Packing List for a Trek

Trek Packing List

We’ve been on a few treks around the world including Mt. Kilimanjaro, Everest Base Camp, and most recently the Ladakh Region in India.

After several rounds of packing and unpacking, here is a packing list we reference for our treks, and some trekking essentials for trekkers to bring along on their next adventure.

TREK PACKING LIST

Daypack

• Coleman Camper’s Toilet Paper A MUST if you don’t want to be using the leaves or lack of leaves from your surroundings!
• Rain gear–We recommend a poncho like this Rain Ponchoto keep dry during unexpected showers.
• Staying warm is a must! And even when you are in a warm area temperatures drop at night and you should be prepared with a warm jacket. Here is our favorite Down Jacket
  !
• Gloves– These gloves Cold Weather Gloves for Men and Women
  are perfect for keeping your hands warm!
• Hat–Sun coverage is needed for even the shortest hike so make sure you have a hat that will keep you cool and burn free. Sun Hats
• Go Pro/camera/iPhone — We love our GoPro and take it wherever we go so we can share our experiences with family and friends and remember the adventures from the best perspective! GoPro HERO4 SILVER
• Water bottles / Camelbak
• Power bars– Best way to keep your energy up and keep going on the trail is a Power Bar. These are as delicious and you have to try the Cookie dough! Power Bar
• Hand Sanitizer– Keep those hands germ free from who knows what and make sure to get this kind Purell Hand Sanitizer
  ! It straps on and you’ll never loose it!
• Sunscreen Lip Balm, SPF 45
• Nuun Active Hydration
• Bandana– Perfect for keeping the sweat and dust out! Also dip in a cool stream every once in a while for a quick cool down. Bandana
• Trekking poles (collapsible are best) Theses are the best and the colors are the perfect touch Trekking Poles
• Sunglasses– Get some great sunlgasses like these to keep those eyes protected Sunglasses
• Extra pair socks —Here is our favorite pack!

Duffle Bag (North Face)

• Sleeping Bag
  You will need one that is light weight and easily compactible.
• Sleeping Pad
  –This one is perfect cause it is inflatable and easy to pack away in your bag
• Fleece Sleeping Bag Liner
  — Just for those extra cold nights
• Night wear–Bring a few layers so you can bundle up and remove a few if you get cold.
• Undies
• Pants 3 pairs lightweight with zip off or cuffs, trek pants with omni shield for colder higher altitude. We love these Pants
  for any trek
• Base layer hat
• Five pair Socks– Here is a great Pack of Socks
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• Gloves (light and heavy)
• Tops –suggest long sleeve – sun may be strong. Long Sleeve Base Layer Top
• Fleece Down Coat
• Extra glasses
• Chargers or Goal Zero solar panel for phones, etc. This one is our favorite–Solar Panel Charger
• Hiking Boot
  (extra pair of shoelaces)
• TP & wipes
• Camping quick dry Towel (Pack Towl)– This bundle will have them all Best Travel Towel Bundle
• Shampoo/ conditioner — Here is our go to! But bring what you love Travel Shampoo and Conditioner
• Toothbrush/paste/soap, and Travel Floss
  can be useful too!
• Two or 3 bandanas – one to cover your mouth and nose when/if dusty and one for your nose!
• Flip flops/comfy camp shoes – your bare feet should never touch ground Base Camp Flip-Flop
• Water purifier stick/Steripen– This is one of our must items! Sometimes you are left without clean water and this will help keep you healthy and hydrated. SteriPEN Adventurer
• Large bath wipes – no shower for 8 days!Cleansing Washcloths
• Headlamp and extra batteries– For late night adventures or a quick bathroom trip. LED Headlamp
• Battery Powered LED Camping Lantern

Meds/Drugs/First Aid

• AZT/Diomox for altitude (prescription)
• Antibiotics (prescription)
• Band aids & Neosporin– all available in this lightweight Small 100-Piece First Aid Kit
• Cough Suppressants
• Throat lozenge/drops like Burts bees honey & lemon – the air is really dry. Halls Drops, Honey-Lemon
• Tylenol(R) Extra-Strength
  /Aspirin
• Lomatil Anti-vomiting meds (prescription)
• Antihistamine such as Benadryl

MISC

• Aquaphor Lip Repair great for skin – dry, running nose
• Hand sanitizer – suggest ‘clean well’ all natural which is alcohol free (whole foods)–Buy it here, Cleanwell All-Natural Hand Sanitizer
• Hand moisturizer and lip balm with sunscreen
• Snacks – Chocolate with nuts, fruit/bars/nuts, jerky, etc. Here is our favorite variety pack Snack Attack In-A-Box
• Extra coffee/tea if you are picky
• HotHands Hand Warmers
• Extra Baggies for TP/wipes/whatnot–Baggies Storage Bags
• Baby powder–This Burt’s Bees kind is our favorite Baby Powder
• Pillow case may come in handy–Pure-Cotton Pillow Case Covers
• Neck Gators!!
• Carbineers great for laundry, hang stuff off backpack
• Postcards for local kids/playing cards/travel backgammon/Dominos
• Reading material

What is your must have for a trek! Add it to our Trek Packing list by commenting below

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

If you’re looking for items to bring on your next trek, we recommend the following products. 

