Packing all the gear before departing

Theo’s gear list

My gear during the trek

Some gear I used during training

Notes and tips

You don’t need high-end hiking boots to complete the trek. I saw everything from B2 mountaineering boots to flip flops (!) on the trek, but I think that some sturdy hiking shoes for example the Salomon XA Pro 3D above, would be compeletely fine for this trek (and during the dry season in which we hiked).
If you are an experienced hiker, you know whether you prefer to have trekking poles or not. I don’t normally use them, but I bought and took some with me anyway. In hindsight, I wouldn’t take them again, as I carried them more than they carried me! Every extra bit of weight adds up!
You definitely don’t need a high-end watch like the Garmin Fenix 7, either for training or for this trek. I only upgraded from the Fenix 6 (already high-end in my opinion) at the last minute, because of the superior battery of the former and its ability for solar charging. I just didn’t want to have to charge my watch every second day given that I’d be tracking the hiking activities. For your training, the most important factor is consistently building your aerobic base. Even if you don’t track your every run and your heartrate, you can train very effectively by just running consistently and keeping the intensity low by forcing yourself to slow down to a nose-breathing pace.
Merino wool is good for this trip. You’re going to be showering less than normal (I hope 9 days between showers isn’t your normal ;) ), so they’ll help with minimizing odours. Bear in mind that merino wool clothes are more expensive usually.

Lily’s gear list

Clothing

I got as many clothes as possible in merino wool! Odour-resistant, temperature regulating, antibacterial, comfortable to wear, you won’t get cold if it’s wet from rain or sweat.

Merino Wool Bra x3

Decathlon bras - These bras are made of Merino wool and offer great support. Removable padding. They slightly dig into the shoulders when carrying a heavy backpack.

Mons Royale merino wool bras - Mons Royale merino wool bras are great! Very comfortable to wear. Removable padding.

Merino Wool Underwear x3

Decathlon Merino Wool Mountain Pants

Period Underwear x1

I also brought some panty liners and a couple of pads. If your period is heavy, you might want to invest in good quality period underwear or bring lots of pads. I wouldn’t recommend tampons on the trek as they need to be changed with perfectly clean hands every 4-5 hours for your safety. Menstrual cups are an option as you can wear them for longer hours but, again, make sure your hands are perfectly clean before/after. Hand sanitizer with alcohol is likely to burn you…. Use sterile gloves or wash with soap and clean water, or perhaps a sanitizer without alcohol content? Or a mix of all that. Try at home first! (Tip: bring a sealproof and smellproof small bin bag to carry back your items so they can be disposed of safely).

T-shirt Merino Wool x2

Decathlon T-shirt - Perfect for the first few/last days of the trek.

Long Sleeves Merino Tops x2

Mountain Warehouse: Top and Thermal Top - I could have done with only one top probably.

Thermal Warm Top x1

Damart, category 4 warmth: Link - Amazing to wear when it’s very cold. I used it in the teahouses after a wet wipe “shower” and deodorant and to sleep in. Can also be used on Kala Pattar.

Bottom Baselayer x1

For sleep and for Kala Pattar or EBC if you’re cold. Merino wool or similar baselayer. I bought mine at Mountain Warehouse (link above, with the long sleeves top).

Hiking Trousers x1

Montane, terra stretch trousers: Link - I bought mine on Vinted for cheap. I love them! Ventilation zips, comfortable to wear, integrated belt, etc. The only thing missing is a thigh pocket that would be large enough to hold a phone (to take pictures).

Hiking Boots

Decathlon

Accessories

Warm Buff x1

Amazon - Warm Buff - Fleece around the neck and a lighter fabric over the nose/mouth to breathe.

Light, UV Protection, Breathable Buff

Amazon - UV Protection Buff - Not for warmth but perfect for breathing through on the first/last days of the trek; it also provides UV protection.

Merino Buff

Decathlon - Buff Lightweight Merino Wool - Great for a bit of warmth and still breathable. I could have done with only 2 buffs but I didn't know which one to leave behind.

Merino Headband

Decathlon - Merino Wool Trekking Headband MT500 - Great to use when hiking as a hat would be too warm but your ears might get cold (especially if it’s windy).

