What’s In My Kit For Flying Across The Andes
As I start my journey flying from the North of Argentina to the Southern region of Patagonia following the Andes, I’ve put together my ultimate adventure kit that I will be carrying with me as I hike to take-offs and flying across the Andes mountain range.
KIT LIST
Paragliding Kit
Dual Band VHF Radio and charger
Gin Gliders Concertina Bag
Gin Gliders Classic Lite Backpack 90L
In-flight pee system
Oxygen
Hook knife
Spare line (to tie things on)
Adventure Gear
With the possibility of landing out and needing to camp or hike out of a location my kit for this expedition has been extended to include additional items.
Sea To Summit Lightweight Sleeping Bag
This sleeping bag is the ultimate combo of lightweight and warm, weighing under 500g its a compact yet essential addition to my kit
Whilst my first aid kit is small and basic, it’s a necessity all pilots should cary
Petzl Head Lamp
There’s a possibility we will be hiking in the early mornings or even after dark. A high-lumen headlamp like this one is great to see further in the distance but can also be adjusted to lower lumens to conserve on battery
Water Container
Water bladder - I’ve used this same water bladder for 4 years now and it’s still in great shape. Its shape makes it easy to clean, especially if I’ve been using electrolytes and it fits well inside my harness.
LifeStraw - this is an amazing invention that lets you drink water from almost anywhere. With the possibility of landing out and long hikes, I didn’t want to be caught without water.
GoPro or Action Camera
I always fly with my GoPro including when i fly tandems, there newer models are getting closer and closer to that high quality that we have all come to expect from the content we consume. I have the additional body for the GoPro 11 which has a microphone which give amazing quality sounds for when I’m talking in flight and blocks out the sound of the wind.
External Charging Battery
Electrolytes are essential for highly active sports people and a great way to replenish and hydrate after vigorous exercise like hiking with your gear. Because of the type of flying we will be doing, being hydrated and getting the rights salts to power the brain makes all the difference for me when flying.
We will be carrying energy bars in the event of landing out and needing a high calorie snack to keep us going until we can get back to the van.
Apparel
Great for warmer flying days and if needed when hiking. I always fly with gloves no matter the weather, pulling lines without gloves is no joke, especially when you need to.
for high altitude or long distance, heated gloves make those long cold flights more bearable.
I like to have the option of sunglasses or google when I fly but I’ll nearly always wear my glasses when I’m on the ground.
Flying with high-quality goggles changed my XC flying. Not getting the wind in your eyes an having clear vision with no glare make flying in strong sun much more easier and not to mention the UV protection for your eyes.
Buff or face protection from the sun
The sun is no joke when we’re flying and higher in the atmosphere where it’s thinner and a UV buff is the only way to keep the sun out and not get burnt, sunscreen alone is never enough and I don’t want to risk losing a day of flying because I got burnt.
The LonePeak 7 from Altra is my goto sneaker for most of my regular flying and life in general. The wide footbed is super comfortable and for this adventure they will be a great option on days we do less hiking and more flying
The hiking version of the LonePeak is a great option for hiking heavy days, the ankle support make the possibility of walking down hill much more comfortable and is also great is you want some more ankle support.
Sun Screen
This one speaks for itself, protect yourself form the sun, burning is no fun.
Sun protective clothing
When hiking staying covered from the sun is key and if you’re like me, I don’t want to be remevering to cover myself in sunscreen all the time so long sleeves are a must.
Same goes for long pants but also on the adventure having something that will protect my legs when bush wacking especially with all the cacti in the Andes is going to be important. We don’t know where we will be hiking through or landing so long pants always helps.
This is an essential in any pilots gear, they pack away super small and are light to carry and will keep you warm once you’re up high.
For obvious reasons the windbreaker should be in your kit. Especially when you’re flying for a long time, the wind can be intense and even feel cold.
This is my essential daily wear and another choice I make to protect my face from the sun.
I’m carrying a lot of additional kit on this trip and a foldable pack helps me stay organised but then can be folded away once we’re flying and stashed in my flight deck or harness.