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If you’re planning to walk the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt and have been utilizing our Guide to Camping on the Haute Route you’re likely wondering what to pack for your own adventure.
Below you’ll find a detailed packing list that will provide you with great, trail-tested gear that won’t weigh down your backpack too much. This list reflects our personal packing list which will vary for each individual’s specific needs. However, this should serve as a great starting point for planning your own Walker’s Haute Route adventure!
Camping Gear
| Item | Our recommended gear | |
|---|---|---|
| Tent | Sierra Designs - Clip Flashlight 2 or MSR Hubba Hubba Tent | This is the best budget tent on the market and the best overall tent on the market! |
| Sleeping bag | Marmot Trestle 15 | Nights can get cold on the Haute Route, so a good sleeping bag is a must! |
| Sleeping pad | Nemo Astro Sleeping Pad | If you are a side sleeper this is a must! |
| Pillow | Therm-a-Rest pillow | If you're camping more than a few nights you will be glad you packed this! |
| Headlamp | Black Diamond Storm headlamp | |
| Stove | MSR Pocket Rocket Stove | Ian has used this stove for nearly a decade and highly recommends it! |
| Backpacking pot | GSI Halulite | |
| Utensils | Humangear Spork | Best $4 you will ever spend! |
| Plate/Bowl/Mug | MSR Deep Dish plate , MSR Stainless Steel mug |
Personal Gear
| Item | Our recommended gear | |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-tool | Gerber Suspension Multi-Plier | A handy, must-have on the trail. |
| First-aid kit | Adventure Medical Kits | |
| Hydration Bladder | Platypus 3 Liter Hydration Bladder | Way easier than a water bottle! |
| Small day-pack | Cotopaxi Luzon 18L | Great for short day hikes and excursions in Chamonix or Zermatt! |
| Pack-cover | Sea to Summit Pack cover | This is a truly essential piece of gear given how much it can rain on the Haute Route! |
| Men's backpack | Osprey Atmos 65 | The most comfortable backpack on the market! |
| Women's backpack | Osprey Ariel 65 | |
| Trekking poles | Black Diamond Trail Back Trekking poles | Essential for long downhills! |
| Micro-spikes | Kahtoola Microspikes | You'll almost certainly encounter snow at some point on the Haute Route and micro-spikes can be essential to safely navigating it. |
| Travel towel | Sea to Summit DryLite Towel | Great to have for campsite showers. |
| Dry bags | Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Sack | Keeps your clothes and other items dry in a downpour! |
| Hiking Gaiters | Outdoor Research Rocky Mountain High Gaiters | These will help keep your boots dry when walking on snow covered trails. |
| Warm, waterproof gloves | Seirus Waterproof Gloves | |
| Buff or Bandana | Original Buff | |
| Sleeping Mask | Alaska Bear Sleeping Mask | |
| Blister pads | Band-Aid Blister Pads | |
| Lip Balm | Jack Black Lip Balm |
Miscellaneous Gear
| Item | Our recommended gear | |
|---|---|---|
| Guidebook | The Walker's Haute Route (Cicerone Trekking Guide) | This is the best guidebook available and a truly essential item to bring. |
| Journal | Moleskin Journal | |
| Ear plugs | Mack's ear plugs | Essential for the more crowded campsites! |
| Camera | Sony a5100 mirrorless camera | Ian loves his Sony mirrorless camera! |
| Tripod | Joby GorillaPod | The perfect travel tripod. |
| Unlocked phone | Moto G Play | A simple, budget-friendly phone to use for navigation and local calls with a SIM. |
| Battery backup | Anker PowerCore 20100 | There are many long sections without access to outlets on the Haute Route. |
| Laundry Soap Sheets | Sea to Summit Trek and Travel Pocket Soap | These are the greatest travel hack ever! The best way to clean your clothes on-the-go. |
