GEAR FOR TIBET CLIMBING
CLOTHING
WE LIKE A MORE STRIPPED DOWN VERSION OF WHAT OTHER 6000m CLIMBING USES – BECAUSE WE HAVE TO CARRY IT FURTHER – BUT WE BEEF UP THE INSULATION BECAUSE WE ARE HIGHER FOR LONGER AS WELL
WE OFTEN CLIMB IN FULL INSULATION BECAUSE DAYS ARE SHORT & THE BODY IS ASKING FOR MORE WARMTH. A FULL SPEC INSULATION SET ALLOWS CLIMBERS TO STREAMLINE THEIR SLEEPING SYSTEM, USING CARRIED WEIGHT MORE EFFICIENTLY.
TIBET IS VERY DRY SO SHELLS CAN BE LIGHT AND JACKETS TINY AS THEY WON’T GET MUCH USE, WHEREAS BASELAYERS GET LIVED IN SO NEED TO BE WARM, BREATHABLE & WELL FITTING.
BOOTS
THE 8000m BOOTS & DOWN SUITS NEEDED ON K2 ARE NOT REQUIRED IN TIBET, BUT THINGS STILL DO NEED SERIOUS HIGH ALTITUDE GEAR. FROM OCTOBER ONWARDS, TIBET IS NOT THE PLACE FOR SINGLE BOOTS
THE PERFECT BOOT IS OFTEN A 6000m BOOT PAIRED WITH AN 8000m LINER, SOMETHING THAT SEES US UP WINTER ASCENTS BUT IS DEXTROUS AND LIGHT..
CARRYING
WE DIVIDE CARRYING INTO 3 TYPES; PORTAGE, HIGH CARRIES & FAST SUMMITS, USING LARGE 120L HAULERS FOR THE FIRST, SIMILAR SIZED AND ROBUST ALPINE PACKS FOR THE SECOND AND EXTREMELY LIGHT ‘SUMMIT PACKS’ FOR THE LATTER.
OUR TRIPS ARE DEFINED BY HOW MUCH WE CAN CARRY, SO IT IS IMPORTANT OUR PACKS ARE UP TO THE JOB WITHOUT WEIGHING TOO MUCH THEMSELVES.
SLEEPING
MOST ASCENTS ENTAIL TWO OR THREE NIGHTS ON THE ROUTE, MEANING NEW DOWN SLEEPING BAGS THAT ARE NANO TREATED WORK WELL.
SLEEPING MATS MUST BE WARM BUT ALSO EASY TO MANAGE IN CRAMPED BIVIES, SO LIKE FOR THE 8000m STUFF WE GO WITH THIN INFLATED ONES LAYERED WITH FOAM.
OUR TENTS ARE THE STRONGEST AVAILABLE AS WELL AS THE LIGHTEST, BUT WE ALSO BIVY A LOT AND AT TIMES WE USE TIBETS INCREDIBLE SELECTION OF CAVES AND NATURAL SHELTER.
CLIMBING
ASCENTS IN TIBET TEND TO BE TECHNICAL, THOUGH NOT NECESSARILY HARD, BUT IT DOES MEAN CARRYING RACKS, TWO TOOLS AND USUALLY MULTIPLE ROPES.
WE LIKE STRIPPED DOWN GEAR AND RELY A LOT ON SMALL WIRES, BEAKS AND MEDIUM CAMS, USUALLY CARRYING A HANDFUL OF SCREWS AND ON SOME ROUTES, PICKETS.
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