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Different Types of Ways to Carry Water on a Run

October 12th, 2010 | Author: wfabeaz

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Image : http://www.flickr.com

Carrying water seems to be the dominant problem for runners across the world. Whether rookies or pros, the one question most frequently asked in most running forums on the internet is ‘how to carry water while running?’ This seems surprising, but that is the actual scenario. People are still ignorant about the various methods available in the market, and this article is intended to do just that- educate. Some of these are costly, and some are almost free. But the good news is, there are options!

Most people carry water bottles in their hands during a run. But no matter how much one might argue, the fact is, it is certainly not a great way of doing it, and can even ruin the posture of the runner. But, you cannot afford to be dehydrated, can you? Then what are the options?

The first and the coolest (perhaps) is the Fuel Belt. Not only water, but you can also carry food and other necessary things along with you in this convenient accessory. Keys, packets, gels, small water bottles- everything can be carried on it, and there are several models to choose from. You basically carry all the weight on your waist, making you more comfortable and stable. It costs about $35.

The next best option is a water bottle glove. You do have to bear the weight in your hands, but it’s far more convenient than holding a water bottle while running. You do not have waste your strength while running, and instead, you just wear the glove, and the bottle remains intact. Like fuel belts, it has several pockets enough to accommodate your keys and energy bars, but saves you from carrying weights in your waist.

Running shorts can be a great option for people who are looking for a cheaper yet convenient option to carry water. There are some shorts available in the market which is specially designed to carry stuff around while running. Hydration packs from Camelbak and Deuter are great for people who need to carry greater amount of water. These are light backpacks that can carry 20-100 oz water. Another option which is a mixture of fuel belt and water bottle gloves are Bottle carriers.

Different Types of Ways to Carry Water on a Run

October 11th, 2010 | Author: wfabeaz

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Carrying water seems to be the dominant problem for runners across the world. Whether rookies or pros, the one question most frequently asked in most running forums on the internet is ‘how to carry water while running?’ This seems surprising, but that is the actual scenario. People are still ignorant about the various methods available in the market, and this article is intended to do just that- educate. Some of these are costly, and some are almost free. But the good news is, there are options!

Most people carry water bottles in their hands during a run. But no matter how much one might argue, the fact is, it is certainly not a great way of doing it, and can even ruin the posture of the runner. But, you cannot afford to be dehydrated, can you? Then what are the options?

The first and the coolest (perhaps) is the Fuel Belt. Not only water, but you can also carry food and other necessary things along with you in this convenient accessory. Keys, packets, gels, small water bottles- everything can be carried on it, and there are several models to choose from. You basically carry all the weight on your waist, making you more comfortable and stable. It costs about $35.

The next best option is a water bottle glove. You do have to bear the weight in your hands, but it’s far more convenient than holding a water bottle while running. You do not have waste your strength while running, and instead, you just wear the glove, and the bottle remains intact. Like fuel belts, it has several pockets enough to accommodate your keys and energy bars, but saves you from carrying weights in your waist.

Running shorts can be a great option for people who are looking for a cheaper yet convenient option to carry water. There are some shorts available in the market which is specially designed to carry stuff around while running. Hydration packs from Camelbak and Deuter are great for people who need to carry greater amount of water. These are light backpacks that can carry 20-100 oz water. Another option which is a mixture of fuel belt and water bottle gloves are Bottle carriers.

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Hiking Hydration Packs – Leg Cramps While Hiking

October 9th, 2010 | Author: wfabeaz

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Leg cramps can occur in many sports, but hiking is perhaps a sport where they cause the most surprise. If your cycling or running you are probably training and more aware of the various factors that can effect your performance. However, many people hike occasionally without really training or preparing.

The most common place for cramps to strike when you are out hiking is either in your thighs of calves. And they can be horribly painful! But the cause will often be overlooked, or put down to a lack of ‘fitness’. Well in many cases simply ensuring you are properly hydrated will prevent this problem in the first place.

Cramps can usually occur due to either dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance, or just plain old muscle fatigue. The later could certainly be the case if you have been pushing yourself; perhaps on steep inclines where calves could be taking an unusual amount of the strain. However, dehydration is often atleast partly to blame and often overlooked.

