Gear Freaks

Just a smal selection of the gear for Archipaddlo
Planning an expedition the extent of Archipaddlo requires a huge amount of time to research equipment options. Gear must meet certain criteria - it must be compact, lightweight and dependable. Where possible it must also have multiple uses and the more waterproof the better.

This page is a list of gear that we are using during the Archipaddlo Expedition. Just think, all of this can fit into just two kayaks!!


Communications & Power:

Apple Macbook Air 11 Inch (1.6GHz / 4MB / 128GB) in a Pelican 1080 Laptop case.
DC Charger for Macbook (From Mike Guyver)
2 x Iomega 1TB Select 2.5" External USB 2.0 Hard Drive.
Apple iPhone 3 with iDry Case & global roaming (can be used as modem in 3G coverage)
Iridium 9555 Sat Phone with 12V Charger and 500 minutes prepaid time.
X-Gate email compression software from Global Marine Networks
GME GX620 Hand Held Marine VHF Transceiver
2 x Brunton SolarRoll 14W Flexible Solar Panels
1 x Brunton SolarRoll 4.5W Flexible Solar Panel
3 x Brunton Solar Controller (regulator)
2 x 12V Lead Acid Sealed battery 7.2AH
1 x 12V Lead Acid Sealed battery 9AH
DC AA Chargers (x 2) for headtorches, lantern and GPS units.
Multimeter
Spare parts for electronics

Navigation & Safety:

2 x GME Accusat Pocket Pro+ MT410G Personal Locator Beacons
1 x Garmin GPSMAP 78SC 
1 x Garmin GPSMAP 78S
(Garmin) BlueChart G2 maps on SD Micro card for PNG and Indonesia.
Navionics marine chart software on the iPhone
2 x Silva 58 Kayak Compass
2 x Silva Ranger 3 Compass
1 Pack of 8 Pen Flares
2 x Red handheld flares (Day flares)
2 x Orange handheld smoke flares (Night flares)
Sea Marker Dye
Cyalume Sticks
2 x V-Sheet
4 x Sighting mirror
Plastic Whistles (about 10)
1 x Wristwatch (Casio)
1 x Bushnel Binoculars 10 x 25 compact waterproof
1 x Captain's Log (Notebook for recording daily position - requirement for entering PNG)
1 x STS Money Belt
Our most critical safety gear is stored in a dry bag on the deck of the kayak at all times. This dry bag is then tethered to our spray decks so that in the unlikely event that we capsize and are separated from our boats we will have essential signalling and survival equipment with us.

Cameras:

1 x Olympus PEN PL-1 with twin lens kit - 14-42 and 40-150mm
Both lenses have UV & polarising filters
Zoom lens has Hoya Macro 1 + 2 + 4 Macro filters
1 x Pelican 1150 Case for Olympus Camera
2 x GoPro Hero Surf with several mounts and attachments.
We are hoping to obtain 2 x Panasonic Lumix FT-3 cameras for this expedition but will not be released until April 2011, after our departure date. We will attempt to receive these cameras later in the expedition.
Gorillapod SLR
All cameras have 16GB SD cards.
6 x USB Storage devices (1GB to 4 GB) for sending photos or info back to Australia.
STS Pocket Umbrella for sheltering Olympus camera in rain or sun

Kayaking:

2 x Mission Eco Bezhig with small modifications:
- Deck bungees have been replaced with 4mm shock cord & several extras added
- Additional attachment and tow points have been added
- Foot pegs have been moved towards the stern by 15cm to make more clear storage room in front of the foot mounts.
- Internal bungees and attachments for securing gear
- Internal attachments for securing and hiding Pelican cases with passports in cockpit
- Many stainless fittings have been replaced to make them more streamlined inside the cockpit and hatches, or more easily replaced in the field.
- Extra fittings such as Ronstan C-Cleats placed on deck for controlling sails.
- Spare kayak parts including stainless fittings, bungee cord, spare rudder, rudder cable, silicone.
4 x Solution Helium Carbon Paddles with Smart (2-piece) Shaft
2 x Solution Passage Flexi-Fit Spray Decks
2 x Pacific Action Hi-Viz 1.0sqm sails
Cooper Anchor (Nylon) - we have decided to take just one anchor as it seems to adequately secure the two kayaks together in a range of conditions
4 x Solution Paddle Leash (also used to tether us to our emergency gear dry bags)
2 x Solution Bilge Pump
2 x Sea Anchor
1 x POE Paddle Float
Mission Throw Rope 15m
5mm Accessory Cord secured to front of boat.
2 x Inflatable dinghy rollers to be able to roll kayaks (instead of wheels)
1 x Solution Road Trip flexible roof rack for transporting Kayaks to Cairns
2 x Solution Cockpit Cover for transporting Kayaks to Cairns
2 x Boat fenders for transporting Kayaks to Cairns

