Kilimanjaro Equipment

Kevin!

Hello,

I'm set to climb Mt Kilimanjaro on the 14th of August but still have yet to purchase any of the equipment. I went into 53 degrees north and was told that it could cost in excess of 500-600 euro for the basics. I was just wondering if anyone had any recommendations on cheap quality shops? These two rarely go hand in hand but I'm on a budget. I can travel up the North if savings are to be had.

I've been given a humungous list of items to bring:

GEAR CHECKLIST

Compulsory Clothing:
1 Summit Jacket, synthetic or down
1 Summit Fleece Pants high tech
1 Soft Jacket, fleece or soft-shell
1 Waterproof Jacket, breathable
1 Waterproof Pants, breathable (side-zipper recommended)
3 Long Sleeve Shirt, light-weight, moisture-wicking fabric
7 Short Sleeve Shirt, light-weight, moisture-wicking fabric
3 Hiking Light weight Pants for daily wear (convertible to shorts recommended)
1 Shorts (Optional)

Footwear:
1 Hiking Boots, Berghaus explorer
1 Running/cross trainer for daily wear as long as there are good grips
8 light breathable Sock liners for daily wear
1 or 2 Wool (Marino ideally) Over sock for summit night only or in tents
1 Gaiters, waterproof (optional)

Headwear:
1 Brimmed Hat, for sun protection
1 Warm beanie styled hat for summit
1 Knit Hat, for warmth
1 Balaclava, for face coverage
1 Buff (R) for face/nose wind/grit protection
1 Bandana (optional)

Underwear:
1 or 2 Long Underwear (moisture-wicking fabric recommended)
8 Daily change of Underwear, briefs (moisture-wicking fabric recommended )
2 to 4 Sport Bra (women)

Handwear:
1 Summit Mitt extreme Gloves, warm
1 Glove Liners, thin, synthetic, worn under gloves for added warmth

Accessories for the Mountain:
1 Travel bag
1 Head lamp, with extra batteries
1 Sunglasses minimum category 3 if you don’t have




Equipment
1 Sleeping Bag, warm, four seasons
1 Sleeping Pad/thermo rest, self-inflating or closed-cell foam
1 Trekking Poles can be hired
Please Note: The above items in bold above are the items that can be rented in Africa for $50
1 Sleeping Bag Liner silk, for added warmth
1 Small Daypack, for you to carry your limited personal gear (rain jacket/pants/gloves)
1 Water Bladder, Camelback type goes inside day pack (get insulation if you can)
1 Bag (90 litres, not a ruc sac) (porter carries)
1 Day Sac (20-25 litres) (you carry)

I know this is a big ask but any idea on as to what I could narrow it down to?

Thanks a billion!

Gillo

You could try TK Maxx for some of the gear but it'll be pot luck what deliveries they got in that week.

Have you actually been doing any training for the climb??? Surely if you hike over here or have been doing a bit you must have the likes of boots and a rucksack.

The Great Outdoors seem to be doing a lot of online offers lately, so you might be able to save a bit there. Alternatively Outdoor Adventure Stores on Liffey St, generally have decent value.
Looking at the list, there's a few stuff I'd cut down on (warm beanie, knit hat & balaclava- you could definetly drop one of the hats or just bring a balaclara and roll it up when you don't want it to cover your face.)

Donny5

Gear on a budget - that's a subject I'm well acquainted with. Sorry for the formatting, but here you go. Let's have a look through this:

1 Summit Jacket, synthetic or down
1 Summit Fleece Pants high tech

You can pick up used Brit military Snugpak desert/olive reversable bivvi suits on eBay. They're not cheap, but you can get quality gear from about £50.

1 Soft Jacket, fleece or soft-shell

Pick up a Trepass softshell or Fruit of the Loom-equivelant fleece anywhere, Amazon or your local for about £20/€30.

1 Waterproof Jacket, breathable

Breathable is an issue, but I swear by Keela ultra-light raingear. It's dirt cheap, somewhat (not really) breathable and you won't be precious with them like you would with a €300 Montane jacket.