The answer is to make sure you think about hiking hydration both before and during the trek. In the hours leading up to the hike, its so easy to make sure you are properly hydrated. Drink water or sports drink until you are regularly passing almost clear urine frequently. This indicates you are well hydrated to start with. You should start this process 3-4 hours before you leave. Unless you want to be running behind a bush after 10 minutes of hiking, you might want to stop taking in fluids in the hour directly before you leave.

Once out hiking take regular sips of water or a sports drink. Many sports drinks contain electrolytes which are essential for normal hydration. Whilst electrolyte imbalances are unlikely to be an issue, you might prefer a sports drink.

Also Consider a hiking hydration pack. Many walkers keep their fluids in a bottle in their backpack. Taking a drink means taking off your backpack. Consequently, they often don’t drink regularly enough. Many good backpack hydration packs are available from brands like Camelback, Dakine, Deuter etc. Platypus and Camelbak (as well as others) also do hydration pack inserts, which you can put inside your own back pack. Whichever you choice, a hiking hydration pack will allow you to sip regularly (every 5 minutes) ensuring you are constantly rehydrating.

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Posted in Deuter | Tags: Cramps, Hiking, Hydration | No Comments »

Hiking Hydration Packs – Leg Cramps While Hiking

October 9th, 2010 | Author: wfabeaz

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Leg cramps can occur in many sports, but hiking is perhaps a sport where they cause the most surprise. If your cycling or running you are probably training and more aware of the various factors that can effect your performance. However, many people hike occasionally without really training or preparing.

The most common place for cramps to strike when you are out hiking is either in your thighs of calves. And they can be horribly painful! But the cause will often be overlooked, or put down to a lack of ‘fitness’. Well in many cases simply ensuring you are properly hydrated will prevent this problem in the first place.

Cramps can usually occur due to either dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance, or just plain old muscle fatigue. The later could certainly be the case if you have been pushing yourself; perhaps on steep inclines where calves could be taking an unusual amount of the strain. However, dehydration is often atleast partly to blame and often overlooked.

The answer is to make sure you think about hiking hydration both before and during the trek. In the hours leading up to the hike, its so easy to make sure you are properly hydrated. Drink water or sports drink until you are regularly passing almost clear urine frequently. This indicates you are well hydrated to start with. You should start this process 3-4 hours before you leave. Unless you want to be running behind a bush after 10 minutes of hiking, you might want to stop taking in fluids in the hour directly before you leave.

Once out hiking take regular sips of water or a sports drink. Many sports drinks contain electrolytes which are essential for normal hydration. Whilst electrolyte imbalances are unlikely to be an issue, you might prefer a sports drink.

Also Consider a hiking hydration pack. Many walkers keep their fluids in a bottle in their backpack. Taking a drink means taking off your backpack. Consequently, they often don’t drink regularly enough. Many good backpack hydration packs are available from brands like Camelback, Dakine, Deuter etc. Platypus and Camelbak (as well as others) also do hydration pack inserts, which you can put inside your own back pack. Whichever you choice, a hiking hydration pack will allow you to sip regularly (every 5 minutes) ensuring you are constantly rehydrating.

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Posted in Deuter | Tags: Cramps, Hiking, Hydration | No Comments »

Climbing Kilimanjaro – Reaching the Rooftop of Africa

October 5th, 2010 | Author: wfabeaz

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Climbing Kili, (as it is affectionately known), was perhaps one of the most amazing and awe inspiring experiences of my whole life. Before we embarked on the climb we read lots of really helpful reviews and accounts, so here’s my two pence worth.

It was the summer of 2007 and I had itchy feet. I hadn’t been on a proper adventure for about 2 years, so it was time to start planning! I’ve always enjoyed trekking and was desperate to visit Africa again after a wonderful trip to Namibia a few years earlier. Put the two together and ‘hey presto’ you get Kilimanjaro – the majestic rooftop of Africa.

The first challenge, and arguably one of the most difficult, was persuading my other half that climbing the world’s highest freestanding mountain (also one of the coveted Seven Summits) was a good idea! Paul, (my other half), is less adventurous by nature and more ‘grounded’ than me, so I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I proposed the idea to him carefully, playing down (not mentioning) the bit about it being the world’s highest freestanding mountain, and it was met with the usual “that sounds nice dear” and somewhat thankful relief that he wasn’t going to be on the hook for organising our next holiday. So the trip was booked for the middle February 2008.

