- Home
- Students
- DofE
- Equipment Hire
Equipment Hire
For the expedition, participants will need to ensure they are fully equipped and prepared. The school training sessions will provide students with the skills and knowledge they need but they will also be required to bring the correct kit and equipment.
The equipment required for a DofE expedition varies according to the expected weather conditions, the terrain, and the length of the expedition. As a general guide, the official DofE Kit List gives a good indication of the kit required. The Kit guide below also offers advice on how to keep your equipment in top condition for longer meaning you need to replace things less frequently.
Cost Vs Quality
Adventuring can be expensive but you don't need top-of-the-range gear to undertake a DofE expedition. Having said that you get what you pay for. You need to make a decision about the quality of the gear you would like to purchase. A good rule of thumb is to spend a bit more on essential items like boots, waterproofs and your rucksack. These are the items that will have the greatest impact on your enjoyment of any outdoor experience.
Remember, safety should always be the top priority, so ensure that any gear you borrow or buy meets the necessary standards and requirements for the expedition. However, there are several ways to reduce the cost of acquiring all of the necessary equipment.
BORROW: Borrowing second-hand gear is a great way to share the costs between friends, family and neighbours, saving you money on items you may not need long-term.
HIRE: You can hire some of the more expensive equipment from the school's kit store, more on this below.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT: Check with your local outdoor clubs, and community programs to see if they have any stockpiles of second-hand gear or funding opportunities. They may have partnerships with outdoor gear providers, offering participants discounted rates.
DISCOUNT STORES AND SALES: Keep an eye on discount shops and seasonal reductions. Outdoor retailers such as GoOutdoors, Trespass and Mountain Warehouse all sell quality expedition clothing and camping equipment. TK Maxx also has a wide range of heavily discounted outdoor clothes and shoes. Subscribing to newsletters or following social media can give you advanced notice on flash sales and limited-time offers. Student Discounts can often be used in high street brands and DofE-approved outdoor retailers offer 10-15% off with a DofE discount card. These include Blacks, Millets, Ultimate Outdoors and Tiso.
SECOND-HAND ONLINE: Online platforms such as Vinted can be a treasure trove of affordable expedition gear, with the added environmental benefit of giving a new lifespan to second-hand cast-offs.
We love Kitsquad, a small organisation that takes on second-hand gear, tests its quality and condition, and then redistributes it. www.kitsquad.co.uk
Camping Recycled stocks ex-display and refurbished gear for discounted prices. www.campingrecycled.co.uk
Kit Hire
The school has a rudimentary kit store containing equipment for hire. The cost of hiring equipment is included in the registration fee for the award so there is nothing to pay (except for a refundable deposit to cover damages). Equipment available for hire includes; tents, cooking stoves, compasses, maps, first aid kits and storm shelters. If you want to hire equipment, you need to complete a kit hire request form (below) and return it to Mr Bibbington. Please note, kit is hired subject to availability and is issued on a first come, first served basis. Returning hire forms early is advised.
Packing for your expedition
Packing your rucksack before the expedition can be one of the most difficult parts of the expedition but if you don't take care to pack it properly, you could affect your enjoyment of the whole expedition. The video opposite provides some useful advice on what to pack and how to pack it.
If you have any questions regarding equipment, you should contact Mr Bibbington in the first instance.