In May 2012, TGO's Equipment Editor Chris Townsend was among 314 backpackers who headed out from Scotland's west coast to the east, taking part in the annual TGO Challenge. Chris knows better than anybody else how important it is to have the right gear with you on a long-distance walk, and the list below details his choices for the TGO Challenge 2012. Reviews of many of these products are included in the current issue of TGO and can also be found here.

This month's TGO is a backpacking-themed special edition including an exclusive feature by Cameron McNeish, a report from this year's Fjallraven Classic and a backpacking and wild camping skills guide. It's also the only place to pick up an entry form for the TGO Challenge 2013 - don't miss your chance to enter!

TGO CHALLENGE GEAR 2012

Pack       

GoLite Quest (1400g)

Outdoor Designs 40-50 litre roll-top pack liner (161g)

Camping Equipment

Mountain Laurel Designs Trailstar shelter/OookTub floor (960g)

Valandre Mirage Sleeping Bag (630g)

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite Airbed (398g)

(replaced halfway with Therm-A-Rest Ultralite ¾ (480g))

OMM Duomat (143g)

Terra Nova Moonlite Sleeping Bag Cover (204g)

Kitchen     

Trail Designs Ti-Tri Caldera Cone (225g)

Evernew 0.9-litre titanium pan with lid (139g)

MSR Titan 0.6 litre titanium pan/mug (82g)

Go Outdoors long-handled polycarbonate spoon (15g)

MSR titanium spoon (15g)

Vaude Packers Towel/dishcloth (20g)

Light My Fire FireSteel (26g)

Gas lighter (18g)

GoLite 700ml water bottle (79g)

Platypus 1.5 & 2 litre water bottles (91g)

Footwear 

Inov8 Terroc & Custom Superfeet (698g)

Hi-Tec Owaka Sandals (562g)

Clothing

Teko Light Hiking Socks (91g)

SealSkinz Midweight Socks (104g)

Teko Midweight Hiking Socks (100g)

Montane Terra Pants (311g)

Rab MeCo Zip-T Shirt (238g)

Rab Micro Pull-On Polartec 100 fleece (267g)

Berghaus Mount Asgard Hybrid Down/Primaloft Jacket (437g)

Montane Litespeed windproof jacket (168g)

Westcomb Apoc Neoshell Jacket (452g)

(replaced halfway with Westcomb Switch LT Hoody (449))

GoLite Reed overtrousers (110g)

Rohan XStatic Briefs (51g)

Odlo Briefs (41g)

Woolpower Long Johns (192g)

Cotton baseball cap (77g)

Smartwool Cuffed Beanie (53g)

Original Buff (38g)

Terra Nova Sticky Thickies gloves (42g)

Terra Nova Guide Tuff Bag Overmitts (82g)

Navigation

OS Maps x 3 (249g)

Aloksak Map Case (33g)

Silva Ranger compass (35g)

TrailTech Summit Altimeter Watch (62g)

HTC Desire S smartphone with ViewRanger & 2 spare batteries (207g)

Aquapac Small Whanganui Case (35g)

Health & Hygiene

Lifesystems Light and Dry First Aid Kit (121g)

Part loo roll in plastic bag (53g)

Hand sanitiser (30g)

Toothbrush & paste (20g)

Sunscreen (65g)

Recording

Notebook & pens in Aloksak bag (195g)

Reading glasses in case (143g)

Kestrel 4500 Weather Station (109g)

Accessories

Pacer poles 3 section carbon (526g)

Petzl Tikka XP LED headlamp (76g)

Fox 40 Safety whistle (14g)

Repair Kit (85g)

Cotton bandanna (28g)

Leatherman Style CS knife (42g)

Sirius 8x21 mini binoculars (149g)

Dark glasses in case (70g)

Kindle + Aquapac Medium Whanganui Case (227g)

Ditty bag (29g)

Exped Fold Drybags, XS, S & M (164g)

Photography    

Sony NEX 7 + 18-55mm lens (584g)

Sony NEX 5 + 16mm lens (359g)

Padded cases (270g)

Smartcards, batteries & filters in SealLine Case (204g)

Cullman Backpack tripod/Gitzo Loisir head (597g)

Grand Total: 13501g

About 3.5kg was almost always worn or carried (clothing, poles, camera) so the basic pack weight was 10kg. With 6 days’ food and fuel at the start, the total pack weight was 16kg.