Hi there! Can I ask you for field trip advice? I’m leaving soon on a two-week field tour of the mines and interesting geological sites of my country, nothing too intensive field work wise, but we’ll be camping every day, and I’m a bit anxious about being prepared. Do you have any indispensable gear/packing methods etc? 🏔💚
Sorry for delay in response I've been very hectically busy, so hopefully it's not too late for your trip but yes I can offer some help!
First rule of bringing stuff to the field: Do NOT bring anything you are not willing to see destroyed. Field conditions are unpredictable and very rough on things. Anything that can get damaged is likely to get damaged. Anything you want to protect should have a protective +/- waterproof carrying case and EVEN THEN you cannot guarantee its safety.
I'm not sure of the context so I don't know what you have to provide for yourself vs what is being provided for you and some of these tips are going to be climate dependent (my work is generally in the high altitudes of the mountains of northern Canada where the weather can regularly fluctuate from high 20s to near or below 0 with sun, rain, snow and all the things in between, sometimes in the same day).
This is the list I give to students first coming out to one of my remote helicopter-accessed field camps, keep in mind a lot of these are for conditions that may be more remote and rugged with more intense conditions than you may be facing but it's not a bad place to start regardless:
Fly Camp Gear Packing Advice and List:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/11zqWKB0Qd_Up77DxGBqoKrTrN06WPntq/view?usp=sharing
To fit more in a smaller space fold clothes neatly and then roll them small.
Pack large unflexible items first and then fill space in around them
Waterproof duffle bags with straps long enough to "backpack carry them" are amazing if you can shell out the money... because if you are setting up camp in the rain the ability to not be worried that all your stuff is getting soaked is just... I cannot go back to using cheap duffles (or if it's an option for your transportation methods a rubbermaid bin to pack things in is fantastic and provides a tent bedside table XD, but way harder if you have to carry them physically over any distance)
Having smaller bags IN your bags can really help make things easier for you to find.
I personally tend to overpack AND have a tendency to forget things or have anxiety about forgetting things, to combat this I make myself a checklist and designate myself a packing station. I start gathering things about a week before I have to leave and everything I'm going to pack goes into that designated area/ into the bag I'm using as I check stuff of the list. Then over the week before I leave I think about it and add anything I forgot and remove things that I'm like "Okay no, I don't actually need that, I'm not likely to use that, etc."
To combat overpacking it's also good to remind yourself that you will always have LESS free time than you think you will, you don't need a million bulky things to do with free time, pick a couple that pack easy and stick with those... fieldwork and tours tend to be very busy and tiring.
Making yourself a little waterproof emergency bag that always lives at the bottom of your bag that contains a personal first aid kit, emergency signalling supplies, sewing kit/patches, extra bootlaces, some duct tape - I take some off a big roll and create a mini roll, and a set of extra socks, gloves, hat, long underwear, and a helicopter flag is just a really good habit to get into)
If you are doing anything with helicopter work a small foldable handsaw is indispensable and can literally be the difference between being able to find a pickup spot and being in a situation where you have to walk a long way hoping to find one.
Bring some sort of high density low weight food, like nuts, that is extra to your lunch, just in case you get stuck outside longer than you planned.
If you are using a platypus bag for water add extra padding between it and anything else in your bag to avoid accidental punctures... personally I find that putting them in a polypropylene sample bag works really well, and also if it does start leaking it just goes into the plastic bag rather than into your main backpack
When dressing for outdoor work always think in layers, dress in layers so that you can easily layer up and down for changing weather conditions (i.e. for me: base layer - thermal/long underwear and/or tank top, mid layer - t-shirt or other mid layer normal shirt, outer layer - long sleeve/button-up, sweater/warm vest, jacket (rain or warmth or both). Some days you need all the layers some days you will be like dear god it is so hot please no layers but being able to mix and match for conditions and change how you're dressed throughout the day is key to packing the least required while also covering all your bases for what you might encounter + you can maintain a bit better cleanliness if you clean the layers you wear close to your skin more often or have more changes of them without having to wash all the things at once)
Tent choice: If, and only if, you are going to be carrying the tent on your back should you look into the ultralight models. Otherwise, it's far more cost effective and comfortable to prioritize good durable fabrics with high water-tight ratings. And, unless space is at a premium, choose a tent that is sized for 1 person more than will be staying in it for maximum comfort and gear storage and for similar reasons look for good spacious vestibules! Vestibules are amazing for your boots, for wet gear, for storing things... just the extra comfort and convenience they bring is fantastic.
Field Gear Convenience Carry Variations:
Some people swear by cruiser vests and, if they fit you well, they're fantastic, so many pockets, so much carry capacity (note: if the high vis of the vest isn't a concern for you fishing vests also work for this).
Personally I do not find them comfortable and my extra padding in the boob and hip areas tends to mean they're too tight in some areas and too loose in others and a damn nuisance with the backpack stabilization belts and bending over results in stuff falling out of pockets.
So, my personal favourite way to carry my gear is toolbelt pouches ala:
Other people I know swear by front-carry pouches like this (Also I figured I should include at least one photo more “layered down” because the weather is nice, for warm weather I am usually more like the person on the left with a breathable button up left open over a tank top for the balance of breath ability without sacrificing arm armor XD ):
I also like backpacks that have a lot of external loops and straps to attach gear to (such as rock hammers/geotools) or to hang wet gear on to dry after brief rain storms.
Also, if your backpack doesn't come with one, get a rain cover for it. Because on days like this you are going to be wet enough already and backpacks take a longer time to dry than you might think:
Edit to add: Oh also, I tend to get as much of my field gear on as steep a discounted sale as possible because shit gets destroyed by fieldwork so I’m often stuck with whatever colours there are. But if given the option ALWAYS take the brightest most obnoxious colour option you can rather than the playing it cool duller colours. Visibility for safety is great, I also always carry a high vis mesh vest or t-shirt and a helicopter flag just in case.
It’s also a really good idea, if you plan on doing fieldwork longer term, to get into the habit of having a packing list and at the end of field stints making notes on that list about what you did and didn’t use and making a note every time there’s something you wished you had. Over time this will become your own personal packing list based on your own preferences that you can reuse and modify as you go so that you don’t have to recreate it every time.
