Manaslu Expedition

Here is the list of personal climbing equipments:

Essential Personal Climbing Gear:

Alpine Climbing Harness: Alpine Climbing Harness should be light and simple in design, easy to put on and take off with gloves on, with positively foolproof locking features.

Crampons: Crampons must fit boots perfectly; steel crampons with anti-balling and ability to toe point positively and safely into ice.

Ice axe: Ice axe should be versatile light general purpose ice climbing axe not too aggressive.

Ascender: Ascender or Jamar, a mechanical device used for ascending on a rope; must be suitable to be used with gloves or mittens.

Multi-LED Head Lamp: Multi-LED Head Lamp and spare batteries are essential items, we do not recommend single bulb lights due to its low reliability and a single point of failure.

Karabiners: Minimum 2 locking carabineers, 1 large and 1 small and 4 regular.

Rappel device: Figure 8, ACT or similar; be familiar with Munter Hitch as it may safe your life if you loose your Rappel device and you will at some stage

Ski poles: Very handy for the approach; adjustable types are the best and are recommended type

Slings: One 3m (10ft) and three 2m (6ft).

Masks, hoses, and regulators: Good quality for your safety.

Altimeter :

Climbing helmet: Climbing helmet is essential safety gear for crossing areas under rocks and ice cliffs; light weight is an essential feature

Clothing

For under garments we recommend Merino Wool from Icebreaker because the company understands climbers and mountaineers needs and utilises the best quality material in the world. No other company can at this stage match Icebreaker quality. The quality in extreme conditions is essential for your comfort and safety. Merino wool is the finest wool and it matches cotton with softness and polypropylene with insulation and breath-ability because it takes moisture away from the body and keeps you dry and warm. Due to its natural nanotube construction it has antibacterial properties, so it stays usable for much longer. It is slightly more expensive then polypropylene so is climbing and trekking.

Upper Body:

One T-shirt Icebreaker Merino 150 or lightweight 200.

Two long Icebreaker Merino 150 or lightweight 200 shirts.

One polar fleece pullovers, medium weight.

One polar fleece jacket.

One Gore-Tex waterproof and breathable jacket with large hood to accommodate climbing helmet.

Lightweight down jacket for chilly days in base camp or warm layer when stopping for short breaks.

One very warm goose-down (duvet) jacket with hood or a down/duvet suit if you prefer, for high altitude use.

Note: Your clothing should be kept dry using waterproof stuff sacks, bin-liners, or large plastic bags.

Hands:

One pair lightweight poly-liner gloves. These will be worn when tying knots, but not inside your mitts

One pair mittens, consists of 1 Goretex over mitt matched with the very warm polar fleece mitt liner

Heads:

Warm hat wool or synthetic that covers your ears

Balaclava

Scarf or neck sleeve

Face mask

Ball cap or brimmed sun cap

Glacier Sunglass with side shields

One pair ski goggles (optional with light and dark lens)

Bandana or head scarf, useful for dusty conditions

Lower Body:

Icebreaker Merino 150 underwear briefs

One pair walking shorts

One pair walking trousers for trekking and around camp

Two pair Icebreaker Merino 150 or lightweight 200 thermal bottoms

One pair Icebreaker Merino 200 weight thermal bottoms

One pair polar fleece trousers

One pair Gore-Tex trousers or bibs. Waterproof/breathable with full side zips

One pair of Goose-down (duvet) trousers or bibs. You may prefer a down (duvet)

Note: Your clothing should be kept dry using waterproof stuff sacks, bin-liners, or large plastic bags.

Feet:

One pair One-Sport Millet Everest Overboots or equivalent (with Aveolite liners; good quality plastic shells with inner boots; avoid tight fit with heavy socks.)

One pair sturdy leather or synthetic (Gortex) hiking boots with good ankle support for the walk to advanced base camp

One pair cross-trainers, running shoes and/or sandals for Kathmandu and in camp

One pair down booties (optional)

Two pair med-heavy poly or wool socks

Two Pair of liner socks. Polypropylene or wool

 Vapour barrier liner socks or plastic bread-bags

Two pair lightweight trekking socks, poly or wool 

Light Icebreaker Merino wool or cotton socks for in town.

