This will be my hardest trip in all respects and this year I aim to achieve the following:
- Extend the route so that it becomes 400 miles and a 1 Month long.
- Make as much of the route off road and wild as possible.
- Double my previous solar panel output to 15w.
- Record and upload daily video as well as message updates.
- Half my previous gas allowance from 230g to 100g.
- Include a satellite emergency beacon.
- Lighten all my kit as well as increase its thermal potential.
Is this achievable? I don't know but I am about to find out. I do know that all my equipment must be the lightest and best possible, whilst not compromising function.
After last years retirement due to illness, I'm looking at taking the precaution of including a satellite emergency beacon.
If in trouble and out of phone signal range, I will have the ability to contact for help. The Spot Connect is a possibility.
Spot Connect
Due to the many frustrations over the years with mobile phones, especially my old Sony Ericsson Satio and its faulty Gps, I have at last invested in a new one.
A Sony Xperia T
I shall therefore be upgradeing my solar panel to a bigger model, from 6.5 to 15W.
I have chosen Powerfilm's R14 ~ 15.4v, 14w solar charger. Here's what Powerfilm say about it:
The PowerFilm Rollable solar charger can go anywhere, do anything and stand up to the toughest punishment, while being the lightest, most flexible, waterproof solar panel on the planet.
With the 13Mp Camera and HD video capabilities of the Xperia T, I hope to document this trip in greater detail than before. It would be nice to record video footage daily to give a more realistic idea of how things went. This is all down to power availability as usual and on past experience, I am not overly confident.
I am also trying a new pack frame because it is slightly lighter than my previous version. It is a Deuter Kid Comfort 1 child carrier frame with the child carrier part removed.
Check out all my Scottish C2C kit so far here
