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Posted

Any Hiking Enthusiasts out there?

 

Myself and a couple of buddies (all non-hikers) are planning to do the Otter Trail in November, but getting many different opinions and advice from previous hikers that did it...

 

What would you recommend (To those who have done it) to actually take with?:

 

  • Size Back Pack
  • Foodstuffs?
  • Clothes?
  • How to cross the river (a section of the trail suggests that you need to get through the river to continue with the trail)
  • Or just any advice regarding this beautiful scenic piece of Heaven in our beutiful country

I used to do day hikes before in and around Cape Town area, but no overnight hikes... So I'm new to this....

 

Looking forward to this discussion...

 

Oh, and where's the best place to buy the things that we would/might need? I've been to various hiking shops (Outdoor Warehouse/Cape Union Mart, etc.), shoo, didn't expect stuff to be that expensive....

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Posted

You couldn't have posted this thread at a better time.  I've just committed to joining friends on a 5 day hike - doing the Tsitsikamma hiking trail (cheaper than Otter and the likes).

 

Also need to get proper equipment etc.  I have an awesome day pack that I bought for hiking with my 8 year old (which means I carry all the food and clothing for the kids) but it won't be big enough for a multi-day hike unless we take the option of them transporting our bag between huts.

Posted

You couldn't have posted this thread at a better time.  I've just committed to joining friends on a 5 day hike - doing the Tsitsikamma hiking trail (cheaper than Otter and the likes).

 

Also need to get proper equipment etc.  I have an awesome day pack that I bought for hiking with my 8 year old (which means I carry all the food and clothing for the kids) but it won't be big enough for a multi-day hike unless we take the option of them transporting our bag between huts.

 

That's the thing with different hiking trails... I know the whale trail, the rangers carries the big bags between the huts, but the Otter, you have to carry your own stuff...

 

So, bigger bag definitely needed, but at the same time, What size and how strenuous to actually carry it?

 

So yeah... Looking forward to advice as well...

Posted

I do a bit of hiking. Used to do a great deal of it. Getting back to it now. Just bought a new pack, boots and tent. Off to the Berg in August. Did the Fish river a few weeks ago.

 

I prefer a bigger bag. Most packs have compression straps so if you don't fill its not a big issue and is only very slightly heavier than a smaller bag. I carry a 115L. My girlfriend who is very small carries a 65L. Berg in winter I try not to go over 20kg. Otter you should not have to go over 15KG. No tents needed.

 

A light pack is under 20% of your body weight. Medium about 25%. Heavy is around a third. A third of your body weight is tough. Very tough. Try not to go there. 

Posted

You couldn't have posted this thread at a better time.  I've just committed to joining friends on a 5 day hike - doing the Tsitsikamma hiking trail (cheaper than Otter and the likes).

 

Also need to get proper equipment etc.  I have an awesome day pack that I bought for hiking with my 8 year old (which means I carry all the food and clothing for the kids) but it won't be big enough for a multi-day hike unless we take the option of them transporting our bag between huts.

you doing the slack pack option ? glamping as they say ?

Posted

I always carried a 65L/75L Vaude pack in my scouting days, love that pack super comfy well into and over the 1/3rd body weight cat. 

 

Buy a pack with dividable inside, mine has a split at the bottom (Thats where the 65/75 comes from) handy especially on otter for wet goods... 

Posted (edited)

ok - quality is critical...you can buy cheap and and it will be great for a while..but wont last. My pack, sleeping bag, stove, waterproofings etc are all over 25 years old and still just as capable as ever. Used my sleeping bag in the snow on the berg 2 weeks ago and cosy as anything. 

 

As for pack size...my pack is 55l and its not gonna be enough for a grand traverse in the cold, but it is for anything under 5 days with snow ready gear included. If I were to buy a new pack i would go for a 60l...but for the otter my 55l would be more than enough.