ExOfficio – Many of us wore ExOfficio adventure clothing on our travels through India, and trekking up to 14,000 ft. The clothing is comfortable, quick-drying, lightweight, wrinkle-free, with bug, sun, and water protection.

Especially love their best-selling Give-N-Go® underwear! ExOfficio believes that the magic of travel, whether you seek different cultures, epic scenery, or the thrill of the unknown, is a chance to create perspective and vitality by opening your mind to the wonders of the world.

Goal Zero – Trekking in the remote far north mountain ranges of India, means no electricity. We were 100% dependent on the sun, and the only way we could power up our devices – phones, cameras, and tablets, was with the Goal Zero solar panels. Our favorite solar panels and kits were the Venture 30 Solar Kit, and the Sherpa Solar Recharging Kit.

The Goal Zero equipment was easy to set up, power up, and charge devices. Robert Workman is the Founder of Goal Zero, and believes it’s possible to “put reliable power into every human hand on this earth, without overwhelming our resources.” He’s right and without Goal Zero we wouldn’t have had sufficient power on our 8-day trek.

Gregory Pack – The Gregory Packs are customized to carry Goal Zero solar panels while trekking and backpacking. Our favorites? For men the Stout 45, and for women, the Amber 44, a 44-liter pack ideal for hiking in the woods, long weekends in the desert, and week-long surf trips. A bottom-panel access zipper makes pitching your bivy and packing up a breeze, while features like adjustable fit, internal hydration management make a difference. Easy to attach Goal Zero solar panels and start your hike, while catching sun rays along the way!

SteriPEN – One of our most valuable items was the Steripen Classic 3 that made it possible for us to filter water throughout our trek. The original handheld UV water purifier is now even better! Trusted on mountains and trails for over 15 years, SteriPEN® Classic is the best-selling portable UV purifier of all time. Since 1999, hundreds of thousands of people have ensured their drinking water is safe and avoided ruined adventures with SteriPEN® Classic. The next generation of Classic operates on four AA batteries batteries. With one set of alkaline batteries, Classic 3 purifies up to 50 liters or supercharge your Classic 3 with lithium batteries and treat up to 150 liters. With a lamp life of up to 8,000 liters, you’ll be drinking safe water for over 7 years!

Nuun – Our trekking team had enough Nuun tablets to last us through our trek. Just when your energy hits a low, we added a Nuun tablet to our water bottle, and it gave us that extra boost to help us get to the next high mountain pass. nuun is leading the way in portable hydration with electrolyte enhanced drink tabs designed to keep you hydrated no matter where your lifestyle takes you.

Pacsafe Luggage Coversafe 75 Neck Pouch, Black, One Size
– Loved our Pacsafe handbag that kept our documents and gear safe. Pacsafe provides smart travel gear, and are the global traveler’s best travel buddy, dedicated to creating innovative ways to help keep your gear secure.

Cascade Designs – Cascade Designs provided us with MSR, Therm-a-Rest, and Pack Towl products.

Our favorites included: MSR’s Hydromedary^™ Hydration Systems that feature the same tough, lightweight 200-denier Cordura^® exterior as our DromLite^™ reservoirs and are loaded with great features for everyone from day hikers to diehard backcountry travelers. Their rugged exterior makes them perfect for use in packs without dedicated hydration sleeves while the durable BPA-free, food-grade lining handles freezing. Available in three sizes to fit most packs, they come standard with an ergonomic 90-degree bite valve with shut-off to minimize leaks.

Therm-a-Rest Adara HD Women’s Winter Down Sleeping Bag features Nikwax® Hydrophobic Down, and provides reliable warmth for multi-night ski tours, winter climbs and snowshoe trips. A women’s-specific cut minimizes excess space and key features like our Toe-asis™ Foot Warmer, reflective ThermaCapture™ lining and mattress integration assure you’ll stay warmer and sleep better, leaving you with more energy for better days in the backcountry. Coupled with the Therm-a-Rest mattress, every night was a good night’s sleep!

Pack Towl provided our team with Ultralite towels that were soft, absorbent, and remarkably lightweight towel fits in your pack when space is tight, so you’re always ready for fun on the fly. Great for drying off after visiting alpine lakes and remote beaches, the Ultralite towel is a great choice for anyone who wants to play in the water without lugging a wet cotton towel around.

FitBit – We were able to track our activity with the FitBit Flex Wristband fitness tracker. It was motivating to see the progress we made along the 8-day trek and how far we went each day!