Trekking is not just an adventure sport. It is something more than this. It is an extraordinary passion that most trekkers share. Their passion for the activity keeps them poised with very productive plans. Actually, trekking is not very easy, especially if you are planning to do it in the high Himalayan mountain ranges. Usually, trekkers, both professionals, and amateurs need some time to prepare plans for their future trips. Remember, the trips are often very strenuous and they often take the unusual route that cannot bring them a supply of anything they need to live or survive. Due to this, the trekkers take a few months to plan everything and accumulate everything at least a few days before the trek begins.
If you are a trekker and you are all set to start the next trek tour shortly, then you must be very particular about completing all your planning well a couple of weeks before your date of starting the journey. You must be very particular about taking the following things with you so that you can manage everything yourself:
Apart from the most important gears like Trekking Backpack and Trekking Shoes, you need a few Trekking Clothes as well which needs to be carried according to the season and weather. The requirements can be different for the summer or the winter seasons. Always try to include T-shirts, inner thermals, fleece layers, sweaters, padded jackets, track pants, caps, etc. in your backpack. You can always discuss things with your companions and decide the quantities with their consultation. Speak out openly and then decide the right pick. Here, you must be slightly more conscious about the brand of the clothes you buy for trekking purposes as they guarantee superior comfort.
Some other essential things that you must include in your possessions are sunglasses, three pairs of socks, equal pairs of hand gloves, rainwear, a rain cover for the backpack you are likely to carry, a pair of trekking poles or sticks, and a daypack with a capacity of 20-30liters of capacity. Apart from these, you should also have a medical kit box with some basic and life-saving medicines. You must consult your doctor once and get medicines.
Apart from these, you should also take all the necessary documents that you may be required to produce en route to the trekking areas. You may be required to produce them without any hesitation, otherwise, you are under some clear threats and discomforts.
Below is a generic list of things which you should carry on a trek. While packing for your trip, do keep in mind that you should take only the necessary things and try to be resourceful and use the same thing for multiple purposes. Carrying proper trekking gear is important for a safe and comfortable trek. It will also identify you as a trekker in the mountains and not a tourist.
General List Of Gears You Should Always Carry On Trek
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3 Hiking T-Shirts
Important Tips: Hiking T-shirts need to be of quick-dry material. It should be ultra-compact and lightweight. It should have moisture-wicking properties and should not be of Cotton as it absorbs sweat and gets wet which can bring you fever. Do make sure that it is not of fluorescent colours as that might scare wild birds and animals.
Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon stores
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2 Light Weight Hiking Pants
Important Tips: The material of a Hiking Pant should be of quick-dry types, ultra-compact and lightweight with moisture-wicking properties. Some Hiking Pants are convertible between full and half with zippers around knee length. This feature often makes it very convenient to change between day and nigh, hot and cold weather, or while crossing a shallow river, etc.
Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon stores
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4 Hiking Socks
Important Tips: We always suggest you should carry at least 4 socks for you Himalayan Treks. 2 of those should be well-cushioned, breathable, soft and of cotton material ankle-length socks to be used during the day's trek. You should wear and dry them alternately. Apart from these 2 daily use socks, you should also carry one well-cushioned knee-length woollen sock for extra protection against unpredictable cold conditions. It should be used only if required. Finally, you should carry 1 good woollen sock to be used only while sleeping and inside the sleeping bag only. This not just ensures hygiene but also keeps your tent smell free and sleeping bag clean.
Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon stores
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1 Trekking Rucksack / Backpack
You cannot carry large suitcases or anything like them easily and conveniently while you are on the move. So, taking a backpack is the easiest way to carry all your essentials. For a trek of a week, a backpack of 50-60liters of capacity can be a good choice. When buying a quality backpack, you must consider the one that has good shoulder support and hip support. You must ensure that the backpack has easily accessible pockets in then so that you can reach them easily without stopping even for a while.
Important Tips: You would need a 40 - 60 litre trekking rucksack depending upon your trekking style. The rucksack should preferably be with both Front-loading and Top-Loading features for extra convenience and should have multiple side pockets for better accessibility. Rain cover is a must to protect from getting wet.
Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores
Further Reads: HOW TO PACK YOUR RUCKSACK FOR YOUR HIMALAYAN TREKS
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1 Day Pack (optional)
Important Tips: You require a day pack only if your main rucksack will be carried on horses or porters, or your itinerary has multiple day hikes or summit climbsd needing you to carry only a few items for that day. It can be of 15 - 25 litres in size. Rain cover is a must to prevent from getting wet.
Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores
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1 Trekking Shoe
Trekking shoes are the most important gear for you as they help you to walk cautiously on the route, be it over the snowy surface, rocky moraines, loose roc section or slippery muddy patch on the trek route. You must get the best quality of these shoes to make your life easier while on a Himalayan trek. If you are buying from Decathlon, you can consider MH series or Trek series shoes for yourself. They are of reasonably good quality.
Important Tips: Trekking shopes needs to be ankle-protected, well-padded, soft, comfortable fitting with 2 socks, waterproof and lightweight.
Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores
Further Read: WHICH SHOE TO BUY FOR A HIMALAYAN TREK
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1 Headlamp
Important Tips: Many people prefer handheld torchlight to a headlamp. However, headlamp is a proper trekking gear whereas torchlight or mobile flash light isn't. Headlamp help keep your handsfree which in turn help prevent slip and fall or holding a trek pole. Holding a torchlight in cold temperature may freeze your hand whereas if you use a headlamp, you may use good quality gloves to protect it. This should preferably be above 40 lumens for normal treks and above 100 lumens for trekking peaks above 6000 meters. Do Not forget to carry extra cells.
Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores
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2 Water Bottles
Important Tip: You need to carry 1 heat resistant food-grade plastic bottle and another 1 thermos flask)
Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores
Further Read: HOW TO TREAT DRINKING WATER ON A TREK
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1 Camp Slippers (optional)
Important Tip: Carrying camp slippers on a trek is optional, but helps relax your feet after long days trek. You may walk bare feet on the campsite as well if it's a meadow. DO NOT use in rocky campsites or scree/moraine zone where you may risk twisting your ankle or suffer other injuries.
Where to Buy: any sports outlet or online store
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1 Multi-utility Pocket Knife (optional)
Important Tip: Its for multipurpose use and often a life savior. A very helpful tool to have on treks.
Where to Buy: any online store
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1 Thin Nylon Rope (optional)
Important Tip: Multipurpose use. about 4 - 5 mm diameter and 2 - 3 meters in length.
Where to Buy: any utility store or home
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1 Toilet Roll
Important Tip: While trekking in the Himalayas, mostly you will be using a dry toilet where you cannot use water. A toilet roll is needed then.
Where to Buy: any utility store or home
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1 Paper Soap (optional)
Important Tip: Paper soaps are spill proof. However it is easy to be a litter as well. So do take care that you don't litter it and Do Not use it on direct stream.
Where to Buy: any online utility store or travel hubs
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1 Lightweight Towel
Important Tip: A small trekking towel or scarf is much better than using tissue papers to dry your hand and face. A Scarf can be used both as a towel and neck protector.
Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon
Protection From Rain And Snowfall
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1 Trekking Poncho
Important Tip:( if your rucksack is well protected from the top and sides, you may use the waterproof jacket as well which is convenient. However, since poncho is airy, it saves from getting wet due to condensation. Jacket on the other hand if it's not airy, you will get wet due to condensation. A poncho can be inconvenient at times, Jacket is comfortable )
Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores
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1 Rucksack Cover
Important Tip:( usually your backpack will come with a cover )
Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores
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1 Waterproof Trekking Gloves
Important Tip:( Leather gloves work well as well but are not lightweight. Check that it does not leak from the stitches )
Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores
Protection From Cold In High Altitude Trek
Wherever and wherever you go on a trek in the Himalayas, you should always plan for extreme cold and fresh snowfall. With a rise in the unpredictability of weather these days, it snows even in the summer month of May and June and sometimes does not snow even in the winter months of December and January. Whatever it is, you should always plan for snowfall and extreme cold in any time of the year when it is about venturing in the remote and higher corners of the Himalayas. When it comes to cold, layering is the best technique to beat the cold and pack lightly. Read more on HOW TO USE LAYERING, PACK LIGHT AND STILL BEAT THE COLD
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1 Skin Moisturizer
Important Tip: HIgh altitude dry wind and cold dehydrates your skin making it dry and itchy. You need a good quality moisturizer to prevent it. Boroplus or Boroline works best in the mountains for moisturising your dry skin. It often heals your skin overnight when massages lightly with warm water.
