EACH TRIP GETS A SPECIFIC GEAR REQUIRMENTS LIST DEPENDING IF IT’S K2 OR TIBET, AND OVER HUNDREDS OF TRIPS WE’VE SEEN THAT AS LONG AS YOU GET A FEW THINGS DIALED THE REST FALLS INTO PLACE. DESPITE WHAT THE BIG COMPANIES WILL TELL YOU. HAVING SOME ESOTERIC FEATURE ON YOUR SPOON OR PACK IS IRRELEVANT COMPARED TO GETTING ‘THE BIG FIVE’ RIGHT.
FOR CLIMBERS WANTING THE FINEST GEAR SPECIFIC TO OUR TRIPS, OR THOSE JUST WANTING TO UPDATE THEIR CURRENT GEAR, WE PROVIDE GOOD DISCOUNTS THROUGH OUR PRO GEAR DEALS.
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THE BIG FIVE OF ALPINE GEAR
THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU SHOULD WORRY ABOUT BECAUSE IF THEY DONT PERFORM THE CHANCES OF INJURY ARE RAISED. THEY ARE ALSO AMONG THE MOST EXPENSIVE, OFTEN WITH GOOD REASON AS IT’S WHERE THE TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN MATTERS. THE GOOD NEWS IS, WHEN GOT RIGHT, YOU CAN COMFORTABLY REEL IN COSTS ELSEWHERE. THESE FIVE NEED TO PUT PERFORMANCE FAR ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE; FORGET HOW THEY LOOK, FORGET WHAT THEY COST, DO WHAT YOU NEED TO GET IT RIGHT. THEY ARE THE PRICE OF ENTRY AND IN THE COMPRESSED WORLD OF SERIOUS CLIMBING WHAT YOU WILL BE JUDGED BY WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. THIS IS THE GEAR YOU DESIGN TRIPS AROUND.
NOT LISTED IN ANY ORDER BECAUSE ANY WEAKNESS IN ONE WILL AFFECT THE LOT. NO AMOUNT OF TWEAKING ELSEWHERE WILL MAKE UP FOR CUTTING CORNERS ON THESE.
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BOOTS & SOCKS
YOUR FEET DECIDE WHAT YOU CAN DO SO THE WRONG BOOTS FOR THE JOB MEANS BRINGING A KNIFE TO A GUN FIGHT. WE HAVE CURTAILED 5 WEEK HIMALAYAN TRIPS BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BOUGHT BOOTS NOT UP FOR THE CONDITIONS. ANYTHING ABOVE 3000m, FOR MORE THAN 2 NIGHTS, ESPECIALLY IN OPEN BIVIES, NEEDS A DOUBLE BOOT. THE RESULT OF GETTING IT WRONG IS FROSTBITE AND/OR RESCUE AT WORST AND TIME WASTED EACH DAY DEALING WITH FROZEN BOOTS AT BIVIES AND BEST. YOU OWE IT TO THE TEAM TO HAVE THE RIGHT BOOTS. WE HAVEFREQUENTLY ADJUSTED TRIP COSTS SO CLIMBERS COULD PUT MONEY TOWARDS THE RIGHT BOOTS BECAUSE IT MATTERS TO EVERYONE.
BOOTS DON’T EXIST WITHOUT SOCKS AND THE SOCKS OF TODAY NEGATE THE CONCEPT OF THICK WOOL TRAPPING MOISTURE AROUND YOUR FEET FOR DAYS ON END. MID-WEIGHT PRIMALOFT SOCKS INSIDE A PAIR OF DOUBLE BOOTS IS THE HOLY GRAIL OF ALPINE FOOTWEAR AND HAS RESOLVED DECADES OF HAVING TO MAKE DO WITH SUBSTANDARD CHOICES.
