Equipment & personal clothing list

This is the list of personal items you will need to bring. All other equipment supplies, and food will be provided. Any item with a next to it may be rented from us and delivered to base camp for you. See a complete list of our rental items.

Below list is also available as a downloadable PDF document formatted for both standard American letter and European A4 size.

Recommended Items – Bring a set of summer clothes. It will be hot in Kashgar

• 1 cotton t-shirt and 1 cotton long sleeved shirt
• 1 sun hat and 1 cotton headscarf
• 1 pr. Cotton shorts and 1 pr. cotton long pants
• 1 pr. sandals
• 1 pr. sturdy trekking boots ("broken-in" please)
• 1 pr. sneakers or trainers
• Repair tape, sewing repair kit, cigarette lighters and matches
• Compass and GPS unit
• Camera and accessories
• 1 medium backpack (40-60 liters, can be used for airplane carry-on)
• Personal food items such as “Freeze-Dried-Food”, or sausages and cheeses
• 1 pr. telescoping ski poles (3-section)
• Waterproof sacs for putting your clothes and sleeping bag in
• 1 set earplugs
• Battery powered alarm clock/watch
• 1 large duffle bag with lock (80-100 liters for checked bag)
• 1 additional locking travel kit duffle bag, with lock.
• Anti-mosquito cream

Required items — Bring all items listed below

• Heavy thermal socks (synthetic, wool, or equivalent. NO cotton); at least 2 pairs
• Fleece balaclava & warm hat OR 2 warm hats
• Facemask for wind and cold (optional)
• Light-weight thermal liner gloves (NO cotton)
• Gloves (very warm, best if water resistant/proof)
• Very warm insulated mittens (Either down or synthetic with removable liner. This mitt should fit over your liner gloves)

Leggings — Layering is important. You must be able to comfortably wear all your leggings together.

• Light/mid-weight thermal leggings (synthetic, wool, equivalent. No cotton)
• Mid/heavy-weight thermal fleece/pile leggings or equivalent (NO cotton)
• Heavyweight very warm thermal fleece/pile leggings or equivalent (NO cotton)
• Wind/waterproof trousers (Gore-Tex or equivalent)
• Goose-down trousers (optional)

Upper body — Layering is important. You must be able to comfortably wear the below items together.

• Light/mid-weight thermal long shirts (synthetic, wool, equivalent. No cotton)
• Fleece vest or light-weight fleece jacket (optional)
• Very warm fleece/pile/wind-stopper jacket
• Wind/waterproof jacket with hood (Gore-Tex or equivalent)
• Goose-down jacket with hood – MANDATORY (mid or heavy weight

Hardware

• Skis, Snowboard, OR Snowshoes
  Skis – Bring alpine touring/randonne or telemark set-up with skins (ski crampons optional). Must have top of the line ski boots for warmth or an overboot.
  Snowboard – Highly recommend bringing a split board with skins. It is a lot of work to carry your snowboard at this altitude. Bring super warm snowboarding boots.
  Snowshoes – Light-weight snowshoe with tails or with larger surface area and a heal raise mechanism.
• Climbing harness (must have adjustable leg loops)
• 1 locking carabiner
• 2 non-locking carabiners (ovals are best)
• 1 helmet (optional but recommended)
• 1 “figure-8” descender/abseil device , (Do not bring “ATC” or equivalent)
• 2 prussic loops OR 1 prussic loop & 1 ascending device (prussic loops are normally made from 5mm-6mm cord. Ascenders (Jumar) are easier to use but heavier than a prussic rope and not that necessary on Mustagata.)
• 2 meter-long webbing (NOT pre-sewn) OR daisy chain
• Mountaineering axe (make sure it is the proper length)
• 1 pr. plastic double mountaineering boots or other type of multi-layer mountaineering boot designed for 8,000 meters (Single-leather boots are not warm enough. Top of the line plastic mountaineering boots or top of the line alpine touring (Randonne) ski boots are generally enough. If your feet get cold easily or you do not have good plastic mountaineering boots then bring super gaiters or over boots).
• 1 pr. boot gaiters, super gaiters, or over boots to fit over your mountaineering boots
• 1 pr. Crampons (light-weight crampons are adequate)

Personal medications and hygiene items for...

• Altitude sickness (Diamox or Acetylzolamide), blisters, diarrhea, headache, cough and cold, chest & intestinal infections (antibiotics)
• Do NOT bring sleeping pills as they are a respiratory depressant.

Other Required Items

• 1 large & comfortable backpack (60-80 liters)
• 2+ kilograms snack/energy food. Granola-Bars, chocolate bars, Power Bars, etcetera
• Extra food supplements for personal dietary requirements
• 1 urine bottle (1 liter wide mouth plastic drinking bottle such as Nalgene)
  Pee bottle for women: http://www.freshette.com
• 1 goose-down (duvet) sleeping bag (-30 degrees Centigrade or at least –20 degrees Fahrenheit)
• 1 basecamp sleeping bag (-12 degrees Centigrade, or 10 degrees Fahrenheit, optional, but highly recommended)
• 1 closed cell foam Kari-mat , Ridge-Rest, or inflatable foam mattress (We do not recommended inflatable mattresses as they are easily punctured)
• 1 head light with extra batteries & extra bulb(s)
• 1-2 pr. glacier sunglasses (with side shields). For eyeglass wearers, bring prescription sunglasses or snap-ons.
• 1 pr. ski goggles. For eyeglass wearers, buy a pair that can fit comfortably over your glasses.
• Extra prescription glasses, contact lens supplies. Contact lens wearers please bring glasses as a backup.
• Small multi-purpose knife
• 1 liter water bottle and 1 liter insulated thermos
• 2 tubes lip sun cream and 1 tube skin sun cream (minimum factor 35)
• Personal hygiene items (toothpaste/brush, soap, small towel, female or male hygiene & sanitary supplies)