Packing List
The kit that actually matters on this route — what to buy, what to rent in Kathmandu for a fraction of the price, and what to leave at home.
By Laxman Rawal ·
What we usually arrange
Crampons and axe, rented in Kathmandu
Crampons must match your boot, and the shop fits them to the boot you actually brought — that fitting is worth more than owning a pair that has never been on your foot. Our climbing…
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Crampons must match your boot, and the shop fits them to the boot you actually brought — that fitting is worth more than owning a pair that has never been on your foot. Our climbing itineraries include this; ask rather than buying.
Not for: Anyone who climbs regularly, or anyone who has never worn crampons. If it is your first time, the training matters far more than the hardware.
Rental shops in Kathmandu and Pokhara carry this — about USD 2-4 per day for crampons, similar for an axe. We take nothing from that.
Read the full reviewRead this before you buy anything else
Insurance that actually covers a Himalayan trek
Standard travel policies exclude trekking above 3,000 m and almost all exclude helicopter evacuation — a rescue from the Khumbu can run to five figures in USD, and the insurer decides…
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Standard travel policies exclude trekking above 3,000 m and almost all exclude helicopter evacuation — a rescue from the Khumbu can run to five figures in USD, and the insurer decides afterwards, not at the time. Read the altitude clause before you read anything else.
Not for: Nobody. Three things to confirm in writing: your itinerary’s maximum altitude is covered, helicopter evacuation is covered, and repatriation is covered. If an insurer will not confirm all three, use a different insurer.
We take no commission from any insurer and recommend no brand. This is a checklist.
Read the full reviewBest in cold
Energizer Ultimate Lithium AAA
Alkalines lose most of their usable capacity in real cold and a headlamp dies mid-descent; lithium does not, and it costs roughly three times as much per cell.
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Alkalines lose most of their usable capacity in real cold and a headlamp dies mid-descent; lithium does not, and it costs roughly three times as much per cell.
Not for: Low-altitude treks in warm months. Ordinary alkalines are fine below 3,000 m.
Check price on Amazon Read the full reviewIf you buy through that link we earn a commission. It costs you nothing and it does not change what we recommend — the rental and advice-only entries in our gear guide earn us nothing at all.
Best overall
Smith I/O MAG Goggles
The only thing that works in a whiteout on a pass, and the second lens covers flat light — for most teahouse trekkers this is an expensive item that never leaves the duffel.
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The only thing that works in a whiteout on a pass, and the second lens covers flat light — for most teahouse trekkers this is an expensive item that never leaves the duffel.
Not for: Any standard teahouse trek. Take these for a peak climb or a winter crossing, and rent rather than buy if it is a one-off.
Check price on Amazon Read the full reviewIf you buy through that link we earn a commission. It costs you nothing and it does not change what we recommend — the rental and advice-only entries in our gear guide earn us nothing at all.
Best overall
Julbo Explorer 2.0
The right glasses for Island Peak or a snowbound pass, and the wrong glasses for everything either side of it — Category 4 is too dark to walk into a lodge or read a map in shade.
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The right glasses for Island Peak or a snowbound pass, and the wrong glasses for everything either side of it — Category 4 is too dark to walk into a lodge or read a map in shade.
Not for: A teahouse trek. If your route never crosses a glacier or a long snow slope, Category 3 with side shields is enough and far more usable.
Check price on Amazon Read the full reviewIf you buy through that link we earn a commission. It costs you nothing and it does not change what we recommend — the rental and advice-only entries in our gear guide earn us nothing at all.
Best watch
Garmin Instinct 2 Solar
The barometric altimeter is the genuinely useful bit — watching your sleeping altitude is how acclimatisation stops being abstract; the solar charging is marketing more than mechanism on a…
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The barometric altimeter is the genuinely useful bit — watching your sleeping altitude is how acclimatisation stops being abstract; the solar charging is marketing more than mechanism on a wrist under a sleeve.
Not for: Anyone who would treat its SpO2 number as a medical reading. It is not one.
Check price on Amazon Read the full reviewIf you buy through that link we earn a commission. It costs you nothing and it does not change what we recommend — the rental and advice-only entries in our gear guide earn us nothing at all.
Best to own
Kahtoola K10 Hiking Crampon
The gap between microspikes and real mountaineering crampons, and it straps to a boot with no welt — which most trekking boots lack. It is not a technical crampon and will not hold on steep…
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The gap between microspikes and real mountaineering crampons, and it straps to a boot with no welt — which most trekking boots lack. It is not a technical crampon and will not hold on steep water ice; nor should you ask it to.
Not for: Soft trekking shoes. A crampon on a flexible sole comes off at the worst moment.
Check price on Amazon Read the full reviewIf you buy through that link we earn a commission. It costs you nothing and it does not change what we recommend — the rental and advice-only entries in our gear guide earn us nothing at all.
Warmest
Outdoor Research Alti Mitts
The warmest thing you can put on your hands short of an expedition mitt, and useless for anything requiring fingers — which is why they live on a leash and come out for one morning.
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The warmest thing you can put on your hands short of an expedition mitt, and useless for anything requiring fingers — which is why they live on a leash and come out for one morning.
Not for: A teahouse trek that tops out at 5,400 m. A midweight glove plus a shell mitt covers that and costs a quarter as much.
Check price on Amazon Read the full reviewIf you buy through that link we earn a commission. It costs you nothing and it does not change what we recommend — the rental and advice-only entries in our gear guide earn us nothing at all.
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