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GLOVES
TRY THIS: FOR 24hrs STRAP ANY 3 FINGERS OF EITHER HAND TOGETHER AND INTO A CLENCHED POSITION SO YOU CAN’T USE THEM. THAT’S WHAT LIVING WITH THE RESULTS OF FROSTBITE IS LIKE AFTER THE TRAUMA OF THE INITIAL INJURY RECEDES. IF YOU THINK FROSTBITE IS A TRIVIAL MATTER YOU WILL GET OVER, YOU ARE WRONG. EVEN THE MILDEST FORM OF FROSTBITE – OFTEN CALLED ‘JUST’ FROST-NIP – LEAVES YOU MORE SENSITIVE TO SERIOUS FROSTBITE (ie ANY FROSTBITE) THEREAFTER.
THE RIGHT GLOVES ARE THOSE THAT PROTECT YOU FROM THE HARSHEST POSSIBLE ELEMENT OF A TRIP, NOT THE EASIEST. THIS USUALLY MEANS MITTS AND AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF SERIOUSLY INSULATED GLOVES.
GOOD GLOVES ARE AN INVESTMENT AND NEED TO BE TREATED WELL TO PERFORM AS THEY ARE SOLD TO. THIS MEANS TREATING LEATHER AND MATERIALS SEVERAL TIMES A SEASON. LIKE PUTTING JUNK SOCKS WITH GOOD BOOTS, FAILING TO SPEND ANOTHER $10 ON A TUBE OF TREATING WAX IS A FAILING OF THE CLIMBER NOT THE GLOVE. WE’VE SEEN GLOVES LAST A DECADE WITH THE 5-7TH YEARS BEING THE BEST.
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PACKS
YOUR PACK CARRIES WHAT YOU NEED IN THE WAY YOU NEED IT TO. SOME CLIMBERS HAVE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT. A NON-ALPINE PACK WILL INDEED CARRY 50l OF GEAR – AS WILL A GARBAGE BAG. WHAT MATTERS IS HOW IT’S CARRIED BECAUSE YOU WILL BE CARRYING IT A LOT. MOST PACKS ARE NOT DESIGNED FOR SERIOUS ALPINE CLIMBING, LACKING THE REAL FUNCTIONS NEEDED AND BEDAZZLING YOU WILL POINTLESS FEATURES TO BELIE THAT. MOST PACKS WITH ICE AXE LOOPS ARE REALLY MADE FOR CARRYING ICE AXES.
A SERIOUS ALPINE CLIMBING PACK HAS MINIMAL FRAME TO GET IN THE WAY OF ACTUAL CLIMBING, HAS MINIMAL ZIPS AND BUCKLES TO BREAK AND GET FIDDLY WITH MITTS ON, DOESN’T HAVE THINGS LIKE COMPARTMENTS AND OUTSIDE POCKETS, DOESN’T HAVE A BIG CHUNKY HIP BELT AND HAS A LARGE DRAWSTRING TOP TO ALLOW GEAR TO BE DUMPED IN EASILY. THEY LOOK VERY SIMPLE WHICH MAKES THEM HARD TO SELL TO A CONSUMER SOCIETY CONVINCED MORE WILL MAKE UP FOR LESS.
ALWAYS GO LARGER WHEN BUYING AN ALPINE BACK BECAUSE EVEN A SHORT TRIP HAS A LOT OF GEAR (IT’S REALLY ONLY THE FOOD THAT CHANGES) AND DAYS ARE TOO SHORT TO WASTE TIME SHOE-HORNING GEAR INTO SOMETHING TOO TIGHT OR POTENTIALLY LOSING GEAR DANGLING FROM THE OUTSIDE. IN A CRAMPED BIVY OR AT A BELAY YOU NEED TO GET STUFF IN AND OUT EASILY.
DON’T BE THE CLIMBER PROUD OF THEIR TINY PACK BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T FACTOR IN CARRYING TEAM GEAR AS WELL. THAT JUST MAKES YOU A LIABILITY.
