Anyone else going on Ten tors this year? I am with a few from my squadron, 
, looking forward to it!
Anyone know what will be going on at Okehampton? Also, what should be in the “Survival bag” :S ?
Are the boots that most people wear to cadets ok? (When you do night ex’s etc)
Thanks,
Cadet_bobby_b
Is using the MTP jacket as the coat a good idea? Or not? :?
Here is an idea of the weather over the least few years.
As you can see, teams have had to cope with potential dehydration to sleet/hyperthermia conditions!! If it is windy, but cold, then a Gortex jacket will keep the wind out if needed.
Boots - it all depends on the type of boot, your feet, & your fitness levels. Wearing the same pair that you wear to cadets may not be a good idea. How durable are they? Are they waterproof (in the early morning, dew can soak your boots in 30 mins)? How far have you walked in them? I’m sure that your unit will do some training, but you really need to start some distance walking with your boots to see how your feet feel in them.
Survival bag - as per weather options above! I’m sure that you will get guidance. Space blanket? High energy food bars? Bivvy bag??
So the MTP issued jacket is a good idea?
take a look at TenTors website and their facebook account, there’s lots of stuff on there that will be useful…
as for the specific stuff, the boots you need are boots that fit, are comfortable, and will support our ankles as you plummet for the 50th time through tussock grass - the standard military boot - called the ‘assualt boot’, which looks like this will do the job perfectly well in most conditions - assuming it fits…
your survival bag is a plastic, gore-tex or foil bag about the size of a sleeping bag that you keep rolled up in your rucksack - its an emergency shelter for you to climb into should something bad happen, its not comfortable, and its not fun - but it will keep you alive. personally, i keep mine in a small bag along with a Snickers bar, whistle, and emergency head-torch. nothing improves morale like chocolate and light…
with regards to your clothing, you’ll have to check that camouflage clothing is acceptable - on some of these events its not. check. personally i find the standard MTP windproof smock to be fine in pretty much any weather, but you must have a fully waterproof jacket and trousers, its up to you whether thats of a type you’re happy to wear all day, even when its not raining, or of a type that you only lob on on the nastiest of weather - this will depend on what your other clothing is like. if you’re wearing stuff like Buffalo or softshell you’ll need your waterproofs less, if you’re wearing fleece etc… you’ll need it more - assuming it rains.
you’ve lots of time between now and May - do some walking in your boots, get them in good nick, and ask your team manager to start going through kit etc… as soon as possible so you’ve time to work out whats best for you.
Okay, hopefully my mum will be able to get th survival bag from sports direct today. Will I need the sleeping bag for Okehampton?
Thanks so far!
Cadet_bobby_b
You need to speak to your team manager.
Standard cadet boots - depends on what you’ve got - they may pass scrutineering, but the ten tors scrutes will be looking for vibram type soles. If you’ve got the older combat boots, these won’t be.
MTP jacket - will pass scrutineering, but we tend not to like them for ten tors - if you have foul weather and the staff are trying to track your progress remotely across the moor then wearing a camouflaged jacket isn’t ideal…however if it’s all you’ve got then it’ll be ok. I assume you also have a decent pair of waterproof trousers ?
Sleeping bag - you’ll need one at Oke camp, even for the hard accomodation. Don’t go out and buy a new one until you’ve spoken to your team manager - I’ve seen loads of people have issues on ten tors scrutineering with sleeping bags, because theirs wasn’t correctly rated to the right comfort level. Don’t assume because it was expensive that it’ll pass !
If you haven’t already done so, buy a bag of really heavy duty rubble sacks (NOT bin liners) from your local DIY store to stick your kit in inside your rucksack (which despite any claims the manufacturers make, won’t be Dartmoor-waterproof). Unless you’ve already paid out for proper dry bags, these are a passable cheap alternative
In summary and what I always tell the teams I manage, if this is your first event ask your manager before buying anything, to make sure it’s going to get through scrutineering. I’ve seen loads of cadets over the years turn up with the latest gucci kit, only to be told it wasn’t suitable for the event, or if it was to decide on week 2 that they don’t actually like walking ! If this is your first weekend’s training then it should be accepted by the staff that you may be deficient in some items, that’s why we have training weekends ! As long as it’s not fundamental like not having boots and waterproofs it shouldn’t stop you from walking on the first weekend training, as the distance / terrain will usually be geared to the fact that some inexperienced cadets will turn up, especially on a 35 team.
I have the black British army assault boots. Really comfy and have like squishy stuff on the bit where the bottom of your foot goes
I’ll pack my MTP jacket, but also another one that might be good enough. What happens if you don’t have the right stuff on the first training weekend? (Okehampton)
Also, what happens if you don’t have a survival bag?
Thanks all!
Cadet_bobby_b
Great first weekend, inches of snow and lots of fog, bogs and ice! Got trspped in a few bogs and fell through lots of ice but it was great! 18 miles on the first day and 14 today :cheer:
Thanks for the help all! 
excellent, glad you enjoyed it.
so, now you’re back the best thing to do is to sit down and think about your clothing, boots, equipment and skills - and those of the other people you were with - and write down your observations: what worked, what didn’t - and what worked well in the weather you were in but might not go so well on a warmish May weekend…
what are the skills you need to concentrate on - cooking, sorting out the tent, nav, kit packing?
is there anything you took that turned out to be massive overkill, is there anything you now think ‘actually, that would have been very useful…’?
Great to hear you had a good time Bobby. A friend of mine did the Ten Tors a few years back and he still maintains it’s one of the toughest things he’s done, falling just behind Nijmegen on the difficulty scale but ahead of having to eat a slug (true story).
Sage advice from angus indeed, I personally always found map reading a doddle in the classroom but when it came to actually translating it onto the ground in front of me, I was stumped!
Good luck for the rest of the event, and let us know how you get on.
Thanks all!
Yh I’m doing ten tours 35 miles with one other person from my squadron. The orange ( whatever other colour ) survival bag should be folded up and put at the front of ur 60ltr bag. Your only supposed to use it in emergencies e.g blizzards. The combat boots are allowed but walking/hiking boots are recommended because they’re more comfortable and are less prone to give u blisters.
Hello again! At the scrutineering weekend they told me I needed a new sleeping bag, so I have been looking around and found this one:
http://www.mountainwarehouse.com/camping/sleeping-bags/3-4-season-sleeping-bags/summit-250-sleeping-bag-p11488.aspx?cl=GREEN
What do you reckon?
Looks fine to me for a summer exped, assuming that you aren’t of a wider girth and looking for a more capacious bag.
What is it replacing?
From the 10-T kit list :
“Three seasons; comfort rated down to 0o C”
The one you’re looking at is 3-4 seasons rated to -1C. However (and this is important), please check with the manufacturer that the information is printed either on the bag or the compression sack. The 10-T scrutes won’t accept it unless it’s got the evidence written on it !
Sleeping bags are a common fail on scrutineering.