Even though climbing Kilimanjaro does not require any technical climbing experience, crampons or ice picks, it stands at a mighty 5,895 meters (19,340 ft) and so is physically very demanding, (even before you add in the altitude sickness). Now the trip was booked, we needed to start thinking about what training we had to do and the kit we needed to get, so Paul’s perception that Kilimanjaro was a kind of very large hill needed to be corrected! One evening in September I read him the following article: Taking On Kilimanjaro – Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa by Kent Stewart (fantastic account and well worth a read). At the end of the article I looked up and saw facial expressions that can only be described as some combination of fear, horror, anxiety and total disbelieve. The full gravity of what he had unwittingly agreed to had finally sunk in.

Over the next 5 months, and in between a barrage of berating comments from a rather unwilling Paul (“you’re irresponsible”, “you have no idea what we are capable”, “you’re going to get us killed” etc), we researched and bought our kit (see Kit List below) and embarked on a training programme.

Paul and I both work in London and live in Woking (just outside London), so we were a limited in terms of mountains to practice on! We went to the gym a few times every week and also went walking on the South Downs most weekends.

By the time February arrived, the berating comments had ceased and we were both really excited about our Tanzania adventure, although a little nervous that perhaps we hadn’t done enough training or we’d forgotten some bit of kit. When we got on our flight at London Heathrow, I remember sitting near another couple that we knew must also be climbing Kili from rucksacks, walking poles and walking boots. Their boots were obviously brand new and I felt a kind of satisfaction that at least we weren’t that unprepared – if nothing else, we had ‘walked in’ our boots!

We got to the hotel and sorted out our kit for the next day. By this time the nerves were really beginning to kick in. Would we be able to do this? What if one of us needed to turn back? We had chosen the Machame route because it is one of the most beautiful and varied routes and also longer than some of the other routes, (giving more chance to acclimatise to the altitude), but of course there are never any guarantees. A glass of wine to calm the nerves and then an early night.

Day 1 – Machame Park Gate (1,815m / 5,590ft) to Machame Camp (3,003m / 9,850ft)

Godfrey (our guide) and Paul (our cook) picked us up in the morning we drove to Machame Park Gate. We met our porters (there were 10 in addition to the guide and guide!), registered and then started out climb. The porters bounded off in front and within literally seconds we could no longer see them! Godfrey explained that we should take it slowly, “pole pole” in Swahili – this would help us to acclimatise. Somewhat relieved that weren’t expected to bound up the mountain at the same speed as the porters, we settled into a fairly leisurely pace.

We were walking up a well maintained path through dense forecast. It was quite eerie in places and akin to how you would imagine woods in fairytales. As time passed the wood the gradually thinned and the trees gradually gave way to heath land – with giant heather standing at > 6ft. At around 2pm, the heavens opened and it rained hard for about 3 hours. We found out later that it rains every day in the forecast at about 2pm, so would suggest you wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet or that will dry out quickly on day 1 of the climb.

We walked for around 6 hours before we got to camp. It actually felt like one of the longest days walking (even though distance wise it wasn’t) – I think because it was the first day and much of the battle is about getting used to and understanding what to expect. The porters had been there for hours and had already set up our tent and started dinner!

Dinner was fantastic! We had soup and popcorn for starter, fish and pasta for main course and fruit for dessert. I was totally blown away with what Paul had cooked on a tiny gas stove!

Machame camp was our first experience of the Kili toilets! They are generally a small hut, just big enough for one person, with a hole in the wooden floor. At best, these toilets have a lock and have recently been swept with a dashing of bleach. At worst, there are panels missing from the sides, no lock on the door, flies and a, ahem, messy floor. To be fair though the Machame camp toilets were probably the worst in terms of smell because the weather is still fairly warm and humid at 3,000m.

Machame camp was also the first time we noticed slight breathlessness. Walking up the just short steep slopes in the camp I felt breathless – like I’d been just been running up the slope – not really uncomfortable, just strange.

Day 2 – Machame Camp (1,815m / 5,590ft) to Shira Camp (3,003m / 9,850ft)

Quick breakfast and then we hit the day 2 climb. The morning was steeper that previous day – I was becoming more and more of a fan of “pole pole”!

Most of time Uhuru peak was hidden by clouds, but when we stopped for lunch the clouds cleared for a few minutes and caught a glimpse!

