I put this packing guide together based on what I took for my Mountain Leader (Summer) Award qualification – I was under assessment, so all the kit had to be suitable and essential. This is the same Mountain Leader kit list that I would now use when leading groups.

Note that most of the assessment was done as day trips from the centre where I was staying, so I’d only take a day pack. The packing guide below is what I took for the expedition phase of the assessment – our 3-day, 2-night wild camping expedition.

If you are preparing for your ML qualification, make sure you also check out my top tips for passing your mountain leader assessment!

Mountain Leader kit list: General

• Osprey Kestrel 68L (A great bag! Much larger than I would normally take for an expedition, but for your assessment, you need the extra space as between the group, you need to distribute group kit like robes and first aid)
• Osprey Ultralight Dry bags
• Black Diamond walking sticks
• Swiss Army Penknife
• Silva Compass (very important! I had mine attached to a rope to hang from my neck, which made it easy to work with. I also attached toggles to help me count my distances and steps)
• Maps for the area (I took a spare just in case one blew away. Worth having for ease of mind)
• Source 2L hydration
• 2 x Nalgene 1L bottles
• Petzl Head Torch and spare batteries
• iPhone (mostly used for photos and as a backup for safety)
• Anker Power Bank

Mountain Leader kit list: Sleeping items

• Hubba Hubba NX 3 man lightweight tent (I love this tent! 2 2-man tent would have been better for 1 person, but this was all I had. It was still light enough for me to carry on my own, and there is an option to share with others in the group if they are happy to)
• Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Ztherm Mattress
• Tundra Pure and Dry 0 Sleeping bag (Very warm and lightweight)

Mountain Leader kit list: Clothing

• Hiking boots (able to take crampons); HanWag Tatra GTX
• Hiking trousers
• 3/4 length leggings (for hiking or wearing to bed)
• 2 x long sleeve base layer top; Armadillo Artemis top (one for hiking and one for sleeping)
• Microfleece: North Face Cornice Fleece
• Softshell jacket; Rab Vapour-rise Jacket
• Waterproof jacket and trousers
• Sports bra and 3 x underwear (only 3 days…might as well go luxury!)
• 2 x hiking socks (one for bed one for hiking)
• Beanie hat: North Face TNF Beanie
• Sunglasses and sunhat
• Buff: Armadillo Giraffe Long Neck (also makes a good eye mask)
• Liner gloves; Ice Break Liner Gloves (helped on night nav when it was a bit chilly!)

Mountain Leader kit list: Cooking

• Jetboil Stove
• Titanium spork (don’t get plastic…save the planet!)
• 1 x gas canister
• 2 x expedition food packs (just add water and eat from the bag), porridge for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and snacks. (I didn’t bother with hot drinks, soI didn’t bring a mug)

Mountain Leader kit list: Toiletries

• Personal First Aid Kit (painkillers, personal medication, blister prevention packs)
• Sunscreen factor 50+
• Aqua Prove purifying drops (didn’t need to use purification tablets at all but it’s good to have it as a precaution to show you are prepared)
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Duct tape (wrapped around the Therm-a-Rest repair kit)

Mountain Leader kit list: Group kit

For the ML assessment, we split this gear between us. It’s a lot for 1 person to carry, so even if you are leading, you can ask someone in the group to carry some of this gear to split the weight.

• Ropes (if in mountainous terrain)
• Helmets (if in mountainous terrain)
• Group shelter
• Group first aid kit

Other useful blogs:

• How to pack a hiking backpack like a pro
• Tips for staying warm when camping

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