Where to Buy: any cosmetic store
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1 Lip Balm
Important Tip: Boroplus or Boroline works best in the mountains and comes for multipurpose use.
Where to Buy: any cosmetic store
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1 Thermal Inner Wears
Important Tip: Layering is the best technique to fare well in the extreme cold of the High Altitude Himalayan Trek. Thermal innerwears act as the best base layer to insulate the heat. When buying a thermal inner for your trek, make sure that its not itchy, and is comfortable, thin, lightweight.
Where to Buy: decathlon.in or Jockey
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1 Woolen Cap or Beanie
Important Tip: Fleece Beanie doubles up as a neck warmer too. It helps protect your head and ear from the cold wind
Where to Buy: decathlon.in
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1 Fleece Trekking Jacket
Important Tip: A fleece jacket is one of the most important trekking gear. It is a must-have item in your backpack. While during the day time it helps keep you comfortably warm, in extreme cold it acts as a terrific mid-layer. Depending on the cold, you may choose between single fleece or double fleece jacket.
Where to Buy: decathlon.in, columbia.com
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1 Down Jacket
Important Tip:Down jackets is the best way to keep your bag light if you are planning for a cold high altitude trek. These are light weight compact very comfortable warmer jackets which is specifically made for trekking or extreme cold. It acts as an excellent outer layer or mid layer.
Where to Buy: decathlon.in, adventure18.com
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1 Thin Inner Gloves
Important Tip: You need to support your gloves with a thin inner gloves for treks below 8 degrees and windy terrain.
Where to Buy: decathlon.in
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1 Warmer Gloves
Important Tip: fleece or woollen gloves work well. A good waterproof gloves may replace them efficiently
Where to Buy: decathlon.in
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1 Windproof Trekking Jacket
Important Tip: A good windproof jacket is very essential for a Himalayan Trek which are usually very cold and windy. It protects against basic throat infection, tonsil inflammation, cough and cold etc. It effectively protects against fatal AMS symptoms like HAPE. You can use a waterproof jacket as a windproof jacket too. Some down jackets are windproof but expensive.
Where to Buy: decathlon.in or any other stores
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1 Windproof Trekking Trouser
Important Tip: Protecting you leg from cold and wind is important too. You can use waterproof trousers as windproof trousers
Where to Buy: decathlon.in or other adventure sports outlets
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1 Balaclava / Neck Warmer
Important Advice: We must protect our forehead and throat from cold wind. Hence we require either a balaclava or just a Neckwarmer depending upon how cold the trek is. Do make sure it's of breathable material.
Where to Buy: decathlon.in
Protection From Sun And UV Rays
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1 Sunscreen
Important Tip:( SPF 50 above )
Where to Buy: any cosmetic / medical store
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1 Mountaineering Sunglasses
Important Tips:Porotecting your eyes are very important, specially if there is a fresh snow. The reflection of UV rays from the surface of fresh snow can even make you suffer with Snow Blindness. While buying a sunglass for Himalayan trek, make sure that the lenses are UV protected, Polarized sunglasses with a plastic frame and side protection. Stay away from metal frame.
Where to Buy: any good optician or decathlon.in
Further Read: WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR SUNGLASS FOR THE HIGH ALTITUDE HIMALAYAN TREK
Other Important Items To Carry
- Extra Food Items like Dry fruit, Candies, Chocolate/Energy Bars, Getorade/Glucose
- Medical Kit https://himalayanhigh.in/himalayan-medical-kit
- Oxygen Cylinders and Oxymeter
- Extra Cash for emergency/ shopping
- Travel Documents, Tickets and Permits
- Identity Proof
Camping Equipment:
( only if you are trekking in your own group )
- 2 / 3 man tents for your team
- Kitchen Tent
- Sleeping Bags and Mattresses
- Toilet Tents
- Stoves, Utensils, Fuel Container, and Fuel
- Ration and Vegetables
- PU Ground Sheets
- Kitbags to carry equipment