Bronze DofE in hot weather

[RacedAcrossTheWorld]

DS is doing his Bronze DofE expedition in the next few days.

Forecast: sunny, dry, max temps 28⁰C. Min overnight temps 16⁰C at 5am.

He did his practice in April in moderate, cloudy weather conditions. A lot of the gear has sat in a corner unused since then which is now laid back out to help him pack.

Generally for backpacking I'd leave in extra layers like woolly hats and gloves as the weight: emergency benefit is normally favourable, but presumably with these conditions it's better to take out items that won't be required and the weight will be counterbalanced by carrying additional water. The risk is more likely to be heat exhaustion than hypothermia.

We can also swap the standard sleeping bag to a much lighter, thin one that's half the weight and bulk. Normally we'd use it indoors, but the night temperatures aren't far off room temperature.
He'll still take a warm jumper (that he wears 75% of the time due to sensory issues).

He will still take waterproofs (jacket and trousers)

Does this sound like sensible adaption to the weather forecast but within DofE packing expectations? The 25% of bodyweight packing guideline is already quite tight with his build, so it seems daft to carry unnecessary additional weight in challenging weather conditions just because they're on the ticklist and useful 80% of the time.

(He will pack the rucksack himself, but I am involved in the packing process because he's autistic and needs more support and guidence than average for his age. And sometimes some pragmatic adaptable logic over routine logic... Doing the award is already stretching his skills and comfort zone and just spending 36 hours with peers is already a major act of personal development.)

Sounds sensible

With that forecast I wouldn't bother with gloves etc.
I'd take a lighter sleeping bag and a liner.

Yes sounds sensible. Make sure he swaps out the woolly hat and swaps in a wide brimmed sunhat and sunglasses. I'd also include a very thin long-sleeved shirt to cover up any sunburn.

Mine is NT and did it last weekend when was v hot - I still packed his rucksack! I make him go and gather everything and I pack it as, frankly, I am way better at packing than a 14y old and it takes less than half of the time if I do it and I get some of my evening back.

Anyway, he preferred it as we left out woolly hat, rain jacket, fleece etc so he had less stuff to carry and more room. He went on day one wearing a t shirt, light jacket and some of those hiking trousers which convert into shorts which he apparently quickly did, and wore jacket roundhis waist. Day 2 he wore actual shorts and a different t shirt, one change of socks and pants and that was it. All good, they seemed to have a great time.

Only thing I will say is that his legs did get scratched by brambles etc in shorts which doesn't bother him but might bother someone with sensory issues (would bother me).

Remove water proof trousers and wear lightweight quick dry shorts, take spare pre-talced socks - if it rains do wet/dry drills overnight. But then honestly if its hot and wet i doubt id want to put on a water proof layer (yuck humidity!!) so consider wicking tops instead? Depends where he is - and if it involves hills!

summer sleeping bag with liner will be sufficient

long sleeve light weight top to protect from sunburn

hat with neck cover and maybe a mozzie head net for overnight depending on where sleeping

gloves and wooly hat, dont bother

We ditched the rain jacket and waterproof trousers as well, which I thought was a risk, but of course it didnt rain, and he probably wouldnt have worn them anyway. He did have a waterprrof rucksack liner and clothes in a waterprrof bag and rucksack has a pull out waterproof cover. He had only one chnage of everything, not the nultiples of clothes on the list. Wore walking boots, packed sliders for the camp. He took 4 half liter water bittles and said they got through them all in the heat.

Good luck to your son and hope he really enjoys himslef, much nicer doing it in good weather I think.

We won't bother with the token stunt trousers; he only owns school trousers and totally lives in shorts otherwise and has legs like rhino hide. We'll leave in the leg warmers which end up like knee high socks and he's got the waterproof trousers if he does come across a field of nettles/ brambles he can protect himself.

We've gone through Scouting plus camping as a family so his comfort zone is pretty well established. It just doesn't always compare well with lists aimed at novices, and having led outdoor activities I have seen plenty struggle with things like actually waterproof coats and sturdy footwear so I understand why the lists are written as they are as they cover 95% of circumstances.

My very experienced child did an expedition in July. It rained. A lot. He was showing early symptoms of hypothermia by the time they met their assessors at a check point and needed his spare warm layers and hat and gloves. Weather is changeable and when you are out in the hills/moors/ countryside you need to be able to manage difficult situations. Yes of course pack to the weather and season so you might take a lighter sleeping bag instead of a big 4 season and you might take a lighter jacket instead of your winter one but do not, ever, leave out waterproofs (any assessor I know would fail a child for not taking waterproofs) and always take appropriate warm layers. Hat and gloves might seem like overkill but if someone is in trouble they are necessary.

Think what would happen if someone fell and broke their leg. They will be waiting for rescue and will need care. As well as shelter from the sun they will need insulating from the ground and may get cold waiting. A coat under them will help insulate them. Hat and gloves might actually be needed to keep them warm and comfortable while they wait.

Yes, fine, many of your young people might have left them out and been fine but that's just like the fact that my parents used to bomb down the motorway overnight with me sleeping across the back seats not strapped in. I'm only fine because we didn't have an emergency. The recommended kit is there for a reason and that reason it's that it might save your child's life in an emergency.