Himalayan Kit 2022

Clothing by Mountain Hardwear

Clothing Overview: I have been relying on this layering system, in general, all year. In Alaska & Peru I fell in love with the Koa AirShell Warm Jacket. This is a hard-wearing, well-fitting, highly mobile climbing jacket built to endure the many things that happen during an expedition. It can be worn every moment of the trip and relied on heavily. Of all the layers this is the one I most recommend. Secondly I am huge fan of the Ghost Whisperer UL. Weighing in at just 6.67 ounces- its hard to imagine a better jacket to stash away in your backpack in case you need it. For reference a Patagonia Houdini Windbreaker is 3.7 ounces. So for just 3 ounces more you can have an entire insulated jacket with 1000 fill power Down! Can’t beat that. Third, I would recommend the Nilas Jacket. This robust Parka is built for expeditions in cold environments and can handle changing conditions very well. The outer face fabric is AirShield 15D 2-layer Ripstop which can handle any surface you might brush up against as well as heavy winds encountered at high altitude on a Himalayan Peak. I much prefer a synthetic pant since we spend a lot of time sitting on snow or scratchy rocks, if the pants do rip, it’s no problem and if they get wet they will certainly dry easily.

Hands + Packs

• Primary Climbing Glove: CAMP Geko Hot Glove

• Secondary Climbing Glove: CAMP Geko Ice Glove

• Warmer Gloves: Mountain Hardwear Unisex Exposure/2 Gore-Tex Glove

• Approach Glove: Mountain Hardwear Unisex Power Stretch® Stimulus™ Glove

• Summit Mitts: Unisex Absolute Zero™ Gore-Tex® Down Mitt

• Climbing Pack: Mountain Hardwear Alpine Light™ 35

• Climbing Pack: Mountain Hardwear Alpine Light™ 50

Getting frostbite on my fingers is a major concern of mine that luckily has never happened. I prefer to bring more gloves than normal if it means avoiding this. During a summit push, I usually keep 1-2 extra pairs of gloves inside my jacket against my chest so they are pre-heated should I need to put them on. I also stuff a hand warmer inside every glove before leaving the tent. I find the CAMP ice climbing gloves to be very impressive. They are very durable, warm, and have an amazing fit. The dexterity is perfect for me when climbing or working with hardware. Of all their models, in the high mountains I like the Geko Hot & Geko Ice the most. Above those, I usually bring my Exposure/2 Gore-Tex Glove by Mountain Hardwear. This is a classic but well-engineered big-mountain glove offering full protection in the mountains. Most importantly, I carry summits with me. These oversized down mitts are popular in the Himalayas. Often there are other people around and you won’t be going very fast- not having a pair of big mitts might cost you your fingers. The Absolute Zero Gore-Tex Down Mitt is the best one I know of.

For backpacks, I’ve been using the Alpine Light line from Mountain Hardwear all year. On this trip I had a smaller one (I use this trekking) and a bigger one (for on the mountain). These packs are very light and still come with all the features I like. Some of those are: Removable brain (50L only), easy to open and close, removable zippered-bag that sits inside the main body, hip belt pockets, and crampon straps on the front. The packs are made with Nylon-Spectra and you can expect them to withstand many expeditions and days out at the crag.

Hardware by CAMP

On this trip to Nepal working as a guide, I was on fixed-rope routes. This is very different from the kind of climbing I normally do, especially in Alaska, and it requires a very different arrangement of equipment. Fortunately it means we don’t carry much hardware so that is nice. By using equipment from CAMP, you can expect to have a lighter arrangement of hardware than anyone else on the mountain. This was my first trip using the Corsa Nanotech ice axe. While acclimatizing in the thin air- weight matters and it weighs only 7.9 ounces for the 50cm. The main piece of equipment we use on fixed-rope routes is a jumar. Arranging a special piece of cord with locking carabiners on two ends (see bottom of photo) is key to being organized on the mountain. I see a lot of people using dyneema slings, which get all twisted up on themselves and because they are static, they may break if you shock load them. I brought two pairs of crampons and used the XLC Nanotechs on everything except Ama Dablam. On Ama Dablam, you are constantly scratching on rocks and I was happy to have a fully robust crampon like the Alpinist Pro which can more than perform in that kind of terrain.