As we climbed the heather got shorter and shorter and by the time we reached Shira camp, the heather was sparse and a similar height to what you would expect in the UK. We got to into the camp at about 4pm, had a rest and then took a short walk up a couple of hundred meters – a good way to help your body to aclimatise to altitude is to ‘climb high’ and then ‘sleep low’ each night.

We set up our tents on the edge of the camp – a little away from everyone else so was a bit more peaceful than the previous night. And talk about a room with a view – below is a picture of our tent with Uhuru peak as a backdrop! Also that evening we had a beautiful sunset full of pinks, yellows and oranges, but the best bit by far was watching it from above the clouds! Quite a spiritual experience.

Day 3 – Shira Camp (3,003m / 9850ft) to Barranco Camp (3,948m / 12,950ft)

I woke up on Day 3 with really sore hands and cheeks and quickly realised that I had nasty sun burn from the day before. I’d put factor 50 on my face but hadn’t done it very well and had missed bits on my cheeks that were now blistered!!!! The tops of my hands were also red raw!!! This was not a pleasant experience at all and can but urge you not to make the same mistake I did!

After breakfast and a heavy basting of sun screen, we set off. The landscape became sparser still with the now short heather disappearing altogether to reveal the rocky ground. The climb was more strenuous than the previous days as the trail steepened, so we took it slow. We climbed up to the Lava Tower (4,573m / 15,000ft) before we descended back down to our camp for the evening – part of the ‘climb high, sleep low’ system. The Laver Tower is 300ft volcanic plug left over from times when Kilimanjaro was volcanic. 4,573m was by a long way the highest altitude we had been at so far and the breathlessness had become far more noticable. We were walking really slowly, kind of like fairy steps with one foot just in front of the other, and yet felt out of breath like we had been running. Paul made light of it but he had a headache, albeit not severe – it had been on and off since the previous night.

After lunch we descended from the Lava Tower into Barranco Valley. One thing that I haven’t mentioned so far is that I’m really not a big fan of going down hills/moutains etc., especially when they’re steep. My knees hurt and thought of falling freaks me out a bit – uphill is definitely more my bag. So what the hell was I doing climbing Kili, I hear you ask?! Well, my theory was that once I got to the top I’d have no choice because I had to get down – so I’d worry about it when I got to it! The descent into Barranco was my first taster and I have to be honest, it wasn’t much fun. I was already grumpy from the blisters on my cheeks, and sore knees and a steep rocky descent was not doing anything to improve it!!

As we dropped into the valley, the landscape became greener and less baron. The vegetation was nothing like we had seen before, and one plant in particular caught Paul’s eye – the giant Lobelia that is uniquely endemic on Kili. We also got out first glimpse of Barranco Wall – what we would be climbing the next morning.

We camped that evening at the bottom Barranco wall. After another wonderful and much anticipated dinner I decided to get an early night

Day 4 – Barranco Camp (3,948m / 12,950ft) to Karanga Valley Camp (4,238m / 13,900ft)

The next morning my hands and cheeks were lots better – phew. But we still had to climb Barranco wall. Many of the accounts we had read before our trip sited Barranco as being “almost impossible”, “requiring significant climbing experience” and “perilously dangerous”. So understandably we were a bit daunted, even despite Godfrey’s reassurances.

We set off and quite quickly realised that this wasn’t going to be anywhere near as bad as we had feared from accounts. It is steep and in places is a little precarious, but in no way does it require climbing experience! We walked nearly all the way up, with only a few points where we had to scramble. About half way up we stopped for a quick break and looked to see a line of people behind us all the way back to the campsite – it looked like a long line of colourful ants!

All in, it took about an hour and half to climb Barranco Wall and when climbed over the final ridge we were met with a breathtaking view of Uhuru peak which all of a sudden looked a lot closer than it had ever done before!

After a short break to take in stunning views we pressed on for another couple of hours until we reached Karanga Valley Camp.

We were now at 4,238m (13,900ft) and we were feeling the effects of altitude. Even just sitting up in bed makes you feel breathless, let alone the short walk to toilets! I hadn’t yet had any headaches, but Paul’s were getting worse (although were not constant).

