Cape Wrath Trail gear list

This is my Cape Wrath Trail gear list for walking the trail in April. I’ve also included a review of the gear at the end of the list. The Cape Wrath Trail is a very remote walk and should only be attempted by experienced hikers. Scotland’s weather can have very unpredictable and you need to know how to survive in wet and cold weather for a number of days. My gear list takes this into account and I tend to air on the side of safety rather than the lightest weight possible. You can read a full account of the walk here.

My Cape Wrath Trail gear list – April/May

CATEGORY	ITEM	WEIGHT
Rucksack	ULA Catalyst 75L	1255
	Shoulder strap pockets & hand loops – ULA	170
	Pack liner waterproof – Sea to Summit	80

Shelter	Tarptent Notch Li	554
	Pegs – various sizes inc. bag	115

Sleep system	Sleeping mat – Thermarest Neoair Xtherm	424
	Pump sack for sleep mat	55
	Pillow – Exped UL	47
	Sleeping Bag Liner – Cocoon merino wool	282
	Sleeping Bag – Down	877
	Socks – EDZ merino liner	64
	Bag for above – Dyneema	12

Cook bag	Stove – Vargo Triad multifuel stove	30
	Windbreak and alloy base + Vargo windshield	43
	Pot + Lid – Evernew	92
	Mug – Alpkit 400ml	62
	Knife – Deejo Naked pocket knife	15
	Spoon – Esbit titanium long handle	18
	Gas Lighter	21
	Meals and coffee sachets for the day
	Bag for above – Dyneema	28

Outside pack	Phone/Camera/GPS/Mapping – Ulefone Armor Tough Phone	361
and in pockets	Compass – Silva	34
	Head torch – Petzl Bindi	35
	Rubbish bag – Sea to Summit XS stuff sack	17
	Water bottle – 2L Evernew	40
	Water bottle – Inov8 HydraPak 500ml	31
	Waterfilter – MSR Guardian Water Purifier Pump	640
	Bag for above – MSR	66
	Sit mat – Thermarest Z-seat	57
	Reading Glasses + soft case	35
	First Aid Kit bag	221
	Repair + Spares Kit bag	89
	Wash Kit bag	79
	Paper and Pen
	Maps – Harveys south and north	119
	Bag for above – Dyneema	13

Toilet bag	kitchen roll and antibacterial wipes (for the day)
	Toilet trowel – The Duece 2	16
	Dry bag for above – Dyneema 1L	12

Clothing	Socks – Darn Tough Hiker	75
often in pack	Socks – ToeToe liner	40
	Socks – EDZ waterproof calf length	160
	Underwear – EDZ merino briefs	69
	Baselayer – Inov8 at/c merino hoody (spare & sleep in)	250
	Midlayer – Paramo Bentu fleece jacket	417
	Outerlayer – Paramo Bentu windproof jacket (waterproof with Bentu fleece)	433
	Warm outerlayer – OMM Raid Jacket	410
	Neck tube – EDZ merino	51
	Headband – Buff Windstopper	20
	Hat – Buff beanie	20
	Gloves – Convertible mitts	69
	Gloves – Montane synthetic insulation	56
	Gloves – Montane pertex shield	45
	Bag for above – Sea to Summit 13L drybag	28

	TOTAL =	8252g

Gear worn or	Footwear – Inov8 RocFly 390 boots size UK9	781
carried in hands	Socks – Darn Tough Light Hiker	55
	Mini gaiters	55
	Underwear – EDZ merino boxers	90
	Baselayer – EDZ 135gsm T-shirt	113
	Base/mid layer – EDZ Plaid Flannel Shirt	335
	Trousers – Montane Terra	343
	Hat – Rohan sun	100
	Walking Poles – Black Diamond – 120cm adjustable for tent – pair	460
	Watch – Lorus	64
	Wallet – Cash, credit/debit cards	50

	Total =	2446g

	Consumables – 7 days + Resupply Bag
	Water	500
	Food – Dehydrated Meals – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner – 7 days	4500
	Snacks – Chocolate/Nut & Chewy Bars, Beef Jerky, Crisps, Coffee sachets	2900
	Fuel – Methylated spirit – 750ml	750
	Loo Roll (kitchen roll) 100	186
	Wet Wipes (Antibaterial) 30	164
	Total =	9000g

Cape Wrath Trail Gear List – April

Review of the gear used on the walk

The above gear list was perfect for the conditions that I encountered. I was very lucky with the weather, it was warmer and drier than it could have been this time of year. If I had set off a few days earlier than I did, I would have had to contend with -17C wind chill and heavy rain. Then I would have needed to have carried more clothes as my list was fine for the -1 to 15C temperatures that I had. I was happy with everything on the list and didn’t take anything that I didn’t use, so wouldn’t change a thing if walking it again. Of particular note;

Footwear

The Inov8 RocFly 390 boots were perfect for the ground conditions, they dried quickly after river crossings and were very comfortable. I had no issues with my feet, no blisters and I found that adding the EDZ waterproof calf length socks worked well keeping my feet dry and warm when necessary.

Shelter

The Tarptent Notch Li shelter was perfect in the good weather, but if it had been windier or stormy as is quite common this far up Scotland. I would have been happier taking a shelter that was more suitable for high winds, like my Nordisk Telemark tent or the Terra Nova Laser Compact 1 tent.

Sleeping

I carried a down sleeping bag because they pack up smaller than a synthetic bag and they’re lighter weight. It was a good choice because I was able to air it regularly and keep it dry. I used a sleeping bag that I knew would keep me warm to temperatures 10C below what I expected. This way I knew it would still be warm enough if it got a little damp, but a synthetic one may be more suitable choice if you had more rain than I did, or you struggle with condensation inside your tent.

Inside the sleeping bag I used a Cocoon merino wool liner to protect the bag from dirt and sweat. I find it controls my body temperature well and is a lot nicer to sleep in than a silk liner. It’s a it bit of a luxury item because it’s a lot heavier than silk but I like it. It also means I don’t need to carry clothes to sleep in.

On this trip I used just one mat, often I take two on long trips in case one gets a puncture. The Thermarest Neoair Xtherm sleeping mat and it was perfect for the Cape Wrath Trail in April. It was warm and comfortable on some fairly uneven ground and some pretty cold nights. A lower R value and lighter weight mat would probably be ok as the night time temperatures only went down to about freezing. But it can be a lot colder this time of year and because I wasn’t carrying many spare clothes I aired on the side of comfort and safety.

Full gear review

Most of the gear that I took with me is my standard kit and I’ve reviewed it before. Please read my LEJOG and 3 Peaks Walk: full gear review for information on this gear.

Resupply

Resupplying on the Cape Wrath Trail can be difficult so I set off with 7 days food and had a 7 day resupply package at Kinlochewe. I didn’t book any accommodation and wild camped every night. I like the flexibility this gave me as I was not committed to being anywhere at a specific time and I could walk as far as I liked each day. But you could reduce the food weight by sending more parcels and resupplying more often. It is possible to buy supplies at a number of places on route but often this means leaving the main route. This also means buying what’s available and that will probably be heavier than the dehydrated meals and have a limited shelf life. This is fairly limited in the Kinlochewe shop, they do sell dehydrated meals but every time that I’ve been through, they’ve only had about 6 or 7 on their rack and not much other food suitable for hikers. But fine if you’re only resupplying to get you to Ullapool.

Weight saving note – The easiest and cheapest way to save pack weight is to carry less food and water. Planning well can save more weight than buying expensive light weight hiking gear, by knowing where you can resupply and not carrying more than you need to get you there.