10. Hat
I packed 3 which was slightly excessive. If you have room I would recommend a cap for the day and a wool hat for the evenings.
9. Neck gaiter / scarf
A thermal neck gaiter is ideal for when it gets cold at night. I also bought a tube scarf in Namche Bazaar for about 50p (a lot cheaper than the shops in the UK). This turned out to be invaluable as it helps protect against sunburn on your neck and can also be used to cover your face to protect against wind chill. You can apparently wear it in 13 different ways, or more, depending on how creative you are.
8. Socks
Looking after your feet is vital when on a long trek, so invest in good socks. You won’t be able to fit a pair for everyday in your backpack (unless you don’t take anything else). So be realistic about the amount you want to take.
7. Gloves
There is a whole array of gloves you can get and it was one of the items on my kit list that left me confused. I ended up getting two pairs, one lighter thermal pair for during that day and another thicker pair, almost like skiing gloves.
My budget for the trip was going slightly out of control when I went to buy the thicker gloves so I made the mistake of opting for a cheaper pair. This was a mistake. Although there was only one day when I wore them (on the walk up Kallapattar) I immediately knew I should have invested in a better quality pair. I definitely wish I hadn’t scrimped on the gloves on that day!
6. Walking Boots
These must be well worn in. I recommend taking a spare pair of laces and plenty of plasters.
5. Sleeping bag
This can be an expensive item but it’s well worth the investment. Look for at least -10 for comfort. Keep an eye out for deals on the internet, especially in the summer when these items can be reduced.
4. Head torch
DON’T GO WITHOUT ONE!! This is a must! It gets dark really early and walking around from tent/teahouses to ‘toilets’ in the dark is difficult.
Also take a hand torch. If you are sleeping in a tent you can hang this from the top to give you some light.
3. Down Jacket
Another expensive item, but essential for when the sun goes down as it gets really, really cold. I took a Northface 600 down jacket and this was more than enough. I bought it in the sale and then sold it on Ebay when I got back for £20 less than what I paid for it. There are loads of second hand ones available on line and you won’t have any problem reselling it if you keep it in decent condition.
2. Metal water bottle
I took a water bladder but didn’t use it that much as the water doesn’t taste great. Instead I relied on a metal water flask. This item really came into its own in the evenings when the Sherpers boil hot water and fill it up. Take this to your sleeping bag about an hour before you want to go to bed and it will make it a lot more inviting to get into. The water flask will be very hot too touch so be careful if you do try this!
All the water you drink is boiled first, unless you buy bottled water which increases in price the higher you get and isn’t good for the environment. Therefore by doing it this way it also means that you will have nice chilled water for the morning.
1. Walking poles
I never use walking poles when hiking in the UK but when it got to day 3 and I was struggling with the altitude the poles helped a lot. You may not use them all the time but they are worth having, particularly if you are ill, tired or aching as it will help take the pressure off your feet for a bit. At some points when my legs were weak and I was feeling ill I honestly felt like the only way I kept going was by dragging myself up with the poles.
I bought mine in Namche Bazaar, they weren’t great quality and fell apart by the end of the trip but for £12.50 I wasn’t too upset.