Day 5 – Karanga Valley Camp (4,238m / 13,900ft) to Barafu Camp (4,634m / 15,200ft)

The walk to Barafu camp was fairly short, probably only about 4-5 hours, and for the most part fairly easy going. But Barafu camp is on an exposed ridge and the last part of the trek was quite steep. About half way up the ridge was when I first got a headache – a sharp, stabbing pain all over my head – but it was nothing that couple of paracetamol couldn’t sort.

We reached camp; had an early dinner; grabbed a couple of snaps of the early evening sky; and nervously went to bed – we would be climbing to Uhuru peak later on that night!

Day 6 – Barafu Camp (4,634m / 15,200ft) to Uhuru Peak (5,895m / 19,340ft) to Mweka Camp (3,000m / 9,840ft)

Neither of us slept very much – we were both too preoccupied with contemplating the climb that lay ahead of us. What if we’d come all the way and couldn’t make it?!

One of the porters came and got us from our tent at 10.15pm. We had a hot drink, sorted out our kit and tried breathing deeply to calm our nerves, (which just for the record is particularly effective at 4,600m). We were climbing as a 4 – Paul and I, Godfrey and one of the other porters. There were around 300 climbers at Barafu camp that night and Godfrey wanted to leave early to give us chance to get on the track before the midnight rush started and also I suspected because he thought we were a bit slow! We left camp at just before 11pm.

We had chosen the timing of our trip to co-inside with a near full moon for the final ascent to Uhuru peak. We had read that the moonlight helps light the track on final ascent which it certainly did, although head torches were still a necessity in places.

The climb was very steep and I remember being quite glad that it was dark because you couldn’t really comprehend just how steep it was. As we were walking very slowly (even slower than before) – one foot just in front of the other. I tried to switch off from wondering how much further and just concentrated on looking down and putting one foot in front of the other. I had been a rower at university and knew all too well the perils of wondering how much further the finishing line was – it’s a physiological killer because you set your mind to getting to a certain point and when it doesn’t arrive, the hardest thing in the world is to keep going.

The weather was freezing – I don’t know how cold it was but was definitely minus something greater than 10. I had two under-layers on then my Paramo trousers, Buffalo shirt, Buffalo jacket, gloves and Buffalo mittens and I wasn’t warm! A lot of the cold was due to wind chill, so highly wind resistant kit is useful. It got so windy at times that I was nearly blown over – no joke!

Many of the accounts we read about the final ascent Uhuru peak talked about the author not being about the remember much of the climb because of the altitude. Having now experienced it, I know what they meant. It’s not like there’s a big memory gap, but it kind of blurs together a bit because you’re not thinking straight from lack of oxygen. You know what’s going on but it’s all quite third person and a bit surreal – you’re capable of doing things but not making decisions.

There are two distinct parts to the final ascent to Uhuru peak. The first, longest and steepest is the climb to Stella Point which is a kind of plateau. From Stella Point it’s then only about 45 minutes or so up a gentle incline to the peak (Uhuru). We eventually reached Stella Point at a little before 5am and had a quick rest. Even though we both were a little ‘out of it’ we both knew that we’d done it – the last part was meant to be a doddle compared with what we had just climbed. And sure enough at about 5.40an we reached the sign marking Uhuru peak – the rooftop of Africa! It’s pretty tough to find the right words to explain what we felt, but it was something along the lines of relief, awe, disbelief and exhilaration. We’d done it – we’d actually made it!!!

Whilst we were aware of what was going on, we weren’t quite with it, so Godfrey organised us. He took off my rucksack, got my camera out of my bag and told us to stand by the sign. We had actually arrived at the peak before anyone else that night – think we’d surprised Godfrey a little! This was great because it meant it was only us at the peak – we heard it gets VERY crowded later in the morning and it’s difficult to get a picture that doesn’t include a load of randoms. The downside to this was that it was still pitch black, so we didn’t get a view. But to be honest, this paled into insignificance against just being there and having made it to the top together.

We were at the peak for less than 5 minutes – it was very cold and Godfrey was keen to get us moving again to prevent exposure. As we walked back to Stella point we went past loads of climbers all trudging up to the way we had just come. A few of them stopped and asked us how much further it was – clearly no longer believing their guide’s reassurances that they were almost there!