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SLEEPING MAT
AN EXTRA $50 ON A SLEEPING MAT (OR COMBINATION OF MATS) WILL SAVE YOU HUNDREDS ON YOUR SLEEPING BAG. EVEN IN OPEN BIVIES OR UNDER TARPS, WELL UP TO 5000m, WE USE 1200g SLEEPING BAGS BECAUSE WE HAVE GOOD INSULATION UNDER US. IT’S A BASIC OF THERMODYNAMICS THAT HEAT IS LOST MORE EFFICIENTLY THRU DIRECT CONTACT WITH A COLD SURFACE THAN IT IS VIA RADIATION INTO COLD AIR (AND A BIVY BAG ADDRESSES THAT).
INFLATABLE SLEEPING MATS OF TODAY CAN RETAIN A LOT OF WARMTH AND ARE MUCH SMALLER TO PACK THAN A FULL FOAM MAT. WHEN COMBINED WITH A HIGH GRADE (ie DENSE) SECTION OF FOAM THAT FORMS PART OF A PACKS FRAME YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT INSULATES WELL INTO HIGH WINTER CONDITIONS. WE’VE USED THIS DOWN TO -20c AT 5000m. FOR SERIOUSLY COLD STUFF, ANOTHER LAYER OF THAT FOAM TO SANDWICH THE INFLATABLE BETWEEN IS AS INSULATING AS AN ALPINE MAT CAN BE. THE THINKING CLIMBER ADDS SOME LOOPS OF BUNGY CORD TO HOLD THE LOT TOGETHER.
CHOICE OF INSULATING MAT NEED NOT FOCUS ENTIRELY ON R-VALUE ONCE THE FOAM LAYERS ARE ADDED AND SHOULD REFLECT EASE OF USE; 5mins BLOWING UP A THICK FULL LENGTH MAT AT HIGH ALTITUDE ON A CHOPPED LEDGE IN THE WIND IS NOT IDEAL, MAKING A THINNER, FOAM STRUCTURED ‘SELF-INFLATING’ MAT MUCH BETTER. IT ALSO FITS BETTER INSIDE A BIVY BAG.
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CUP
LAUGH AWAY, BUT THE TOOLS YOU USE TO PREPARE YOUR FOOD IN ALPINE CONDITIONS ARE IMPORTANT. STUPID FOLDING BOWLS, ULTRALIGHT ALUMINIUM OR TITANIUM AND CRAP FROM COLOURFUL SETS OF PLASTIC JUNK HAVE NO PLACE ON A TINY LEDGE IN THE COLD.
REHYDRATING FOOD FROM WATER AT A LOWER BOILING POINT, IN COLD AIR, USING A LIMITED GAS SUPPLY NEEDS AN INSULATED CUP WITH A CLIP LOOP AND LID. CLIMBERS CAN SPENT $50 A DAY ON SPECIAL DEHY MEALS IN EXOTIC FLAVOURS TO FIND IT BARELY REHYDRATES IN THE FOIL BAG OR DOLLAR SHOP BOWL THEY BOUGHT AS AN AFTER THOUGHT.
LIKE GLOVES, IT DOESN’T TAKE A BIG SHIFT FOR YOUR MORTALITY TO HINGE ON YOUR CUP. NOT ONLY IS A PRIMARY LINK IN GETTING NUTRITION INTO YOUR SYSTEM, IT WILL LIKELY NEED TO DIG SNOW, COLLECT RUN OFF AND ACT AS A CRUSH PROOF CASE AS WELL. TIME SPENT WITH ANY SERIOUS BIG WALLER OR 8000m CLIMBER WILL STRAIGHTAWAY SHOW YOU HOW IMPORTANT A CUP IS.
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THE NEXT FIVE
SO THERE ARE THE THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER. SHOW UP WITH ALL THAT NAILED AND YOU CAN RELAX ON THE REST TO A DEGREE. THE NEXT FIVE ITEMS REFINE THINGS AND ARE MORE OPEN TO DECISIONS IN STYLE AND COST. WHERE THE FIRST FIVE ARE ABOUT SURVIVAL, THE NEXT FIVE ARE ABOUT COMFORT.
