Kilimanjaro Climbing Gear

On Mount Kilimanjaro, it’s important that your gear is able to stand up to harsh conditions. There are a lot of recommended gear lists out there and your trekking company may also have some guidance. While you need to be prepared for a wide range of situations, packing too much is also a problem. Even though porters will be carrying much of your trekking gear, unnecessary clutter will make important items harder to access and packing up each morning will take that much longer. Our gear list will highlight some of the top performers as well as note which items you can live without. A general rule for clothing is to have plenty of layers to mix and match to keep your temperature comfortable. There are some important features to keep in mind for specific items.

Must Have Kilimanjaro Gear

Hiking Backpack – I chose to go with a full hiking backpack with a much larger capacity than was recommended. Normally, they suggest just carrying what you need for that day’s hike in a bag around 2200 cubic inches and and putting everything else in the duffels that the porters carry. With some of my camera gear, I already benefited from the extra space but I wanted to make sure I had room to haul a little extra in case I needed to carry some of Debbie’s gear. We ended up using the Kelty Coyote 4750 and Kelty Redwing 2500.

Headlamp – There are lot of headlamp options out there and prices can vary significantly. Mine was a pretty simple, lightweight headlamp that ran on AAA batteries. I liked that the batteries were common and that rechargeable batteries were an option. I wasn’t sure if the headlamp or batteries would have struggle with the cold near the Kilimanjaro peak on summit night but it worked fine. It could have been brighter and water resistance seems like a smart choice my inexpensive light held up well.

Water Bottles – Our research showed that the lines from hydration packs were prone to freezing near the summit and people recommended insulated bottles. We each carried a 27oz Klean Kanteen and then had two other knock off version from Walmart. In addition, we had a plastic Nalgene bottle and we also reused a disposable water bottle from the hotel. All worked well. Nothing ever froze. It’s possible that we experienced better than usual conditions but it really seemed like the cold on Kilimanjaro was exaggerated.

Telescopic trekking poles – Trekking poles were extremely useful for climbing Kilimanjaro. If used well, they can take significant strain off the knees and they add a little stability in uneven terrain. We ended up renting them from our trekking company for something like $10. These can make a big difference in you climb so it might be worth buying some decent ones and practicing with them ahead of time.

Polarized Sun Glasses – When climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, you ascend above the cloud cover quickly and there is little protection from the suns rays. Polarized sunglasses offer protection from the intense UV rays but many allow light in from the sides leaving you vulnerable. Wrap around sunglasses and glacier glasses afford more complete protection. I found a pair of convertible sunglasses that could quickly transition from sunglasses to goggles but I left them in sunglass form for the entire trip. Global Vision Envy Convertible Sunglasses/Goggles

Waterproof Trekking Boots – Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro means a solid week on your feet. Picking the right footwear will make or break your trip. You want something supportive with good foot protection to handle the rocky terrain. You may not see any rain during your climb but waterproof boots are a must. If your feet get wet, you’re not going to have a good time. It’s also important to spend plenty of time breaking in the boots but you’ll have plenty of opportunity during your training hikes to get used to the boots. I went with some Merrell hiking boots that fit me like a glove from day one and were extremely comfortable for the entire trip.

Gaiters – The importance of good hiking boots is pretty obvious but even good quality boots will leave you in pain if you let stones and debris get in them. Wearing gaiters to cover the vulnerable area between the boots and pant legs is worth the investment. There are low gaiters that just cover the ankle itself but I went with a full gaiter by Outdoor Research that covered from the bottom of the boot up to just under the knee. These Outdoor Research gaiters functioned well and the loose rocky soil of Kilimanjaro never made its way into my boots.

Hiking Socks – The importance of footwear continues and selecting good socks is critical. Since the Kilimanjaro trails cross many climate zones, bringing lighter wool socks for the first days and a heavier weight for the higher altitudes will give you the most flexibility. Though we didn’t bring enough socks for every day, we had enough to allow them to air out well before wearing again. I mainly used Bridgedale Lightweight trail hiking socks but there are a lot of manufacturers who offer excellent wool socks that will wick away sweat and dry quickly.

Warm Jacket – Nights get chilly on Mount Kilimanjaro and a warm jacket is a must have. Fleece jackets might be sufficient for the early camps but once you get high enough, you’ll probably what something heavier. Down jackets are great because they’re incredibly warm but they are also lightweight and pack down pretty small. My Mountain Hardware Phantom Down Jacket was about the size of a water bottle when it was in its stuff sack.

Waterproof Gloves – A good pair of gloves is important for summit night but won’t get a lot of use the rest of the climb. We went with some Outdoor Research gloves that picked up on SteepandCheap.com and we were very happy with how they performed.

