual - Karrimor are OK, Regatta, some of my cadets have them from Lidl and they are OK. I think Millets do a few leather but low priced ones specifically for D of E.

One last tip if it’s cold a sleeping bag liner is worth it’s weight in gold. Preferably a silk one, they are about £10 and make a massive difference.

I got DS walking boots in Lillywhites in London, but they are owned by Sports Direct. I would look for goretex to keep feet dry.

DS’s waterproof came from Decathlon, they have some good prices, and deliver of there isn’t one nearby, but also consider Trespass, Mountain warehouse etc.

I would recommend waterproof trousers, if not worn, they can still sit on them if ground is damp.

The thing we found was needed was a decent sleeping bag