Most of the items on my Christmas list this year had something to do with the upcoming climb. I helped pick out a few of these items: shoes, extra shoelaces, moisture wicking socks, winter coat, gloves, extra camera batteries. Others were surprises: moisture wicking Northwestern Gator Bowl T-shirt, and a whistle.
Finding good advice about shoes to wear up Kilimanjaro has been trickier than I might have thought. I have searched for advice and read various opinions, but I never found a page that listed several Mount Kilimanjaro footwear options, enumerating pros and cons of each. However, I consistently read to select boots: that keep my feet warm and dry; are broken in; provide ankle support; and have sufficient toe room toward the front, in consideration of the hike down the mountain.
My dad bought me a whistle, an item I hadn’t considered, but an excellent idea. I later found a whistle included on a gear list on this page, along with extra boot laces (which I had already picked out).
I still need to gather a few more non-cotton clothing items (cotton gets wet, then stays wet and cold at high altitudes) and sort out my backpack/luggage situation. With three and a half weeks until the climb, I feel decent about my gear preparations.
Finding good advice about shoes to wear up Kilimanjaro has been trickier than I might have thought. I have searched for advice and read various opinions, but I never found a page that listed several Mount Kilimanjaro footwear options, enumerating pros and cons of each. However, I consistently read to select boots: that keep my feet warm and dry; are broken in; provide ankle support; and have sufficient toe room toward the front, in consideration of the hike down the mountain.
My dad bought me a whistle, an item I hadn’t considered, but an excellent idea. I later found a whistle included on a gear list on this page, along with extra boot laces (which I had already picked out).
I still need to gather a few more non-cotton clothing items (cotton gets wet, then stays wet and cold at high altitudes) and sort out my backpack/luggage situation. With three and a half weeks until the climb, I feel decent about my gear preparations.
That looks like a great pile of gear there! I hadn't thought of bringing a whistle, but it sounds like a nice thing to have out there. Hiking in the Pacific Northwest, I usually associate a whistle with noise-making to keep the bears away, but I can see how it could be vital in helping people find you if you happen to get separated somehow. In general, that Kilimanjaro gear site has some great tips on equipment you may not have necessarily thought of. I agree that it's hard to find much information on boots for Kilimanjaro. The boots you found look pretty good! I have a somewhat similar pair. As long as our feet stay warm enough near the summit, I think we should be fine.
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