Storage:

2 x Solution Access Deck Bag
STS Big River Dry Bags - Tapered 35L, 20L & 13L
STS Dry Sack Light - 1L, 2L, 4L, 8L, 13L & 20L
STS Evac Dry Sacks - 3L & 5L
STS Compression Dry Sack - L, M, S & XS
STS Ultrasil Stuff Sack - S, XS & XXS
STS Padded Pouches - M & L
STS Trash Sack
STS TPU Accessory Case - M & L
STS Peg & Utensil Bag
STS TPU Map Cases Medium
STS Ultra-sil Shopping Bags
STS Ultra-sil Day Pack
STS Garment Mesh Bag
Pelican 1080 for Macbook Air
2 x Pelican 1050 for electronics
2 x Pelican 1020 for passports and hard drives
Pelican 1060 for sat phone & accessories
Pelican 1120 for deck-mounted battery (cord is permanently siliconed into place)
Pelican 1150 for Olympus Camera
Custom made PVC sealed pipe storage for solar panels & fishing gear. Approximately 30cm long with screw cap at one end. Made from both 90mm and 100mm PVC

Shelter, Sleeping Gear & General Camping:

Black Diamond Vista Tent
Black Diamond Vista Ground Cloth
Wilderness Equipment Overhang Siliconised Large (we'll also use this tarp to catch drinking water)
2 x Wilderness Equipment Overhang Siliconised Medium
2 x Hennessy Expedition A-Sym Hammocks (The tarp on Justin's hammock has been replaced with one of the medium WE Overhangs)
2 x POE Ether Thermo inflatable mats with bamboo insulation
2 x STS Silk Cotton Liner - double that has been converted to a 3/4 width with a pillow slip
2 x STS Thermolite Reactor Extreme
2 x STS Travel Pillow
2 x POE Stretch Base Chair
Equip impregnated double mosquito net
2 x Black Diamond Icon Headlamp
Black Diamond Apollo Lantern
Princeton Tec Impact II Torch (Water Proof)

Eating, Drinking & Hygiene:

STS Pack Tap - 10L, 6L & 2L (44L capacity each)
2 x Source 3L bladders (with tube)
1 x 2L stainless billy
1 x 30cm fry pan (Campfire brand) with removable handle for easy storage
1 x 4L pressure cooker (pressure valve removed so it can work as a camp oven
 - pressure cooker has been adapted to also become a water desalinator still with brass fittings and copper pipe. Most of the fittings & cooling tube fit inside the pressure cooker.
Steripen Adventurer - water purifier
1 x MSR XGK EX stove with 2 x fuel bottles (1000ml + 600ml
Cigarette lighters, waterproof matches and Light My Fire flints
2 x STS X-Set 3 Piece (collapsible cup, bowl and plate)
STS Kitcken Kit Large
STS Polycarbonate cutlery
STS Wilderness Wash Citronella
2 x STS Folding bucket 10L
STS Kitchen Sink 10L
STS Clothesline
STS Pocket Shower
STS Drylite Towel Large
Salt water soap
General dental (toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss)
General toiletries
Toilet Paper has been vacuum sealed to reduce volume.
STS Pocket Trowel (iPood)
1 x Comb for cutting Lain's hair (scissors in first aid kit)

Clothing:

