Mountain Leader: My leader kit

This is the last of my "xray" diagrams for kit lists. This one is a typical(ish) ML leader pack. Containing a variety of items essential for leading groups in the mountains. This is by no means an exhaustive list and any ML or aspirant ML should pick their own kit based on their experience. My equipment listed below is everything I would take (although not everything is shown on the diagram)for a standard group day on the hill, any specialist items are not included, however these could include things like GPS, any books or guides for the area as required, I also list a sling in the equipment, if going for you ML assessment it is worth noting that some ML assessors do not allow the use of a sling and biner and some do. If you do have one, make sure you know how to use it correctly! Kit list:



Camelbak
Spare water
30m Confidence rope - Set up for easy use
240cm sling and HMS karabiner
Hardshell
Spare warm jacket
Food and emergency rations (in yellow stuff sack)
Headtorch
Phone
First aid kit
Group shelter
Penknife
GPS handset
Walking poles
Thermos flask with warm drink
Map

The above list is not exhaustive, but is generally what I carry when with groups, I add or take away items depending on time of year, group size/age/type, and the nature of the day.

I hope you have enjoyed the series of little diagrams in the last couple of posts, feel free to use these in any presentations etc, but please reference me or let me know if you do :)

Next post: FigFour Dry tooling....any good?

LifeSystems Mountain Leader First Aid Kit

RRP £45

So it’s been a while since I posted anything, I’ve bought a few things lately, but I prefer to field test things before writing a review. However I have recently upgrading my first aid kit.

Having a good first aid kit has always been important to me, especially with the amount of group work I do. Also I hold the REC level 4 first aid qualification and I am going for my REC level 5 and Expedition medic qualifications in August, so having a kit with the tools appropriate to my skills is important to me.



By this definition my previous kit was pretty useless, so I set about researching dedicated expedition kits for multi day expeditions with big groups, and eventually I concluded that the kit I wanted was Lifesystem’s Mountain Leader kit. I managed to track the kit down for £30 with free next day delivery from Amazon of all places! I have now been using the kit for a month or so, and I have to say I am a huge fan of this kit! Although (touch wood) I haven’t had to use anything from it really except for the odd cuts and bumps to kids at work, I have am very impressed with the layout of the kit and ease of use.



What I like most about the kit is the thought that has gone into it. For starters the kit uses the same system trauma kits Army medic use; the kit is compartmentalised into different sections. For example; Bleeding and wounds, Breaks and Fractures etc. This means in an emergency (or in the event someone needs to use the kit) everything is laid out simply and it is very easy to identify the section you need (see pics). In addition to the ease of use the kit comes with several very useful things:

A small roll of duct tape
A small working mat
A 12 hour light stick
Emergency shears for removing clothing
Tweezers

I know that reading this doesn’t sound like much, but to me the extra thought to include such items and also dedicated and labelled slots for them in the kit is just excellent quality.

To finish the kit off I added some bits of equipment I commonly use and would think need to be in a kit of this size:

Small GPS handset
Foil blanket
Spray plaster
Individual plasters
Casualty card and notebook.

I guess the above items are self explanatory, however I should point out the kit does include plasters, however they are those annoying rolls of plaster which you have to mess around cutting to the correct size, personally and in my experience it’s easier to carry both, along with spray plaster. The GPS is easy to keep in the kit and be there when you need it, and it weighs nothing, the unit I use is a Garmin Geko, not one I would use as my primary GPS set however it does the job of an emergency unit very well.

The kit also has plenty of space for expanding with your own items without having to remove anything. Waterproof sealed seam zips also ensure the kit stays dry.

Overall I love everything about this first aid kit, it is ideal for any outdoor professional, mountain leader or outdoor enthusiast looking for a great first aid kit, and what’s more £30 is a great price for everything you get with the kit, so if you are looking for a new kit check this one out on Amazon!