Guide to Bushwalking

By Harry Cramer

Introduction

This article has been written for those that are doing bushwalking for the first time. From our experience in our business we are having young people coming to us wanting to do the walks set out under the Duke of Edinburgh scheme but are given no guidance from their supervisor. In some cases the supervisor has been directed into this role as part of the job as a teacher and have had no experience in this role previously. What we endeavour to do with this article is to provide a guide to assist all those participating.

Backpacking

Over the years a lot has been written on the art of bushwalking, by those that made it an art. Some that I have walked with, to keep the weight down in their packs would even go to the lengths of cutting off the handle of their toothbrush.

Having been through the Scouting movement and a leader for 15 years, when giving a talk to a Scout Troop I advise them that some parents have a tendency of assisting in the packing of the pack. With this comes the friendly advice like "You had better take this in case". As a result the pack gets heaver and heaver, but then they do not have to carry the pack, you do. Keep to your list and keep the weight down.

A lot has happened to the design of camping equipment over the last 15 to 20 years especially with backpacks and tents as well as food. The packs of today are ergonomically designed, and have features that were not thought of on the old style packs. The old style packs, the weight was carried on the shoulders, which became sore after a short distance and padding like towels or pieces of foam were used to pad the shoulders.

A good back pack of today has built in features like, an in-built or internal frame that can be moulded to the shape of the back, compression straps to pull or compress the load, with a fully adjustable harness and a padded waist belt. This padded belt does not go around the waist but around the pelvic girdle and takes the main weight of the pack, so it needs to be tight.With the old style pack this belt did not exist and as a result the shoulders would take the weight, compressing the spinal column and finally the legs carried the load. With the new design, the weight is transferred directly into the legs and the shoulder straps are there only to guide the load.

Over the years we have strived to supply a pack that meets all critera that have been listed above and have over time assisted in the development of such a pack. Unfortunately the DMH brand is no more and this pack was going to disappear.

We have taken the steps to have this pack manufactured and now have them available from our store at a budget price. We can post Australia wide.
The Rhine Back Pack has been tried and tested by schools, Scouts, Guides, and Duke of Edinburgh participants over the years, with over 20,000 of these packs being sold and is big enough to take all your equipment, being 75 litres. For description and review a PDF is attached
There is no reason when the pack is of sufficient size to have half of the equipment hanging on the out side of the pack tied on with string. This is how expensive equipment is damaged or lost.

The pack with all your equipment, including food and water should not weigh more than one fifth (1/5) of your weight for an adolescent or a quarter(1/4) of your weight for an adult.

What you must do

Before you set off on a bush walk there are things that you are advised to do. It is a very good idea to let authorities like the Police or National Parks Office in the area where you are going to be advised. This can be done by calling in to their office or by phone or even E Mail your trip plan to them. By doing this it shows that you are being responsible and they might even advise you with local knowledge that will assist you like where water is available. What your group needs to do is advise them the route you intend to take and how long you estimate that it will take you and give them a list of your party and contacts. This eliminates a lot of problems that can occur if by chance an accident does happen or you have become overdue to some unforeseen circumstances. It is a good idea to take a PLB or EPIRB with you if available. See note on these at the bottom of this article on this subject.

Back Packing Tents

These are a lightweight tent designed to be carried in a back pack by bush walkers. These do not have a lot of room, just enough room to sleep. These are usually one or two person tents with the weight being a big consideration, but a rule of thumb 1kg to 1.5kg per person is the usual thing. Tent consists of a Nylon fly with a breathable inner, poly or oxford nylon floor with a fibreglass or alloy pole system.

Carrying of the tent can be shared when in a group. It can be split up so each member of the group has a portion of the tent. For example, with a three-man tent, one carries the poles, one the fly and pegs and one the inner of the tent. This is fairly even way to carry this piece of equipment. With a two man tent one carries the inner and pegs and the other the poles and the fly.

Keep the cooking and dining equipment to a minimum. The Australian Army has been using Dixie units with a folding handle for over 90 years. These can be used for boiling water or cooking food on open fire or on a stove and also for eating from. Keep the load down to a minimum. Think about what you are going to take, make a list, talk to the group and plan what you are going to eat, wear, drink, and sleeping arrangements, and how to carry it all. The main aim is to keep the weight down to a minimum, remember you have to carry it.

Bushwalking

To enjoy bushwalking there are five golden rules that have to be followed, otherwise you will not enjoy your selves. I thought of doing only a small section on this but through feed-back from the web page and also customers I was asked to expand this section for there are a lot of young people doing The Duke of Edinburgh Scheme that would like more information. So here goes.

1. Look after your feet, without these you get nowhere.
2. Dress according to the conditions
3. Eat well
4. Have a good comfortable and properly adjusted backpack
5. Have the right sleeping equipment

Let us take a look at these five points that I have listed above in closer detail.

1. Look after your feet.

To go on a hike or bushwalk you have to be able to walk. A good pair of walking shoes or boots is an essential part of your equipment, for the last thing you want are blisters on your feet. If they do occur then it can be a very painful experience. Thick woollen socks are very good way protect your feet. While on foot-care, don't forget to cut your toenails before going bushwalking, especially the big ones. I have seen people that have neglected to do this simple thing, and have after the first day blisters have formed under the big toe nails. (A very painful experience)

2. Dress according to the conditions.

Places like Barrington Tops can still get very cold of a night, even in summer so take a warm jumper or a fleece. You will find that most bushwalkers walk in shorts, even when raining. Wet pants can cause a lot of body heat loss, which could lead to hypothermia. You are better with quick drying pants rather than jeans as they take a long time to dry once wet.

3. Food.

Make sure that the food that you take is going to give you enough energy to carry out this physical activity. It is a good idea to take a bag of nuts, cashew, raisins, and smarties, jellybeans etc. in a resealable glad bag. These can be munched on along the way and give you that short term extra energy. Mars bars are very good for this as well, but don't try to live on them. You need something more substantial for main meals. Rice is a very good lightweight meal. This can be dressed up with a beef cube or some curry powder and some raisins could also be added.

Noodles and also freeze-dried food can also be considered. Tubes of condensed milk are also available. Breakfast could be weet-bix or muesli and make up some milk with powdered milk. Just remember that you don't want food that will spoil. Sit down and do a menu and work out what you are going to have for each meal and also look at the weight as well. Take the time to plan is the only way. Discuss with those that are going with you. What needs to be cooked and remember no tins as these have to be carried out by you. Resealable glad bags are a good way to portion out meals instead of taking packets.

Cooking can be done over an open fire where they are allowed but it is advisable also to take a stove. There are a few different types of stoves available to consider, but remember it must be light weight. There are also self heating bags that are called Flameless Heater Pack that will cook a Back Country meal in about 20 minutes by just adding 50mls of water to the heater pack. This pack will heat 2 single serves or a double serve pack. These packs and food are available from All Camping Supplies

4. Stoves.

Solid fuel or Hexamine stove are what the army use and are a very efficient and safe way of cooking as it is light, folds up to nothing and cheap. One tablet will burn for 15 minutes and if cooking has not been completed just shove another tablet into the stove. If more heat is required then the tablet can be broken in half and then the burning time is reduced. If cooking has been completed and there is still some tablet left, tip the stove over and throw a bit of dirt over the burning tablet and snuff it out. Wait till it is cooled and put it back in the packet for use next time. Don't waste a resource. These stoves are not to be used in confined spaces.

Please note: I have been told there is a directive by the Dept of Public Schools that these stoves are not to be used by students of Public schools. I have E mailed the department to get conformation as to this ruling but at this stage they have not replied to my request. I will amend this note once I get an answer to my request, if I ever do. Until then please check with your co-ordinator to find out if these stoves are acceptible for your school.

Metho burning stoves are another way of going but personally I do not like them as there have been some nasty accidents with them, plus the fact that you have to carry a large container of fuel for it. The best known of these is the Trangia units as these come as a cook set with 2 part surround that holds the burner and the top section that holds the frypan or the cooking pot. The Metho burner when filled to its capacity with the metho will burn for 15 minutes. If you have not finished cooking the burner would need to be refilled, and when doing so make sure the unit is out before the filling takes place. It is at this stage extreme care must be taken as if the flame is not out a flare-up may occur when the burner is refilled. It is very hard to see metho burning especially when the unit is in sun light.

Gas stoves are another type of stove that are very popular with cadets and those doing their D of E hikes and approved by Dept of Public Schools. There are a variety of these on the market with some of these stoves available with piezo ignition. These are efficient and the heat output is adjustable but also add to the weight as you need to take enough gas cylinders to do the trip.