1 Waterproof Pants, breathable (side-zipper recommended)

Same Keela waterproof range as the jacket

3 Long Sleeve Shirt, light-weight, moisture-wicking fabric
7 Short Sleeve Shirt, light-weight, moisture-wicking fabric
3 Hiking Light weight Pants for daily wear (convertible to shorts recommended)

Buy some Craghoppers or equivelent brand. They're dirt cheap online, especially if you go for the ex-US or Brit mil surplus.

1 Shorts (Optional)

Buy a pair of technical running shorts for €10 or so. They dry like no-ones business and will keep your ghoulies and all-important groin crease cool and dry-ish. I use More Mile, but they're all the same. No cotton, ever.

1 Hiking Boots, Berghaus explorer

Hiking boots are more personal than lovers. The only advice I can give is get them early and wear them often.

1 Running/cross trainer for daily wear as long as there are good grips

I'd go for a pair of Asics trail runners or similar. Unfortunately, they aren't cheap, probably €50 at the low end.

8 light breathable Sock liners for daily wear

Any old cotton/poly socks will do.

1 or 2 Wool (Marino ideally) Over sock for summit night only or in tents

Any pair of wool socks will do for this.

1 Gaiters, waterproof (optional)

I don't like gaiters, but if you want them, you can buy cheapo plastic gaiters for €10-€20 or so. Otherwise, if you want Goretex, your best bet is eBay for some second-hand Brit military goretex gaiters. They're not light, but they are cheap and they work.

1 Brimmed Hat, for sun protection

€5 boonie hat, or else go for broke and get a €20 sealskinz boonie. 2-in-1 boonie/rainhat.

1 Warm beanie styled hat for summit

Your brimmed hat should also be your boonie hat

1 Knit Hat, for warmth

€5 Thermalite watch cap. It'll do the job. It's Kilimanjaro, not an OP on Antarctica.

1 Balaclava, for face coverage

If you take a balacalva, then it should double as your knit cap. Just roll up the face part as a brim. Don't bring one of each. Thermalite balas go for about €5 or so.

1 Buff (R) for face/nose wind/grit protection

I don't know what this is. I'd sub it out for a €5 shemagh.

1 Bandana (optional)



1 or 2 Long Underwear (moisture-wicking fabric recommended)

This is probably important. There are endless brands of thermal baselayers, so pick whatever suits your budget. I have a set of snugpak thermal jocks, but whatever you find will be fine. You want a soft layer on the inside for comfort, especially after long days on your feet.

8 Daily change of Underwear, briefs (moisture-wicking fabric recommended )

Buy some poly-cotton or technical jocks. They're not necessary, but they're great for physical activities. Whatever you buy, go for a couple of long (20km) walks wearing your gear (all of it) before you head down to Africa. Make sure it works for you before you have to rely on it. Better to find the flaws in your gear at home.

2 to 4 Sport Bra (women)

No comment.

1 Summit Mitt extreme Gloves, warm

I use mountain biking winter gloves as my cold weather handwear. They're tough and cheap but not particularly dextrous. Good enough for anything but piano playing and shooting.

1 Glove Liners, thin, synthetic, worn under gloves for added warmth

This is personal preference, but I can't stand glove liners, so I'd skip these. Again, it's Kilimanjaro, not an assault on mcMurdo, so I'd leave these at home.

1 Travel bag

I don't know what this is.

1 Head lamp, with extra batteries

I'm a very big fan of Silva AAA headlamps. Although I love their climbing gear, Petzl headtorches are awful. LED Lenser are another great, reliable brand.

1 Sunglasses minimum category 3 if you don’t have

This is personal style and preference. I wear Oakleys or Wiley X's, if it's a hot cold area.

1 Sleeping Bag, warm, four seasons

They are a million 4 season bags. Personal preference rules here.Obviously they more you pay, the lighter the bag will be.

1 Sleeping Pad/thermo rest, self-inflating or closed-cell foam

Thermarests are great, but when your life is on the line, closed-cell rules, because they always work.

1 Trekking Poles can be hired

Trekking poles are a personal choice - I wouldn't bother. If you want them, rent them or buy a dirt-cheap pair for €20 or so.