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BASELAYERS
BASELAYERS KEEP YOUR SKIN DRY. THAT’S IT. THEY DON’T INSULATE IN THEMSELVES, THEY KEEP YOU WARM BY MINIMIZING HEAT LOSS INTO DAMP FABRIC. USUALLY A BASELAYER MEANS A THIN LAYER THAT 2 OR MORE LAYERS THEN GO ON TOP OF THAT PROVIDE INSULATION THRU TRAPPING AIR IN A STABLE MASS. IN SOME CASES A BASELAYER ONLY HAS A SHELL OVER IT. REGARDLESS, IT NEEDS TO DO NO MORE THAN MOVE ANY MOISTURE FROM SWEAT OR PRECIPITATION OUTWARDS.
THIS MEANS A LAYER THAT’S TOO WARM AND/OR NOT ALLOWING OUTWARD FLOW – A LAYER THAT THEN INDUCES AND/OR TRAPS MOISTURE – IS COUNTER PRODUCTIVE. SIMPLY; HAVING A ‘WARM BASELAYER’ MEANS YOU HAVE THE ENTIRE PROCESS WRONG.
ANY ‘WARMTH’ (ACTUALLY INSULATION – THE WARMTH COMES FROM YOUR BODY) COMES FROM LAYERS ON TOP OF THE BASELAYER, AND THE BETTER A BASELAYER DRIES YOUR SKIN THE BETTER THOSE OTHER LAYERS WILL WORK. LIKEWISE NO MATTER HOW EXPENSIVE AND COOL YOUR OTHER LAYERS ARE (NOTE; THE LAYERS PEOPLE SEE…), THEY WONT MAKE UP FOR A COMPROMISED BASELAYER. ON MULTIDAY TRIPS THERE’S NO BETTER WAY TO SEE HOW YOUR BASELAYER PERFORMS THAN THE MANY HOURS YOU SPEND IN A SLEEPING BAG – THE DRIER YOU ARE WHEN YOU GET IN, THE BETTER YOUR BAG WILL INSULATE YOU 3 NIGHTS DOWN THE LINE.
THE KILLER HERE IS THAT GOOD BASELAYERS CAN BE BOUGHT FROM WORKWEAR AND DEPARTMENT STORES FOR A FRACTION OF WHAT THE BIG BRANDS WILL SELL YOU. DON’T GET SUCKED IN BY FANCY ‘ZONED’ DESIGNS – YOUR BODY RELEASES HEAT PRETTY MUCH EVENLY OVER IT’S ENTIRE SURFACE.
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SLEEPING BAGS
SHOWING UP WITH A HUGE 2500g SLEEPING BAG OUTSIDE OF THE POLES OR A WINTER 8000m PEAK IS A SIGN OF NOT GETTING IT. IT’S FALLACY THAT -20c NEEDS A BIG -20c RATED SLEEPING BAG. WHAT MATTERS IS THE AMOUNT OF INSULATION (TRAPPED AND STABLE AIR MASS) YOU HAVE AND BY THE WAY THAT WORKS (ACCOUNTING FOR DECENT INSULATION BELOW YOU AND DECENT NUTRITION INSIDE YOU AS PER ABOVE) THAT MEANS ABOUT 1200 – 1500g OF SLEEPING BAG.
THE GOOD NEWS IS 2 LIGHT SLEEPING BAGS WITH A COMBINED WEIGHT OF 1200-1500g ARE WARMER THAN A SINGLE BAG OF THE SAME WEIGHT AND OFFER A LOT MORE ADAPTABILITY (NOTING THE 2 BAGS ARE USUALLY OF DIFFERING WEIGHTS). THIS MEANS IF YOU CURRENTLY HAVE A 900g 0c RATED BAG THEN DOUBLING UP WITH 500g +5c BAG WILL WORK WELL AND COST YOU LITTLE. FOR ONCE THE EQUATION IS ON OUR SIDE. EVEN BETTER, IF THE LIGHTER BAG IS A DECENT SYNTHETIC INSULATION IT WILL ACT AS A HYDROPHOBIC LAYER FOR WHEN YOU INEVITABLY GET SNOW/ICE/FROST/COFFEE/PISS/SOUP AND CONDENSATION ON IT. WIN.
