The Student Room Group

Kit List for RTC and PRE RTC

Spent the last few days looking through the forum for info on the Kit list and what extras people have recommended and thought I would bring them all together on this one thread to make it easier for people looking and also so people can add and take out what they think isn't needed plus stuff people I know in the Army and RAF have recommended:

PRE RTC

1 x Smart Casual Trousers
2 x Shirt and Ties
1 x Smart Shoes
2 x Pairs of Socks
1 x Sleeping Clothes
2 x Underwear (preferably pants not boxers because of PT)
1 x Set of Casual Clothing (Jeans, T-Shirts etc)
1 x Razor plus spare blades
1 x Shaving foam
1 x Face Balm/Moisturiser
1 x Shower Gel
1 x Tooth Brush and Tooth Paste
1 x Comb or Brush
1 x Nail Clippers and Nail brush or Scissors
1 x Trainers (Running)
1 x Plain dark shorts
2 x dark t-shirts
1 x white socks
1 x slippers or Flip Flops
1 x coat (depeding on the weather)
1 x Large towel, Hand Towel and face towel
1 x box of various plasters
1 x A4 notepad and pen
2 x padlocks (no-snap locks)
1 x cheap watch
1 x small rucksack
1 x alarm clock

RTC list below

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Reply 1
RTC kit list is:

Smart Casual Trousers
Shirt and Ties
Smart Shoes
pairs of socks
sets of bed clothes
sets of underwear (not boxes as unsuitable for pt)
pairs of jeans
t-shirts or causal tops
wet razors
shaving foam
shower gel
toothbrush
toothpaste
comb or brush
nail clippers and nail brush or scissors
plain swimming shorts
pair of running trainers
dark shorts
dark t-shirts
slippers or flip flops
coat (reflects the weather)
sew on tags (2” x ½”)
foot powder (Mycota)
large towels
hand towels
face towels
tea towels (dark for cleaning boots on CPT)
packet of various sized plasters
wooden hangers
A4 notepad
black biros
pencils
highlighters
padlocks (no snap locks)
black indelible marker
soft yellow dusters polishing shoes etc
bag of cotton wool balls
tins of Kiwi
parade gloss
iron (good quality)
ironing board (optional)
cloths brush
scrubbing brush
lint roller
set of boot brushes
pressing cloth (selvynt cloth recommended)
sowing kit (3 needles plus back, dark green, white, light blue thread)
pack of washing tablets/powder
stain remover (Vanish etc)
washing bag
plastic spray bottle
Head torch
Wet wipes
Cheap watch
20mm stencils
Rucksack
Alarm clock (battery powered)
Lighter
Thick walking socks
Scouring pads
Zip lock bags (cheap clothes dry when on CPT) various sizes
Thermal vest if on rtc in cold weather
Vacuum flask
Hanging selves from argos (extra storage)
Cleaning polish
Extras:
Change for laundry facility
Spending money (roughly £50)
Current bank account
Personnel certificates and documents (given to you by AFCO before you go)
Vehicle documents if needed

now i know there might be more or less but that is why it is here for people to look at and add to ro change. Just for the new ones instead of searching its all here.

Recommendations on numbers for the important things like hangers etc would be appreciated as well
thanks for doing that! I shall be gradually buying andgathering bits and pieces over the next few months. Any females been to Rts? What skirt length in needed? Tights? Shoes etc? Ive heard you live in sports bras? X
Reply 3
Not being female, I'm only guessing, but I could imagine the skirts should cover the knee, not entirly sure though.
Reply 4
-Not sure if wooden hangars are really necessary, it's best to have your lockers consistent hangar wise but plastic will do, cheaper, lighter and more compact. That said picking up a few wooden from the NAAFI once you're there for your military can make it look slightly more presentable for inspections.

-Iron, yes it is worth investing a bit in a decent sized one that bashes out plenty of steam, I struggled through with a cheap one at RTS, 'upgraded' when I got to Cosford when you don't have to iron nearly as much and kicked myself for it.

-Have you got scissors in there? If not get some, big pair for paper/tape and if possible some small sewing type ones, very important.

-Plenty of biros and more than 1 permanent marker if you can, they will go walkies on a frequent basis.

