Mountain and coastal forecasts are wrong often enough that we pack as if they were always wrong. This is the list we send before every walking journey, with the reasons.
Three layers, not one warm thing
- Next to skin: merino or a synthetic. Never cotton, which stays wet.
- Warmth: a light fleece or a thin insulated jacket you can stuff in a pocket.
- Shell: a proper waterproof with a hood. It also stops the wind, which is what actually makes you cold.
Put them on and take them off all day. That is what they are for.
One dry bag
A ten-litre roll-top bag inside your day pack, for the layer you are not wearing, your phone and your lunch. Pack covers leak. Dry bags don’t.
The shoes
Our guides mostly wear light, low walking shoes with a stiff sole, already broken in. New boots are the most common reason a trip is less fun than it should be.
What to leave behind
A second pair of jeans, a hairdryer and anything you would be upset to lose. You will not need them, and someone has to carry them.