IMG Dolpo Nepal Trek Gear List

This equipment list is meant to help you compile your personal gear for a high altitude trekking trip. Most items are required. Please consider each item carefully and be sure you understand the function of each piece of equipment before you substitute or delete items from your duffle. Keep in mind that this list has been carefully compiled by Eric Simonson, the expedition organizer. Don't cut corners on the quality of your gear.

Travel Items
[  ]	Duffel Bags: Two duffel bags with name tags. They go on the trek/climb with you and will be carried by the porters and yaks. Expect for them to get wet and muddy, so rugged, waterproof duffles are good. Bags with wheels are nice for the airport, but the porters and yaks don't like to carry them, so don't bring wheeled bags (or at least not two of them). You will also store some travel clothes at the hotel in Kathmandu while trekking, so a small additional bag with a lock might be handy. Tip: Bring 5 large plastic garbage bags to pack gear inside duffels to protect gear from rain.
[  ]	Daypack: Large daypack or bag with a shoulder strap, so you don't have to set it down while doing the duffle shuffle or handling travel documents while going through passport control and customs at the airport. It needs to be big enough to hold everything you'll need for an overnight stop.
[  ]	Locks: You'll want padlocks in Nepal and Tibet, but for flying out of the USA, it might be better to use plastic zip ties which can be cut by TSA staff if necessary (bring extra zip ties).
[  ]	Travel Wallet: A secure travel wallet is a must for carrying your important documents including passport, extra photos, duffel inventory list, and money. We suggest that you use a travel wallet that you can hang around your neck and place inside your shirt, or around your waist tucked under your shirt or trousers.
[  ]	Passport (valid for at least 6 months after the trip ends with sufficient extra pages for visa stamps and in same name as airline ticket (or with endorsement-for women who changed name w/ marriage). It is easy to get your Nepal visa on arrival in Kathmandu at the airport…bring a passport photo.
Trekking Gear
[  ]	Trekking Poles: Poles come in handy for balance and easing impact to your knees. Get collapsible poles that can attach to your backpack.
[  ]	Backpack: This must get packed into one of the duffle bags for the flights. Trekkers need a pack big enough for your clothes, water, camera, food, etc during the day.
[  ]	Pack Cover: Waterproof rain cover for your pack.
[  ]	Sleeping Bag: Rated to at least 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Synthetic or Down.
[  ]	Trekkers do not need a sleeping pad. A foam trekking mattress will be provided for the trek.
[  ]	Tip: Bring 5 large plastic garbage bags to pack gear inside duffels to protect gear from rain.
Footwear
[  ]	Lightweight Shoes: Running/tennis shoes for camp, around town, etc.
[  ]	Hiking Boots: Medium-weight hiking boots, waterproofed and broken-in. We like Asolo.
[  ]	Gaiters: To keep snow, mud, and scree out of your hiking boots. We like Outdoor Research.
[  ]	Socks: 3 complete changes of socks, in a combination that you have used and know works for you. Make sure your boots are roomy enough for the sock combination you intend to use. Tight boots will make your feet cold.
Clothing
[  ]	Base Layer: 2 pair synthetic long johns: one midweight set and one expedition weight set.
[  ]	Mid Layers: One additional warm layer (wool sweater, another fleece jacket, shelled vest, etc, that can be worn in conjunction to the other layers).
[  ]	Shell Jacket: Waterproof/breathable jacket with hood.
[  ]	Shell Pants: Waterproof/breathable pants (full side zips are best).
[  ]	Climbing/Trekking Pants: Look for construction that provides freedom of movement and/or stretch materials. Fabric should be a breathable synthetic that preferably holds up to abrasion and dries quickly. You can wear them over longjohns if it is cold.
[  ]	Parka: REQUIRED. Down or synthetic. This should be big enough to go over other garments.
[  ]	Trekking Clothes: Light hiking pants and / or hiking shorts for warm weather down low- NOT cotton. Shirts for hiking on nice days (t-shirts OK, quick-drying synthetic fabric far better.)
[  ]	Casual Clothes: For travel/meals in dining rooms. You'll want a shirt or two with a collar to wear on flights and for restaurants. A sweatshirt or light jacket might be nice in the evening.
[  ]	Bathing Suit: Some of the hotels have pools (eg, Amari in Bangkok).
Clothing Accessories
[  ]	Gloves: Light gloves for hiking and warm ski gloves. Bring mittens too if your hands tend to get cold. We like Outdoor Research.
[  ]	Hats: Warm wool or heavy fleece hat, sun hat and bandana. We like Outdoor Research.
Camp Accessories
[  ]	Headlamp: With several sets of extra batteries and bulbs. The small LED headlamps are great for reading in the tent, but for climbing you might appreciate something a bit brighter. The Petzl Myo 3 and the Black Diamond Gemini lamps are good options that use AA batteries.
[  ]	Water Bottles: 2 water bottles with foam insulation shells.
[  ]	Water Treatment: Iodine tablets (Potable Aqua or similar) or iodine crystals (Polar Pure).
[  ]	Camera: With spare batteries and large capacity memory card. Consider a small USB drive for sharing photos with your teammates (8-16gigs).
[  ]	Pocket Knife.
Personal Accessories
[  ]	Wrist Watch: With alarm and light for reading in the dark. We like the Suunto ones.
[  ]	Eyewear: Bring good sunglasses. For contact lens wearers, ski goggles with light color lenses (for use at night) might be useful in windy conditions that cause blowing dust.
[  ]	Vision correction: Bring extra prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses if you wear them. Lens solutions are not widely available in Nepal, bring enough.
[  ]	Skin Care: Maximum SPF sunscreen and lip balm.
[  ]	Basic First Aid: Hand sanitizer (Purell), moleskin, tape, aspirin (some climbers take a baby aspirin every day up high) and/or ibuprofen / acetaminophen, Imodium, Band-Aids, antacid, insect repellant, ear plugs, and several rolls of toilet paper (we will have a supply at Base Camp), small towel, soap/shampoo.
[  ]	Prescription Medications: Two regimens of antibiotic for respiratory and GI problems (azithromycin "Z-Pak") Diamox (acetazolamide) for acclimatization (125 mg tabs recommended; enough for a week) A few sleeping pills for the first few days of jet lag Malaria Chemophrophylaxis (not needed unless you go to low areas in Nepal or Thailand, in which case we suggest Malarone) Asthma medication, if any history (for example an Advair inhaler — many people find this VERY useful for "Khumbu Cough" bronchitis/irritation which can ruin your expedition and prevent you from climbing.) Nifedipine (for Pulmonary Edema; the 30 mg time-release x 2 tablets) Dexamethasome (for Cerebral Edema; 4 mg x 10 tablets).
[  ]	Personal Snack Food: The food is great on the trek but you might enjoy a few snacks from home and also some drink mixes if you like these to add to your water bottle (let the iodine have 30 minutes contact time before adding). Summit climbers should bring some high altitude snacks they like to eat.
[  ]	Pee Bottle
[  ]	Chemical Hand Warmers (6)
[  ]	MP3 Player, Kindle or Books. Plan on sharing books among team members. You can also borrow from and add to the Base Camp Library we establish every year.