Merino Liner Gloves x1

Amazon - Liner Gloves - On their own, they’re not very warm (they’re liner gloves after all) but sufficient for hiking. For higher altitudes or colder days, I used the gloves below.

Warm Waterproof Gloves x1

Bought in Decathlon, Simon brand - Dextrous Waterproof Mountaineering Gloves - Very warm, grippy, waterproof. Only used them in Gorak Shep and EBC.

Flip Flops

Amazon - Flip Flops - I wore them with thick socks in the teahouses after cleaning my feet with wipes. Also great to use in the showers.

Sunglasses Cat 3

Bought in Decathlon, lightweight.

Sunglasses Cat 4

Decathlon - Cat 4 Polarised Sunglasses - Great for the higher altitudes. Make the switch from cat 3 to cat 4 early enough on the trek to protect your eyes. You can always alternate between the two depending on the time of day and weather. The good thing about the wraparound frame of these sunglasses is that it also protects you from getting dust in your eyes.

Toiletries

Microfibre Towel 100cm x 50cm, Medium Size, x1

Amazon - Microfibre Towel - I chose a medium size to reduce the weight. It was small but sufficient!

Suncream

Face and body, SPF50, stick Neutrogena suncream - Amazon - Neutrogena Suncream Stick - I liked that it was a stick so that I didn’t need to get my hands dirty/oily/sticky on the trek. Easy to apply. Do not leave white traces and do not look too oily neither.

Lipbalm SPF+50 x1

Amazon - Sunsense Lipbalm - Protect your lips from the sun too!

Lip Balm Moisturizing x1

Powder Puff Case with Mirror x1

Amazon - Powder Puff Case - Great for having a small mirror and also for a little bit of mineral powder on days where I felt like using it. Lightweight.

Glasses Cases x2

Amazon - Glasses Cases - For my prescription glasses + sunglasses category 3. The second case was for my sunglasses category 4. The cases were lightweight and solid enough to protect the glasses. Also wide enough to contain the cat 4 sunglasses.

Moisturizing and Cleansing Face Wipes

Amazon - Face Wipes

Body Wipes

Amazon - Body Wipes - Great for a “shower”; the wipes are large and do not break easily; they’re moist and antibacterial to reduce bad odors. Perfect for a quick shower. They’re heavy so we used one pack for 2 people and we didn’t actually use all of them in the end.

Pee Rag x2

Amazon - Pee Rag - I used them to save toilet paper (particularly handy when I got a cold and needed the toilet paper to blow my nose). If you’re going to pee behind a bush/rock, it’s also great for not leaving any trace. I brought two because I wasn’t sure it would dry easily if washed on the trek.

Pee Funnel

Amazon - Pee Funnel - I didn’t end up using it more than once because there are teahouses along the trail. It’s useful on quieter treks but the EBC trek is so busy that you’d struggle finding enough privacy to pee anyway.

Dry Shampoo

Amazon - Dry Shampoo - It worked well (and smells good) for the first few days without a shower. Then, I was just using a headband or a hat to cover my hair!

All-in-One Shampoo, Soap, Laundry Product

Amazon - All-in-One Product - Smells good, great on the body, ok on the hair. I cut it before the trip as I didn't need the whole soap and to reduce weight.

Stick Natural Deodorant

Amazon - Natural Deodorant - Love the smell and it worked very well for the trek. The only issue is that it does leave some white marks on clothing at times.

Other Things

Sleeping Bag

Robens Serac 600 down, short, (-7C comfort rating for women or -14C for men), 1095g - Cotswold Outdoor - Robens Serac 600 - I bought it on a Facebook group for gear exchange for cheap; it was very warm! Even too warm for some teahouses when I was wearing my base layers too. It packed up very small with the compression bag and was lightweight. Even when bought new, it’s much cheaper than other brands and I’d highly recommend it.

Sleeping Bag Liner

SeatoSummit, Reactor Compact Plus liner. it adds +8-11C to your sleeping system. 265g - SeatoSummit Reactor Compact Plus Liner - Comfortable and warm sleeping bag liner. It was only needed on a few nights actually because of how warm my sleeping bag (and base layers) were. The teahouses also provide some blankets (which do not seem very clean so definitely don’t use them on their own. They’re to be used with a liner or a sleeping bag).

