Equipment list for Mountaineering Home » Equipment list for Mountaineering

Equipment list for peak climbing & Expedition in Nepal:

Essential personal climbing gear:

• Alpine Climbing Harness: It should be simply designed, light, and easy to carry with positively foolproof features.
• Crampons: It should be perfect fit with the boots & should be an anti-balling and safely into ice.

• Ice Axe: Ice axe should be versatile light, general purpose is to cut ice as well as use as stick by holding top.

• Ascender: Ascender or Jumar, used for ascending on a rope, should be flexible to use with gloves hand.
• Head Lamp: multi led headlamp with spare batteries is essential.
• Karabiners: requires minimum 2 locking carabineers (1 large & 1 small) and 4 regulars.
• Rappel Device: includes Figure eight or ATC device or similar.
• Ski Poles: Very handy for the approach & adjustable types are the best to recommend.
• Slings: requires one 3m/10ft and three 2m/6ft
• Masks, Hoses and Regulators: should be of good quality for your safety.
• Climbing Helmets: It is an essential gear to be safe from possible icefalls and rock falls should be light and comfortable

Essential body wear:

1. Body:

• One T-shirt lightweight
• Two Long lightweight shirts
• One Polar fleece pullover- medium weight
• One Polar fleece Jacket
• One Gore-Tex waterproof and breathable jacket with large hood to accommodate climbing helmet.
• Lightweight down jacket for chilly days in base camp or warm layer when stopping for short breaks.
• One very warm goose-down (duvet) jacket with hood or a down/duvet suit if you prefer, for high altitude use.

2. Hands:

• One pair lightweight poly-liner gloves, these will be worn when tying knots, but not inside your mitts
• One pair mittens, consists of 1 Goretex over mitt matched with the very warm polar fleece mitt liner

3. Heads:

• Warm hat wool or synthetic that covers your ears
• Balaclava
• Scarf or neck sleeve
• Face mask
• Ball cap or brimmed sun cap
• Glacier Sunglass with side shields
• One pair ski goggles (optional with light and dark lens)
• Bandana or head scarf, useful for dusty conditions

4. Lower Body:

• One pair walking shorts
• One pair walking trousers for trekking and around camp
• Two pair lightweight thermal bottoms
• One pair medium weight thermal bottoms
• One pair polar fleece trousers
• One pair Gore-Tex trousers or bibs. Waterproof/breathable with full side zips
• One pair of Goose-down (duvet) trousers or bibs. You may prefer a down (duvet)

Note: All clothes should be kept in waterproof sacks or plastic bags to keep dry during trek.

5. Feet:

• One pair One-Sport Millet Everest Overboots or equivalent (with Aveolite liners; good quality plastic shells with inner boots; avoid tight fit with heavy socks.)
• One pair sturdy leather or synthetic (Gortex) hiking boots with good ankle support for the walk to advanced base camp
• One pair cross-trainers, running shoes and/or sandals for Kathmandu and in camp
• One pair down booties (optional)
• Two pair med-heavy poly or wool socks
• Two Pair of liner socks. Polypropylene or wool
• Vapour barrier liner socks or plastic bread-bags
• Two pair lightweight trekking socks, poly or wool
• Light wool or cotton socks for in town.

6. Travel & Sleeping Bag:

Rucksacks and Travel Bags:

• One medium rucksack (50-70 litters / 3000-4500 cubic inches, can be used for airplane carry).
• Two large (120 L / 7500 cubic inch) duffle kit bags for clothing and equipment. Must be durable for use on pack animals.
• Small padlocks for duffel kit bags.

Sleeping Gear:

• For high altitude, one down (duvet) sleeping bag (rated to –35 to -20). In the high camp, you can sleep in your down (duvet) clothing inside your sleeping bag.
• For base camp, one additional sleeping bag
• At least 3 closed cell foam mats for use in base camp and high altitude, which can be purchased in Kathmandu inexpensively; we do not recommend inflatable mats due to high probability of accidental puncture.

7. Medical:

Personal Hygiene:

• Two tubes lip sun cream, 1 large tube skin sun cream (min. factor 30);
• Anti-mosquito cream;
• One toothpaste/brush set;
• One bar soap or hand sanitizer gel/1 small synthetic towel;
• Hand wipes.

Medical Supplies:

• Personal prescription medications. Please let your leader know about any medical issues before the climb.
• One skin blister repair kit.
• Medications are inexpensive and readily available in Kathmandu with no doctor’s prescription:
• Anti-diarrhea pills (Imodium).
• Anti-headache pills.
• One small bottle cough and/or cold medicine.
• One course antibiotics for stomach infection, available locally at chemist shop with no doctor’s prescription.
• One course antibiotics for chest infection, available locally at chemist shop or pharmacy with no doctor’s prescription.
• One small bottle anti-altitude sickness pills: Diamox, Acetylzolamide.
• Do not bring sleeping pills. They are a respiratory depressant non compatible with high altitude physiology.
• One small bottle of water purification tablets or water filter.
• Earplugs.
• Extra prescription glasses/contact lens. Contact lens wearers, please bring glasses in case of emergency.

Note: Small personal first-aid kit. (Simple and Light) Aspirin, first-aid tape, plasters (band-aids), personal medications, etc. The leaders will have extensive first-aid kits,