1 Sleeping Bag Liner silk, for added warmth

Liners are great for keeping your bag clean, but I don't care about that, so I drop this.

1 Small Daypack, for you to carry your limited personal gear (rain jacket/pants/gloves)

I'm not sure when you'd be dropping your kit for a daysack on a Kilimanjaro ascent, but if you want one for a very small amount of kit, I'd pick a light bag - a frameless £20 berghaus sack, or something like that.

1 Water Bladder, Camelback type goes inside day pack (get insulation if you can)

Water bladders are all over the place these days. It doesn't matter if it's Camelbak or Gelert, and long as you clean it well and make sure to test it out a couple of times before the real deal.

1 Bag (90 litres, not a ruc sac) (porter carries)

I simply cannot imagine the disgrace of having a porter carrying my gear. I would never allow another man to carry my gear as long as I had a Joule of energy left in me. If you plan on letting another man carry your load, then I would hope you would tip well and make sure that they have a damn comfortable, adjustable-back, high-quality rucksack. This man will be carrying your honour, so I'd hope that you'd let him carry it in comfort.

Gillo

Donny5 wrote: »

I simply cannot imagine the disgrace of having a porter carrying my gear. I would never allow another man to carry my gear as long as I had a Joule of energy left in me. If you plan on letting another man carry your load, then I would hope you would tip well and make sure that they have a damn comfortable, adjustable-back, high-quality rucksack. This man will be carrying your honour, so I'd hope that you'd let him carry it in comfort.

Without meaning to go miles off topic, an interesting argument I heard someone put forward was that it's means of employment for locals, depending on the "tour agent" porters can be paid well or crap. I'd certainly agree though about tipping well, if fact I'd say it'd be stingy not to, if you don't intend using your gear when you get back I've heard of people giving the gear to the porter.

Regarding trekking poles, I have a gammy knee and even with a high pain tolerance I find them a god send. Especially if you are on the go for a number of days (I think Kili would be five to eight depending on a number of factors) I'd certainly advise you to bring or rent a pair. Most of the cheap pairs use a twist lock, from experience ramming them closed or twisting too much with damage the lock they only need a light twist to open / close.

While it might be cheaper to buy online, I'd be wary of the time scale, any sort of delay with delivery and you are knackered, that said you may not get delays. Boots I certainly wouldn't buy online, getting the right or wrong fit, can make or break your holiday.
For underwear Pennys do "technical" underwear and thermals (wrong time of year), never used it as I am self confessed gear nerd!

Check out climbing.ie they have a forum with a buy / sell section.

One thing you don't have listed is a camera, its a trip of a lifetime get trigger happy(ish).

Have you done much training for this OP?
Either way, good luck with it.

While it's not a massively high peak, AFAIK altitude can be a factor, the one piece of advice I got years ago that really really stuck with me was "if you can't make it, don't be stupid and force yourself, it's been there thousands of years it ain't going anywhere, you can try again".

Mothman

I did Kili as part of a 6 month tour through Africa, and my kit for the whole trip was a fraction of this list! I wore nearly every piece of clothing I had for the peak!

For the summit I used a disposable camera, didn't want to rely on usual camera in -10C temps.

and any porters I saw carried gear on their heads. They just strapped 3 or 4 bags together and up on the head it goes.

Coeus

Hey, I done Kili ealier his year so here are my thoughts...

The list they gave you is extensive. I had half the kit since I didnt mind wearing the same gear over and over. And like the previous poster I wore nearly eveything on the summit night. What I did have was a pair of well worn-in boots, a 4 season sleeping bag which I got in an army shop and a camelbak since you will have to be constantly drinking water while acclimatising. If you're buying a camelbak get one with an insulated tube, as the tube will freeze on the summit night. For the wide brimmed hat you can get your Kili souvenir hat in Moshi for a couple of thousand schillings.

On the walking sticks, I dont use them myself but we were told by the guides that they would be very handy on the descent of the summit. And they were right, the descent is steep in places and very rocky. They cost me $10 to rent for the trek. My digital camera worked fine on the summit but I dont know if I'd bring an expensive SLR up there. I also recommend bringing lip balm, as the altitude and sun will destroy them.

