Packing List – Trips

For this trip, you will need a hiking (65 – 80L). (More info follows)

Pack these items into a large garbage inside your backpack: ü Quantity Description 1 Pants (nylon) 1 (fleece or wool) 1 (polypropylene) 1 Long underwear bottoms (polypropylene) 1 (long sleeve) 1 T-shirt 3 (pairs) 2 Underwear 1 Toque 1 Mittens or Gloves 1 1 Small towel (quick dry)

Pack these items into an accessible location in your backpack: ü Description Rain Rain pants 2 Water bottles Toilet paper (1/2 roll in Ziploc bag) Hand sanitizer (small bottle) Sunscreen Water purification system or water (for creek crossings) & Sun 3 Garbage (heavy duty) Gaiters

Pack these items into your backpack: ü Description in compression sack (0°C or below) Sleeping pad Wash kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, lipbalm)

These are optional items you may choose to bring: ü Description Camera in waterproof case Personal medications (in original ) Plastic bags (for wet items) Spending money (snacks en route, etc.) Trekking poles Change of clothes (to leave on bus for trip home)

Wear these things FROM THE ABOVE LISTS on the first day of the trip: ü Description Sun hat Hiking Pants (nylon) Shirt (quick dry) Underwear Socks Sweater or (waterproof with alarm)

Do not bring any other electronics (phones, iPods, etc.) on trip with you – they will be confiscated by the instructors.

Packing List – Kayak Trips

For this trip, you will need to bring your items in a duffle bag or large ikea bag. Use dry sacks (20L max size) or small stuff sacks lined with a garbage bag to keep gear dry. The duffle bag allows all of the items to be carried easily to the kayaks. When it is time to pack the kayaks, all of the equipment will be taken out of the duffle bag and the bag will be left on the bus.

Pack these items into a dry sac: ü Quantity Description 1 Pants (nylon) 1 Sweater (fleece or wool) 1 Long underwear top (polypropylene) 1 Long underwear bottoms (polypropylene) 2 T-shirt 2 Socks (pairs) 2 Underwear 2 Toque 1 Mittens or Gloves 1 Shorts

Pack these items into a small bag that can sit on your lap (10 litre ): ü Description Rain jacket Rain pants 2 Water bottles Toilet paper (1/2 roll in Ziploc bag) Hand sanitizer (small bottle) Sunscreen & Sun Hat Water purification system Sunglasses

Pack these items into your duffle bag: ü Description Sleeping pad Wash kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, lipbalm) Neoprene Booties (or other shoes that can get wet) shoes to wear around camp

Pack these items into a dry sac: ü Description Sleeping bag (0°C or below) Flashlight or headlamp

These are optional items you may choose to bring: ü Description Camera Personal medications (in original containers) Plastic bags (for wet items) Change of clothes (to leave on bus for trip home)

Wear these things FROM THE ABOVE LISTS on the first day of the trip: ü Description Sun hat Running shoes Pants (nylon) Shirt (quick dry) Underwear Socks Sweater or windbreaker Watch (waterproof with alarm) Neoprene booties (bring these to wear upon arrival)

Do not bring any other electronics (phones, iPods, etc.) on trip with you – they will be confiscated by the instructors. Packing List – Canoe Trips

For this trip, you will need to bring your items in a duffle bag or large ikea bag. Use dry sacks (30L max size) or small stuff sacks lined with a garbage bag to keep gear dry. Your items will be transferred into a canoe pack that you will share with another student upon arrival at school and the duffle bag will be left at school.

For this trip, you will need at least one dry sack. The maximum size for your dry sack should be 30 L.

Pack these items into a dry sack: ü Quantity Description 1 Pants (nylon) 1 Sweater (fleece or wool) 1 Long underwear top (polypropylene) 1 Long underwear bottoms (polypropylene) 2 T-shirt 2 Socks (pairs) 2 Underwear 1 Toque 1 Mittens or Gloves 1 Shorts

Pack these items into your duffle bag: ü Description Rain jacket Rain pants 2 Water bottles Toilet paper (1/2 roll in Ziploc bag) Hand sanitizer (small bottle) Sunscreen Water purification system Shoes/Boots for wearing at camp Sunglasses & Sun Hat

