D of E Bronze expedition - kit list help please!

[TwigTheWonderKid]

DS is doing his expedition tomorrow. Did his practice one in April when the weather was foul and pretty much took everything on the kit list. Weather looking much better this time and as it's a longer walk he's keen to keep the weight of his bag down. However, having just looked at the official kit list I am confused about which items are compulory.

Can anyone shed any light on this please?!

Can you put up the kit list he's been given so we can go through it?

I don't know what's on the official list but I would imagine most of it is compulsory. Was there anything he took on his practice that he didn't use and wasn't emergency equipment? (e.g. you wouldn't not take a first aid kit because you hadn't used it last time). To keep weight down he can probably really only rationalise on clothes (e..g if hot weather is forecast one pair of long trousers and jumper probably enough if he plans to walk in shorts and t-shirt, but he still needs waterproofs.) You can save a lot of weight on food, and some of this can go in clothes pockets, but he might need more water if hot! He should also check that shared equipment is fairly split between his group.

Making sure the group have worked out sharing strategies is a good way to cut down weight & bulk. E.g. one person takes deodorant, everyone shares. Another person takes shampoo. Another person toothpaste. Etc.

Ours were told everything on the list was compulsory, so we just had to make sure clothes etc were as light as possible. They were told not to take any toiletries except suncream, toothbrush/paste and handgel (they had toilets with soap at their campsite). Took tiny travel versions of everything and a tiny 12" square microfibre towel.

I would have thought shampoo could be left off the list completely.

What sort of food are they taking? DS did his the other week, when the weather forecast was hot and sunny, no rain forecast, but they still had to take waterproofs and one change of clothes.

Think DS had water stations at some of the checkpoints.

I think if it is on the kit list you have to take it. DS's school gave us a kit list and DS took everything that was on it (unless it stated it was optional)

My daughter just came back from her first ‘practise’ expedition. The first aid, matches, cooking stuff and tents were provided for them. They had to still carry waterproofs (despite zero chance of rain), change of clothes, water (2l bottle), food for dinner/breakfast, packed lunch for two days, snacks (my daughter said the dried apricots got her through), flashlight, compass, whistle, notebook and pencil, sleeping bag, mat... toilet paper... in fact pretty much everything on the list! You only increase the amount of clothes depending on length of trip.
Don’t bother with ‘walking trousers’ unless you own some, jeans are no good but the kids wore leggings/jeggings and similar. Long sleeves to protect from sun. Hat!
They walked about 13km a day and their sixth form leaders let them have lots of breaks and were really helpful with tips and made it much nicer for them. The fun bit was the setting up the tents and gossiping! The worst part was trying to sleep three girls in a two man tent and I’m giving her a much thicker mat next time.
Overall much better than she feared! Now we have to figure out where she’s going to volunteer for three months!

Scout groups, guides, charity shops are things that DS and his friends have volunteered at Pip

Library and park run also will take young volunteers.

DS has just done his silver expedition (3 days plus an orientation day). One of the boys in his group literally had one set of clothes and only brought nuts and dried fruit for food. He survived, but I do not recommend this as a strategy! (The same child did not bring waterproofs on the practise despite it being a weekend when there were class 2 weather warnings, fortunately, the teachers had spares!)

Ha unfortunately I used to help run d of e in an all girls school, we gave up on trying to persuade them that shampoo was unnecessary!

Duchess the only thing that doesn’t get wet in DS’s kit when he goes on scout camps etc is his soap! He is also of the opinion that spare underwear is not necessary

If your using the https://www.dofe.org/shopping/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ExpeditionKittListMar2019.pdf list, it tells you what is optional in the info and at the bottom.

How we from the essentials you could:
Take a spork (not kfs)
Use a bigger bowl rather than plate & bowl
If towel is massive cut down to size
Dry food weighs less (porride/packet mix etc
Cutting wash kit down to baby wipes & a travel size gel & toothbrush/paste

Weather dependent I wouldn't cut out much clothing unless it's going to be nice, definitely take all socks.

He's cut down in the most sensible ways but I know for a fact he won't wash, need a towel, change his underwear or put on pyjamas but they are all on the list. Do they really need a trowel?! The weather is going to be sunny and warm but he will need long trousers as he is walking in an area notorious for ticks.

Ha! OP, I like your ds' style .

No-one is going to check if he's changed his pants. So yes, if he really wants he can leave the spares at home and hope he doesn't sit in a puddle. Maybe take a flannel as a towel?!

Oh and no-one I've ever supervised has taken a trowel, so long as your ds is able to hold on to his poop until he gets to a campsite that one can go too! 💩

I suspect he gets it from his mother. I also like to go back to basics when I am camping!

Do they need a survival bag?! We bought one but it's actually incredibly heavy...

I hasten to add that I do change my underwear though!

DS takes a trek towel much lighter and takes up much less space than a normal towel

I made it through the gold expedition - hygiene goes out the window! The main thing is comfort, get some Compeed blister plasters, guaranteed someone will need them. I took a Lilo for a mattress but I'm a fussy sleeper. It's so much easier for boys

DD did hers last week in the scorching heat so didn't take waterproofs and she passed.

You can cut down on a lot of the weight. DS didn’t bother with a towl, or complete change of clothes (just pants and socks)

He didn’t bother with a sleeping bag or tent either, he just slept in his waterproofs in a hammock.

The DDs gold expeditions have needed a trowel, but that's because they were wild camping; bronze and silver have all been at campsites with loos. Loo roll from during the day wees go into a small plastic bag then get flushed at the campsites, bag reused for the next day.

The survival bag we bought for DD1 has never been used in the 16 DofE expeditions it's been on ; neither have the waterproof trousers (that's only cos the walking trousers are very quick to dry).

DS has just gone wild camping and I had to check whether he had a trowel 🤢

The survival bag is not needed until you really need it. But one or two per group should be enough.

PJs aren’t needed. Sleep in undies and the clean T-shirt.

Small amount of bar soap, a flannel and a tea towel or travel towel will cover all washing needs. Plus toothpaste and brush.

Don’t take plates/bowls. Just use the mess tins or eat straight from a rat pack . Do take a drinking vessel though.

Not a ration pack! They technically shouldn't pass if they only 'cook' by heating up a ration pack.