Climb Cho Oyu
Equipment List

We feel the following items are necessary while climbing in the Himalaya.  These items have been chosen in order to increase a climber’s chances of having a safe, enjoyable, and successful climb. Many of the items on this list are required for your safety. Please confer with the expedition team leader or Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. regarding any questions about your equipment.

Most of the required equipment is available for rent or purchase from Whittaker Mountaineering in Ashford or online. RMI participants receive a 10 percent discount on new clothing and equipment items ordered from Whittaker Mountaineering (excluding sale items). The Discount Code is RMI 2008 for internet orders. For more information or questions regarding clothing and equipment items, visit their website at www.whittakermountaineering.com or call 800-238-5756.

PACK & BAG

[  ] BACKPACK: 3,000 – 4,000 cubic inch pack is the recommended size for this climb. Gear loops on the waist belt of the pack are very useful.
Guides’ Pick: JanSport Whittaker L Series or Gregory Palisade

[  ] DAY PACK: These are useful for travel on airlines, through airports, and overland on busses and jeeps.
Guides’ Pick: JanSport Whittaker Alpine

[  ] SLEEPING BAG: One bag rated near -20 will be enough unless you would prefer NOT to share group bags at higher camps, in which case a second bag rated to -20 or lower will be needed.
Guides' Pick: Mountain Hardwear Wraith -20° or Mountain Hardwear Lamina -30°

[  ] SLEEPING PAD: A patch kit / valve repair kit are good investments for inflatable pads.
Guides’ Pick: Therm-A-Rest Prolite 4

[  ] PACK COVER: Protects your pack from rain while on the trail.

[  ] GARBAGE BAGS: Bring four or five large plastic garbage bags to line your pack and duffels.

TECHNICAL GEAR

[  ] HELMET:
Guides' Pick: Petzl Elios or Black Diamond Half Dome

[  ] CLIMBING HARNESS: An adjustable harness that will fit over a variety of layers and is easy to put on and take off wearing gloves.
Guides' Pick: Black Diamond Vario Adjustable

[  ] ICE AXE and HOLSTER: We recommend an ice axe of 60 to 70 cm. in length. If you hold the axe so that it hangs comfortably at your side, the spike of the axe should still be a few inches above the ground. Add a holster to your pack.
Guides' Pick: Grivel Rainier or Black Diamond Raven Pro

[  ] CRAMPONS: The 10 to 12 point adjustable crampons designed for general mountaineering are ideal. Rigid frame crampons designed for technical ice climbing are not recommended.
Guides' Pick: Grivel G-12

[  ] CARABINERS: Bring a total of six, two of which must have locking gates. Please DO NOT bring the auto-locking types. Each carabiner should be personally identifiable with colored tape or other marking.
Guides' Pick: Black Diamond Rocklock Screwgate

[  ] TREKKING POLES: Collapsible trekking poles are easy to pack in your luggage and attach to your back pack.
Guides' Pick: Leki Ultralite or Black Diamond Spire

[  ] MECHANICAL ASCENDERS: Bring one ascender for traveling on fixed ropes. We will rig them in Base Camp – please bring 15 feet of 6mm accessory cord.
Guides' Pick: Petzl Ascension Ascender

[  ] RAPPEL DEVICE: figure eight rappel devices work best for descending a variety of rope diameters.
Guides' Pick: Black Diamond Super 8

[  ] WEBBING / CORD / ROPE: Bring along the following material:

• Two 60 cm sewn slings.
• 20’ extra of 6mm accessory cord.

HEAD

[  ] WARM HAT: Two wool or synthetic hats. One light and one heavy weight.
Guides' Pick: Mountain Hardwear Micro Dome or SmartWool

[  ] BALACLAVA / NECK GAITER or a BUFF: Buff® is the brand name of an innovative, multifunctional head garment that protects you from the cold, wind or sun.
Guides' Pick: Mountain Hardwear Power Stretch or SmartWool

[  ] BANDANA and a BASEBALL CAP: A lightweight ball cap, bandana or sun hat works very well.
Guides' Pick: RMI Ice Axe Hat

[  ] GLACIER GLASSES: A pair of dark-lensed sunglasses with side shields. An extra pair is recommended.
Guides' Pick: Julbo Dolgan or Julbo Nomad

[  ] GOGGLES: One pair with dark lenses is required and a second pair with light lenses for summit day is highly recommended.
Guides' Pick: Smith Rhythm and Smith Monashee OTG

[  ] CONTACT LENS WEARERS: Prescription sunglasses, extra contact lenses and solution. Please visit www.opticus.com for prescription Julbo sunglasses.