-Whatever you do, don't try bulling shoes with a yellow duster, they shed material like nobody's business and all the stitching in the shoe will be full of fluffy yellow ****e you'll have to pick out. The 'Selvyt' (or however it's spelled) cloths are for bulling, a pressing cloth can just be any old pillow case you can find.

-Polish wise get one of the big ****-off tins of kiwi black for your boots and a standard size one of parade gloss for occasional use when bulling, a normal tin of black should cost a few pence from the NAAFI if and when you need more.

-Wouldn't bother with a vacuum flask, if they're still be doing the little pre-CPT package down at GDT which comes with one (along with a handy spoon for eating rat packs and a Gerber torch, good stuff) it would be a waste.

-Try to get 10mm (and 30 is you can find 'em) stencils as well as the 20, you'll be writing a lot of tape name labels for various pieces of kit.

Two things I'd highlight are the hanging shelves for your civvie locker, big help in keeping it neat, and a cheap digital watch. I broke a decent one on NBC week doing 'flash!' (you'll see :woo: ) and was very annoyed at myself. I think the most basic casio one is what £5? Has all the functions you could need, it ain't fashion but it'll work. End of the day after you've been there a week or two you'll guaranteed be thinking "bugger I wish I'd brought xyz", that's how it goes. :rolleyes:
Reply 5
Cheers AC Bloggs will get that sorted as well. Didn't realise there was so much stuff to get together. Trying to find a Selvyt cloth but can't find them anywhere. Anyone know where i can pick one up everyone looks at me as if I have gone crazy when I ask for one
Reply 6
You can only get them in Spar shops on bases I do believe. Just get a couple when you get there if you can
Reply 7
Cheers ScottScott will I be able to send the parents over to the Spar before they go to get me a few?
Reply 8
You shouldn't be doing any bulling until about 3 weeks in anyway, just brush polishing until you start working on your smart shoes, there's no rush to get one.
Here's a link to the 'official' kit list from the Halton website. Check the links for the Trg prog as well.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafhalton/aboutus/faqs.cfm
Reply 10
thanks mate, needed an idea of what i was going to take, got pre rtc next friday so got to get the kit sharpish !
StuartCantrill
Cheers ScottScott will I be able to send the parents over to the Spar before they go to get me a few?


Ive no idea in all honesty. My intake is in September lol.
Clothes hangars - think about how many you might need - then take twice that amount!

As said before, standard and uniform size and shape, one item on each hangar.
I suppose if you are going down in your own car you could leave any extra items in your boot and get them out if you need them?

I fill the boot of my car if I go away for a weekend. 9 weeks away from home? That is some light traveling to be done!!!
Reply 14
lady_smudger
I suppose if you are going down in your own car you could leave any extra items in your boot and get them out if you need them?

It can be done, however you need to have all the essentials with you, the car park for recruits cars is a tad far away to just nip-down if you need something. Plus if memory serves you need specific permission to leave the RTS site and go down there anyway.

lady_smudger
I fill the boot of my car if I go away for a weekend.

Presumably though a lot of that is just civvie clothes? You're not going to be taking many of them anyway so I wouldn't worry.
I have wooden hangers. The ones with the bit for shirts and also can put your trousers over. Do the trousers need to be on clamped hangers?
StuartCantrill
I have wooden hangers. The ones with the bit for shirts and also can put your trousers over. Do the trousers need to be on clamped hangers?


They will normally get creased if not so I would reccomend it!
AC Bloggs

Presumably though a lot of that is just civvie clothes? You're not going to be taking many of them anyway so I wouldn't worry.


It's a bit early for me to worry to be honest!

I thought of something today, how much notice do you tend to get for your start date at Halton? I'm working full time and in my contract I need to give one month notice to leave. I don't want to resign untill I'm certain I'm in and have a definate date and there's a lot of people who have been asked to start earlier...

Mind you I think my employer might be a bit lenient with my notice period.

Answered my own question a bit there!
Reply 18
Obviously it varies a lot, I had about 2 weeks I think, 2-3 seemed the norm for most. If the date you're given is too soon however, you can ask for it to be moved back and the AFCO will arrange that for you.
Thanks AC Bloggs, I'd probably rather ask my employer to let me leave earlier. I'm sure they could struggle on without me :smile: