D of E packing - top tips?

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I think my DD is packed....but I'm sure we'll have forgotten something! Any top tips? Or essential items? Thank you!

Woolly hat.
compeed blister plasters.

A ziplock bag for rubbish

Sun screen

Less is more! He has to carry it a long way.

Take everything back out again and only put half of it back in!

That’s my packing tip for everything but I am a minimalist!

Too tip, it’s her trip, it’s her award, leave her to sort it as long as you have made sure she has everything she has told you she needed.

As someone who's been taking kids on dofe for years:

First most useful thing even if it's a waterproof bag with a rain cover make sure the inside is still lined with a big bag, you want everything possible to stop you getting wet clothes! Even more useful wrap the sleeping bag and clean clothes in a separate bin bag inside the main one so they can be kept dry even if other items out the bag need to be used when putting up the tent.

Heavy items should be as close to the persons back as possible to help stability. When the bag is fully packed and put on she should still be able to jump, climb a fence ect and still feel steady on her feet. Also making sure boots are properly tied up to the ankle (something lots of kids hate doing!) Will help support her feet and prevent any injuries.

Useful things to pack that aren't necessary but make a big difference if there's space are a pillow case (can be stuffed with spare clothes and used to sleep with) and flip flops to wear around the campsite (when you're tired and sore after a days walking having to put your walking boots on to go and do the washing up is one of the worst feelings!

Enough socks for a clean pair a day plus one spare, walking with wet socks on is a gaurenteed way to get blisters. Have a look at the outside of the bag and see if you can spot anywhere a wet pair of socks could be hung to dry out in the sun while walking if needed!

Top/side and easy access pockets are reserved for thing such as snacks, emergency first aid items, sun cream, sunglasses ect so they can be grabbed without having to remove the bag or stop walking (another thing that might be worth having a practice at home in case anything needs to be moved!)

Make sure straps are adjusted so they fit comfortably with all clothes being taken, often vest tops aren't ideal and cause a lot of rubbing so opt for short sleeves instead if possible.

At this time of year it can still be cold in the early mornings so depending on your daughter's personal temperature tolerance don't rule out a pair of gloves for the morning!

Make sure torch batteries have plenty of charge or take spares

Ideally the bag fully packed should be around 1/4 of her weight and absolutely no more than a 1/3 including a minimum of 2L of water so be sure to weigh it, also remember tents and food may need to be added later.

If you need to reduce the weight it can be useful to think about what items she could potentially share with other members of her group eg could she share a hairbrush with a friend or take one tube of toothpaste between them. Also make sure any toiletries are travel size, I even know someone who cut a toothbrush in half to make everything as light as possible!

Food items like beans can be decanted into plastic tubs to further reduce weight if needed

Thank you so so much! We do camping holidays so fortunately she is used to most of it,but also not blessed with common sense! I know I should be leaving her to sort it, but also want her to enjoy it enough that she'll go back and do the next one!

Brilliant advice @User131
What food is good to take? We’ve got pasta, tuna, sweetcorn, beans and snack bars

I am on the app sorry, couldn't work out how to quote you at first! That is an immensely useful post thank you!

Take most of it out! My son returned in the clothes he left in.....I am still trying to get the smell out of my car😆

If it's bronze practise trip then it's only 1 night away. So don't take too much. We have just packed for my son....the only disagreement was to do with the bag size. Mine is 45 litres and not quite big enough.....so we have been to go outdoors and he now has a massive rucksack. He is quite tall so can carry it. He doesn't want to take anymore stuff, just be able to get it in and out easily.

Make sure she can get her water bottle and torch easily.

Don't forget tissues, tea towel, washing up liquid (tiny bit), and any medication ile hay fever tablets.

Food wise it’s most important that she’s happy to eat whatever she takes and she’s comfortable with any prep it needs. I can’t tell you the number of teens who won’t eat their bloody meals on these things (either don’t like what mum packed or don’t know how to cook it).

Beyond that - hot drinks stuff. The hot choc sachets always seem popular. And the soup packets or gravy for if it rains and they want a savoury hot drink to dip their lunch sandwiches in.

Good solid breakfast. If she’s not a faffer in the morning she can probably do beans and something - even better to do it with a mate/as a group. One or two cook while the rest break down the tents.

Lunch is best as lots of snacks so they can have a couple of stops if they need to, or eat as they move.

dinner - just quick, easy and definitely something she will eat.

oh and sugar based morale. A large pack.

The most important thing is something easy to cook! It's amazing how a long days walking can reduce teenagers ability to think logically so easy meals that can just be reheated or made up with boiling water in a single pan are great! All the things you've already got sound great!

Other evening meal item suggestions:

Instant mashed potatoes (can be made up with just boiling water and has a really high carb to weight ratio)

Those packet pasta meals that you can make up with water or cup a soups

Pot noodles can be emptied into ziplock bags and made up in a mug to reduce bulk, just use the plastic bag to cover the top of the mug in the place of the lid while cooking

Meat items such as matterson sausages, tinned tuna and other precooked items that only need reheating are a much better choice than raw

Portion size and calorie wise most kids will eat about double what they normally would so make sure to pack plenty!

Snack/lunch ideas:

Nutella and peanut butter are calorie dense and okay out of the fridge so good for day 2 sandwich fillings

Beef jerky, pepperoni and other high protein snacks are good for energy

Also baby bells and other individually packaged cheeses are quite popular

Breakfast bars

Dried fruit (I generally wouldn't recommend fresh as it takes up a lot of space and normally isn't eaten!)

Obviously some sweet treats as well!

When packing food separate into ziplock bags for each day and put snacks for later days in the main compartment of the bag (more difficult to get out!) Which helps to keep it all from being eaten on the first day! Each morning before walking that days snacks can be moved up to a top/side pocket

Try to alternate between snacks containing mostly fats, proteins and carbs eg some cheese for snack one, beef jerky for snack two and then a cereal bar for snack three to get the best energy distribution, although most kids will eat all their chocolate on the first morning!

If they like hot drinks then the little milk and sugar sachets you find in cafes are ideal

I also would recommend an "emergency" bar of chocolate, not for actual emergencies but for when you're tired and wet and a bit lost and they need that little pick me up!

One of the best pieces of advice that I can give for while they're doing it is if you ever get to a point where everyone is miserable, snappy and can't agree what to do next the best way to solve the problem is probably all to have something to eat and then reassess!

When we did Gold we used www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/p/adventure-food-pasta-bolognese-dry-food-E6224092.html?colour=180 for food. They made a few different meals and just require hot water and can be eaten out of the packet. They aren't the most fun food but light and easy for a few days.

These are fantastic suggestions thank you! She's only on bronze, so just one night but obviously I hope that she'll go on and do silver.

Just stumbled across this thread which is v useful as my DD is off on her Bronze expedition next weekend.
They've been told they need 2 litres of water. Checked and all her water bottles (Sistema & similar) only hold up to 1 litre. Would you advise purchasing a reusable 2 litre water bottle, just taking a 2 litre plastic bottle of water from supermarket, or filling up and taking 2 of her current water bottles (I think this last option may be any issue with weight??)

Many years' experience of camping/hiking/staying away at horse shows has taught me AT LEAST one pair of socks a day and then two more.

Nothing more miserable than wet, cold feet. I like to wear a pair of thin cotton socks as an underlayer and then thicker socks on top. Wool is naturally water-resistant, so a couple of pairs of good wool walking socks is ideal.

@ABIIOR If you can I'd recommend getting a camelback or platypus water pouch. Most rucksacks have a dedicated pocket for these against the back and as they're flattish they take up very little room even when full.

Just take two 1 litre bottles, they'll be easier to pack and drink out than 1 big one!

Just noticed - one night?

In that case, she needs next to nothing. DO NOT overpack, as carrying around loads of shit that she'll never use will spoil her enjoyment.

Just take two, if there's a pocket on each side of the rucksack that's one on each side (nice weight distribution).
PPs have given really good advice. If no nut allergies, I recommend Snickers for energy, the smaller multipack ones so you can have a bit at a time and they get less sticky.
I used to take noodles (normal extra fine dried kind rather than pots) with veg already chopped up in a freezer bag, and a sachet of sauce. Cashews or frozen quorn chicken for protein (defrosts by teatime and keeps the veg cool). Remember a tiny bottle of oil though or put it in with the veg, otherwise you have to stew it which is less appealing. Obviously needs to be agreed with a partner/ group though, nobody is carrying enough stoves to cook individually.
Instant mash is a nice breakfast and you can make it in the bowl/ mug for less washing up.

Top tip I was given for the expedition was to always change and wipe down with wetwipes as a minimum before bed (take a few in a ziplock bag not the whole pack). Otherwise the sweat from the day makes you cold. Also, seamless sports bras are the most comfy, without any bits that might rub in contact with the bag.

Definitely 2 x 1 litre bottles, one on each side gives you even weight distribution and 2 bottles means if something happens and one bottle is spilt/damaged or leaking in any way they still have access to water in the other bottle

Coming back to this just in case it helps anyone else!
The items not used were those related to hygiene! Manky creatures!
All the food tips in this thread were great, I'd say dds group just went a little bit wrong having too many cereal bars , sugary things , when actually more protein based stuff would have been better.