We got back to Stella Point just as the sun was beginning to break on the horizon – it was stunning but I was just too tired and cold to get my camera out and take a photo. Godfrey told us he had a ‘short cut’ for the way down and that we should be back in 1-2 hours. I soon realised what he meant – we would be going straight down a shear face of gravel, pretty much all the way back down to Barafu camp. We were meant to kind of ski down on the gravel using our walking poles. My nemesis had arrived….!

Paul picked it up instantly and was ‘skiing’ down the slope fast, but I just could not get it. I was scared to relax in case I went tumbling for down thousands of feet and as a result kept on falling over – every couple meters. It was painfully slow and whilst Paul and Godfrey were patient for a while, I could tell they were getting frustrated at the total lack of progress. In the end Godfrey and the porter linked arms with me on either side and ran me down. I was so scared I felt like I was about the have a heart attack, but the alternative was that I stayed on the mountain. Convincing myself that staying on the mountain all in, was probably worse than the risk of a heart attack, I closed eyes and hoped desperately that it would be over soon. It took well over 2 hours to make the descent to Barafu camp. I don’t think I’ve ever been so relieved in my whole life!!! We arrived back and all the porters greeted us with hugs and congratulations. We were given a cold squash drink – it hadn’t been iodinated but we were both so dehydrated (our Camel packs and water bottles had both finally frozen solid just before we reached the summit) that drank it anyway.

We then had couple of hours sleep before packing up and heading down to our last camp. We set off again for Mweka Camp at about 11am and the first couple of hours were pretty easy going – it wasn’t too steep and we were relatively refreshed from the couple of hours rest we had had, but after that it got harder. I started to feel really nauseous, had a stonking headache, knees that were shot through from the descent from the summit that morning and a rather nasty dose of diarrhea. As we got closer to the camp it really was one step at a time (far slower than on the way up) and I stupidly started to estimate how far we were from the camp – needless to say we were always further than I had imagined which made the whole process even harder.

We reached camp and I just crashed. Godfrey was very insistent on trying to get me to eat and brought food to our tent, but I felt so sick, I just couldn’t eat. I went to sleep dreaming about getting a bottle of fresh water at the part gate at the next day – sealed bottle, no iodine and really cold!!

Day 7 – Mweka Camp (3,000m / 9,840ft) to Park Gate

By the next morning Paul was also not feeling well. We had definitely eaten/drunken something funny. We managed to pick at some of our breakfast, although this was more for Godfrey’s sake than our own.

After breakfast, Godfrey told us to go on ahead with Paul (our cook) and said he would catch us up shortly. We started out at quite a speed and by the time Godfrey caught us up, he was clearly a little surprised that his two ‘pole pole’ tortoises were looking more like hares! The thought of a cold sealed bottle of water was my carrot and if I started slowing down, Paul was my stick because he’d start complaining that we’d never get there.

We reached the gate at about 1pm, signed the gate book, got out certificates, used a proper clean toilet for the first time in 7 days and got ice cold bottled water! Amazing – I had forgotten just how good water can taste! We then walked downhill for about another 15 mins (which felt a little cruel as we had reached the park gate), until we got to a row of drinks cafes (wooden kiosks) on either side of the road. Our team was waiting for us at one of these cafes.

We got the beers in for everyone, and had a celebration. Our porters, cook and guide were the most amazing and inspirational group of people and there is absolutely no way we could have made it without them! We gave everyone tips and distributed some bits of kit we would no longer needed, including a small portable radio Paul (our cook) had become rather attached to. We said our goodbyes and porters all jumped on their bus to travel home. As with the journey there, Godfrey and Paul (the cook) both came back in the bus with us – which was nice because it meant we got say more personal goodbyes.

That evening, after a long hot shower, Paul and I sat in the hotel bar with a glass of wine and reminisced! We had actually done it – we had climbed Kilimanjaro and stood at the rooftop of Africa!

Yes, there had been some really tough parts, it had been hard work and had required more than a just little determination. But it was absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt worth it! In fact, nine months on we are now planning our next trip – to Aconcagua in South America (another of the coveted Seven Summits)!!!

If you’re considering climbing Kilimanjaro, the best bit of advice I can give you is to book it and take on the challenge!! Also, thinking back to the accounts/reviews we read before we left, it’s important to remember that individuals will all have different experiences of Kili, even if they’re climbing as part of the same group. Some things one individual finds hard/stretching/scary, another individual may not bat an eye lid at and vice versa. So, whilst reading accounts/reviews is an important part of being prepared for your climb, try and take them with a pinch of salt because it is unlikely that your experiences will be the same and also, in hindsight, most people have a habit of exaggerating ‘war stories’!!