[  ] HEADLAMP: One headlamp with new and extra batteries and bulbs for climbing plus a smaller headlamp for reading at night.   Lithium batteries work best in the cold.
Guides' Pick: Petzl MYO XP

HANDS

[  ] LIGHT WEIGHT GLOVE: One pair of fleece or wool gloves.
Guides' Pick: Mountain Hardwear Kahiltna Glove

[  ] INSULATED GLOVE: One or two pairs of wind/water resistant ski gloves.
Guides' Pick: Marmot Randonee Glove

[  ] INSULATED OVERMITTS: One pair of wind/water resistant, insulated overmitts for protection against wind, snow and cold. Small chemical hand warmers work effectively at lower elevations.
Guides' Pick: Mountain Hardwear Absolute Zero Mitten

UPPER BODY

[  ] ONE OR TWO QUICK DRYING SHIRTS:
Guides' Pick: Mountain Hardwear Wicked Tee

[  ] BASE LAYER: Two long-sleeve, medium weight tops to be used as your base layer. Light colored tops are ideal, since dark colors absorb heat from the sun, and neck zippers will provide extra ventilation.
Guides' Pick: Patagonia Capilene 4  

[  ] INSULATING LAYERS: A variety of insulating layers will work well. Your choice of garment (fleece or soft-shell) and the number of garments (two or three) should be based on how well you do in the cold. Generally speaking, we recommend two layers that work in combination with each other.
Guides' Pick: Mountain Hardwear Dragon Jacket or Mountain Hardwear Alchemy Jacket and Mountain Hardwear Micro-Chill Zip T

[  ] SHELL JACKET: You will need a jacket made of rain/wind resistant material with an attached hood.
Guides' Pick: Mountain Hardwear Pinnacle Jacket

[  ] DOWN PARKA WITH ATTACHED HOOD: Everest BC and ABC are the place these parkas were designed for.
Guides' Pick: Mountain Hardwear Sub Zero SL Parka

[  ] DOWN SUIT: A second option, though not as effective, is a down parka and pant combo.
Guides’ Pick: Mountain Hardwear Absolute Zero Suit

LOWER BODY

[  ] UNDER WEAR: 3-4 pair synthetic briefs.
Guides’ Pick: Patagonia

[  ] BASE LAYER: One pair, mid-weight, to be used as your base layer.
Guides’ Pick: SmartWool Next-to-Skin midweight Bottom and Patagonia Capilene 4

[  ] INSULATING LAYER: One pair of softshell, or windstopper climbing pants.
Guides’ Pick: Mountain Hardwear Windstopper Tech Pant, or Mountain Hardwear Makalu Pant

[  ] SHELL PANT: A pant made of rain/wind resistant material with full-length side zippers.
Guides’ Pick: Mountain Hardwear GTX 2.5 Pant

[  ] TREKKING PANT: A lightweight synthetic pair of pants is a good option for the approach trek.
Guides' Pick: Mountain Hardwear Trekking Pant

[  ] DOWN OR SYNTHETIC INSULATED PANTS: An optional piece of equipment that many people find useful at BC and ABC.
Guides’ Pick: Mountain Hardwear Compressor Pant

FEET

[  ] MOUNTAINEERING BOOTS: The boot needs to be roomy enough to allow for good circulation. The new breeds of lightweight composite boots like the Olympus Mons are very light and warm. A plastic double boot in combinations with a full overboot such as the Forty below Purple Haze or Outdoor Research Brooks Range will also work.
Guides’ Pick: Raichle Expedition; La Sportiva Olympus Mons; Scarpa Inverno with High Altitude Liner and overboot

