Clothing – Professional Mountain Climbing Gear | EquitorialStar

 

Apart from the will to conquer a mountain, a successful climb to the summit of a mountain requires you to have the correct mountain climbing gear and clothing. We asked our guides what comes in most handy when climbing a mountain. As a result, here’s a comprehensive mountain climbing gear list from our guides to help you better prepare for the hike.

 

1. Hiking boots – Waterproof and Light to medium weight. Preferably Getorex mountain hiking gear

• Should be worn in before arriving to the mountain to improve comfort
• Most importantly, ensure boots fit with your thickest socks to guarantee comfort and warmth

 

2. Thermal base layer - Merino wool or synthetic. Make sure to get enough pairs to last you (personal preference)

• Merino is an effective material that makes great snow mountain climbing gear. It regulates temperature effectively and minimizes odor. Keep in mind, Merino thermal base layers can be worn comfortably for multiple days and still remain fresh.
• In addition, consider packing two base layers as part of your mountain climbing gear inventory. A light weight base layer for the majority of hiking and a heavier weight base layer for summit day.

 

3. Socks - Wool hiking socks of various thicknesses with an extra thick pair for sleeping.

• Wool socks are a must have in your mountain climbing gear list. They are great for moisture management and will keep your toes warm
• Increase thickness as you get higher up the mountain.

 

4. Beanie - Merino wool or synthetic

• Technical mountain climbing headwear is also appropriate

 

5. Buff - Synthetic or merino wool

• Useful for protecting the face and ears from wind chill and sunburn

 

6. Glasses – Dark tint

• Recommend using glacier glasses up to Spectron 4 to protect eyes from UV light
• At altitude there is less atmosphere to disperse UV rays. That is to say, the light from the sun is far more potent. Glasses are an essential mountain climbing gear

 

7. Hat

 

8. Gloves – Two pairs. Thin gloves for hiking and thick windproof gloves for summit day.

• Thin gloves are optional considering personal preference
• Warm, windproof gloves are a necessity for summit day

 

9. Hiking pants - Synthetic with high breathability and zip off legs

• Zip off legs allow you to complete the trip with a single pair of versatile pants thereby reducing your rocky mountain climbing gear inventory.
• To clarity, hiking pants should be durable and loose fitting to allow base layers to be comfortably worn underneath

 

10. Hiking shirt - Merino, synthetic or smart blend

• Long sleeves to provide protection from the sun
• Light weight and highly breathable hiking shirts make excellent snow mountain climbing gear

 

11. Rain Jacket - Hard outer shell and large enough to fit layer. Goretex or Event are excellent brands for a person looking at mountain climbing gear.

• Constitutes your harsh weather protection on the mountain
• Additionally, thinner Goretex jackets are lighter and more compressible

 

12. Rain pants - Hard outer shell and large enough to fit layers. Goretex or Event

• Your outer shell layers need to be sized considering warm layers should be worn beneath
• For minimalist layers, Pertex brand are also great for mountaineering.

 

13. Light jacket - Pertex outer with synthetic fill

• Used as your go to warmth layer when it is cooler or windy
• Jackets with fleece panels in high sweat areas work well

 

14. Down jacket - Big thick jacket with outer water-resistant material. Choose your warmest layer for snow mountain climbing gear list.

• High loft down will provide more warmth for less size and weight
• Hydrophobic down provides some weather / sweat resistance. Certainly, wet down doesn’t work.

 

15. Fleece Jumper - Technical layer with grid pattern fitted above base layer. Polartec power fleece make effective fleece jumpers for mountain climbing.

• Fleece layers make an excellent addition to your base layer. They are warm and highly breathable. Therefore, they’re a must have as part of your rocky or snow mountain climbing gear.
• Additionally, Polartec power fleece is extremely effective at regulating temperature, and is available in a variety of brands.

 

16. Soft Shell Pants - Fitted over your base layer leggings. Weather resistant layer. Fleece lined.

• When your base layer and hiking pants are no longer enough, soft shell pants are the next step for lower warmth.
• Additionally, this mountain climbing gear can be used as a mid-layer when it is cold enough.

 

 

Equipment – Rocky and Snow Mountain Climbing Gear

 

17. Hiking Poles - Lightweight adjustable

• Most importantly, adjustable poles are great for traversing uneven ground

 

18. Day Pack - 25 - 35L

• Can be used as your carry on for the flights
• Remember, it only needs to carry warm and outer layers, for example, some water, camera and snacks etc.

 

19. Large Pack - 80 - 120L

• Is used for your flights

 

20. Dry Bag - Variety of sizes and compression sacks

• Used to keep your belongings safe and dry
• Also, a compression sack is a useful mountain climbing gear for carrying sleeping bags and down jackets

 

21. Head Torch - Bright with red light function and adjustable angles – Essential Mountain climbing equipment

• Red light is used at night inside tent to avoid waking others and to preserve night vision
• Moreover, adjustable angle are used to avoid pointing at others when walking at night

 

22. Spare Batteries - For torch, camera, phone etc.

• Lithium is less affected by cold weather therefore it’s a must have snow mountain climbing gear
• Power banks and solar panels are extremely useful

 

23. Camera - DSLR • GoPro • Smart Phone

• GoPro and Smartphone cameras are suitable
• On the other hand, SLR cameras can be bulky and fragile

 

Bedding – Mountain Climbing Equipment

24. Sleeping Bag - 0-degree comfort rating recommended

• Down or synthetic fill can be used. The warmer the rating the heavier and bulkier the bag will be. Therefore, consider a light bag and wearing layers if you get cold.
• The nights aren’t typically cold enough to justify a large sleeping bag. However, you can carry one if you’re a cold sleeper

 

25. Sleeping Mat - High R value

• Your sleeping mat will protect you from the cold ground
• Also, inflatable mats are great mountain climbing gear that generally have a high R value while providing thickness to give you a good night’s sleep

 

26. Inflatable Pillow - Can be substituted by clothes or stuff sacks

• Undoubtedly, a pillow not a must-have snow or rocky mountain climbing gear unless you can’t sleep without one.

 

27. Sleeping Bag Liner - Optional, recommended for those who are cold sleepers

• Can add up to 5 degrees of warmth to a sleeping bag rating

 

Toiletries – Essential Personal Items

 

28. Sun Screen - SPF 30+

• Minimum As you go higher, there is less atmosphere between you and the sun.
• Also essential for summit days. Don’t forget to apply under your nose and the back of your ears

 

29. Insect Repellent - There is a malaria risk in East Africa. Therefore, no mountain climbing gear list is complete without insect repellent.

• Careful use of long clothing and insect repellant will reduce likelihood of mosquito bites

 

30. Vaccination Card - Kenya has a yellow fever risk

• You can purchase one at the borders for $50 USD

 

31. Wet Wipes – Used for daily cleaning and wiping hands before meals

• Additionally, you can also substitute with hand sanitizer while mountain climbing

Finally, you’ll also need -

 

32. Hand sanitizer

 

33. Toothbrush
34. Toothpaste