Liquid burning stoves are also available with some that can use a variety of fuels like Kerosene, and others that burn shellite or petrol and some that work on all forms of fuel by changing the jet. These are more fuel efficient than gas with full control over the heat output but more expensive than the gas stoves but cheaper to run and finish up a lighter alternative for extended trips. There is now also available stoves that can convert to a fuel stove without a conversion kit but these stoves are very expensive.

Lastly we have the Vital Survival Stove that will burn anything that is combustible in the way of sticks , bark, pine cones etc. It is not like any other stove on the market and if doing an extended trip must be considered. It is heavier than any of the others that have been discussed above but the big advantage is you do not have to carry any gas or liquid fuel for it. You can always pick up a few sticks along the way to use as fuel. This stoves runs on 2 AA Batteries. The unit weighs 700 grams and the batteries will give you between 35 and 40 hours of cooking time It is ideal for the motor bike tourer as you are not carrying any flammable fuel and one big advantage with this stove is it can be carried on an aircraft as there is no dangerous goods attached to it. Ideal if doing a trip where you have to catch a plane to say Tasmania or in the back of your four wheel drive or for your survival kit if you are in an area where there are cyclones or earthquakes. The application for this stove are endless and these are just a couple of ideas for its application. You will find a video on this stove in the shop section of our web site.

5. Having a good nights sleep.

A cold night is the longest night that you will ever endure. Having the correct sleeping equipment is most important. If you don't have a good night sleep then you will not enjoy the outing. You will become irritable and become a pain to the rest of the group with your moans etc.

Sleeping bags. This is a subject not to be taken lightly. Choosing the correct sleeping bag for the conditions that you could encounter is essential. The conditions can change dramatically from one day to the next, to such an extent, I have seen snow fall in January on Barrington Tops where we had 40ºC only days before. Sleeping bags can be for summer where other bags are for the depths of winter and others for in-between these. Just remember that you are not buying a sleeping bag for the one off event, but for say the next fifteen to twenty years, if it's looked after. One way to assist in looking after your bag, is by using a sleeping bag liner. There are available in cotton as well as silk. These will assist in keeping the sleeping bag clean. You only have to wash the sheet instead of the bag.

Synthetic type Sleeping Bags have come a long way in the last few years with new types of insulation materials and the one we sell the most of is the Roman Palm Passport as this is a -5ºC Bag and only weighs 1.2kg

Down Sleeping Bags for the same temperature rating are much more expensive, and unless you are going to get really serious about bushwalking and camping then a synthetic bag will do the job just as well.

If you chose to go to a down type sleeping bag, get one that has the box wall construction style or the slant wall type. With these types you can re-position the down in the bag and change the temperature rating of the bag by the re-distribution of the down. This type of bag of the correct rating is available at a cost, and can be used from the middle of summer to the middle of winter with the correct amount of down fill.

It is better to get a good sleeping bag in the beginning. Don't go out and buy the cheapie as it most probably will not do job of keeping you warm which means you do not get a good nights sleep. After this type of experience you then have to go out and buy the one you should have purchased in the first place. When the cost is spread out over the years of happy camping and the times it is used, it's not very much, but it seems a lot at the time when you purchase the correct sleeping bag.

EPIRB or PLB

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon or Personal Location Beacon are devices that are used in the time of a life threatening emergency. When they are activated they transmit a signal to a satellite. The satellite then re transmits to the control centre in Canberra the co-ordinates of the transmission who then contact the appropriate origination to carry out the rescue. Once the beacon has been activated do not move from that location. This is important as we have had situations where the beacon has been activated and the people have kept on moving and this confuses the search operation.

If you are doing a walk in the Blue Mountains it is well advised to take an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) or PLB (Personal Location Beacon) with you. There is no reason not to take one as they are available from the Police Stations at Katoomba and Springwood to bushwalkers for FREE. All you have to do is call into the Police Station and fill out a registration form with some form of proof of identity and they will issue one to you. The Phone Numbers for Katoomba Police Station is (02) 4782 8199 and Springwood Police Station (02)47510299

I hope this article is of assistance to you in the planning for your next bushwalking experience and enjoying the great Australian outdoors

©Harry Cramer 2011