Smartest Clothing Hack You Should Know Before Climbing Kilimanjaro

There are millions of peoples from the whole world who are either mountaineers or want to go for a mountaineering expedition to start a career in this profession. So to gain the confidence to hike treacherous mountain terrain, most of the first-timers start with Climbing Kilimanjaro.

Climbing Kilimanjaro is truly a life-changing experience as it is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. Seriously, it is a trip of a lifetime and deserved to be on the top of your list of activities while on your tour in countries like Tanzania.  

Now when it comes to getting to the top and returning quite safely from there without any difficulty, hazard or injury then you can count your trek as a success. Hence to triumph, you need a fit body, strong determination, and the right gears.

So let’s learn about some of the clothing hacks that will protect you from the extremes of Kilimanjaro:-     

Types Of Clothing You Need To Pack For Kilimanjaro 

When it is about Kilimanjaro Hike, as a climber, you must be aware of the fact that sudden dramatic changes in the climate are rather common during the climb. Thus to adjust these climatic changes, layering of your clothes will be quite crucial here. Remember, the Kilimanjaro trek will take every climber through four climatic zones, starting from tropical at the bottom to the chilled arctic conditions to the top.

Now the best way to regulate your body temperatures during the hike is the process of layering the clothes. The process consists of three different layers and each one of them is designed perfectly to serve its purpose. Let’s explore some highlights of these layers.    

Inner layer

With the start of Climbing Kilimanjaro the first layer of clothing you have to wear is none other than base layers or inner layers as you call it. Base layers such as top & bottom thermals are very vital for your trek as it will drain wetness out of your body when it is worn against the skin.

By draining the moisture out of your body, the base layer keeps you dry and provides insulation that is needed at this stage while climbing up. You can get these clothes from our rental store at Ascend Tanzania that is lightweight & comes in different sizes. 

You can wear the base layers that can be worn alone in warm weather and can be doubled up during the cold weather when you wear them on top of each other for enhanced insulation & warmth.       

Hence while going up for the Uhuru Peak, you have to wear or pack the following stuff such as:-

Ø  Two full-sleeve shirts, one short sleeve shirt, one fully covered underwear, and three briefs and all of them must be made up of lightweight & moisture draining fabric.     

Ø  You will also pack one bandana, balaclava as well as three socks liners that must be tight, thin & made up of synthetic fiber and must be worn beneath your shoes to prevent getting blisters.

Ø  You must also carry one glove that must be light, thin and synthetic prevent numbness in hand and for extra warmth.     

Mid layer

After crossing the vegetation region during Climbing Kilimanjaro, mid-layer will help you to give extra protection. Now the primary process of a mid-layer is to provide warmth & comfort. Therefore while buying the mid-layers for the ultimate hike you must have to search for those that have good insulating qualities.

In order to get good insulation the cloth must be manufactured with good materials that can completely trap tiny air pockets, dead air as well as elements from reaching you. Materials like wool or synthetic fiber can be used for making mid-layer clothes that can protect you from harsh cold weather.

To fight the cold weather conditions during the climb you can use fleece, down or heavier synthetics. By wearing fleece, you can get good insulation because it is moderately thin, can dry rapidly, lightweight & comfortable. But some of these fleece jackets sometimes might not be able to protect you from extreme wind.

Whereas a down jacket is made up of efficient insulating material but loses the quality ones it gets wet. It is also compressible and quite good for packing but it gets bulky when worn. Therefore, you have to go for products that are lightweight down products when used as a mid-layer. 

Anyway, synthetic insulated jackets are not as warm or light as down jackets but they are well-known for functioning properly when they are wet.

So now let’s talk about mid-level layers that can be packed for your mountain climbing:-

• One soft jacket, fleece or soft shell along with one insulated jacket, synthetic or down as well as fleece pants.
• Additionally, you have to also pack three pairs of socks that must be thick & synthetic.
• Moreover, you also have to carry two hiking pants as well as shorts that can be put simply on a base layer such as underwear to get some extra warmth.  

Outmost layer

The outer layer clothes are specially designed for protecting from the wind, rain and snow when climbers can reach the uppermost regions of Kilimanjaro such as the arctic region.    

It will be better for you to go for outer layers that have built in insulation for getting greater protection. Anyway, it will be better to obtain each layer separately for greater versatility.

Listed below are the things you need to pack for your arctic climb on Kilimanjaro such as:-

• One unassailable jacket that can be breathable with hood. Apart from that, you will also require impermeable pants that are breathable with a side zipper.
• Your backpack must also include knit hat for warmth, brim hat for UV protection, watertight gaiters.
• In an added load, you need to carry broken-in hiking boots with water-resistant quality and spare laces. Carrying gym shoes for wearing at camp for relaxing your toes & feet is optional. Rainproof gloves can help you a lot in case of heavy rain, but that is also optional.    

Don’t Over Load Your Back Pack

Normally we recommend not carrying an overloaded backpack. Carrying the extra load can lead to a stressful trek especially when you have to focus all your strength on enjoying the hike. Moreover, the porters on the climb are allowed to carry a limited weight and if the weight exceeds this limit, you may have to hire another porter to carry extra luggage for you.    

Buy From A Trusted Brand Who Sells Mountain Gear As Well

When it comes to buying mountain gear, no one is better than Ascend Tanzania because we are not only certified but also responsible enough to provide all our climbers with high-quality gear so that they can ascend & descend Kilimanjaro safely.    

Choose Jackets With More Pockets

It will be better for you if you can purchase synthetic jackets with additional pockets that will help you in keeping your hands warm when put your hands inside them. Besides that, it can help you to keep vital documents, medicines, snacks and other materials.

These are some of our smartest hacks regarding clothes that will keep you warm and comfy while Climbing Kilimanjaro and you will love it for sure. Just consult our experts at Ascend Tanzania to stay well-informed before renting gear and clothes for your ultimate hike or if you want to bring your own gear we can recommend you a complete list. Just visit us @ https://ascendtanzania.com/ to explore more.

Please share your feedback with us @ info@ascendtanzania.com.