Accessory Kit

This is a general photo showing some of the smaller items I carry during an expedition. Of course there are many little things, such a snacks & water, that are not pictured but this gives an idea of what’s in my “accessory bag.” I am beginning to favor the Bindi headlamps. They weigh nearly nothing and by carrying 2, you get the best of both worlds: an extra battery and an extra bulb. This trip I had the SCARPA 5-Panel Trail Hat, it is the perfect cap for an expedition as its flexible construction makes it pack easy, fit under a helmet comfortably, and of course it excels on the trail. I plan to bring this hat on future trips as well. The OuterU Face Glove is kind of like your “Oh Shit!” piece. If the wind is really blowing and your nose/cheeks are getting blasted, frostbite can happen easily and this will protect you from that. I recommend buying on. It weighs nothing and means everything.

Eyewear // Julbo Ultimate Cover

On this trip I was fortunate to have a pair of these incredible sunglasses. The Ultimate Cover Sunglasses do exactly what they say they will: Push the Summits. These ultralight performance shades come with removable side shields and a nose guard. Most importantly, the lens I had is their Reactiv tech which adjusts to changing light levels around you and on these frames it’s a single lens spanning across both eyes providing a wide range of vision. All day comfort was the part- they can be comfortably worn all day on trail or with a helmet on during a climb. I’m looking forward to wearing these on expeditions around the world in 2023.

Link to product page on Julbo’s site.

Trek & Travel.

I prefer to be lightweight on the trail. My favorite trekking poles have become the two CAMP options listed above. I’ve taken a particular liking to the Xenon Pro 2.0 this trip. When trekking every day for a month at a time, I prefer handles that are not ergonomic, rather just lightly featured foam on the straight shaft of the pole. Poles need to be able to fold up nicely for transport in and out of helicopters, to be stored away during technical terrain, and to travel to and from your home far away.

For footwear, I brought two pairs and ultimately used the SCARPA Spin Infinity GTX throughout the trip. At home I wear the SCARPA Golden Gate Kima RT for local hiking and training and prefer it. On the long dusty and sometimes muddy trails of the Himalaya I liked the Spin Infinity GTX for two reasons: The Gore-Tex membrane keeps the feet dry and thus protected throughout changing trails. And secondly, the heavy cushion below the foot is perfect for keeping your feet feeling healthy and strong throughout the long trip.

Lastly, socks & underwear comfort & durability are of huge importance on expedition, especially ones that involve a lot of trekking. I’ve found lately that my feet have the best results in the Feetures socks. And for several weeks of comfort in underwear, there is absolutely no better option than ExOfficio. I’ve been wearing this model of underwear on expedition for 4-5 years and have never had problems.

Tents, Duffels, & Sleep Systems:

• Light Sleeping Bag: Phantom Alpine 15F

• Go-To Sleeping Bag: Phantom 0F Gore-Tex

• Heavy Sleeping Bag: Lamina™ -20F/-29C

• Tents: Trango 3, ACI™ 3 Tent, AC 2.

• Duffels: Expedition 140, Expedition 100, Camp 4 135L

The Mountain Hardwear options for sleeping bags, tents, and duffels are best in class- no question. All products are made with the highest level of materials available and are backed by nearly 30 years of in-house design process that yield expedition equipment truly built for the mountains. Having a nice quiver of options for sleeping bags and tents is very handy on expedition. While climbing alpine style, the choices would be for lightweight products, examples: Phantom Alpine 15F & AC2. For guiding on a big peak with fixed ropes, the weight is acceptable and the extra protection & comfort that comes with it is welcomed, examples: Trango 3 tent & Phantom 0F Gore-Tex. I have the Lamina -20F for basecamp luxury and I can bring it to high camp if I’m concerned about temps. A great middle ground for weight to strength ratio in tents is the ACI3. This magnificent tent resembles a double-wall structure in many ways but is only a single wall, resulting in a low weight. It has a fantastic venting system and does not accumulate much condensation overnight if vented properly. The Expedition Duffel line is perfect for the Himalayas where bags are strapped to Yaks or carried by porters and they get ample wear during the trip. These bags are full-feature equipment movers that can be strapped to the top of a jeep on a bumpy road, the side of a yak, left high in a mountain camp, and sent on an airplane. The Camp 4 Duffel is ideal for travel. It folds into it’s own side pocket and can be moved around easily when empty.