| Travel adapter | Joomfeen All-in-one adapter | Great for all of your travels. |
| Plastic Bags- quart, gallon, and garbage bags. | We used these constantly for everything from storing trail mix to keeping our sleeping bags dry. A must-have for backpacking. |
Women’s Clothing
| Item | Our recommended gear | |
|---|---|---|
| Underwear (3-4 pairs) | ExOfficio Women's Sport Underwear | Very packable and easy to wash on the go! |
| Socks (3-4 pairs) | Darn Tough Micro Crew Socks | In our opinion, these are the best hiking socks available. Your feet will thank you! |
| Sports Bra (1) | Brooks Rebound Racer Sports Bra | This is the most versatile, comfortable, and high-quality sports bra that Emily has found on the market. |
| Long sleeve base layer (1) | Smartwool Women's NTS Mid 250 Crew | |
| Short sleeve hiking shirt (1) | Mountain Hardwear Wicked shirt | |
| Leggings (1 pair) | Nike Power Essential Running Tight | |
| Running shorts (1 pair) | Lululemon Run Speed Shorts | These shorts are so comfortable, packable, and quick-drying, that Emily didn't even feel the need to buy hiking-specific shorts. |
| Down jacket | Patagonia Down Sweater | Lightweight, super warm, and packs down small. This jacket was perfect for this kind of trip! |
| Rain jacket | Outdoor Research Helium II Jacket | A high-quality all-weather jacket that packs up small. |
| Rain pants | Columbia Storm Surge pants | For those heavy downpours! |
| Hiking boots | Keen Targhee II Mid Hiking Boot | Emily has had these boots for five years and hundreds of muddy, snowy hikes, and they are still going strong! |
| Sunglasses | Suncloud Loveseat Polarized Sunglasses | Good quality sunglasses are essential when you're in the mountains all day. And these are stylish too! |
| Underwire bra | ||
| Hat | A hat with a wide brim provides valuable protection for sun and rain. | |
| Sandals/Camp shoes | Chaco Z1 | The perfect camp sandals! |
Men’s Clothing
| Item | Our recommended gear | |
|---|---|---|
| Underwear (3-4 pairs) | Exofficio Give-N-Go boxer | Highly recommended! You can bring 4-5 pairs and wash them easily in sinks or showers. A must! |
| Socks (3-4 pairs) | Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew | In our opinion, these are the best hiking socks available. Your feet will thank you! |
| Long sleeve base layer (1) | Smartwool Men's NTS Mid 250 Crew | Very versatile mid-weight base layer |
| Short sleeve hiking shirt (1) | Columbia Tech Shirt | |
| Hiking pants (1) | Prana Brion pants | These are great for hiking and also look great walking around town! |
| Hiking shorts (1) | Prana Brion shorts | Awesome shorts that are great for hiking. |
| Running shorts (1) | La Sportiva Aelous shorts | |
| Down jacket | Patagonia Down Seater Hoodie | Super warm and super packable |
| Rain jacket | Outdoor Research Helium II jacket | A good rain jacket is a must! |
| Rain pants | Marmot Precip Pants | |
| Hat | Outdoor Research Performance Trucker hat | A hat with a wide brim provides valuable protection for sun and rain. |
| Sandals/Camp shoes | Chaco Z1 sandals | |
| Hiking boots | Salomon X-Ultra 3 Mid | Super comfortable and super waterproof! |
| Digital watch | Casio Classic Sports watch | All you'll ever need |
| Sunglasses | Suncloud Mayor Polarized sunglasses |
What’s Next?
Be sure to read our entire series on the Walker’s Haute Route to learn everything you’ll need to know to prepare for your trip!
- Guide to Camping on the Haute Route
- Haute Route Trip Report: Know what to expect!
- Walker’s Haute Route Logistics: Don’t forget the small details!
- How Much it Cost Us to Hike the Haute Route-Make it work for your budget!
- Haute Route Photo Gallery: Get inspired!
