Save weight on your Bronze, Silver and Gold DofE expedition kit lists

Thousands of young people venture into the great outdoors every year. Armed only with their wits and a backpack full of survival gear, adventure awaits. If you are one of these people read on. This series of articles will help you reduce the weight of what you have to carry without compromising your comfort or safety.

How much should your DofE pack weigh?

As you progress from Bronze to Gold Awards, the duration of your adventurous journey will increase. This means you will need to carry more. DofE suggests that your pack weight should not be more than 25% of your body weight. So if you weigh 50kg your pack should be no heavier than 12.5kg. This includes personal and shared equipment.

This is a guideline, and your personal circumstances may vary, but it gives us a starting point to work from. As far as we are concerned the lighter you can go the better.

How to save 2 kg from the weight of your DofE expedition

We have 6 guides to help you choose the best kit for your bronze, silver or gold expeditions. With these guides, you can make intelligent kit choices with meaningful weight savings that will serve you well beyond your expedition; until you too are old, crusty and schooling the young folk on what constitutes bad weather.

We are going to break this down into; clothing, sleep system, first aid and safety, rucksack, food and cooking and finally lighting to see if we can save at least 2kg from the reccommended kit list.

DofE expedition clothing: Save 250 grams whilst dressing for uncertain weather

Part 1 in this series shows you how to save at least 250 grams against the recommended expedition clothing options. By layering your clothing with dual-purpose waterproof, breathable, lightweight and fast-drying technical fabrics that work together to adapt to changing conditions. 250 grams might not sound much in isolation but we are going to be going through each area in turn, so it is going to add up to big savings.

Save weight on your expedition clothing

Choose a lightweight tent and sleeping bag: Shave 1 kg off your back and tame your wild camp

Part 2 gives you less to carry by saving weight on your tent, sleeping bag and camping mat - the essentials of a lightweight home away from home. This section has some of the greatest weight savings, whilst still ensuring your good night's sleep with a lightweight 1 to 2-person tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat.

Save 1 kg on your expedition sleep system

Safety: Save 200 grams and still be prepared for the unexpected

Part 3 in the series will cover what emergency safety kits you need for when accidents happen to either yourself or your equipment. Being prepared gives you the tools to react to and deal with unforeseen events.

Find out how to save around 200 grams on your expedition safety equipment

Carrying your DofE expedition kit: Start by cutting 600 grams off the weight of your rucksack

Part 4 will help you save weight on your pack without compromising the capacity, stability and agility you will need on the trail. Get ready to play Tetris, reduce fatigue, minimise disruptions and get to where you are going faster.

Is your backpack too heavy? Save 600 grams on your rucksack alone

Camping meals: Save 250 grams and eat tasty expedition food

Part 5 is our tastiest recipe. Food is a great motivator, and you don't need to pack the kitchen sink to prepare it. With a lightweight camping stove and a well-thought-out menu that is lightweight, calorie-dense, tasty, simple and efficient to cook with minimal waste, you won't be going hungry.

Pack more calories for less weight

Light that weighs less and lasts longer

Part 6 lights up your camp with a choice of head torches that are durable, hands-free, energy-efficient and suitable for bronze, silver and gold DofE expeditions.

Light that weighs less and lasts longer

Ready to get going? Our first recipe covers the clothing you will need to take on your expedition.

What are D of E expeditions?

If you are in the UK, the chances are that you will be on a D of E expedition. The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme is the most well-known organised outdoor adventure programme in the UK. Its expedition section is well supported by schools, scouts, guides and a whole tuck of approved activity providers to deliver camping, hiking, canoeing, and cycling expeditions.

Many of us know what a right of passage these programmes can be, kick-starting love affairs with the outdoors and founding friendships that last a lifetime. The experiences we find in these activities come to define us, and the stories we take away become more brazen and far-fetched with each telling.

What gear will you need for your DofE Award?

Activities like hiking, camping, canoeing, and cycling often require specialist kit. If you are new to these activities, the list of recommended kit can be mind-boggling, full of mumbo-jumbo and a hefty price tag to boot. Thankfully, the progressive nature of these programmes means you can often start with what you have and build it up as your experience and commitment increases.

There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing, is a patronising mantra often quoted by crusty mountain goats and the last thing you want to hear when you have made an effort to show up. Everyone has to start somewhere, and if you were to wait until you could afford the latest and greatest gear, you would be missing the point and much more beyond.

If you have a good activity provider, they may have a kit pool where you can borrow all or part of what you require. The Alpkit Foundation has provided essential funding to hundreds of scout groups, cadets and social enterprises, helping them replenish, build, or start their own Duke of Edinburgh kit pools.

366 Squadron received such an award and expedition leader Simon Tredinnick shared this report with us.

The award has helped to foster the spirit of adventure, teamwork and independence. With the 14 cadets who went on the expeditions between the 20th and the 22nd September, 5 are looking to take part in their gold award, which involves 4 days in remote areas where they will camp for three nights. Many are also taking an interest in overseas expeditions.

Often structured in progressive stages, the expeditions increase in difficulty and duration. Participants plan, train for, and execute their journey, developing navigation, campcraft, and first aid skills. They also learn to work collaboratively, often in diverse teams, to overcome practical and physical challenges.

The success of these programmes is down to the dedication and expertise of trained leaders, volunteers and parents. These experience makers give up their time and energy to deliver life-defining journeys to which we are all indebted.

We hope these guides will offer the practical advice you need to meet, or surpass, the mandatory expedition kit guidelines while carrying less.