Principles for Gear Preparation
1. Suitability: Understand the hiking content and plan, consult experienced individuals, and choose necessary and suitable items.
2. Durability: Supplies are hard to come by during a hike, and environmental conditions can be harsh. It’s essential to ensure the durability of your gear, but adjust the proportion of your overall equipment according to your personal needs to avoid unnecessary burden.
3. Lightweight: For convenience and comfort while hiking, lightweight gear reduces physical strain. Aim to maximize utility with minimal items and ensure easy portability.
4. Ease of Use: Mountain conditions can change rapidly. Being able to use your gear quickly and reliably under the worst conditions is crucial, especially for beginners.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Brand Name Equals Quality: The most important factors in choosing hiking gear are comfort and safety. Since everyone’s physique and needs vary, blindly pursuing brand names doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll find what’s right for you.
2. Expert Advice Is Always Right: It’s fine to listen to advice from seasoned hikers or experts when you’re just starting out, but don’t follow blindly. Conditions on snowy mountains—such as terrain and weather—affecting safety are constantly changing. Especially in recent years, with climate change, glaciers and snow mountains have become even more unpredictable. Sometimes, the conditions and weather you encounter on the way up versus the way down at the same spot can differ significantly. Therefore, it’s more important for beginners to do their homework before setting off than to rely solely on others’ experience.
3. Cheap Means Low Quality: Hiking gear isn’t a luxury item. Its value lies in practicality, not price. So don’t stick to the principle of “not buying the right one, just buying the expensive one.”
4. Trying to Bring Everything: Nowadays, outdoor exploration as an industry has led to a wide variety of outdoor products. But hiking gear varies depending on the altitude of your chosen destination. When selecting your gear, fully understand your destination and consider whether you’ll actually need each item. Avoid wanting to buy everything you see or desiring what others have.
How to Correctly Choose the Right Hiking Gear for You
Hiking is generally divided into several altitude thresholds: below 4,000 meters, 4,000–7,000 meters, and above 7,000 meters. The required hiking gear varies greatly depending on the altitude.
Below 4,000 meters falls within the range of amateur enthusiasts. Generally, choosing relatively inexpensive domestic brands or imported brands with fewer features is sufficient.
The 4,000–7,000 meter range is a transition from amateur to professional-level hiking. Your gear should be more comprehensive. In principle, use old gear if it’s still usable, and save where you can on new gear—but ensure key items are of good quality.
At altitudes above 7,000 meters, most are seasoned enthusiasts. The gear requirements at this height are also high. However, since you likely already own many outdoor items, the focus at this stage is mainly upgrading essential gear and supplementing new needs. Prioritize upgrading with professional foreign brands.
Below 4,000 Meters
Clothing
Windproof jacket, windproof pants, fleece jacket, quick-dry shirt, quick-dry pants, moisture-wicking underwear, moisture-wicking underwear bottoms.
Reference prices: Windproof jacket 400–600 RMB, windproof pants and fleece jacket 200–300 RMB, quick-dry shirt, quick-dry pants, moisture-wicking underwear, and moisture-wicking underwear bottoms around 100 RMB.
Footwear and Socks
If you’re not hiking in harsh environments, you can buy non-waterproof hiking shoes or waterproof ones without GORE-TEX fabric. Socks should have moisture-wicking and breathable properties, and ordinary non-slip gloves are sufficient.
Reference prices: Hiking shoes 200–600 RMB, socks under 100 RMB, gloves around 10 RMB.
Backpacks
Generally prepare two bags: a small one (20–30 liters) and a large one (50–60 liters). Use the small backpack for regular hikes, and the large one when camping. No need to buy expensive brand-name backpacks. As long as you’re physically fit, there isn’t much difference.
Reference prices: Small backpack under 300 RMB, large backpack under 600 RMB
Camping
Tent, cotton sleeping bag, sleeping pad.
Reference prices: tents 200–500 yuan, sleeping bags 100–500 yuan, moisture-proof mats a few dozen yuan
4000 meters ― 7000 meters
Clothing
It is essential to purchase a windbreaker, windproof pants, fleece jacket, fleece pants, quick-dry shirt, quick-dry pants, moisture-wicking underwear, moisture-wicking briefs, down jacket, and down pants. Among these, the windbreaker, windproof pants, and down jacket are particularly important—you should opt for high-end domestic products or well-known foreign brands.
Reference prices: around 1000–2000 yuan.
Footwear and socks
The requirements for hiking boots are relatively high—prioritize high-cut foreign brands with GORE-TEX fabric. Socks should be a combination of quick-dry moisture-wicking and wool socks. Gloves should include both regular anti-slip gloves and thick waterproof insulated ones. In addition to sun hats and warm hats, you’ll also need GORE-TEX snow gaiters.
Reference prices: hiking boots around 1000 yuan
Backpacks
The windproof pack should be lightweight with a good suspension system, as this is usually carried by yourself. The large pack should be big enough to hold all your gear, preferably over 70 liters—it doesn’t have to be a famous brand since it’s generally carried by horsemen or porters, so a domestic one is fine.
Reference prices: windproof pack under 1000 yuan, large pack around 2000 yuan
Camping
For altitudes below 5000 meters, you can buy a three-season tent from MobiGarden or Luxe; for above 5000 meters, go for a high-altitude tent from MobiGarden or Luxe. Choose a goose-down sleeping bag with a comfort rating of around –20°C. Get an inflatable or foam sleeping mat, and prioritize lightweight stoves and cookware.
Reference prices: tents 500–1000 yuan, sleeping bags around 1000 yuan, moisture-proof mats 200–500 yuan
Snow mountains above 7000 meters and technical peaks
Clothing
You may need to upgrade items such as windbreakers, windproof pants, down jackets, and down pants.
Reference prices: around 1000–3000 yuan
Footwear and socks
It’s best to purchase your own mountaineering boots—they should be a bit larger to accommodate two pairs of thick socks.
Reference prices: 2000–5000 yuan
Backpacks
Buy a lightweight windproof pack with a good suspension system for the smaller one. The large backpack should be big enough to carry all your gear, preferably over 70 liters—it doesn’t have to be a famous brand since it’s generally carried by horsemen or porters.
Reference prices: 5000–10000 yuan
Camping
Tents generally don’t need to be brought by yourself; get a goose-down sleeping bag with a comfort rating of around –30°C.
Reference prices: over 2000 yuan