You will be packing a trekking duffel and a daypack. The combined daypack + trekking duffel weight limit is 20 kg/44 lbs for domestic flights in and out of the Khumbu. Strive to keep your daypack weight no more than 7 kg/15.5 lbs.

A Sherpa porter will carry your trekking duffel each day. It will be available to you upon arrival to that day’s final destination. Please ensure that your trekking duffel has a lock.

FOOTWEAR

WOOL OR SYNTHETIC SOCKS

Four or five pairs of midweight to heavyweight hiking socks. Choose wool or synthetic socks. Newer socks offer increased loft, warmth, and padding than older socks. Your socks must fit comfortably over liner socks, if you choose to use liner socks. Plan to dedicate one pair of socks to use around camp and when sleeping on very cold nights.

HIKING BOOTS

Waterproof hiking boots designed for hiking in cool to cold conditions. Modern, lightly insulated boots with room in the toe box and good support should be stressed. Models like the Scarpa Terra GTX are ideal.

GAITERS

Waterproof gaiters sized to fit your boots snugly. Short to mid gaiters that create a tight secure closure lower or mid-calf are ideal. Tall tradition mountaineering gaiters will also work well.

TREKKING POLES

Collapsible skiing/trekking poles. Three section, adjustable-height models are preferred.

TECHNICAL CLOTHING: Base layers

SHORT UNDERWEAR

Four or five pairs, including the pair you are wearing on Day 1. Synthetic or wool fabrics only - no cotton! Bring comfortable athletic styles based on your needs and preferences (e.g., boxers, briefs, sports bras).

SYNTHETIC T-SHIRTS

Two short-sleeved outdoor t-shirts for hiking on warm days and as a base layer. “Tech tees” work well for this, as they are synthetic and quick-drying.

BASELAYER BOTTOM

Non-cotton baselayer bottoms that should fit snugly without constriction. We recommend lighter weight baselayers rather than heavier fleece-type layers. Wool, wool blend, polyester, or other synthetic fabrics all work well. Be sure your baselayer pants are not constructed from cotton.

MEDIUM TO HEAVY BASELAYER BOTTOMS

Medium to Heavy baselayer bottoms designed to be used while climbing in colder conditions, for example summit night.  Can also be used as your sleeping layer on colder nights higher up.

LONG-SLEEVE SUN SHIRTS

Two long-sleeved baselayer “sun hoodies.” This item must be constructed of a non-cotton material such as merino wool or polyester. Light-colored, hooded sun shirts are strongly recommended for sun protection and are worn by guides throughout most climbs. One of the most useful long-sleeve pieces in your clothing system.

MIDLAYER TOP

A midweight, form-fitting, lightweight fleece layer to go over baselayers and sun shirts. Can be hooded or not, pullover or zip. Grid-type fleeces have the best warmth-to-weight ratio.

TECHNICAL CLOTHING: Pants

TREKKING PANTS

Bring one or two pairs of lightweight nylon trekking pants for the hot portions of the climb. Some prefer to bring zip-off styles, while others bring a pair of trekking shorts instead of a second pair of trekking pants. These also work well on safari and for travel.

SOFTSHELL PANTS

Stretchy, comfortable, non-insulated softshell pants that fit comfortably with or without your baselayer bottoms. These are thicker, heavier fabric than lightweight trekking pants, and more durable. These are typically worn on summit night over your base layer bottoms.

HARDSHELL PANTS

Non-insulated, fully waterproof shell pants that fit comfortably over your baselayer bottoms and softshell pants. Full-length size zippers are best, as you can put them on without taking off your boots.

TECHNICAL CLOTHING: Jackets

SOFTSHELL JACKET

Look for light weight version.  This type of layer is highly versatile, breathable, wind and weather resistant.  A lightweight windshirt or fleece jacket can be a substitute.  Hood is optional. This type of layer should fit well over your midlayer top and baselayer top, but under puffy jackets and hardshell.

HARDSHELL JACKET

A non-insulated, fully waterproof shell jacket with a hood. Must fit comfortably over your baselayer, midlayer, and softshell.

