Plan to Hike in Himachal Pradesh during the monsoon season?
If you have the below mentioned questions – Then you are in
the right place.
Where can I find good hiking gear in Mumbai/Delhi?
What equipment should I carry for a 2-3 week hiking trip?
To begin with you need to make a choice either travel Heavy
carrying all the equipment in the world Or carrying the bare essential which
would make it easy to trek but at the cost of comfort, well of course the right
choice is to maintain a balance between both ;)
I have listed few items that would be required based on what
kind of trek you plan. Main factors would be if you are planning a complete
outdoor trip or you prefer hotel/lodge accommodation.
1) Waterproof backpack: There are lots of
options available with prices varying from 3k – 10k+
Based on the duration of your trek you may need to consider
the size of your backpack i.e. 45 liter, 55 liter, 60 liter or 70 liter.
Listed below are some of the best Rucksacks and Backpacks
and some of their features along with their source link.
a) Gangotri
Top Loading Rucksack 65 liters – INR 5.5 k
b) QUECHUA
Forclaz 70 + 10 Symbium Access Backpack – INR 9.0k
c) VANGO
Explorer 70+10 Backpack – INR 6.3 K
d) Savan
D Top Loading Rucksack 45 liters – INR 3k
e) PE Rucksack X Air 45 liters-
INR 2.8 K
Features are
somewhat similar; difference being the size, quality and the usability
1. Zippered rain cover pocket at
the base.
2. Shoulder weight and width
adjusters provided on the shoulder pads.
3. Torso height Adjuster.
4. Sleeping bag carrier on hood.
5. Compression straps at the top
and bottom to manage loads better.
6. Carry mat straps at the base.
7. Attached waist straps.
The above listed bags are specifically made to be light weight, durable
and provide a lot of comfort while hiking, if money is a constraint there are
also a large variety of bags that can be purchased from Crawford market between
the 1.2 k – 2.5 k price tag and these bags can be waterproofed for an
additional 500 - 700 Rs.
2) Waterproof Shoes: If you
are specifically looking for waterproof shoes I would recommend the brands
mentioned below however I would personally prefer using Crocs although they are known to be slippery on flat surfaces the ones with
straps are much better and offer a good outlet for the water to escape and are
extremely lightweight.
a) Crocs – Trailbreak
– INR 2.5 k
3) Rain Wear: Based on the weather
conditions your preference you may choose either a poncho or a proper rain jacket.
a) QUECHUA
Rain Cut Jacket – INR 700
b) QUECHUA
Arpenaz 50 Overtrouser – INR 700
Personally I would recommend a “Duckback” its durable
and definitely worth the money. (INR 600 – 2,000)
4) Sleeping Bags / Tents: Before buying a SB you would need to need to
consider the weather conditions. SBs are available based on the temperature
rating, quality/comfort and size.
While buying a Tent the factors to consider once gain is the weather
conditions along with the capacity i.e. 2, 4 or more people along with the
weight of the tent.
a) QUECHUA
S0 Ultralight Zero
degrees – INR 3.5 k
b) QUECHUA
Sleepin’bed Ten degrees
– INR 3.5 K
c) Sleeping
Bag UltraLite Twenty
degrees – INR 2k
a) QUECHUA
Arpenaz T2 Tent – INR 3k
Budget good quality sleeping bags and Tents can be purchased from “OADV” and “GO” which are based in
Mumbai check the hyperlink for more details.
5) Apparel: It’s crucial to choose the right kind of
apparel which provides both comfort and practicality based on the trek
difficulty and duration.
a) Quechua
- FORCLAZ 50 FLEECE – INR
599 (Makes for an excellent inner shell during low temperature treks)
b) Quechua - G2 Techfresh50 blue – INR 814 (Keeps the body dry and reduces
development of Odors during a HIKE)
c) QUECHUA Forclaz 200 Fleece Jacket – INR 999 (Good balance between warmth/thickness/compressibility)
d) Quechua - PA FOR 500 TRIMOD – INR 1678
e) Quechua - ARPENAZ 100 3/4 PANTS – INR 479
6) Miscellaneous Gear: There are many small and useful items that
make hiking comfortable and some of them are crucial for survival.
a) Quechua
- ALUMINIUM BOTTLE 1 L – INR
699
b) Quechua
ALU MUG QUECHUA - INR 389
c) Quechua
- 3 PC NON SCRATCH SET – INR
149
d) Quechua ULTRALIGHT INFLATABLE PILLOW – INR 499
e) Geonaute - DYNAMO TL 100 – INR 424
f) Coleman
F1-Lite Stove – INR 1980
g) Quechua
- Coking Set For 1 Person – INR 649
Here are some related links to
find good hiking gear Online.
Feel free to leave any
suggestions, comments about the above compiled list.
Check out the Hiking/trekking
gear products reviews on my Youtube channel
The gear looks sweet indeed! A very comprehensive post with lots of info. Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Frank took some time but was worth the effort.
DeleteGreat info .. I brought hiking equipment at Playgroundonline.com using OLYMPIC Special offer.( 10 % off)
ReplyDeleteSpecial offer eh ? That's super i will look into it when i need to by stuff next season.. thanks for sharing..
Deletehaha
ReplyDeletewhy dont you share your temperature regulation tip of pouring filtered vomit made of lipton tea from a black polythene bag onto your sleeping bag?
Man that was a difficult Night ..... what an experience ... HP is awesome !!!
Deletewhy did u remove your chappal review video?
ReplyDeleteIts a great flipflop for a one-legged amputee.
The Flip Flop video is on youtube -- http://youtu.be/mWBv4ZIPizo
DeleteAnd it seems like one of the Dragon Flip Flops was an offering to the DEvI ... LoLz
Nice Post. Thanks for sharing your experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks Priya, happy travels :)
DeleteThat was good post of providing tips for planning a complete outdoor trip. I would also like to add below site to your list of finding a good hiking gear online:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.oliveplanet.in/