Scarf – Instead of a scarf, I normally wear a neck gaiter both day to day and on cold weather runs. I stuck with my Polypropylene Military Neck Gaiter for the Kilimanjaro climb and it worked well. This particular neck gaiter is warm, rugged comfortable but it is a little shorter than it could be.

Bandana – The humble bandana has so many possible uses on a trek like this, it seems silly no to have it. We used our bandanas as headbands to block the glare of the sun, as a face mask to protect against dust and tied below a knee as a makeshift cho-pat strap.

Winter Hat – A warm hat is a must have for high altitude evenings and summit night but most winter hats will do. I wore a Fox Racing Beanie and Debbie went with a Mountain Hardware hat.

Nice Kilimanjaro Gear To Have

Travel Pillow – We picked up a couple cheap travel pillows from Sports Authority before the climb. Compress down and fold into a built in pocket for packing then when you open them up they fluff up with some foam inside. They were small but effective. I also used a sack filled with clothes to supplement the travel pillow.

Sneakers – Even with the best hiking boots, you’ll want a change of pace once you get to camp. Some basic sneakers are comfortable, breath well and are easy to get on and off.

Long Underwear – Long underwear was recommended on many of the gear lists we saw. We used it on summit night and were pretty happy to have it. Whether or not it is really necessary may depend on your other gear and your tolerance for cold. Duofold Men's Polypropylene Mid Weight Single-Layer Thermal Crew

Softshell Jacket – During much of the climb, a down jacket is really overkill. Having a lighter jacket like the North Face Apex jacket can be nice for around camp at night.

Other Kilimanjaro Gear

Knife/multitool – An old Norse proverb says, “A knifeless man is a lifeless man.” Pocket Knives and Multi Tools seem like they should be required kit for any kind of outdoor adventure. Trekking with Good Earth meant that we were well taken care of and never had any real use for these tools but I still wouldn’t start the trek without them.

Unbreakable mirror – A good mirror has plenty of uses. My main purpose was to help get my contacts in my eyes each morning. I chose a signal mirror to make sure it was both durable and versatile. Signal Mirror http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000V21F88/

Whistle – We had a little whistle/compass combo that was pretty unnecessary. Throughout the climb, you’re always within earshot of other guides and climbers. Neither the whistle or compass were all that useful. http://www.amazon.com/Thermometer-Magnifier-Magnifying-Emergency-Survival/dp/B009BZVY1Y/

Waterproof Jacket – If you get caught in the rain without any waterproof gear, it will be a rough day. If the entire trek passes without any bad weather, then the rain gear was just added expense and weight. I brought a GoreTex rain coat that I’d had for several years but wasn’t really meant for this kind of activity. The main downside was that it was bulkier than it should have been but I couldn’t justify the expense of a new coat that I probably wouldn’t use outside the climb.

Waterproof Pants – Just like the waterproof jacket, the rain pants weren’t required during our climb. We did wear the waterproof pants on summit night but they were overkill and we had to shed them pretty quickly once the sun came up. They also didn’t hold up very well against the sharp rocks and ended up with several tears.

Hat – On the mountain, a hat can offer important sun protection. I went with a Black Boonie Hat that was functional, even if it isn’t the most stylish. http://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Force-Black-Boonie-Hat/dp/B003RMLR4G/

Extra Shoelaces – They say if you have two, you have one – if you have one, you have none. We didn’t end up needing backup shoe laces but if any of our laces had broken during the climb, we would have had a bad time. It’s also and option to just to keep some paracord on hand that can be used to fill any of your cordage needs.

Kilimanjaro Clothing

Convertible Hiking Pants – These pants are lightweight, pack well and are versatile for use in Kilimanjaro’s many climate zones. The bottoms of most pants just zip off below the knee but some have a zipper along the back of the calf that allow for easier conversion without removing your boots. It might look funny, but just unzipping at the knee a bit to allow venting can make a big difference in comfort during hikes. The synthetic materials can handle being worn several days without getting too funky.

Long Sleeved Shirt – During the day hikes, I chose to go with a synthetic, loose fitting hiking shirt – Columbia’s UPF shirt. The sleeves could be rolled up and buttoned back. The material wicked away sweat well, offered good sun protection and I was able to alternate between two shirts over the climb without smelling too offensive.

Fleece Pants – At the end of each day’s hike, it was nice to change into more comfortable clothes. Fleece pants or sweat pants were a nice change of pace and worked well as pajamas.