[  ] OVERBOOTS: Expedition overboots add significant warmth, especially at high altitude, but not all mountaineering boots need the added insulation of overboots these days. Please confer with your expedition leader about this when making your boot selection.
Guides’ Pick: Forty Below Purple Haze

[  ] MOUNTAINEERING GAITERS: A knee-length pair of gaiters for protection from snow, mud and your crampons.
Guides’ Pick: Outdoor Research Expedition Crocodiles

[  ] SOCKS: Four to eight pair, either wool or synthetic. Make sure they fit well with your mountaineering boots.
Guides’ Pick: SmartWool Mountaineering or Adrenaline Heavy Crew

[  ] TREKKING BOOTS: These boots will take a beating on the rocky trip to and from Advanced Base Camp; get a tough pair of boots.
Guides’ Pick: Timberland Cadion

[  ] COMFORTABLE WALKING, CAMP, OR TRAVEL SHOES

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

[  ] SUNSCREEN and LIP PROTECTION: One large bottle of sunscreen and several tubes of lip balm.
Guides' Pick: Coppertone Sport SPF 30

[  ] EATING UTENSILS: Utensils consist of a bowl, insulated mug and 2 spoons.

[  ] PERSONAL SNACK FOOD:  The drink mixes, snacks from home, and items you think you will enjoy on the mountain at altitude. Three to four pounds will be plenty.

[  ] WIDE MOUTH WATER BOTTLES WITH INSULATED COVERS: Write you names on your bottles.
Guides' Pick: Nalgene water bottles and Outdoor Research Water Bottle Parka

[  ] WATER TREATMENT: Potable Aqua or iodine.

[  ] CASUAL CLOTHES: For travel, hotels, and restaurants. Include shorts and a bathing suit.

[  ] PERSONAL MEDICAL KIT: keep it light but include at least the following items:

[  ] Band-Aids	[  ] Moleskin or blister kit	[  ] Antacids
[  ] Aspirin / Ibuprofen	[  ] Imodium	[  ] Pepto-Bismol
[  ] Small roll of adhesive tape

[  ] PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: We recommend that you talk with your personal physician about obtaining the following for your personal medical kit.

• [  ] Antibiotics for upper respiratory infection and gastro-intestinal problems
• [  ] Diamox (Acetazolomide) - 250 mg. tablets for AMS
• [  ] Decadron (Dexamethozone) and Nifedipine for HACE and HAPE
• [  ]  Tylenol 3 for pain

[  ] 2 AA ALKALINE BATTERIES for avalanche transceiver. Avalanche transceivers are supplied by RMI.

[  ] THERMOS – ½ to 1 liter size

[  ] URINE BOTTLE – 1 to 1 ½ liter size

[  ] EAR PLUGS

[  ] TOILET PAPER, HAND SANITIZER, ‘BABY WIPES’

[  ] POCKET KNIFE
Guides’ Pick: Buck-Whittaker Short Approach or Buck-Whittaker Summit

[  ] READING/LISTENING MATERIALS

[  ] PASSPORT - good for 6 months. The following items can be of aid if you lose your passport, airline ticket or luggage.

• [  ] Photocopy of your passport
• [  ] Photocopy of your flight schedule
• [  ] Photocopy of your airline ticket receipt
• [  ] Photocopy of personal equipment inventory
• [  ] 2 extra identical passport photos

[  ] SECURITY/MONEY POUCH: We recommend taking $500 along as travel money.

[  ] CAMERA: With extra batteries and film / cards.

[  ] WATCH WITH ALARM: Altimeter models are popular. It should have a light and an alarm.

[  ] DUFFEL BAGS: Two extra large duffels with name tags and small locks for security in Nepal. These will be carried by porters and yaks and need to be of good construction and waterproof. One small duffel is needed to store gear in Kathmandu while on the climb.
Guides' Pick: Gregory Long Haul Duffel or Sea to Summit Duffel

GROUP EQUIPMENT

RMI International in association with International Mountain Guides will provide the group equipment for this expedition, including all tents, stoves and cooking equipment, ropes, shovels, avalanche transceivers, route wands, radios for on-mountain communications and comprehensive first aid and repair kits.