Below is a list of kit we took with us.

Kit List

We had ABSOLUTELY no idea what we were doing in terms of kit before we did a load of research – there just doesn’t seem to be anywhere where there’s a full list of recommended brands etc. It’s important to do your own research and figure would what works for you, but here’s a list of the really important things we went with for some ideas:

High wicking under-layers (x2 trousers & tops): We got one cheap pair each and one more expensive pair each made from Merino wool (really great for extra warmth).

Buffalo Special 6 Shirt: Made from Pertex 6 and Pile lining this is a super bit of kit. It’s not waterproof but it’s SUPER high wicking (i.e., moves moisture away from your skin very quickly), so dries out very fast if it gets wet. It’s meant to be warn next to the skin of on top of a high wicking under-layer (otherwise it won’t work properly).

Buffalo Belay Jacket: It can get REALLY cold on Kili so have this to put over the Buffalo shirt was essential on the final ascent. Again it’s made of the same Pertex plus pile lining.

Paramo Trousers: Well insulated and warm and also made of very high wicking material to move moisture away from you skin. Again, it’s a fantastic bit of kit.

Extremities Winter Hacking Gloves

Buffalo mits: On the final ascent you it is VERY cold and you will need gloves plus a pair of mits over the top.

Craghopper lightweight trousers: this was the only bit of kit that I was disappointed with. They got soaked on the first day and took AGES to dry out – couldn’t wear them again. Would suggest finding an alternative.

Thick wool socks (x 2 pairs): Don’t scrimp on socks or you will get blisters and you don’t need to wear a thinner pair underneath. Neither Paul nor I had a single blister throughout the whole trek. We got Smartwool socks that also have antibacterial ingredient which helps reduce the stinking.

Day Sack: Porters carry most of your kit, but you need a decent day sack for water, lunch extra clothing camera etc. We got Deuter Futura and loved them. They have water resistant cover you can pull over for when it’s raining and they sit slightly away from you back, which stops you getting a sweaty back.

Waterproof liners: These are a MUST for both you day sack and the ruckstack the porters are carrying for you – otherwise all your kit will get soaked (particularly on the first day).

Sleeping bag: We didn’t want to fork out for really high spec sleeping bags (which you need at high altitudes), so we used ones provided by the tour company. Sleeping mats were also provided by the tour company.

Sleeping bag fleece line: We just bought cheap ones for a bit of extra warm.

Gaiters: We used gaiters provided by the tour company. Not a necessity.

Boots: Gortex (or equivalent boots) – your boots will at some point get wet.

Trainers: Pair of lightweight trainers are useful to put on when you get to your camp sites

Camel pack: THIS IS ESSENTIAL. When you are walking at high altitude you need to keep really hydrated to as to help your body acclimatise to the altitude and help prevent the more server symptoms of altitude sickness. You cannot do this if you have a water bottle that you can only get to when you stop for a rest. We got to insulated camel pack because of the cold temperatures at the summit. The tubes did actually freeze just before we reached the summit on the final ascent, but I’m not sure that there is anything available that wouldn’t have.

Baby wipes: Not strictly kit, but another essential – remember there is no running water on Kili!
Iodine / other water purification system: Once again this is another essential. The water you drink (after your bottled water runs out) is from the streams and rivers and it is not safe with purifying first. And even if you purify the water you will still most likely come into contact with sort of bacteria (see medication suggestions).

Sunscreen & Sunglassess: Yes, you guessed it – another essential! And don’t forget to wear lots of sunscreen (especially on your hands and face). It feels very cool but you can get burnt VERY easily. I got blisters on my cheeks because I didn’t put enough sunscreen on one day and it is not an experience I would wish on anyone!

Walking poles: Again we hired these from the tour company. Paul used his poles more than me especially on the way up, but I did find them quite useful on the way down.

Head torch and spare batteries.

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Posted in Deuter | Tags: Africa, Climbing, Kilimanjaro, Reaching, Rooftop | No Comments »

Climbing Kilimanjaro – Reaching the Rooftop of Africa

September 24th, 2010 | Author: wfabeaz

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