BEYOND ALL THAT IS THE OBVIOUS FACT YOU NOW HAVE 2 BAGS TO USE UP AND DOWN THE MOUNTAIN, COMBINING BASED ON CONDITIONS. YOU ALSO HAVE 2 BAGS TO SHARE IF THINGS GO SIDEWAYS AND CAN SPEAD THE GRIME ON LONG TRIPS WHERE FILTH STARTS TO REDUCE INSULATION EFFECTIVENESS.
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SHELL LAYERS
THE PIN UP PART OF A CLIMBERS GEAR ACTUALLY MATTERS MUCH LESS THAN PEOPLE THINK, THO WHEN ITS COMING DOWN ITS A BIG DEAL DESPITE MODERN DESIGN OFTEN SEEMING TO IGNORE THAT. A TRUE ALPINE SHELL IS DESIGNED TO KEPT IN YOUR PACK FOR A LOT OF THE TIME SO ITS LIGHT AND SMALL, THEN TO KEEP RAIN/SNOW FROM WETTING YOU OUT WHEN NEEDED. IT DOESNT NEED LOTS OF POCKETS AND ‘DURABILITY’ BECAUSE YOU HAVE THAT IN OTHER LAYERS AND HAVING IT IN A SHELL COMPROMISES THE THINGS THAT MATTER MOST.
A GOOD SHELL IS ONE YOU CAN DOFF/DON EASILY SO IT PROBABLY HAS A GENEROUS CUT, SIMPLE ZIPS AND A SIMPLE HOOD. IT FITS INTO A CORNER IN THE TOP OF YOUR PACK. THE FABRIC IS WINDPROOF ALL ROUND (NO COOL DESIGNER STRETCH PANELS). IT HAS CINCHES AT THE CUFFS AND WAIST TO TRAP OR DUMP WARM AIR.
IF YOUR BASE AND ANY MIDLAYERS ARE WORKING PROPERLY (ie BREATHING OUT MOISTURE YOU DONT WANT AND TRAPPING WARMTH WHEN YOU DO) THE SHELL ACTS ONLY TO KEEP THOSE LAYERS DOING THEIR JOBS AS A SORT OF INTERFACE.
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WATER BOTTLES
LIKE THE CUP, WATER BOTTLES ARE PART OF NUTRITION SO NEED TO PERFORM AN IMPORTANT ROLE WHICH MEANS CARRYING WATER, NOT BLOCKS OF CYLINDRICAL ICE. OVER SEVERAL DAYS HIGH ON A MOUNTAIN CARRYING WATER FAST BECOMES THE #1 PRIORITY ALL ELSE REVOLVES AROUND. FORGET CLIMBING IF YOU DONT HAVE WATER TO DRINK. ITS IGNORANT TO NOT SEE THE STEPS WHEREBY WATER TO DRINK IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE TIME TO COLLECT SNOW, THE JOB OF MELTING IT, THE GAS AND STOVE USED AND A WAY TO KEEP IT LIQUID. THAT BOTTLE OF WATER REPRESENTS GETTING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS LINED UP RIGHT SO DESERVES ATTENTION. POURING MELTED SNOW INTO A REGULAR NALGENE THEN LETTING IT FREEZE IS STUPIDITY DEFINED ON AN ALPINE FACE.