Travel and Sleeping Gear

Rucksacks and Travel Bags:

One medium rucksack (50-70 litters / 3000-4500 cubic inches, can be used for airplane carry).

Two large (120 L / 7500 cubic inch) duffle kit bags for clothing and equipment. Must be durable for use on pack animals.

 Small padlocks for duffel kit bags.

Sleeping Gear:

For high altitude, one down (duvet) sleeping bag (rated to –35 C (-30 F). In the high camp, you can sleep in your down (duvet) clothing inside your sleeping bag;.

For base camp, one additional sleeping bag (good to -20 C (-5 F).

At least 3 closed cell foam mats for use in base camp and high altitude, which can be purchased in Kathmandu inexpensively; we do not recommend inflatable mats due to high probability of accidental puncture.

Note: Your sleeping bags should be kept dry using waterproof stuff sacks, bin-liners, or large plastic bags

Medical

Personal Hygiene:

Personal hygiene supplies;

Two tubes lip sun cream, 1 large tube skin sun cream (min. factor 30);

Anti-mosquito cream;

One toothpaste/brush set;

One bar soap or hand sanitizer gel/1 small synthetic towel;

Hand wipes.

Medical Supplies:

Note: Small personal first-aid kit. (Simple and Light) Aspirin, first-aid tape, plasters

(band-aids), personal medications, etc. The leaders will have extensive first-aid kits,

Personal prescription medications. Please let your leader know about any medical issues before the climb.

One skin blister repair kit.

medications are inexpensive and readily available in Kathmandu with no doctor's prescription;.

One small bottle of anti-diarrhea pills (Imodium).

One small bottle of anti-headache pills.

One small bottle cough and/or cold medicine.

One course antibiotics for stomach infection, available locally at chemist shop or pharmacy with no doctor's prescription.

One course antibiotics for chest infection, available locally at chemist shop or pharmacy with no doctor's prescription.

One small bottle anti-altitude sickness pills: Diamox, Acetylzolamide. For more about this medication, please contact us.

Do not bring sleeping pills. They are a respiratory depressant non compatible with high altitude physiology.

One small bottle of water purification tablets or water filter.

Earplugs.

Extra prescription glasses/contact lens. Contact lens wearers, please bring glasses in case of emergency.

Miscellaneous Practical Items:

1 small roll of repair tape, 1 sewing repair kit;

1 cigarette lighter, 1 small box matches;

1 compass or GPS;

1 battery powered alarm clock/watch;

1 digital camera with extra cards and extra batteries;

Nylon stuff sacks for food and gear storage, large Ziplocs are also useful;

3 Water bottles (1 litre) wide-mouth Nalgene (1 is a pee bottle)

1 plastic cup and spoon;

1 small folding knife;

Binoculars (optional);

4 large, waterproof, disposable rubbish sacks;

Passport, 2 extra passport photos, flight ticket, flight itinerary;

Separate photocopies of passport and relevant visa pages, proof of insurance; dollars, pounds or euros cash for purchasing Nepalese visa at Kathmandu airport,

Tibet visa, for paying for restaurants and hotels, for gratuities, snacks, and to purchase your own drinks and gifts;

Credit cards, Bank/ATM/Cash machine cards for use for withdrawing funds from cash machines (bring a photocopy of your cards), traveler's checks, etc.

1 bathing suit/swimming costume (you never know);

Base camp entertainment. It is good to bring additional items which you have foundto be useful on previous expeditions. For example: paperback books, playing cards, ipod mp3 player, short-wave radio, game boys, musical instruments, ear plugs, lots of batteries, etc.;

travel clothes for base camp and in town;

Please be sure and bring your patience and try to keep an open, relaxed, positive and friendly attitude as travelling in this part of the world may be very different than what you are used to, but things always seem to fall into place at the last moment.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Please submit other equipment concerns and suggestions.