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 most people should do
Four-season down bag (−15 °C), rented
A bag you would buy costs several hundred dollars and you need it for perhaps five cold nights. Kathmandu and Pokhara rent good ones for a couple of dollars a day, and we make nothing from…
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A bag you would buy costs several hundred dollars and you need it for perhaps five cold nights. Kathmandu and Pokhara rent good ones for a couple of dollars a day, and we make nothing from telling you that — take your own silk liner and the hygiene question answers itself.
Not for: People who camp at home, or anyone doing three Himalayan trips. Then buy once, properly.
Rental shops in Kathmandu and Pokhara carry this — about USD 1-2 per day in Thamel or Pokhara Lakeside. We take nothing from that.
Read the full reviewRent, do not buy
Expedition down jacket (−20 °C)
You need this for perhaps three evenings of an Everest Base Camp trek. Buying one costs several hundred dollars; renting one in Kathmandu costs a few, and the shops keep them in good…
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You need this for perhaps three evenings of an Everest Base Camp trek. Buying one costs several hundred dollars; renting one in Kathmandu costs a few, and the shops keep them in good condition because their business depends on it.
Not for: Anyone who trekks or climbs regularly. If this is your third Himalayan trip, buy your own.
Rental shops in Kathmandu and Pokhara carry this — about USD 1-2 per day in Thamel or Lakeside. We take nothing from that.
Read the full reviewBest overall
Black Diamond Spot 400
Bright enough for a pre-dawn pass and simple enough to fix in the dark with cold hands — it runs on AAAs, which is heavier than a rechargeable and is exactly why we recommend it.
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Bright enough for a pre-dawn pass and simple enough to fix in the dark with cold hands — it runs on AAAs, which is heavier than a rechargeable and is exactly why we recommend it.
Not for: Weight-counting fastpackers. Take the rechargeable and accept that a flat battery at 4,800 m is your problem.
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Best overall
Osprey Talon 33
Thirty-three litres holds a day layer, water, snacks and a camera with room for the down jacket you take off at ten — it is a frameless-ish pack, so above about 9 kg it stops being…
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Thirty-three litres holds a day layer, water, snacks and a camera with room for the down jacket you take off at ten — it is a frameless-ish pack, so above about 9 kg it stops being comfortable.
Not for: Independent trekkers carrying everything themselves. You want 50-65 litres and a real frame.
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 safety device
Garmin inReach Mini 2
On Manaslu, Kanchenjunga or Dolpo this is the difference between a problem and an emergency — on Annapurna and Everest, where phone coverage is good and lodges are close, it is largely…
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On Manaslu, Kanchenjunga or Dolpo this is the difference between a problem and an emergency — on Annapurna and Everest, where phone coverage is good and lodges are close, it is largely redundant and the money is better spent on evacuation insurance.
Not for: Everest Base Camp or the Annapurna Sanctuary. Buy proper helicopter-evacuation cover instead.
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Best emergency shelter
SOL Emergency Bivvy
A hundred grams that keeps an injured or exhausted person alive while help walks down for them — you will almost certainly never open it, which is exactly the point.
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A hundred grams that keeps an injured or exhausted person alive while help walks down for them — you will almost certainly never open it, which is exactly the point.
Not for: Nobody. One per group, in the guide’s pack and one in yours.
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
Mountain Hardwear Camp 4 Duffel 65 L
Weatherproof, takes a bus roof in rain without complaint, and 65 litres is the size that keeps you inside a porter weight limit. Take this rather than the 95 L version: the big one is a…
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Weatherproof, takes a bus roof in rain without complaint, and 65 litres is the size that keeps you inside a porter weight limit. Take this rather than the 95 L version: the big one is a trap, because you will fill it.
Not for: Anyone tempted by a 95 L duffel. Our porter limit is 15 kg for two trekkers combined — a bag you cannot fill is a feature, not a compromise.
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Best overall
Salomon Quest 4 GTX
Stiff enough to carry weight over a pass and still comfortable on day fourteen — you pay for that in weight and in a break-in period you cannot skip.
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Stiff enough to carry weight over a pass and still comfortable on day fourteen — you pay for that in weight and in a break-in period you cannot skip.
Not for: You are doing Poon Hill or a short lodge trek under 3,500 m with a porter carrying the load. This is more boot than that walk needs.
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