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<h1>Expo Personal Gear List</h1>

<p>First time on Expo: What should I take? Read on... No apologies are made for
the simplistic approach, and no responsibility is accepted for errors or
omissions ;-) Make sure you have at least the Essentials; consider taking the
Extras for a more pleasant time, but don't fret if you can't get them.  The
Excessive sections are for the gearists...</p>

<p>It's a good idea (for caving generally, but particularly for Expo) to settle
on a particular combination of colours of electrical insulation tape, and label
absolutely everything you own with the stuff. To see which combinations are
available, have a look <a
href="http://cucc.survex.com/cucc/tapes03.shtml">here</a>.  Tape
<em>everything</em>, not just your caving gear; while one karabiner looks much
like another, it's equally true that one karrimat looks much like another. (One
CUCC member has even been known to put gear tape on his mobile phone!)</p> 

<h3>Clothes</h3>

<p>Expo can be hot, cold, wet or dry, or (more usually) all of
these in rapid succession and combination!</p>
<ul>
 <li>Essentials
 <ul>
  <li>Sunshades, sun cream, sunhat - do not underestimate the power of the
	sun when wandering across the plateau!</li>
  <li>Woolly hat, gloves.</li>
  <li>Raincoat, jumpers, shirts, shorts, trousers - remember that denim 
	isn't good when wet.</li>
  <li>Underwear.</li>
  <li>Socks - lots of them! Ideally ones that enable you to have at least
	two pairs on when wearing your walking boots. You'll need to have some
	drying and some to wear.</li>
  <li>Boots - waterproof walking boots are better than non-waterproof
	ones. Make sure you get ones with good ankle support, for
	boulder-hopping (have a look at some of the photos of the plateau on this
	website and you'll see what I mean).</li>
  <li>Trainers or other such footwear for wearing on the journey, into Bad
	Aussee or when you've had enough of clumping round in boots.</li>
 </ul></li>
 <li>Extras
 <ul>
  <li>Waterproof over-trousers - highly recommended.</li>
  <li>Gaiters - keeps the snow and/or water out of your socks.</li>
 </ul></li>
</ul>

<h3>Camping equipment</h3>
<ul>
 <li>Essentials
 <ul>
  <li>Karrimat. Ideally a crap one you can afford to totally trash, as the
	floor of the stone bridge bivvy consists of large and sharp stones.
	Therm-a-rests are not a good idea, for the same reason.</li>
  <li>Sleeping bag - make sure it's warm, 3 season at least; it's not uncommon
	for there to be a few inches of snow on the plateau.</li>
  <li>Knife, fork, spoon, mug.</li>
  <li>Plate, bowl and/or mess tin - choose the mess tin(s): you can use them
	both to cook in and eat out of - less washing up! (Alternatively, get both, and
	leave the mess tins at the bivvy.)</li>
  <li>Head torch (e.g. Zoom).</li>
  <li>Batteries and/or charger for above. (We'll relax the gear-taping
	directive for batteries...)</li>
  <li>Cigarette lighter</li>
 </ul></li>
 <li>Extras
 <ul>
  <li>Second (rather lower-spec) sleeping bag, for using at base camp. This
	means you don't have to carry your sleeping bag across the plateau every
	time.</li>
  <li>Second karrimat, for the same reason.</li>
  <li>Stove for top camp - ideally powered by petrol or paraffin.</li>
  <li>Penknife - some people would regard this as essential.</li>
  <li>Base camp tent - more or less any waterproof one will do. (The club does
	have some, but not that many, and you are likely to end up sharing with lots of
	other smelly cavers!)</li>
 </ul></li>
 <li>Excessive (this section could go on and on...)
 <ul>
  <li>Inflatable pillow - if, like me, clothes in a stuff sack just don't cut
	it...</li>
 </ul></li>
</ul>

