I find it really interesting to pick and choose just exactly the right trekking gear that I need, before I go on any trek. Not to little and definetly not too much! I am a lightweight trekker now. When I started out 7 years ago, I was carrying way too much trekking gear with me -- and not the most usefull stuff either. It kind'a sucks to cross a couple of Himalayan mountain ranges only to find some unused shirts etc. in the bottom of your backpack when you're back in 'the normal world' again!
Keeping gear weight down simply makes the trekking more enjoyable. A few pounds less do make a difference!
At the same time, you do need to bring some trekking gear for the Himalayas! No way around it. Some adjustment to when, where and how long you are going, but the following Himalaya trekking gear list is almost always good to bring.
Here is:
My top-10 list of my favorite Himalaya Trekking gear:
1. The Esbit cooker and a Canteen Cup
Super-lightweight, simple, tiny and brilliant! For making a cup of tea, coffee, hot water, melting snow, cooking noodles... Fits in any pocket and is simply too small not to bring!
2. A Therm-a-rest
I used to think that a therm-a-rest (self-inflating mattress) was too much of a luxury item for me to consider on a trek. But after I tried it, there was no way back! A good night's sleep just makes the next day so much better! I don't know anyone who has tried it and not loved it. Thumbs up for the therm-a-rest!
3. Trekking pole with ice axe! (What?... Yes!..Click to see!)
Also used to think that trekking poles were not for me. Only for people who need help balancing their too-big loads... But now I've crossed too many slippery and icy trails on north-facing slopes to keep 'taking the chance'. The added ice axe just makes it an indispensible piece of safety trekking gear, for self-arrest etc.
4. An inexpensive rain poncho
Lightweight, yet durable. Inexpensive (read: disposable) in case you don't need it anymore. I'm trying to plan my Himalayan treks outside the rain season, but you never know. And it sucks getting drenched to the bone or waiting out the rain when you want to move...
5. A beanie hat
Best thing to stay warm. Even summer nights gets cold in 5000 meters! The Icebreaker hats are 100% merino wool... Trust me, you'll like it!
6. Thermal layering
A lot of folks go and buy expensive 'breathable' jackets and trousers... and then forget to wear appropriate layers inside! Not smart. Be sure to select some appropriate thermal layers - it's the stuff sitting closest to your skin!
7. Schoeller Dryskin trousers
Get a pair of these, and you'll never want to wear anything else again! Trekking or not!! Seriously, I own 3 pairs and just love them!
8. A Marmot soft-shell jacket (there's also one for women)
People have different preferences, when it comes to sweaters/jackets for trekking. Personally, I prefer to go with a soft shell that protects me from wind and small rain showers, while allowing my body to breathe...
9. A good-quality down jacket (one for women here)
A down jacket is really a must when trekking high in the Himalayas. It'll be soooo good for you! If you don't like to bring two jackets, then skip the soft-shell (#8 above) and bring a good quality down jacket! Don't skimp here!!
10. Marmot Lithium sleeping bag
You don't always need a sleeping bag when you're trekking in the Himalayas, but when you do, this is most likely the one! I've used mine extensively, it's a bit pricy but well worth every cent!
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And that's it, all my favorite pieces of trekking gear for the Himalayas. Some big things and some small things. Some expensive and some cheap trekking gear. I don't see myself as a gear freak, but I try to find out what trekking equipment really gives me an added benefit on a trek, and then usually selects a good quality that can last me many times and is more enjoyable to use. What do you choose?
Favorite Himalaya Trekking Gear
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Gearing up for DSLR Video
Wednesday, September 1, 2010If you have a fairly new DSLR camera, you probably also have video capabilities. From a technical quality standpoint, the DSLR video cameras are excellent! It's the handling and operations that are the weak points.
When you bring your video DSLR on a trek, you can shoot video just like that, but... You have to be really carefull to get that high-high quality footage that your DSLR is capable of. If you're not careful, it doesn't really matter if you use a 5000$ camera or a 500$ camera!
So if you already have the expensive, good-quality dSLR camera and want to do video as well, I recommend you bring some extra items, like at least a video tripod and a external microphone. That will improve your video shooting capabilities enormously! For trekking, there is the added challenge of carrying it though. Especially the video tripod, it's really a lightweight killer. It's such a dilemma for trekking. So you do need to consider this point. For me, photography and videography is the reason for trekking in the first place, so I've gone ahead and gotten the good and heavy gear. And of course, I can also use it when I'm not trekking!
So here's my recommendations for gearing up to do video from a DSLR (in my case, Canon 5d-2) :
- Tripod, bite the bullet and get it! For pro-looking video, it's essential. As recommended by dslrvideoshooter.com, this one is great for the reasonable price: Davis & Sanford PROVISTAGR18 Tripod with FM 18 Head
- Mic, as much as I love pictures, I now know that sound is the more important of the two when it comes to video! The Røde videomic is widely used, for good reasons. It's compact, reasonably priced and good quality. For outdoor use, make sure you get the 'dead cat' as well (furry windjammer): Rode VideoMic Pro VMP Shotgun Microphone
- Trigger for time-lapse etc, if you enjoy that sort of thing. Can produce stunning nature video footage, and it's one of the few pieces of equipment that's actually lightweight :-)... A good and cheap option is the Hahnel Giga T Pro 300' Wireless Shutter Release Timer Remote (for Canon DSLR)
- ND filters, for those gorgeous, large aperture shots in full daylight. Get the size that's right for you, but make sure it's a B+W filter. They are the best! B+W Neutral Density #103
- Batteries, since you can't always recharge in the field and when there's 3 days walk to the nearest power plug you'll hate yourself from running out of juice! Remember, batteries discharge quicker in cold conditions, and they're really not that expensie anymore. Find your extra camera batteries here
- Memory cards, as quality video quickly takes up one GB after another, especially since 1 minute of useable footage usually requires 10-100 minutes of recorded footage (depending on your experience). Memory cards aren't really cheap, but the good thing is they are small and easy to carry..... here's the link: SanDisk Extreme HD Video 16 GB SDHC Class 10 Memory Card (SDSDRX3-016G-A21)
That's it. Now get it ordered and start trekking! Make sure you can enjoy and share your impressive footage for years to come!
PS: You can order all the stuff at once from Amazon.uk here:
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