After thousands of adventures, we've seen all kinds of ups and downs on the trail. But whether you're prepping for Kilimanjaro or a multi-day hike, one thing is true for every adventure—the right or wrong gear can make or break your experience in the great outdoors!
Here are our TOP 5 tried-and-true tips on how to pack and prep like a pro, no matter what you're gearing up for!
INVEST IN QUALITY - IT'S WORTH IT!
Let’s start with the obvious: good gear can be expensive. But it can also last a lifetime and prove its worth over and over again! Great brands like Patagonia, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, and Osprey will repair your gear for life so you can use it for decades of adventures. We’ve said it again and again: there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear!
Borrowing, swapping, or renting items is a great way to keep costs down, and keep used gear out of landfills. We created a WHOA Gear Swap Facebook Group for this very reason. If you're headed out on a WHOA Adventure, or have been on one, be sure to join now if you haven't already!
TEST YOUR GEAR YOURSELF
All your gear needs to be tested and adequately broken in by YOU. Even when you get something that’s been used and preloved by someone else, you still need to test it personally. Make sure jackets are still waterproof, and sleeping bags are warm enough for how you sleep. A summit attempt is no place to be fiddling with straps and buckles, just like a week-long jungle trek is no place to realize your waterproof shell has lost its waterproofness!
KEEP ALL THE ESSENTIALS IN YOUR DAYPACK
From unexpected rainstorms to hikes that go way past sunset, you never know what you’ll encounter, or when. After all, your emergency rain poncho or extra layer won't do much good if it's in your duffle at camp!
Think of your daypack as a mix of essentials and emergency items that keep you ready for ANYTHING. We recommend your daypack contains snacks, rain gear, a headlamp, water, warm layers, sunscreen, a first aid kit, phone, and whatever else you could need on a day-long adventure.
WATERPROOF EVERY. SINGLE. THING.
The truth of being adventurous is that you will encounter wetness at some point—whether it's rain, condensation, or a fellow adventurer’s leaky water bladder. That’s why stuff sacks and dry bags are your best friend! They come in all shapes and sizes and are a great SUSTAINABLE way to waterproof your gear (no single use plastic here)! A bag full of wet clothes can be a real trip-ruiner when you’re 4,000 m up a mountain. Keep dry, keep comfy!
PACK AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE
When you're moving around a lot, the last thing you want to do is haul a bunch of stuff up a mountain or spend your time packing and repacking. The best way to pack light is to bring durable, quick-dry, multi-use items that can be layered as temperatures and weather changes. We love layers like this down jacket for when temps drop low, and this long sleeve half zip for lighter temps. And we can't forget to mention a great outer layer for wind and waterproofing.
We recommend laying all your gear out in advance and then subtract, subtract, subtract! Bottom line, always use common sense and your own best judgment when choosing exactly what goes in your bag because no one knows you better than you.
Looking for the most thorough and trail-tested packing lists out there!? Check out the main navigation on our site for adventure-specific packing lists that cover everything from summits to jungle treks. And for more of our favorite sustainable gear that's been recommended by our very own WHOAlums and GALs, check out our WHOApproved Gear Guide. If there’s something you love that you think should be added, drop us a line here!
If you’re a sucker for nostalgia like us, buckle up. We’re throwing it all the way back to our first official WHOA Adventure: Kilimanjaro International Women’s Day 2014. Now, as we're deep into our thirteenth year of trekking to 19,341 feet, we're reflecting on just how massive the impact of our initial idea turned out to be. And while a lot has changed with WHOA and in the world since that first hike, the heart of it all hasn't. So let’s throw it back and take a look at then vs. now: what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and the impact of our long-term commitment.