Pack these items into the duffle bag: ü Description Sleeping bag in compression sack (0°C or below) Sleeping pad Wash kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, lipbalm) Flashlight or headlamp Running shoes to wear around camp (stay dry) Sturdy running shoes that can get wet for paddling (water shoes and sandals are not appropriate)

These are optional items you may choose to bring: ü Description Camera Personal medications in original containers Plastic bags (for wet items) Change of clothes (to leave on bus for trip home)

Wear these things FROM THE ABOVE LISTS on the first day of the trip: ü Description Sun hat Sturdy running shoes that can get wet for paddling Pants (nylon) Shirt (quick dry) Underwear Socks Sweater or windbreaker Watch (waterproof with alarm)

Do not bring any other electronics (phones, iPods, etc.) on trip with you – they will be confiscated by the instructors.

Information about Equipment

This information is provided as an overview of the equipment that will be required for outdoor education programs. Please note it is NOT our goal to have families rush out and spend a great deal of money on expensive new equipment. Rather, it is our hope that we can assist you in making good use of existing equipment that you own or may borrow. If you are going to make new purchases this information will hopefully assist you in spending your money wisely.

Suggested Retailers

There are many outdoor stores in Vancouver who can assist with providing appropriate equipment. Below are some of the stores that tend to have a wide selection and staff knowledgeable about the products available.

Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) 130 West Broadway 604 872 7858

Three Vets Ltd 2200 Yukon Street 604 872 5475

Hiking – Packs

For the hiking trips, you will need a large backpack (65L – 80L in size) that can carry all of your equipment. Less than 65 litres will not be adequate.

It is important to line the inside of your entire pack with a large or a pack liner. Options are large orange garden bags, airline pack bags or recycling bags. Everything in your pack (except your water bottles) should go in the bag and then the top is rolled to make a seal. Don’t bother with waterproof pack covers. These covers, which fit over the whole pack, don’t work as well as a plastic liner bag, add extra weight and are easy to lose.

To keep dry within the pack, polyurethane-coated nylon dry sacs can be used. These are lightweight and are appropriate for both hiking and canoe/kayaking activities.

Recommended Products: MEC Brio 75 Backpack - $139 MEC Ibex 80 Backpack - $149 MEC Weigh Lite Dry Bag - $20

Canoeing and Kayaking

Canoe trippers and kayakers will take a number of small waterproof bags that will fit into the hatches of the kayak or into a large canoe pack.

Carry all your various dry bags to school on the first day of trip in a large duffle bag or ikea bag which will be left behind.

Dry bags made of stiff plastic or vinyl (Seal-Line, etc.) are great for canoeing and kayaking, but are too heavy and difficult to pack for hiking trips. If purchasing new dry bags, choose polyurethane- coated nylon dry sacs so that they can be used for both hiking and canoe/kayaking in the future.

Kayakers must not have dry bags larger than 20L, as they don’t fit inside the hatch of the kayak.

Recommended Products: MEC Weigh Lite Dry Bag - $20 MEC Brooks Dry Bag - $10 - $24

Sleeping Bags and Pads

Because you will be , your sleeping bag should be rated to at least 0°C and pack into a . Large rectangular “summer cottage bags” that roll up to the size of a large duffle bag are not suitable. If you are unsure of your bag’s warmth, consider purchasing a synthetic sleeping bag or a synthetic bag liner. Down-filled bags are NOT recommended for trips. Down bags are expensive and MUST be kept dry as they have almost no insulating value when wet (this can be a real challenge on many trips). If you are planning on purchasing a new bag consider a synthetic 3-season mummy-shaped bag that is rated to -7°C. The advantage of a synthetic bag is that it remains warm even when wet. It is important to have a waterproof bag for your sleeping bag. You can get waterproof compression sacks that reduce the size of the sleeping bag and keep it dry.

Recommended Products: MEC Centaurus -9°C Sleeping Bag - $179 Outdoor Research AirPurge Sack - $38

Sleeping pads are also required to insulate you from the cold ground. These come in two main types: fixed foam insulation (Ensolite, Aerolite, Rigid Rest, etc.) or inflatable pads (Thermarest).

Recommended Products: MEC Reactor 3.8 Sleeping Pad - $77 Thermarest Prolite Plus Sleeping Pad - $105

Rain Gear

All participants need a waterproof (coated PVC, Gore-Tex or Entrant) hooded rain jacket. Pants are highly recommended for all trips and are required for five-day trips. If you cannot stay completely dry in the shower while wearing your rain gear, it is not acceptable.