T-shirts – Another comfort item around camp and for sleeping, a couple dry-tech t-shirts were nice to have. After a couple days, nothing could be considered “clean” anymore but it was still a welcome change at the end of the day.

Sweater/Sweatshirt – If you’re prone to getting cold, a sweater or sweatshirt can be nice at night. I usually stuck with a t-shirt and my soft shell jacket.

Kilimanjaro Climb Toiletries

Sun Block – The sun can get intense, so we made sure to apply sun block every morning. An SPF 30 or higher is important to keep with you.

Chapstick – Protecting your lips from the sun is important as well.

Moisturizer – If you didn’t use enough sun block or your skin just dries out from the dusty climate, moisturizer will be a nice. It’s not essential though.

Wet Wipes – There is no such thing as clean on the Kilimanjaro trails but wet wipes can still be a refreshing and easy way to wash.

No Rinse Shampoo – This shampoo can be worked in to the hair then wiped out with a towel without rinsing. It’s definitely non-essential but I used it once and it worked okay. Though it made my hair less greasy, it didn’t truly feel clean.

No Rinse Body Wash – Similar to the No Rinse Shampoo but we never actually used the body wash.

Soap – We did bring some hand soap, but Good Earth also provided us with some. It was basically just to was our hands before meals and wash our faces in the morning.

Travel Towel – Camping towels are small, lightweight and super absorbent. They’re more chamois than towel but very capable and useful to have around.

Foot Powder – Something like a Gold Bond foot powder can mitigate moisture that can lead to blisters. We didn’t use the foot powder much but taking care of your feet has to be priority number one.

Toothpaste & Toothbrush – Dental hygiene shouldn’t be neglected on the trail. Toothbrush and Toothpaste are critical. Listerine mouthwash can be a nice addition to your kit and can double as an antiseptic.

Bug Spray – The bugs in Africa can carry some pretty nasty diseases so we made sure we had plenty of insect repellant. We also treated our clothing with Sawyer Permethrin spray (read the warning label before application – it’s pretty intense stuff). In the end, we really didn’t encounter many bugs.

Tweezers – At altitude, even minor injuries take longer to heal and can turn problematic. You don’t want something like a splinter to derail your summit attempt.

Q-tips/Cotton Balls – These can also be useful for would treatment or as emergency fire starters. We didn’t find them to be essential.

Nail Clippers – By know it should be pretty apparent that foot care is important. It’s important to trim your toenails during the climb. During the descent, your feet will tend to shift forward in your boots and leaving your nails long can cause problems.

Razor/shaving cream – I shaved once on the climb. If you don’t mind getting a little scruffy, these are not necessities.

Deodorant – A decent deodorant is important when hiking all week without showering.

Kilimanjaro First Aid/Medical Supplies

Anti-Maleria Medication – Like I said, we didn’t encounter a lot of bugs on the trip but the bugs out there had potential to carry a number of serious diseases including Malera. Taking Maleria prophylaxis is important but work with your doctor to select the best option for you. Not every medication works for all regions and there can be side effects ranging from sensitivity to sunlight to hallucinations.

Bandages/Moleskin – Minor cuts scrapes and blisters can be treated easily with bandages or moleskin.

Gauze – For more serious wounds, sterile gauze packages can be used as dressings.

Vitamins – Our meals were nutritious and the food was plentiful but multi-vitamin supplements can be helpful to make sure your body has what it needs to hold up under the rigors of the climb.

Ibuprofen – NSAIDs like ibuprofen can reduce swelling and provide relief for minor aches and pains.

Antibiotic Cream – Between the effects of altitude and the generally dirty conditions, it’s important to be thorough in treating wounds. Antibiotic cream can help stave off infection.

Imodium AD – Imodium can be helpful in case you come down with a case of traveler’s diarrhea.

Electrolyte Tablets – Between the altitude and the exertion from the climb, staying hydrated on the Kilimanjaro climb is critical. Your climbing team will provide water for you but if you want to supplement with additional electrolytes things like Salt Stick capsules or Nuun Electrolyte tablets can be a good addition.

Antibiotic – A course of general purpose antibiotics can be good to have when outside the country – especially if the water is questionable. Our doctor prescribed Cipro but since then I’ve learned that the Cipro family of antibiotics can increase the likelihood of tendon tears in runners so you may want to steer clear of that particular medication.

Decongestant – The dusty Kilimanjaro environment can lead to some congestion. Bringing something like Sudafed or Drixol can help combat those effects.

Antihistamine – If the decongestant doesn’t do the job, an antihistamine like Benedryl might get the job done if you have an allergic response to the dust.

Throat Lozenges – The dust and congestion can also lead to sore throats. Lozenges can bring quick albeit temporary relief.

