Home What Kit to Bring

What Kit to Bring

Equipment you'll need for your time here

Equipment lists

Glenmore Lodge has a large, and very comprehensive store of up to date clothing and equipment. You are welcome to use your own equipment and pick and choose odd items from the store. Your instructor will want to check that personal equipment is appropriate for the activity, particularly in winter.

If you are thinking about buying equipment (things like ice axe, boots and crampons in particular for the winter courses) but are not too sure what to get we would advise you to come and try our equipment and then make your purchases after the course. We have a range of most equipment items you can try during the course and there is advice on hand from other students as well as the staff.

Equipment you will need to bring that we do not have in the stores:

Listed here are the essentials, this is not an exhaustive list.

Summer

All Courses Paddling and Mountaineering
Basic outdoor warm clothing, thick socks, underwear, shirts (thin layers are usually better than one thick one), fleeces, hats and gloves. General trekking trousers are recommended, not jeans though. For paddling courses it is advisable to wear a thermal vest or thin fleece tops (bring a selection) and bathing costume under the wet suit.
Thermos flask / water bottle available in our shop.
Box or bag for packed lunch.

Swimming costume for the sauna / pool / kayaking. A towel is supplied but you may wish to bring your own particularly if you are on a paddling course. Gym kit if you wish to use the gym. Small personal first aid kit, wash bag, sun glasses, sun screen, insect repellent, (these small items are available in our shop) and an alarm clock.

If you are not on a climbing course but wish to use the indoor wall you should bring your own harness belay device and rock shoes, ropes are provided.

For open canoe courses Spey descent etc. A pair of wellies are very useful.

Winter

As for summer, but thicker mountaineering trousers are advisable and thermal underwear. Ski Goggles for all winter hill based courses (should have double lens to avoid misting up, you cannot see, or map read without them in strong winds and snow), available in our shop.

Headtorch, essential in winter, Petzl produce a wide range. LED lights are excellent for map reading at night but do not necessarily give a beam to see well ahead. Many torches now offer a combination of bulbs which gives great flexibility. (available in our shop)

Spare gloves/ mittens (available in our shop) and waterproof outers and a spare hat are essential items for winter and should be considered for summer hill courses as well.

Small personal first aid kit, wash bag, sun glasses, sun screen, (these small items are available in our shop) and an alarm clock.

Specifically for ML courses
Goretex bivi bag for Winter ML training and assessment. You may prefer to use your own sleeping bag, cooker etc. Although we have these in stores. We hold Karrimats but no inflatable camping mattresses.

All Mountain Based Courses Except Rock Climbing
Maps and waterproof map case. For all walking courses you need a waterproof 1:50,000 map of the Cairngorms, for ML courses a 1:25,000 is also useful. We sell maps and map cases in our shop. Compass, we recommend a Silva expedition Mark 4, available in our shop.

If you have digital mapping at home then print an area of the Cairngorms within the following co-ordinates. It will be several sheets of A4 but covers all the main variety of options we might use in a week depending on the weather. Very occasionally we might go outside that area but we have some mapping for that eventuality.

South West Corner 95 98
South East Corner 05 98
North West Corner 95 14
North East corner 05 14

Mountain Biking
We do have a limited supply of mountain bikes and biking equipment. However we would advise you to bring your own equipment including bike, helmet, gloves, repair kit, tools and bike computer if possible.

Alpine Bikes sponsor our Mountain Biking department and are based just down the road from us. They hire and sell everything you may need. See their website or tel: 0131 225 3286

Not available from stores:

Maps and waterproof map case.
For all walking courses you need a waterproof 1:50,000 map of the Cairngorms. For ML courses a 1:25,000 is also useful. We sell maps and map cases in our shop.

Compass:
For all mountain and sea kayak courses, we recommend a Silva Expedition Mark 4. Available in our shop.

Thermos Flask & Water Bottle
Available in our shop.

Ski Goggles
For all winter hill based courses (should have double lens to avoid misting up) as you cannot see or map read without them in strong winds and snow. Available in our shop.

Headtorch
Essential in winter, Petzl produce a wide range. LED lights are excellent for map reading at night but do not necessarily give a beam to see well ahead. Many torches now offer a combination of bulbs which gives greater flexibility.

Spare gloves/mittens and waterproof outers
Spare gloves/mittens and waterproof outers and a spare hat are essential items for winter and should be considered for summer hill courses as well.

Swimming costume
For the sauna/pool/kayaking. Atowel is supplied but you may wish to bring your own particularly if you are on a paddling course. Small personal first aid kit, wash bag, sun glasses, sun cream, insect repellent, (these small items are available in our shop) and an alarm clock.

If you are not on a climbing course but wish to use the indoor wall you should bring your own harness and rock shoes.

Glenmore Stores can supply:

Walking/Navigation/Environmental/First Aid
Waterproof jackets and trousers. Boots, leather in summer and plastic in winter & gaiters. Rucksac - both day sacs and expedition sacs are available. Ice axes and crampons.

Mountaineering/Scrambling/Summer & Winter Climbing
Helmet, harness, rock shoes. All technical climbing equipment, ropes, specialised winter climbing tools. Snowholing equipment (shovel, saw, transceiver & avalanche probe)

Ski Mountaineering
Skis with bindings, skins, boots, poles, transceivers, all winter mountaineering gear as above.

We do not have any downhill skis for ski leader courses.

Mountain Spirit sponsor our Ski Mountaineering department and are conveniently located in Aviemore. They hire and sell all you may need. See their website or telephone: 01479 811788

Camping Equipment - ML's, Spey Descent, some hill courses.
You are welcome to bring all your own camping gear.

Sleeping bag & liner. Karrimat, Tent - 2 & 3 person, cookers (Trangias & Primus) we have paraffin and meths only. If you prefer to use your own stove you must bring the fuel for it. Pots and pans, cutlery and plastic mug.

Kayaking/Canoeing/Swift Water Rescue
We have a range of some of the latest river kayaks from Pyranha and other top manufacturers. All our sea kayaks are this year's models from P&H. Our open boats are all new from Mad River. The surf kayaks are also of up to date design.

We use a range of paddles depending on the activity, primarily Lendal for sea kayaking and Werner for river kayaking. There are specialist additional open boating items such as poles.

Bouyancy aids, helmets, spray decks, canoe cag, wet suits, wet suit booties, dry suits for Swift Water Rescue courses and out of season kayak courses. Large dry bags, barrels for open boat expeditions, throw lines.

Mountain Biking
We do have a limited supply of mountain bikes and biking equipment. However we would advise you to bring your own equipment including bike, helmet, gloves, repair kit, tools and bike computer if possible.

PLEASE NOTE: There is often second hand kit for sale in the stores, including boats. Please call the office for more details.

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