For hiking or movement, a waterproof and breathable fabric is desirable. The problem is that the more waterproof a fabric is, the less breathable and vice-versa. They are also quite expensive. If you are considering a waterproof breathable garment go with something light, sacrifice the bells and (they add weight) and make sure it has a good . These fabrics need to be looked after. Keep them clean, wash them often, follow the care instructions and keep them for trips where you need them.

School team are not waterproof and are not adequate for your trip.

Recommendations – Jacket: Good: MEC Aquanator 2 Jacket - $110 Good: MEC Hydrofoil Jacket - $145

Recommendations – Pants: Good: MEC Hydrofoil Pants - $90 Better: MEC Typhoon Pants (Gore Tex) - $160

Clothing & Accessories

As a general rule, avoid for all of your clothing. When wet, cotton does not keep you warm and is difficult to dry out. Instead, use wool or synthetic fabrics that will dry quickly. Most athletic clothing is made of synthetic fabrics.

You should also plan to in layers. In this way, you can stay comfortable while moving and be able to layer up at times when you stop (at breaks and in camp). On a cold day, typical layering might be long underwear bottoms and nylon pants along with a long underwear shirt, a polyester shirt, a fleece and a rain jacket on top. Wool socks, a warm hat and wool or fleece gloves will top things off. On a warm day, nylon shorts and a polyester t-shirt might be sufficient. Even on a hot day, a cotton t-shirt will be soaked with sweat and will cause over-cooling when activity stops. It gets cool at night, so be prepared for a wide range of temperatures.

Pants

Jeans are not appropriate for outdoor education trips. Instead, wear nylon pants.

Sweater

Your sweater should be made of either fleece or wool. A cotton is useless when wet.

Socks

Having warm and comfortable feet is important. You should wear wool socks, as they will keep your feet warm even when wet. Cotton socks are not appropriate for any of the activities.

Hikers who experience problems with blisters may wish to wear two pairs of socks: a lightweight pair of nylon socks underneath the wool socks.

For those on paddling trips, neoprene socks or booties are an appropriate choice for keeping feet warm while on the water. MEC sells a basic model for about $10.

Sunscreen

You only need a small amount of sunscreen. Bring a small bottle and do not bring aerosol cans. You may also choose to share with another member of your group.

Water Treatment

Each student will need a water treatment system. The Outdoor Education department recommends Pristine Chlorine Dioxide treatment (shown on right). One set of bottles should be enough for the week. Tablets are not recommended because they take too long to work. Students may elect to share a water treatment system with another student.

Recommendations: Pristine 2-part chlorine dioxide treatment system - $19

Water Bottle

You should have 2 water bottles that have a lid that screws on tightly and does not leak. Each bottle should be one litre.

Footwear – Hiking Trips

On hiking trips, you will need sturdy hiking boots that provide good ankle support. Higher quality boots will also be waterproof, provided that they have been treated correctly. Some trips will also require for creek crossings.

It is very important that you wear your hiking boots for several days prior to going on trip. Wearing your boots for the first time when on trip is likely to result in blisters. The school has given permission for students to wear their hiking boots to school for the week before the trip instead of their regular dress shoes.

Gaiters Gaiters are a fabric “” that go on the outside of your boots to keep dirt, rocks, snow and sand out of your boots. They should go from just below your knee and cover most of the laces on your . A solid strap should go under the arch of the foot to stop the gaiter from pulling up. Gore Tex is nice because it breathes but any fabric will suffice. Try to get a Velcro closure at the side or front as zippers jam and fail.

Recommendations: MEC Kokanee 2 Gore-Tex Gaiters - $45

Footwear – Kayaking

In total, you will need two pairs of footwear. While in the kayak, you should wear a pair of old running shoes or neoprene booties. You should take a second set of footwear to have as “dry shoes” to wear at camp.

Recommendations: MEC Moque Boots (High) - $39

Footwear – Canoe Trip

In total, you will need two pairs of footwear. While in the canoe, you should wear a pair of old running shoes that can get wet and provide support when carrying gear in rough and slippery terrain. You should take a second set of footwear to have as “dry shoes” to wear at camp.