Eye Drops – If you haven’t noticed the trend, a big portion of this medical kit goes toward coping with the dust. Eye drops can be helpful but aren’t critical.

Compression Wraps – Compression bandages are a versatile tool that belongs in every first aid kit. With the rough terrain on Mount Kilimanjaro, rolling an ankle is a very real possibility. Compression wraps can also add support to ailing knees or other joints.

Other Kilimanjaro Gear

Gatorade Powder – The water provided by our crew was pleasant enough but Gatorade’s taste and extra calories makes hydration a little more pleasant.

Candy & Snacks – We thought some food from home would be a good morale boost. Not everything held up as well as we hoped. We had plenty of good food on the trip and didn’t find these to be all that necessary.

Water Purification Tablets – You trekking crew should provide clean water to drink but carrying some iodine tablets so you have the option to sterilize your own water isn’t a bad idea. Filtration systems or UV pens can also be used but neither is as compact as purification tablets.

Watch – Telling time isn’t really necessary but in the darkness of you tent, it can be nice knowing how long until you need to get out on the trail. It’s also nice to have a rough estimate of your pace and time remaining until you reach the next camp.

Cameras & Photography Gear – While out on the trails of Kilimanjaro, you’re going to want to capture the scenery and major milestones. My did fear was that a camera would break or the cold temperatures on summit night would drain my batteries so I had a lot of redundancy here. My main camera was a Canon T1i dSLR. I had three batteries for that camera (one Canon brand, two generic – all worked well). I had the 18-55mm kit camera lens and a 55-250mm zoom lens. In addition, I had an Olympus SW850 tough point and shoot camera (also with three batteries). The last like of defense was a disposable film camera just in case everything else failed, there wasn’t much that could go wrong with that basic unit.

It was nice having the point and shoot camera for quick shots along the trail while I had the luxury of using the dSLR for shots when I had a little more time. For summit night, I kept my Canon under my down jacket to try to keep the camera batteries warm. It overkill. From departure to return, I shot to my heart’s content without changing the batteries once.

My zoom lens was mainly for the safari and I didn’t swap it in one the climb. If you do change lenses, be careful to protect the camera sensor and lens from the mountain’s dust. I also carried a lens cleaning brush as well just in case.

Solio Charger – I had really high hopes for the Solio portable solar charger. It seemed like a perfect tool for the Kilimanjaro Climb and beyond. Unfortunately, it just didn’t seem like it charged very efficiently. Despite being above the clouds and directed at the strong African sun, I wasn’t able to fill the Solio’s battery pack. It’s a product that was great in theory but just couldn’t live up to expectations and ended up just being extra weight.

Ansmann Digicharger Vario Universal Charger – In contrast with the poor performing Solio, this universal charger was an excellent product. With contact points that can be adjusted to match just about any battery pack, it is incredibly versatile and handled both my Canon and Olympus batteries well. It had adapters for wall outlets along with a car adapter.

International Power Adapter – Though this charger didn’t have a purpose on the Kilimanjaro climb, it was used on the safari so it made the trip with us.

Waterproof Matches – I never had to start a fire but they don’t take up a lot of space and they’re lightweight so I’m glad I had them as part of my survival kit.

Sewing kit & Safety pins – With limited clothing and gear, it seemed like a very basic sewing kit was a smart addition. We didn’t run into any issues, but having the ability to patch up you gear in the field seemed beneficial.

Emergency Blanket – The mylar emergency blanket probably wasn’t really necessary but it can’t hurt to bring it. They’re small and light but can reflect back a massive amount of body heat.

Duct Tape – We brought this for the same reason as the sewing kit. Being able to make repairs in the field can be a lifesaver.

Rope – We brought some lengths of 550 paracord since having cordage is important in camping or hiking situations. Though we didn’t use it, I still feel it’s important to have.

Carabiners – Paracord and a couple Carabiners can be a powerful combination.

Nylon Straps – A variation on cordage, some nylon straps can be useful for compressing rolled gear. They’re quick to use, easy to secure and extremely tough.

Compression Sack – I had a compression sack for my sleeping bag but I also carried another for general organization. They can be used to for packing down clothing or keeping dirty clothes separate from the rest of your gear.

Passport – The passport is a pretty obvious requirement. It’s also important to secure your visa for Tanzania beforehand. If you’re planning on traveling between countries during your stay, you can get multiple entry visas.

Vaccination Card – The Yellow Fever vaccine was among the inoculations needed before visiting Tanzania. The travel doctor should give you a vaccination card to bring with you for verification. You can log other vaccinations on the card but Yellow Fever is the important on that needs to be certified.