 

River crossings and general waterproofings: I have been in torrential thunderstorm and not had anything get wet. You can try and believe bs marketing hype about waterproof packs etc..but the way I have and always will is I have 2 large (just smaller than black bag) thick plastic hiking specific bags. 1 for my clothes and 1 for my sleeping bag. Both fastened with tight clasps. For the rest - food and fuel  - you can just use plastic bags. that will be more than sufficient for river crossings. An old orange juice or wine bladder also makes a useful water collector and flotation device.

 

cookers...otter trail has all the cooking facilities provided in the huts I think. But if not, your options are really gas cookers or meths cookers (in the economical range that is...you can get benzine cookers etc..but frankly they are not much better). I cant stand gas cookers and have always used meths cookers because of their efficiency in high altitude and just damn nifty.

 

Clothes...the less you have the less weight you have. Quickdry shirt and shorts. I usually only use one per per hike. if my shirt gets drenched from a rainstorm..then i use one of my evening layers the next day, or carry a small shirt. unless you there to pick up girls..so what if you smell a bit at the end of the hike..your shoulders legs and hips will be more thankful.

 

Food - go as light as possible - we normally go for 2 minute noodles with pre-cooked dehydrated mince or tuna...biltong for lunch with salticrax and cheese wedges and maybe some dried fruit and nuts...oats for brekkies

 

mat...spend 800 bucks and get one of those first ascent air filled mats..I realised this last hike I am told old for those foam ones now.

 

hope that helps

Edited by Stretch
Posted

I do a bit of hiking. Used to do a great deal of it. Getting back to it now. Just bought a new pack, boots and tent. Off to the Berg in August. Did the Fish river a few weeks ago.

 

 

 

my business partner was there around the 13th June

Posted

my business partner was there around the 13th June

 A 54 year old man was hiking on the same day as us, nice guy, we spoke to him  and his partner a few times a day. He had a heart attack on the last step of the hike, literally. They were doing CPR on him as we came in.

Posted

 A 54 year old man was hiking on the same day as us, nice guy, we spoke to him  and his partner a few times a day. He had a heart attack on the last step of the hike, literally. They were doing CPR on him as we came in.

 

hectic!

Posted

you doing the slack pack option ? glamping as they say ?

 

We are cheapskates so will be carrying all our own stuff.  Its R800 per night to move the bags for 1-5 people.  We are only 3 people so its an extra R1333 per person to not carry our own hiking packs.  Might was well put that money towards a decent hiking back pack that I can reuse in the future.

Posted

I typed up a huge response but somehow lost it...but Stretch has basically covered it all. 

 

I did Otter around 15 years ago...Agree completely on the bag size. Nothing more than 60-65l will be more than enough for Otter. The bigger the bag the bigger the temptation to pack the house. The biggest I've used was a 80l and that was climbing a 7000m peak on a 3 week expedition - including a -30 sleeping bag and down jacket with food.

 

I generally use one zip-off type long pair of trousers for at least 5 days at a time and will probably take 2 quick-dry shirts, a light fleece and a top. Couple of pairs of underwear. Also swam a lot in the rivers/pools and ocean on Otter.

 

Food wise stuff like Oats-so-Easy / Futerelife type porridge you get in a sachet works fine. Snacks/lunch go for biltong/droewors/salami/trailmix/tuna sachets etc. Dinner can be Knorr packet pasta/2 minute noodles. For the 1st night on Otter I carried a lekker vacuum packed steak, if you are prepared to carry the weight go for it!

 

Agree with the quality. If you buy good quality the stuff can last for ages!

Posted

I do a bit of hiking. Used to do a great deal of it. Getting back to it now. Just bought a new pack, boots and tent. Off to the Berg in August. Did the Fish river a few weeks ago.

 

I prefer a bigger bag. Most packs have compression straps so if you don't fill its not a big issue and is only very slightly heavier than a smaller bag. I carry a 115L. My girlfriend who is very small carries a 65L. Berg in winter I try not to go over 20kg. Otter you should not have to go over 15KG. No tents needed.

 

A light pack is under 20% of your body weight. Medium about 25%. Heavy is around a third. A third of your body weight is tough. Very tough. Try not to go there. 

 

Where did you buy from if I may ask?

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