The majority of the guides and all the porters are local. Even if you were to carry your own gear, porters are still needed to carry up the tents, tables/chairs, food, gas for cooking and heating water etc. Tip well and maybe gave them some gear and they will be happy out...

Good luck with the climb, the view is amazing up there.

jamfer

I climbed Kili last September. I had a list quite similar to that to begin with and this is how I navigated it.

mandmdirect.ie - here is where I bought base layers and wicking t-sirts & fleece. Around €8 to €12 for Asics ones. I had time and waited for the 20% off deals they do from time to time.

Kildare Village - TOG24 & North Face & Asics - I got a wide brimmed hat in North Face for €18 and a Gore Tex jacket for €90. In TOG24 I got a down jacket for €82 or so and some trousers for €20ish. I got gore tex runners for €60 in Asics - great to change into in camp.

TKMAXX - you'll get softshell and fleece for cheap. Also Craghoppers trousers for between €20 and €25. 3 packs of buffs for €8 or €9 (rather than the €15 fr 1 the big name guys will sell you)

I got underwear in M&S.

I brought 10 pairs of socks - varying weights - I went with Bridgedale and TEKO. 2 pair of summit merino socks - 1 to sleep in each night and the other for summit night. I only used a liner on the summit night too.

I borrowed mitts.

I used Scarpa ZG65 boots for the trip - I got em for under €90 online but I was sure of the size before I bought em.

Mountain Hardware are in Blanchardstown and Newry - I bought my liner bags here as they were much cheaper than the big name shops in town.

Alternatively hit Caple Street and Mary Street for camping shops that will sort you out in one stop. A friend of mine who accompanied me on the climb did it that way.

What to wear and how - the first day climbing will be hot. I had trouser and a t-shirt, but had a fleece in my backpack.

Buffs - invaluable - I had 4 or 5, used them round my neck at night and on my head under the hat daily to stop sweat dripping into my eyes.

The down jacket was great for camp each night - also, as I hate mummy bags i used it to cover my upper body as I slept. It was really cold each night. I slept in a base layer and fleece, summit merino socks and a fleece bottoms. I even had a beanie on most nights too.

From day 2 on I had a base layer and fleece on as I walked. Jacket and waterproof trousers were in my back pack and thankfully we didn't get rain at all any day.

Summit night I put on long johns, the fleece trousers and my waterproofs over them. On top I had baselayer, fleece and down jacket. I had a balaclava & beanie and hood from the down jacket too. Summit socks & liner underneath. The mitts and a fleece set of gloves.

I had a fresh pair of underwear, socks and base layer for each day. I rotated 3 pairs of trousers & 3 fleece tops also. If your budget stretches then 1 or 2 merino base layer tops would cover you.

Mack2013

That is the most useful information I have read on here!! Thank you so much! I am climbing Kilimanjaro in March, I have just about got my fundraising done but I am struggling to get the equipment! I was looking for a website that did swaps or something but cant find one! I am so excited to go now just need to get the gear sorted! Thanks for your advise thou

Hugh_C

Good luck with that It'll be brilliant.

For what it's worth, here's my kit list from a few years ago.

Mack2013

Actually maybe you can help me.... as I am sure you are aware the equipment (esp down jacket) is very expensive, Im struggling enough to get the fundraising to get me there!! Would you know of anyone / anywhere I could get good equipment at a reduced price or even if there is a website where people who have done this before have their equipment on....
hope you can help

apoeiguq3094y

Exodus do trips to Kili and this is their checklist
http://www.exodus.co.uk/assets/travelink/Kilimanjaro_Kitlist.pdf

they also have a guide (marketing) for kili in general
http://www.exodus.co.uk/assets/pdf/Exodus_Kili_Guide2013.pdf

Hugh_C

Mack2013 wrote: »

Actually maybe you can help me.... as I am sure you are aware the equipment (esp down jacket) is very expensive, Im struggling enough to get the fundraising to get me there!! Would you know of anyone / anywhere I could get good equipment at a reduced price or even if there is a website where people who have done this before have their equipment on....
hope you can help

post your sizes, maybe you can crowd-source some of the stuff ...