60L Backpack

I used a 60L backpack bought years ago in Decathlon. A 65L might have been better but it was alright with this one. The good things about my backpack were the suitcase style opening and the comfortable hip belt with a small pouch/pocket on the belt. I could have invested in a newer backpack that would have been lighter and would have had a water bladder pocket but I decided to spend my money elsewhere. What matters is that the backpack suits your frame, height, build, gender, etc. Try it out (with weight, not empty!) and/or get professional advice in a store. Also, learn to pack it well (plenty of advice available online).

Sleep Masks

Amazon - Sleep Masks - So comfortable! They do not press on your eyelids. They come with earbuds too. I mostly used the eye mask at the airport actually. It was dark enough in the room at the teahouses. It gets noisy though! If noise disturbs you for sleeping then bring earbuds.

Lightweight Foldable Backpack x1

Amazon - Foldable Backpack - I used it on acclimatization hikes and during the flights. Very lightweight, still comfortable, lots of pockets, foldable. Bring a waterproof cover.

Water Bladder, 2 Litres

Amazon - Water Bladder - I managed to damage it with slightly too hot water on the very first day. It also didn’t fit easily into my backpack. Otherwise, it’s a handy system to make sure you drink enough water while trekking. Make sure there is a lid for hygiene and an easy opening to pour water and add tablets in. This one was a great option.

Nalgene Bottle 1 Liter Wide Mouth + Easy Sipper

Nalgene Bottle - Great bottle! I clipped it with a small carabiner to my backpack for easy access. The advantage of a Nalgene bottle is that you can pour boiling water in it without risking any damage.

Chlorine Dioxide Tablets x 5

Lifesystems (can be found in Decathlon or other websites) - Decathlon - Chlorine Dioxide Tablets - That was way too many tablets! We ordered a lot of tea and boiled water in the teahouses which was more costly but a great treat to drink something warm… The tablets were easy to use and did not leave an aftertaste. Chlorine dioxide tablets are also safer than chlorine tablets.

Duffel Bag (1 Per Person)

Amazon - Duffel Bag - Cheap duffel bag to protect our backpacks when flying. Also great to leave a few extra items at the hotel in Kathmandu.

First Aid Kit

For Blisters

Amazon - Blister Treatment

Antibacterial Handy Wipes

Hand Sanitizer

Imodium

Flu/Cold Medicines

Throat Lozenges for Sore Throat

Painkillers

Your Own Medicines

Bring a letter from your GP and the original packaging.

Tips for Contact Lens Wearers

I'd recommend you see your optometrist for a check-up on your eye health and to get professional advice.

Lenses and Eye Drops

Follow your optometrist's advice. I used Acuvue Oasys lenses that can be worn for several days in a row. I used them with eye drops (Blink-n-clean) to keep my lenses clean and moist. I highly recommend bringing eye drops.

I also brought daily disposable lenses which I used on two acclimatisation days. I wore them for the day hike and I gave my eyes a break in the evenings by using my glasses.

No Mirror

Get used to putting on and off your lenses without a mirror, with good technique. Bring a small pocket mirror to check your eyes if needed.

Protect Your Eyes

I'd recommend to wear your sunglasses whenever you're outside for sun protection (especially at altitude) but also to protect your eyes from all the dust! Category 3 sunglasses for the beginning of the trek and category 4 wraparound sunglasses at higher altitudes. I got mine in Decathlon for a reasonable price.

Washing Hands

The biggest issue was making sure that my hands were clean enough for handling the lenses. The water at the sink isn't safe to drink nor to use in your eyes!

I tried using wipes to remove dust/dirt and then used hand sanitizer and let my hands air dry. It didn't work... I burnt my eye! I had a good cry to wash my eyes from the alcohol residue from the hand sanitizer (there must have been some left on my fingertips), used eye drops, and wore my glasses until my eye felt better.

I then decided to use sterile gloves and it was amazing! Make sure they are tight enough on your hands so that you can handle the lenses easily. I'd highly recommend bringing a few pairs and hopefully you'll only need to change your lenses occasionally.

Alternatively, bring a small soap and wash your hands at the sink. Rinse off with sterilised water from your bottle.