On Kilimanjaro, most of your personal gear will be carried by hardworking porters.  As climbers begin their trek in the morning, the porters stay behind to break down the tents and clean the campsite.  Then, the porters proceed ahead of the climbers at a faster rate, beating the climbers to the next campsite to set up, prepare meals and boil water.  Therefore, climbers will often not see their porters again until they have reached their overnight destination and thus will not have access to the gear that the porters have transported until then. 

Climbers are expected to prepare their own day packs and to place all other items into a duffel bag for the porters.  As far as what goes into the day pack, it depends on what you may need during the day.  This typically includes rain gear, some extra layers of clothing in case the temperature drops, and clothing accessories.  Additionally, climbers should carry sunscreen, insect repellent (at lower altitudes), first aid kit, toilet paper, snacks and water.  The general rule is only carry what reasonably can be expected to be needed.  For instance, you do not need to carry fleece, insulated jackets, and gloves in the rainforest.  The sleeping bag and pad should not be carried, and probably would not fit, in your day pack.

To pack your day pack efficiently, you should use plastic bags to separate items based on categories.  For example, small bottles such as prescriptions, sunscreen, lip balm and hand sanitizer should be secured in a zip-lock type bag.  Extra layers of clothing should also be put into larger bags.  Paperwork, such as your passport and insurance documents into another bag.  Heavier items should be placed close to the midpoint of your back to keep your center of gravity in-line with your spine.  Placing heavy items near the top, bottom, left, right or rear of your day pack will cause you to lean forward, back, or to the side.  If your day pack has compression straps, tighten them so that your items do not move around as you walk.  Lastly, be consistent as to where you store your items (main compartment, side pockets, pant pockets, etc.), so that you do not fumble for your items when needed.

When choosing your footwear for Kilimanjaro, you should consider these factors:

1. warmth
2. waterproofness
3. ankle support
4. weight
5. traction

For most people, the appropriate footwear is boots.  Compared to trail shoes, boots offer superior warmth, which will be immensely important should temperatures dip below zero.  Additionally, boots support the ankles that can help prevent the risk of injury.  Because of the height of the boots, your feet are less likely to get wet while stepping in puddles, snow or ice.  Lastly, the tread on a boot is also deeper, enabling a better grip on the terrain, whether it be mud, scree or rock. 

So given the above, why would anyone choose trail shoes?  The main reason is weight.  It is said that a pound on your feet is equivalent to carrying five on your back.  Therefore, an average pair of boots, which weighs more than three pounds is like adding fifteen pounds to your pack.  Walking with boots can be much more tiring when you think about how many steps you take on the climb.  But unless you are comfortable and used to hiking in trail shoes, in perhaps extremely cold weather, then Kilimanjaro is not the place to experiment. 

It is said that the trek from the gate to the peak of Kilimanjaro is like walking from the equator to Antarctica. The temperatures you may encounter on Mount Kilimanjaro can be over 100 degrees to well below zero. Therefore, it is important for all climbers to understand how to best dress to cope with the mountain weather. By following the provided gear list, you already have everything you need to stay comfortable and warm. 

Layering is a systematic, logical approach to wearing multiple layers of clothing. The advantages of layering are that it is versatile (a climber can add or remove layers to adapt to changing weather, activity level and body temperature), thermally efficient (multiple thinner layers are warmer than an equal thickness single layer), and space efficient (takes up less space in your backpack).You should follow the layering principle when you suit up for Kilimanjaro.

Technical clothing can be categorized into the following types of layers: base layer, mid layer, and outer shell.

Base Layer

A base layer is moisture-wicking item that is worn against the skin. By moving sweat away from your body, the base layer should keep you dry and provide some insulation. They are available in different thicknesses, although light-weight is recommended for its versatility over medium-, heavy-, and expedition-weight clothing. Base layers can be worn alone in warm weather, and can be doubled-up (worn on top of one another) during cold weather.Several types of fabric or blends of fabric are used to construct base layers, including silk, wool, and polypropylene, which are usually sold under registered trademarks by outdoor gear companies. Cotton is not a good base layer material! It does not have any moisture-wicking properties, does not dry quickly, and will actually increase your heat loss when wet.

As long as you get name brand gear, the specific brand doesn’t matter much. Patagonia, Northface, Mountain Hardwear, REI, Arcteryx, Marmot, etc. all make high quality clothing. The brand you pick is up to you and your personal preference. 

The most important items in your gear bag are: 1) waterproof gear, 2) boots and 3) sleeping bag. Don’t skimp on these.