Gear · Nepal 2026
Gear
What matters is what an item does, not who made it. Each item lists its specs and how it worked on the trail.
- Daypack
- 7–8 kg
- For the porter
- ~10 kg
- Coldest night
- ≈ −1 °C · Khopra, 3,660 m
- Bought for this trip
- €2,104 · ≈ 357,700 NPR · ≈ $2,355
Sleeping3 items · nights up to 3,660 m
Simond MT500 0 °C XL
Sleeping bag, synthetic fill
My experience on the trailAt Bayeli Kharka, 3,456 m, just right with the liner and wool base layer. A little cold on the shoulders at first.
- comfort
- 0 °C
- limit
- −5 °C
- weight
- 1580 g
- length
- up to 2.00 m
Product page → (opens in a new tab)
Photo: Simond / Decathlon
Simond MT500
Sleeping bag liner, silk
My experience on the trailKeeps the sleeping bag clean and adds a couple of degrees.
- extra warmth
- +1.5…2 °C
- length
- 220 cm
Photo: Simond
Aclima WoolNet
Sleepwear, merino mesh
My experience on the trailSleepwear every night; the bottom layer on cold nights.
- material
- merino wool
- knit
- mesh
Photo: Aclima
Clothing in layers12 items · base, mid and outer layer
Simond Merino Resist
Base layer, merino T-shirt
My experience on the trailMain shirt on the trail. One shirt on, the other drying; neither started to smell.
- wool
- 89%
- fabric weight
- 155 g/m²
Photo: Simond
Aclima Lightwool 180
Base layer, merino T-shirt
My experience on the trailSpare shirt. Just as good as the main one, no unpleasant smell.
- fabric weight
- 180 g/m² (per product name)
Photo: Aclima
Fjällräven Abisko Lite
Mid layer, light fleece
My experience on the trailA very good warm layer after a trekking day and on cool mornings on the trail. Instead of a sweaty shirt in the wind at the halfway stop, and in the sleeping bag at night.
- type
- fleece, long sleeves
Photo: Fjällräven
Fjällräven Keb Lätt Wind
Wind jacket with hood
My experience on the trailOn the ridge above 3,400 m with the hood up.
- fabric
- 100% polyamide, recycled
- property
- wind- and water-repellent
- weight
- ~300 g
Product page → (opens in a new tab)
Photo: Fjällräven
Black Diamond
Warm layer, down jacket
My experience on the trailHooded, with a drawcord at the hem, so cold air can’t get in. Worked well together with the other layers.
- fill
- down
Photo: Black
Ferrino Valdez
Shell jacket, waterproof and windproof
My experience on the trailWorn on the flight. Luckily it never rained, so it stayed unused on the trail.
- laminate
- 3-layer
- hydrostatic head
- 20 000 mm
- breathability
- 20 000 g/m²/24 h
- seams
- taped
Product page → (opens in a new tab)
Photo: Ferrino
Rab Firewall Mountain
Rain trousers
My experience on the trailLuckily it never rained; they’ll wait for next time.
Product page → (opens in a new tab)
Photo: Rab
Rab Torque Mountain
Hiking trousers
My experience on the trailWorn when travelling, in the evenings and every trekking day; at night in the sleeping bag over the merino base layer. Very stretchy, wick sweat away, no unpleasant smell.
Product page → (opens in a new tab)
Photo: Rab
Fjällräven
Hiking shorts
My experience on the trailOn hot days. Just as good as the Rab trousers.
Aclima
Underwear, merino boxers
My experience on the trailSuperb. They had already proved themselves in Georgia, in heat and in cold.
- material
- merino wool
Aclima Classic Beanie
Hat, thicker merino
My experience on the trailIn the mountains in the evenings, and one night in bed too. Breathes and doesn’t itch.
- material
- merino wool
Hestra Merino Liner Active + Windbreaker Pull Over
Gloves: merino liners and windproof over-mitts
My experience on the trailBoth pairs were needed twice higher up. The quality showed.
Feet3 items
Garmont Nebraska II GTX
Hiking boots, waterproof membrane
My experience on the trailDry on the wet, rocky forest trail. Worn on the flight to keep the luggage lighter.
