July 20, 2003
Clothing for Mom and Dad
Here is my advice on clothing for Mom and Dad to prepare with. It's pretty minimal and inexpensive.
Prescription Sunglasses & Backup Glasses
I never understood how Dad could stand so much driving without sunglasses. After seven years living on the equator, I really can't understand it. The Outback is even worse. Some of the areas we drove through were blasted regions of wind and sun-baked rocks and nearly volcanic earth. The glare was punishing.
Anyway, unless you have them already, when you come over, we'll get sets made here. Glasses are quite inexpensive in Singapore, mostly because the medical cartel doesn't have as firm a chokehold on the country, but also because seemingly everyone from age five onwards wears glasses here. (It must be something to do with the diet -- too much refined sugar or something)
As well, make sure you bring a second set of glasses. The last four days in India were somewhat tedious as Ling's glasses broke and she was reduced to wearing her Yoji Yamato fashion sunglasses for the rest of the trip. Glamorous but dark.
Even Matt, who I'd never seen wear glasses ever, bought a tony pair in Singapore. (He took Ling's advice, and not mine, when choosing styles 
)
Boots
This is the other important thing to break away from tradition. Leave the twenty dollar tennis shoes from Hills at home, and instead bring a decent pair of boots and (Dad's favorite) sandals.
Both Mom and Dad have complained of feet problems recently, so I make more stringent specifications than I might have otherwise.
In your case, I'd find boots with a stiff sole and high ankle support. Most of the Southern Lobe trip will be in sand. What you want is a good stiff sole for the sand, otherwise your feet tire out a lot faster. The Eastern Lobe will be in the mountains, and we'll be scrambling among the old mines, so you want a stiff sole (for the same reason as sand) plus you'll want higher ankle support when you're jumping around the boulders. (It will also help to have stiff soles when you are jumaring back up the rappel lines from the some of the deeper (two to three-hundred feet) shaft mines we'll be rappelling into. )
Vibram soles are very good. They are really sticky on rocks and I highly recommend them.
There is no water in Australia. Therefore no need to worry about water-proofing. Therefore no need to worry about what your boots are made of -- either leather or synthetic. Either will do. Synthetic is sometimes a bit cheaper, so maybe you can get a more expensive, quality sole for less money than a leather boot.
My suggestion?
Get this boot or something like it. It looks like a good dollar value -- quality sole, leather construction, and appropriate ankle-height -- for $100USD.
If you want something cheaper, a model like this would do.
Unfortunately there are no REI stores within fifty miles of Murrysville. Where else to try? There is a smaller REI clone called EMS -- Eastern Mountain Sports. They have a store at Ross Park Mall. Their selection is comparable to REI, although they don't have leather boots.
You can also try the stupidly-spelled "Exkursion" in Monroeville. I don't know what their product selection is like. As well, with small niche outdoor shops like this, you might do some price-checking before you buy. Also beware their salesmanship, advising all these other accessories and upgrades you just must have.
Just do yourself a favor, and don't seek out the cheapest possible boots for this trip. These things last forever, so it is effectively a one-time purchase.
The following is the fitting guide I stole from REI:
Fitting tips:
Begin with a foot measurement - Have an experienced REI salesperson measure both of your feet using a Brannock device. Use these measurements as your starting point for trying on boots. If one foot is larger than the other (which is quite common), fit your larger foot first. You may need to use extra socks or an insert to take up extra space in the other boot.
Pick the right socks - Wear the type of socks and sock liners that you'll be using out on the trail whenever you try on boots.
Check the initial fit - Lace up the boots and stand up. They should feel snug around the ball and instep of your foot, but loose enough that flexing your foot forward is not uncomfortable. Your heel should be held firmly in place. If your foot feels like it's "floating" inside the boot, try a half size down. If your foot feels cramped or your toes make contact with the front or sides of the toe box, try the next bigger size.
Take a walk - Take a walk and see how comfortable the boots/shoes are. Check for any looseness, foot movement and/or heel lift. Good-fitting boots will hold your feet firmly in place without binding or pinching them. New boots may feels a little stiff at first, but they should still be comfortable.
After a quick walk across a flat surface, step onto an incline facing downhill (if one is available) to check for foot slippage. Your feet should not slide forward easily, nor should you be able to move your heel from side to side. If either of these is possible, try a smaller (or lower volume) boot. If your toes make contact with the front of the boot without much forward movement, try a larger size or a different boot.
Investigate your options - Try on a number of boot models before you decide on a single pair, even if the first pair feels good. Every boot model is built around a different "last" (standard foot shape), so each one will grab you a little differently.
*Bring sandals. Wearing hot boots for two weeks tires your feet out. Plus, at these crummy places we're staying, you don't want to stand in their showers in bare feet. *ugh*
Clothing
Not much is necessary. It doesn't rain there and the weather is reasonably constrained to 32-85 degrees. Therefore you don't need extreme clothing. My normal tack is to wear several thin layers and take them on and off as necessary, as the day gets hotter then cooler. So it goes something like:
The only thing "advanced" I would suggest is to get yourself a fleece coat. Aside from the sight of Mom and Dad dressed like Colorado Nature Hippies amusing the hell out of us, they are very comfortable for these sorts of trips and at at night. You don't need to buy an expensive one or an exceptionally warm one. A very average one like this will do.
Here's a good hint that you must follow: Rather than bringing the marginal jacket or sweater, instead bring a tossel cap and a pair of thin gloves Believe me, that makes fucking around in the cold of morning flying the kite rig, or the dead of night fixing our astro-location much much much more tolerable.
As for pants, anything will do. I perenially hate jeans, and far prefer to wear dungarees or whatever you call pants-that-are-not-denim-jeans. I hate jean's unique snugness and their lack of extra pockets. But whatever, if you want to wear jeans, wear them. It's not going to hurt anything.
Socks--whatever. In your case, I would not allow the salesdrones to convince you to buy 15$/pair therma-dry socks.
Oh, and lastly... Hats. I mentioned to 31die today that there are three absolutes in life:
I forgot the third
Well, if anywhere is the place for a hat, it's the Outback. But it's ok if you don't get one before you come, because we can always fix you up with a Rat-Patrol style hat or, what I want to wear, an SAS Desert Shemagh.