LIGHTWEIGHT INSULATED JACKET

Your lightweight insulated jacket serves either as a layering piece or as stand-alone insulation when appropriate. This may be filled with down or synthetic insulation. Down feathers are more packable and lighter weight, while synthetic insulation will retain warmth when wet. A guide favorite piece often referred to as a “micro puff.” You will use this type of jacket every day.

INSULATED DOWN PARKA

This jacket or parka should be heavily insulated with high-quality down fill. We recommend an overall parka weight of more than 1.3 lb. A hood is required. Light insulated jackets/micro puffs will not be sufficient. This is your warmest jacket, cut larger to fit over many layers on summit night in the cold.

INSULATED SYNTHETIC PANTS

A synthetic insulated pant with full-length separating side zips.  A “puffy jacket for your legs.”  Cut larger to go over soft-shell pants and base layer bottoms on summit night.  Some type of ski pants that achieve the above can be a substitute.  An example is the Rab Photon insulated pant.

HANDWEAR

LIGHTWEIGHT LINER GLOVES

Very lightweight wool or synthetic liner gloves that offer a snug, comfortable fit. Lighter colors absorb less sunlight while still offering UV protection. Black or dark-color gloves are also acceptable.

SHELL OR SOFTSHELL GLOVES

Midweight, insulated gloves for use when mittens are too warm and liner gloves are not warm enough.

INSULATED MITTENS

Waterproof shell mittens with insulating liners. We recommend that your liner gloves can fit inside the mitten system as well.

HEADWEAR

BUFFS

Two buffs. A must-have for all outdoor activities, the UV Buff is one of the most useful headwear layers.  Works well to protect against dust, UV, and respiratory irritation from breathing all the cold, dry air at altitude.

SUNHAT

Any style of lightweight hat for shading the head will work well. Baseball caps and sombrero-style sun hats are the most common.

WOOL/SYNTHETIC SKI HAT

A non-cotton wool or synthetic hat that covers the head and ears comfortably.

SUNGLASSES

High-quality, UV-blocking sunglasses with good all-around protection are recommended. A good fit is critical for comfort- try on glasses to check for a comfy fit and good light blockage. Keep in mind that high-quality lenses are an absolute must due to mountain sun.

HEADLAMP

A modern outdoor LED headlamp offering 200-300 lumens of output. Freshly installed batteries plus spare batteries. Weather-resistant models are strongly preferred. 

PERSONAL EQUIPMENT

MEDIUM DUFFEL BAG 90-100L

This will serve as your Porter Bag on the Trek. Purchase a travel lock for peace of mind. Do not bring wheeled or hard-sided models as this will be difficult for the porters to carry. Example is The North Face Large Basecamp Duffel.

SMALL PACK 40L

An internal frame climbing/trekking pack of approximately 40 liters in carrying capacity. Emphasize simple, lightweight designs.

TRAVEL LOCKS

Two TSA-approved travel locks for your luggage will offer extra peace of mind when storing items in hotels or lodges.

0°F SLEEPING BAG

Down or synthetic insulation, rated to approximately 0° Fahrenheit, with a collared hood for warmth. Be sure to include a compression stuff sack.

SLEEPING PAD (PROVIDED)

We will provide a comfortable sleeping pad for the 1 overnight at Everest Base Camp in tents.  Otherwise sleeping pads are not needed, as we use beds in the Sherpa Tea Houses along the trek.

PILLOWCASE

A pillowcase is strongly recommended for use in the tea houses. While not required, it is a small and light item that can give extra comfort. 

EARPLUGS

Always recommended for getting high-quality rest. Soft foam rather than wax models are recommended as they are light and disposable.

TOILETRY BAG

Include toilet paper (stored in a plastic bag), hand sanitizer, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, wet wipes, and any personal medications or prescriptions. Choose a quantity appropriate for the length of your trip. Female trekkers should bring an appropriate amount of feminine hygiene products for the duration of the trip.

TOWEL & SOAP (OPTIONAL)

A small packable towel and a small bottle of shampoo and soap can be nice for showering at the tea houses.

WATER BOTTLES

Bring two one-liter capacity hard-sided water bottles. Wide-mouth, BPA-free plastic bottles are ideal. Nalgene brand bottles are recommended. Do not bring metal bottles, and do not bring soft-sided water bottles.  Note: to use a Steri-Pen you must have a wide-mouth bottle.

