Equipment in the mountains is a system, not a collection of expensive objects. Every item has to suit the particular route, season, altitude and person, work alongside the rest of the kit, and be tested before you set off. This page gathers our guides to clothing, footwear, technical equipment, hire and packing your luggage.
Start with the official list for the programme you have chosen, not with a brand and not with a one-size-fits-all list off the internet. Two summits that look alike on a map can call for different kit because of the season, the state of the route, the sleeping arrangements and the way the team works. If an article and the briefing for a particular departure disagree, check the current requirement with your Mountain Guide manager.
A quick check before you travel
- your boots are broken in and have been tested together with your socks and crampons;
- your clothing layers go on over one another without restricting your movement;
- gloves, eyewear, head torch and spare batteries are reachable without unpacking the whole rucksack;
- the critical personal kit was checked in advance, not in your room the evening before you set off;
- for the flight, your things are split between bags with the airline’s rules and the risk of delayed luggage in mind.
Where to start
- Equipment for climbing Elbrus — the ready-made route list for the classic Elbrus ascent
- Equipment for climbing, from Elbrus to Everest. — the general logic of kit, from a first high mountain to a big expedition
- Hire or buy your Elbrus equipment — what makes sense to buy and what to take only for the trip
- Equipment hire on Elbrus: what to rent — a practical look at what the hire shops on Elbrus offer
- How to pack your equipment for the flight to Elbrus — hold luggage, hand luggage and protecting your kit in transit
Clothing, warmth and protection from the weather
- Do you need a down jacket on Elbrus, and how to choose one — the warm reserve layer for cold and for an unplanned stop
- Which gloves to take to Elbrus: three layers for your hands — a three-layer system for the hands that works
- Boots for climbing Elbrus: how to choose the right footwear for mountain travel — fit, stiffness, compatibility with crampons and checking them before you leave
- Glasses or goggles on Elbrus: why you need both — eye protection in sun, wind, snow and darkness
Personal and technical equipment
- A rucksack for Elbrus: the right volume for the south, north and west — rucksack volume and purpose on the different Elbrus routes
- Do you need trekking poles on Elbrus, and how to choose them — when poles genuinely help and how to set the length
- Trekking poles for Elbrus and Nepal – how to choose? — a fuller look at poles for Elbrus and for Nepalese treks
- How to choose crampons for Elbrus and test them with your boots — crampon and boot compatibility, and the check you cannot skip
- Why you need an ice axe on Elbrus and how to choose a classic model — what a classic ice axe is for on a snow and ice route
- How to choose a head torch for the night start on Elbrus — light, power and a reserve for the night start
- How much water to take on Elbrus, and why you want a thermos flask — water, a hot drink and a drinking routine that works
- A personal first-aid kit for the mountains — a sensible personal kit that does not stand in for the group’s medicine
Ready-made lists by route
- Equipment for Elbrus: what to take with you for a successful climb — another detailed list for the southern route on Elbrus
- What to take on a ski trip to Elbrus — clothing and kit for a skiing trip to Elbrus
- Equipment for climbing Kazbek: an overview and recommendations — the list for Kazbek, with the glacier route in mind
- Equipment for climbing Kilimanjaro — kit for Kilimanjaro and for moving through the climate zones
- Equipment for climbing Aconcagua — what you need for the altitude, the wind and expedition life on Aconcagua
- Equipment for climbing Ojos del Salado — the list for high desert and the volcanoes of the Atacama
- Equipment for climbing Huayna Potosi — the technical and high-altitude demands of Huayna Potosi
- Equipment for Orizaba and the volcanoes of Mexico — equipment for Orizaba and for the Mexican volcanoes programme
Detailed guides
- A rucksack for Elbrus — a separate briefing on rucksack fit, volume and adjustment
- Choosing trekking boots for a hike — choosing footwear for a multi-day trek
- Sleeping bag temperature ratings: what you need to know for a comfortable night on a trip — comfort temperature, limit, and matching a bag to the conditions on the route
Hire and checking your kit
- Equipment hire: comfort, safety and value for your adventures — how hiring lowers the cost of a mistake and saves you buying rarely used items
- Equipment hire on Elbrus: what to rent — what you can pick up locally before the climb on Elbrus
- Hire or buy your Elbrus equipment — buying against hiring, judged by how often you will use the item
Further reading
- How to prepare for ski touring on Elbrus: experience and equipment — preparation and the kit for a ski tour on Elbrus
- A motorcycle tour of Ladakh: experience, preparation and gear — protective gear and preparation for a motorcycle tour of Ladakh
- The Gondogoro La: difficulty, equipment and safety — equipment and safety on the Gondogoro La
How to use an equipment list
Open the page for your programme first and write out the compulsory items. Then split the kit into four groups: already have it and it works; have it but it needs checking; better to hire; need to buy. The commonest mistake is to judge an item on its own. Boots have to work with your socks and crampons, a down jacket has to go on over every layer beneath it, eyewear must not fight with goggles and a hood, and a rucksack has to hold what you need without being overloaded.
A new item does not become reliable at the moment you buy it. Boots need breaking in, crampons need fitting, a head torch needs testing with gloves on, and a rucksack needs adjusting with real weight in it. For a high-altitude route, do at least one training day in the full kit and spend several hours in it.
What to buy and what to hire
Personal items you use constantly are usually worth owning: base layers, socks, gloves, eyewear and well-fitted boots. Expensive or rarely used high-altitude equipment can be hired, particularly for a first climb. The decision is not only about price: fit, hygiene, whether your size is available and your plans for future routes all matter.
Price up a hire kit with Rock’N’Rent. The calculator helps you see what a set contains and roughly what it costs, but it does not replace the list for your particular programme.
If the kit does not add up
Send us the name of the programme, the dates, your height, your boot size and a list of what you already own. We will help you separate the compulsory from the desirable, check that things work together and avoid buying what you do not need. It is particularly worth discussing unusual sizes, older technical equipment, cold hands or feet and any limitation that affects your choice of kit well in advance.
Ask Mountain Guide a question or go straight to choosing a route.