- membrane
- Gore-Tex (GTX)
- height
- above the ankle
- size
- EU 48
Product page → (opens in a new tab)
Photo: Garmont
Keen Hightrail WP
Spare shoes, waterproof
My experience on the trailIn the cities and in the teahouse in the evening.
- protection
- waterproof (WP)
- size
- EU 47.5
Photo: Keen
Lorpen
Hiking socks, wool
My experience on the trailI wore mostly the thinner pairs and the thick ones only briefly. For a trek like this I’d take more thin pairs. A dry pair always in the porter bag.
- pairs
- 4
- thickness
- thin to warm
Photo: Lorpen
Bags4 items · on the flight and on the trail
Thule Capstone 50
Daypack
My experience on the trailCabin bag on the flight; everything for the day on the trail.
- volume
- 50 l
- dimensions
- 71 × 30 × 26 cm
- empty
- 1.5 kg
- on the trail
- 7–8 kg with 2 l of water
Product page → (opens in a new tab)
Photo: Thule
Singing Rock Expedition
Porter bag, duffel
My experience on the trailChecked bag on the flight; on the porter’s back on the trail.
- volume
- 90 l
- dimensions
- 70 × 30 × 40 cm
- empty
- 2.27 kg
- load
- ~20 kg shared by two
Photo: Singing
Decathlon
Compression bag, waterproof
My experience on the trailSleeping bag, liner and sleepwear in one bag.
- volume
- 25 l
Photo: Decathlon
Decathlon
Dry bag
My experience on the trailSmall items in the porter bag. A backup on the flight in case the cabin bag had to be checked.
- volume
- 10 l
- protection
- IPX6
Photo: Decathlon
Water and food3 items
Nalgene
Water bottles
My experience on the trailFilled with boiled water. No bottled water was sold at Khopra.
- volume
- 2 × 1 l
Photo: Nalgene
Aquatabs
Water purification tablets, chlorine
My experience on the trailExtra protection on top of boiled water.
- contact time
- 30 min
- quantity
- 50 pcs
Photo: Aquatabs
Aptonia
Electrolyte tablets
- dose
- 1 tablet / 0.5 l
- quantity
- 20 pcs
Photo: Aptonia
Light and measurement3 items
Petzl Actik
Headlamp
My experience on the trailIn the morning before sunrise, walking to the photo spot.
- output
- 450 lm
- extra light
- red
Product page → (opens in a new tab)
Photo: Petzl
Julbo Montebianco 2
Sunglasses
My experience on the trailWorn only on the descents: a much clearer view and rested eyes. UV rises by 10–12% with every 1,000 m of altitude. At Khopra (3,660 m) altitude alone gives 36–43% more than in Viljandi, and the lower latitude adds more.
- category
- 3
Photo: Julbo
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Solar
Watch: GPS, barometer, heart rate
My experience on the trailAll the trail numbers on this site come from here.
- measures
- track, altitude, heart rate, breathing at night
- SpO₂
- during sleep
- also
- solar charging, flashlight
Photo: Garmin
On the trail and travelling5 items
Bought in Kathmandu
Trekking poles, folding
My experience on the trailGood helpers on climbs without steps and on descents. My first time with poles, and I’ll take them again.
- price
- 3,000 NPR ≈ €17.64 ≈ $19.75
TESSAN
Travel adapter and charger, India and Nepal plugs
My experience on the trailUsed throughout the trip; it worked.
- price
- €14.16
LONVEYI
Pill organiser
My experience on the trailUsed throughout the trip; it worked.
- price
- €15.62
Amazon
Packing cubes
My experience on the trailUsed throughout the trip; they worked.
- set
- 8 pieces
- price
- €26.56
Pharmacy
Medicines and sun protection
My experience on the trailI used only two painkillers and the sunscreen. Lip balm wasn’t needed.
- sunscreen
- SPF 50
Sources
- UV and altitude: p. 5WHO, Global Solar UV Index: A Practical Guide (2002) (opens in a new tab)