Mack2013

Great idea size 12 / 14.... can anyone help? esp with a Down jacket!

woody1

to jump in on the ive done it list..
i climbed it about 9 years ago.. had less than half that gear but i had a fair bit from hillwalking here to start with.. BUT all the gear i had with the exception of a standard hiking jacket (rainjacket) and my boots and a hat,never arrived in nairobi as the airline lost my luggage, so i had to go on a mad panic around arusha ? i think, trying to get bits and pieces, which wasnt easy, eventualy got a pair of combats , shorts, 2 t-shirts, robbed spare base layers and socks and small stuff like that, had no gloves, wore socks on hands on last nite, had to use like an old square type canvas schoolbag as a rucksack.. got to the top no bother.. (luggage arrived day after we got down )
so yeah your list looks way over the top BUT i dont know what itl be like the time of year your there,it was cold on the last night but i wouldnt have needed a down jacket for a start.. could be different whatever time of year your going at... anyway best of luck with it and enjoy..

woody1

Gillo wrote: »

While it's not a massively high peak, AFAIK altitude can be a factor, the one piece of advice I got years ago that really really stuck with me was "if you can't make it, don't be stupid and force yourself, it's been there thousands of years it ain't going anywhere, you can try again".

be very wary of this, i went with 4 others.. 3 of us had tons of training done, 1 not a lot and one absolutely nothing,
all of us got to the last camp..4 had to go down during the last night..
4 of 5 suffered with altitude sickness, 1 pretty badly.. through some fluke i hadnt a bother with it and thats why i got to the top.. but its definitely something to keep in the back of your mind, all 4 would go back in a heartbeat.. the 1 guy that suffered badly has gone on to do some serious climbing
do not force it..

Hugh_C

Mack2013 wrote: »

Great idea size 12 / 14.... can anyone help? esp with a Down jacket!

approx what height/weight? Not sure what the 12/14 refers to Are you a gal?

Altitude Centre IRL

woody1 wrote: »

be very wary of this, i went with 4 others.. 3 of us had tons of training done, 1 not a lot and one absolutely nothing,
all of us got to the last camp..4 had to go down during the last night..
4 of 5 suffered with altitude sickness, 1 pretty badly.. through some fluke i hadnt a bother with it and thats why i got to the top.. but its definitely something to keep in the back of your mind, all 4 would go back in a heartbeat.. the 1 guy that suffered badly has gone on to do some serious climbing
do not force it..

Kilimanjaro is a climb that can be severely underestimated in terms of altitude and risk of AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). Many fit individuals with a good background in sport have got into difficulty on this climb and had to abandon. While many less-fit people have successfully submitted it. Best advice would be to pre-acclimatize to altitude if you can, ascend slowly, practice breathing through your nose, stay hydrated and fuelled up, and try not to get too stressed.

Every individual responds differently to altitude and its the degree to which the blood oxygen saturation levels drop upon exposure to altitude is a big determining factor in a persons risk of getting AMS. It is possible to do an AMS susceptibility test and pre-acclimatise to altitude. If you PM me I can point you in the right direction on this.

Hope this info helps anyone planning a high altitude climb!

jusmeig

Hi there,

I climbed Kili in 2009.
The problem with any trip into the mountains, you may use some of that gear...you may use none of it!
(Please note we had great conditions. Clear...no snow on the summit)

For summit day we left at 11pm.
I was wearing a baselayer of merino wool.
A normal pair of hiking trousers fit for Irish winter.
A microfleece, a heavier fleece over this, and a waterproof jacket over the top (Goretex).
While it was cold at the top, it was only cold if standing around....which you should not be doing at the top anyhow

I had no down jacket, but did have nice warm mittens. No harm having one I guess.

As "Altitude Centre IRL" advises, Kili tends to be underestimated.
We saw several people on their way down the mountain on carts (literally) who were the wrong colour....
Luckily for us a mild headache was the worst we got, as we acceded SLOWLY. "Pole Pole" the guides say...slowly slowly....

The biggest risk to be honest is getting food poisoning.
2 of us got this one day and it almost mean't we missed our chance for the summit.
We met several people who had got sick. Very unfortunate...but it happens i guess.

Best of luck

J