WATER PURIFICATION TOOLS

We treat all drinking water. Bring several bottles of chemical-based water treatment, such as AquaMira, as well as one Steri-Pen device per person. The Adventurer- Opti Steri-Pen is the recommended version due to long battery life and reliability.

SUNSCREEN

Two to four ounces of SPF 30+ sunscreen. Varieties with zinc-oxide are more protective! Two to four ounces per week is typically sufficient, but several small tubes can offer insurance against lost or exploded tubes. Sunscreen loses SPF rating over time; we strongly recommend brand-new sunscreen.

LIPSCREEN

Several tubes of SPF 30+ lipscreen. As with sunscreen, be sure your lipscreen is new.

HAND AND TOE WARMERS

Bring three sets of each. Please note that toe warmers are different than hand warmers. They are formulated to work in a lower oxygen environment, like the inside of a boot, they also burn out more quickly.

SMALL PERSONAL FIRST-AID KIT

Basic medical supplies in a compact package for your daypack. We recommend over-the-counter pain relievers, Moleskin, first-aid tape, Band-Aids, and anti-septic wipes or gel.

MEDICATIONS & PRESCRIPTIONS

Bring any personal prescriptions, plus Pepto Bismol, Cipro (500mg tablets), Metronidazole (500mg tablets), Z-Paks (500mg tablets), Diamox (125mg tablets, approx. 2 per day at altitude), Zofran (4mg tablets/neaseau), Immodium, Erythromycin ointment for those who wear glasses/contacts, cold medicine (Mucinex, Tylenol cold +flu, Theraflu), and a variety of over-the-counter pain relievers like Tylenol and Ibuprofen. Some find that Excedrin (a combination of aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine) works particularly well at relieving altitude-related headaches. We also recommend a selection of hard candies and cough drops to handle the cold, dry air.

HAND SANITIZER

Many alcohol-based hand cleaners will work well. Bring a small amount appropriate to the trip duration.

FACE MASK (OPTIONAL)

We recommend that all trekkers have a face mask easily accessible in a waterproof bag (Ziploc, etc.) in case of illness.

PEE BOTTLE (OPTIONAL)

Collapsible or hard-sided 1 liter Nalgene models can work well. If opting for a collapsible model, please pick a 1.5- to 2-liter model as it allows for more space while using in your sleeping bag.  Useful on the two or three nights when we don’t have attached bathrooms and you must go down the hall.

PEE FUNNEL (FOR WOMEN, OPTIONAL)

Practice is critical for the use of this item.

TEA HOUSE CLOTHING

Comfortable, warm, loose-fitting clothing for afternoons and evenings in the tea houses and for sleeping. The common dining rooms are typically heated at night by wood stove, but sleeping rooms are not.

RUNNING SHOES

Lightweight, comfortable running or walking shoes are recommended for off-mountain use and pre-and-post trip travel. In some situations, these may also serve as approach shoes.

CAMERA

Optional. Small point-and-shoot cameras (including compact SLR's) are ideal & work well at altitude. Alternatively, many opt to use a smartphone camera.

WATCH

Everyone should have a simple watch as we will operate on an organized schedule each day.

Altimeter and Smart Watches (optional) are increasingly popular and a great way to track your trip in the field. Models with GPS tracking, altimeter, and activity mode options are most common in addition to having traditional watch features like an alarm clock. Smart watches can be a very helpful tool in training for your climb.

For a long trip, we recommend bringing a power bank and charging cable into the field as GPS tracking requires a significant amount of a battery power.

SMALL PERSONAL POWER BANK (OPTIONAL)

Small portable battery bank for charging personal items like your cell phone, wireless headphone sets and similar.  15-20,000 mA is a good size and will provide 3-4 charges.

FOOD

Bring 12-15 pieces (total) of your favorite Clif Shot Bloks, energy chews, Gu packets, energy gels, etc. These easily-digestible and quick to consume foods are helpful for keeping your energy up during the climb to the trek. You may also bring a limited quantity of other favorite snacks (~1 piece per day), keeping in mind that there are strict weight limits for portered bags so do not overpack snacks. Finally, we recommend a few Ricola or other cough drops for the cold, dry air higher on the mountain.