A DECENT WATER BOTTLE IS LARGE (+/-1.5L) SO YOU NEED TO ONLY FILL IT TWICE A DAY (MORNING AND NIGHT IN THE BIVY), INSULATED SO IT KEEPS WATER AS WATER (ie INCLUDING THE LID), HAS A CLIP LOOP SO ITS NOT DROPPED AT BELAYS AND HAS AN OPENING EASY TO DRINK FROM (NOT METAL, TOO LARGE OR PRONE TO FREEZING).
LIKE MANY THINGS MENTIONED, TECHNOLOGY HAS CAUGHT UP AND TODAY VACUUM FLASKS HAVE BECOME ROBUST AND CHEAP ENOUGH TO REPLACE PLASTIC BOTTLES AND THE FAIRLY SUB-PAR METHODS OF INSULATING THEM.
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ICE TOOLS
FINALLY WE GET TO ACTUAL TECH GEAR.
THE TOOLS YOU USE ON AN ALPINE MOUNTAIN MATTER A LOT, BUT NOT IN THE WAYS MANY THINK. THOUGHT OF AS THE TOOLS YOU USE TO PLY THE CRAFT OF ALPINISM, LIKE A CHISEL TO A CABINET MAKER OR A BRUSH TO A PAINTER, MAKES THEM MUCH MORE THAN JUST THE IMPLEMENTS YOU CLIMB WITH.
ON A PEAK, TOOLS NEED TO DO THE HARDEST JOB THEY CAN DO, WELL. READ THAT AGAIN. YES A TOOL NEEDS TO ACT LIKE AN AXE ACROSS MILES OF MORAINE AND CHOP A LEDGE AND PLUNGE THRU SNOW – BUT ALL AXES AND TOOLS DO THAT. THOSE JOBS CAN BE EASILY DONE WITH 50% REDUCED FUNCTION AND STILL WORK OUT. WHEN A TOOLS VALUE LAYS IS IN THE 10% OF LUNG-BURSTING, TERROR-DRIVEN, LIFE-AFFIRMING MOVES OUT ON THE EDGE WHERE CONSEQUENCES ARE PRETTY BINARY. JUST AS YOUR BOOTS ARE THERE FOR THAT 10% AND YOUR CUP CAN DIG A SNOW HOLE IF NEEDED, YOUR TOOLS NEED TO MAKE THOSE MOVES WHEN IT MATTERS AT THE SHARP END.
AMONGST TRANSITIONING CLIMBERS WE CONSTANTLY SEE THE WRONG TOOLS FOR THE JOB, USUALLY OLD STANDARD ‘ALPINE’ TOOLS BOUGHT BECAUSE THE CLIMBER DIDN’T THINK THEY WERE SOMEHOW ‘READY FOR’ A MORE TECHNICAL PAIR. WHATEVER THAT MEANS. DID THEY THINK ALL ALPINISM WOULD HAPPEN ALONG AN EASY CURVE OF DIFFICULTY AND SOMEHOW TECH TOOLS WOULD APPEAR WHEN THINGS WERE HARD? DID THEY THINK THEY COULD SQUEEZE MIXED MOVES OUT OF STRAIGHT TOOLS AT 4000m EVEN IF THEY COULDN’T AT SEA LEVEL? DID THEY NOT THINK THAT ON ROUTES THAT INDEED ARE HARD UP HIGH THEY WERE BEING DONE BY CLIMBERS USING TECH TOOLS ACROSS THE EASY STUFF DOWN LOW?
LESS PATRONIZINGLY; IT’S BETTER TO HAVE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE 10% WHEN IT MATTERS.
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THE REST
AFTER ALL THIS, THE REST IS DETAIL. HARNESSES, HELMETS, HARDWARE, MIDLAYERS, TENTS ETC DO MATTER BUT TO LESS AND LESS A DEGREE DEPENDING ON HOW COMMITTED THE TRIP IS. A WEEK BASED FROM THE LODGE AT YATSUGATAKE IS A LOT MORE FORGIVING THAN 5 WEEKS IN TIBET. THAT SAID, THE NORTH SIDE OF THE KARAKORUM IS NOT THE PLACE TO USE GEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME.
