How to prepare for your expedition at home
Having good kit can make the difference between a successful and enjoyable expedition and one that is remembered for all the wrong reasons.” ALASDAIR, ASSESSOR NETWORK CO-ORDINATOR.
You might not know when your expeditions taking place but there are still ways you can get prepared at home while staying safe and following Government guidance. For now, the most important thing is to stay safe and follow Government guidance.
We’ve pulled together our favourite free expedition resources and ideas. They’ll help you understand what you might need for your expedition and how to make the experience as enjoyable as possible.
Grab a cup a tea (or coffee!) and work your way through the resources to understand how the right kit can help you on your journey and in camp.
Remember, you should always check with the DofE Leader that your kit is suitable for your specific expedition.
DofE Expedition Guide
The DofE Expedition Kit Guide is the starting point for getting yourself prepared.
Our guide is here to help you understand what kit you might need and is packed with tips from the experts, and money saving ideas – like putting a dry bag or a thick garden waste bag into your rucksack before you pack your kit to ensure it stays dry.
Although it’s aimed at walking expeditions, most information will be relevant whether you’re canoeing, cycling, or travelling a different way for your expedition.
DofE Expedition Kit List
After reading the DofE Kit Guide you should have a better idea of the type of expedition kit you might need. The next step is to check out the DofE Kit List to work out what kit you already have at home, what you might need and where you can get it.
It’s the essential checklist and features a range of DofE Recommended Kit from our partners. You can be sure that they are fit for expeditions, and know that when you purchase from them, they give back to the DofE charity and support our participants.
DofE Expedition Kit posters
Our expedition kit posters are easy to read and provide great advice on boots, rucksacks, weather protection and eating on an expedition.
What posters do we have?
- How to pack your rucksack: gives advice on what to pack where, to ensure everything fits and stays dry. We also have sample of a well packed rucksack here.
- Looking after your feet on expedition: tells you how to look after your feet before, during and after your expedition.
- Eating on a DofE expedition: covers cooking, eating, and snacking, preventing you getting hungry and keeping up your energy levels.
- Waterproofing and weather protection: features kit items that can help in hot, cold, wet, or windy weather.
DofE Expedition Kit blogs
We also have over fifty blogs with plenty of kit advice from us and our kit partners. Check them out!
Our top blogs:
- Why to layer on a DofE expedition
- How to choose your walking boots
- Everything you need to know about packing your expedition rucksack
- Expedition kit care
- Cooking on a DofE expedition
Want even more expedition kit advice? Visit our Expedition Kit resources
Don’t forget you can save at least 10%, and often more, with your DofE Card at our recommended retailers, GO Outdoors, Blacks, Millets, Ultimate Outdoors and Tiso online now and in store when they re-open. Not sure where your card is? Login to eDofE or the DofE app to download your Digital DofE Card.
*Please note all images in this blog were taken before March 2020, prior to social distancing requirements.