<h3>Caving equipment</h3>
<ul>
 <li>Essentials
 <ul>
  <li>Oversuit, undersuit, wetsocks, kneepads, wellies, helmet, gloves.</li>
  <li>Shreddies - several pairs?</li>
  <li>Light - preferably long-duration LED or carbide, or you'll be going down
	the hill for recharging after every trip. If you use LED's, make sure you have
	enough batteries for 30-40 hours caving between recharging stops; and don't
	forget to bring your charger! (A Continental plug adapter for it might also be
	a good idea.)</li>
  <li>Backup light - probably a small electric (Princeton Tec LED ones are
	good, but expensive).</li>
  <li>SRT kit. Absolutely imperative that you gear
	tape up the bits.</li>
  <li>Karabiners - the more the merrier! Have you ever seen someone with too
	many?</li>
  <li>Emergency whistle.</li>
  <li>13mm spanner (open ended) for bolting. Good idea to attach it to yourself
	in some suitably clever manner.</li>
  <li>Dangly bag, large enough for:
  <ul>
   <li>Spare batteries &amp; bulbs.</li>
   <li>Spare carbide (in waterproof container!) if you use carbide.</li>
   <li>Flapjack, fudge, chocolate bars, tube of condensed milk, etc.</li>
   <li>Water bottle.</li>
   <li>Survival bag (this could live in a pocket.)</li>
   <li>Small first aid kit, in waterproof container, containing
   <ul>
    <li>Candle - nightlight type is good.</li>
    <li>Cigarette lighter/matches.</li>
    <li>Plasters.</li>
    <li>Bandage.</li>
    <li>Any drugs you need, e.g. Asthma inhaler (should this be in your
pocket instead?).</li>
   </ul></li>
   <li>Maybe your entire SRT kit too, if you're going through a tight
	section or have a long way to go before you get to the pitches.</li>
   <li>Sturdy bag or more suitable container, should you need to relieve
	yourself of some solids in the cave...</li>
  </ul></li>
 </ul></li>
 <li>Extras
 <ul>
  <li>Thermal vest and leggings - could be essential. The caves are cold and
	there will be periods of waiting around and slow survey work.</li>
  <li>Balaclava - see above.</li>
  <li>Those triangular maillons for putting on your gear loops on your
	harness.</li>
  <li>Emergency knife (in case you are involved in a mid-rope rescue - but make
	sure you know what you're doing before you start slashing around!)</li>
  <li>Pulley. Indispensable if you ever have to haul people, and a great help
	even for tackle sacks. The Petzl Fixe P05 is adequate and cheap, but needs to
	be used with an oval krab.</li>
 </ul></li>
 <li>Excessive
 <ul>
  <li>Ice gear - ice axe, crampons, ice boots, ice screws, etc - essential
	if you're tackling the icy areas of Eish&ouml;hle.</li>
  <li>Skyhooks - pair of, for clawing your way across blank walls when
	rigging.</li>
  <li>Camera, packaged in a waterproof, highly visible, indestructible,
	tiny, zero-mass box...</li>
  <li>Bolting kit</li>
 </ul></li>
</ul>

<h3>Miscellaneous</h3>
<ul>
 <li>Essentials
 <ul>
  <li>Rucksack.</li>
  <li>Compass.</li>
  <li>Water bottle.</li>
  <li>Toiletries - toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.</li>
  <li>Flannel &amp; towel.</li>
  <li>Glasses/contact lenses &amp; spares if you need them.</li>
  <li>Bivvy bag - emergency shelter anywhere. The plateau can become
	unfriendly very quickly. Erin and Earl had to resort to bivvy bags when
	caught by a storm on the Hinter in 1999. You could use the one from
	your caving gear, or get a proper camping one too. (Warning - fancy ones can be
	ludicrously expensive!)</li>
  <li>Plastic bags - the secret to dry clothes is bags in bags, with spare
	bags to hand...</li>
  <li>Reserve supply of gear tape, unless you need to relabel anything.</li>
  <li>Money - although if you're a mean, awkward, skinflint you could get
	through Expo without spending anything, you will probably want to spend money
	on postcards, personal 'nice food' and tourist stuff on days off. Most people
	pay for the Expo shopping at some time; this will count as credit towards your
	Expo bill. There are Visa cash dispensers in Bad Aussee.</li>
  <li>Passport.</li>
  <li>Form E111.</li>
  <li>BCRA insurance (normally arranged for you by Expo committee).</li>
  <li>Food for the journey out.</li>
  <li>PVC (TSA/Meander) oversuit owners: appropriate patching kit.</li>
 </ul></li>
 <li>Extras
 <ul>
  <li>Camera &amp; film.</li>
  <li>Cash for the journey (in Euros).</li>
  <li>If you plan spending some serious time festering, you may want a good
	book. Even if you don't plan to do so, it will almost certainly piss
	with rain at some point, and enforced festering will be the order of
	the day. There are some books at base camp, most of which could be
	charitably described as execrable.</li>
 </ul></li>
 <li>Excessive
 <ul>
  <li>GPS receiver.</li>
  <li>Handheld computer (e.g. Psion) - can be loaded with the Expo website
	for on-site information...</li>
  <li>Spare stuff - suppose you break (eek!) your jammer? There is a climbing
	shop in the next town.</li>
 </ul></li>
</ul>

<p><em>Original by Earl Merson, 1999; edited and updated David Loeffler, 2003</em></p>
<hr />

<ul id="links">
<li>Back to <a href="../index.htm">CUCC Home page</a></li>
<li>Back to <a href="index.htm">Expedition Intro page</a></li>
<li><b>Main Indices:</b>
<ul>
<li><a href="infodx.htm"><b>Index</b> to Expo</a> information pages</li>
<li><a href="areas.htm">Description of CUCC's area</a> and split to subareas</li>
<li>Full <a href="indxal.htm">Index to cave descriptions</a> in area 1623</li>
<li>List of (links to) <a href="pubs.htm">published reports and logbooks</a></li>
</ul></li>
<li><b>Pictures:</b>
<ul>
<li><a href="gall0.htm">Text only Index</a></li>
<li><a href="gallery/0.htm">Index pages (with thumbnails)</a></li>
</ul></li>
<li>Table of <a href="folk/index.htm"><b>members</b> of CUCC expeditions</a> 1976-present</li>
</ul>
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