FIELD EQUIPMENT

• Quality, suitability and performance of field clothing

  All new parkas and wind jackets should be a bright colour (yellow). Black, blue and green simply do not show up in the Dry Valley landscapes.

• Performance and design of field equipment such as tents, technical climbing equipment, kitchen gear, primus boxes, sleep kits and sledges

  Lots of new gear coming on line, but proceed with caution. The old stuff works well and is tried and tested. Field parties were given choices on the new gear which is a good way to proceed. The new Macpac dome tents should not have been taken into the field without the modified flys.

• 20 person day ration box system

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  OK for some uses but generally need to be repacked in to breakfeast, lunch and dinner for longer duration events; Field support people need to be flexible on this; Rationing of certain foods for field parties does not seem appropriate in some cases.