Question:
Hi
My 13 year old son is in the air cadets (brilliant) and he's brought home a long kit list to use on his Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
Appreciate any advice on what and where to buy (wait for it....)
Large rucksack (55-65 litres)
Stong plastic rucksack liner
Roll mat
Warm coat (fleece)
Thermal t-shirt/vest
Insect repellent
Mess tins
Metal mug
Stove & fuel (gas)
Water purification tablets
Emergency rations (signed & sealed)
First aid kit
Survival bag
Expedition safety card
Doesn't have to be new but like good quality kit. Need to buy PDQ (2 weeks!)
Will give thanks if I can find the button
Any DoE experts out there......
Thanks
Allan
Answers:
I don't know if expert is the word but as the mum of 2 cadets, one now too old, but who has the gold award I have plenty of experience of paying for kit.
First of all speak to the stores officer at the squadron because they have a lot of kit in most squadrons which new cadets can borrow, also if the local authority has a D o E department they may have some kit to lend too.
The Squadron leader at our squadron always tells parents not to rush out and spend a fortune on the first expedition.
If you need to buy stuff there are a few places on the internet like who are pretty cheap and deliver quickly, I also know a couple of local camping/ outdoors shops where they sell good quality kit cheaply, sports soccer do jackets for reasonable prices.
I hope your son gets as much out of the cadets as my two have, DD went to Canada on the International Cadet Exchange and DS is a Glider Pilot and has been on lots of exciting weekends away etc.
Answers:
Do you have an Army surplus store near you .... they will sell almost everything you need.
Answers:
I am in the Army and has seen this sort of list a hundred times just a few tips if i may,
Rucksac liner just to keep kit dry as rucksac will not be waterproof a cheap alternative is a heavy duty bin bag,
insect repellant ensure it contains a high % of DEET this is the active ingrediant (dont buy the jungle formular you see in shops this is an insect attractant i know from experiance)
Metal Mug not a good idea a the rim gets hot on the lip ( thermal mugs far better you can pick them up for a couple of pound in most supermarkets)
Gas stove (if you can not get one though the ATC then i would suggest buying a coleman stove the gas cannisters have screw threads easier and safer to store not the blue style camping Gaz stove where the cannister gets a punched hole from the stove)
Emergency rations ( the pasta in in bag type supermarkets, easy to store in rucksac anda couple of bars of chocolate(high energy))
First aid kit (make this up yourself a few plasters and bandages)
Survival bag ( this time of year should be ok but places like millets sell them for a few pound)
Hope this may be of some help, and your son enjoys his exped
Lee
Answers:
HI aldi have camping stuff going cheap at the moment like mats and mummy sleeping bags and also a 70litre backpack for £16.99
Answers:
Hi
Thanks to all the posters - some great advice there which I'll follow up.
Great tips Lee - any more welcome!
No backpacks left in the Chester Aldi (pity)
Have fun
Allan
Answers:
Tesco had some camping gear yesterday might be worth a look if you are still after the kit list.