Buff High-UV Head Gear - Head wraps and reversible caps
STS Wyndham Hat
STS Pilbara Hat
2 x Adapt-A-Cap Flippa
Long sleeved rashie shirts for paddling and snorkelling
Columbia and Mountain Hardwear long sleeved, collared shirts (UPF 50+)
Mountain Hardwear Epic waterproof jackets
1 x Thermal top and pants each
1 x T-Shirt each
Long pants for insect protection
Board shorts
Swimming costumes
2 x pairs of boxers/knickers each
Croakies - strings to hold sunnies around neck.
1 x Pair of spare sunnies each

Fishing:

Our fishing focus is on trolling for medium sized fish, hand spearing and not losing gear. We are beginning this expedition as novice fishers with just a little bit of kayak fishing and hand-spearing experience.
2 x Mask & Snorkel
1 x 3-piece Hand Spear (Land and Sea Sports)
 - 4 x Hand spear heads
 - 4 x Hand spear rubbers, individually vacuum sealed.
3 x hand reels - different sizes
Range of lures of different shapes and sizes
10 x 1m steel traces fitted with swivels
Range of hooks of different shapes and sizes - approximately 80 hooks
Swivels of different sizes
Roll of VB Cord for hand lines
6mm Bungee cord for attaching hand reels to kayak deck
2 x rolls fishing line of different weights
16 x Lead sinkers for bottom bashing
Floating pliers
Fish hook remover
Filleting gloves

Recreation:

Books - to start the expedition we are taking a small selection of reference books on topics such as bird identification, wilderness navigation, fish ID and bush tucker.
Diary
Drawing book, pens and pencils
Hacky Sack
2 x Sets LED Poi
Pack of cards
Bananagrams (awesome game!)
Travel Rummikub (another game)
Set of small round files and a flexible plane for carving and shaping coconut shell into jewellery

First Aid & Medical:

Much of our first aid supplies, such as bandages, have been individually vacuum sealed to reduce their volume
STS First Aid Dry Bag Medium
'First Attack' First Aid Kit, for injuries while paddling.
Major First Aid Kit - for treating general and serious injuries
Trauma First Aid Kit - for dealing with a major trauma incident
 - First Aid Kits are made from 2 x Equip Pro 3 First Aid Kits plus additional supplies
Medical Kit - Antibiotics, pain killers, anti inflammatory etc.
Malarone Malaria drugs (to be taken if malaria is contracted)
Equip Mosquito Head Nets
Rid Tropical (3 x pump spray + 3 x roll-on)
Kinesys sunscreen (plenty of it!)
We have had the jabs for Japanese Encephalitis, Hep A, Hep B, Typhoid & Tetanus

Knives & Tools:

Leatherman Charge
Leatherman Skeletool
Leatherman Juice Xe6
Leatherman Squirt ES4
Victorinox Climber
2 x Gerber River Shorty
Cold Steel Bolo Machete with Sheath (His)
Cold Steel Kukri Machete with Sheath (Hers)
Shrade Filleting Knife
Muela Storm Hunting Knife
Small kitchen knife with sheath
Knife roll
Diamond stone with fish hook sharpening groove
Tools for spares kit - 2 x small shifter spanners, 1 x short phillips head screwdriver

Food:

Dehydrated meals for 6 weeks - all dehydrated food has been home made and dehydrated
Breakfast:
- cereal mixed with dried fruit and dried milk
- bread flour and yeast for making damper
Lunch:
- Dehydrated fruit and grain bars
- Pumpernickel
- Lollies
Dinner:
- Dehydrated meals, various recipes
- Rice & grains
- Cous cous
- Deb potato
- Spices
- Hopefully some fish and bush tucker!
Dessert:
- Dehydrated banana bread with dried milk (banana bread pudding)
We have started this trip with a deliberate layer of fat on our bodies that we wouldn't normally carry. This is to give us extra energy for the first few weeks while we get used to the arduous paddling.
After the dehydrated food runs out we'll be relying on collecting food supplies from local villages, and carrying supplies such as rice to barter with locals.

I am sure there is more stuff that I have forgotten to list but the above info should keep even the most enthusiastic gear freak happy for a while.

If you are planning an expedition and you would like more information about why we have selected these specific items over other options please just get in contact:  justin@keniger.com