Chadar Trek – Packing List Essential and Where to Buy
My toes were so numb that at one point I cried with pain. A porter helped me in changing my wet socks! Chadar trek, one of the best treks in India, is not easy. I landed in Leh on the 12th of January, acclimatized my body, got all my checkups done, and thought that I was well prepared for it. But questions still lingered in my mind. Have I packed appropriately? Will I need any extra layers? To be honest, there is no piece of clothing that will help keep you warm in such extreme weather conditions, but there are certainly a few things that you can do to feel less cold. Below, is a detailed as well as a checklist for what to pack for Chadar trek. I will also link the brands and products that I have been using for years. This list is a complete list and gives the minutest details of all the things that I carried. Disclaimer: This article may contain links to our affiliate partners such as Amazon, Booking.com, etc. If you find our website useful, please consider booking through our links. When you do we earn a small percentage at no extra cost to you. What to Pack for Chadar Trek – Essentials Bags Rucksack Let’s first start with an appropriate backpack for Chadar. It is essential to have a good backpack that gives comfort and is durable at the same time. I personally carried a 90L backpack, however, I would suggest you have to buy a 60L rucksack. The best one is Quechua’s Forclaz with compression straps. Day Pack Once you reach the campsite, you would need a day pack to carry your essential things. The daypack should not take much space in your rucksack and thus the one I will suggest to you is the ultra-compact day pack by Quechua again. Raincover Usually, Quechua backpacks come with a raincover, however, if your bag does not have one then do buy a raincover as well because in Chadar the weather is very unpredictable. I would recommend Add Gear’s raincover, suitable for rucksacks between 40L to 80L. Neck and Above Headcover – Woollen Cap In cold, especially during extreme weather conditions, covering your body ends is extremely important as that is the place from where the heat leaves first. That is why we easily catch cold in our hands, feet, ears, etc. Buy a woollen cap along with a fleece underneath it. Why? During snowfall, the snow gets accumulated on woollen clothes easily, a fleece will help in refraining the cold and wetness from the snow to reach our skin/head. My recommendation – Thermal Fleece Full Face Mask Balaclava Woollen Slouchy Beanie UV Protection Sun Glasses In high altitudes, the rays of the sun get harsh. Having a good pair of sunglasses is a must. In fact, we were asked to get two in case we fall while walking on Chadar (highly possibly) and break our glasses. My recommendation – Quechua Adult Hiking Sunglasses Muffler To keep your neck warm have wool mufflers. You can buy good ones from Leh itself. Also if you want to travel safe, make sure to check this link here – travel first aid kit. Base Layer I was in five layers, which is essential and also a necessity in a trek like Chadar. There are several items of clothing that you need to wear, step-by-step to keep yourself warm. During treks, climate conditions vary. Layering gives you the freedom to shed or add layers as and when you need! Thermals Thermals trap your body heat and keep you warm. My personal favourite is merino wool; they are so thin that – 1. they do not take much space in your bag, 2. they don’t make you look like a potato, and 3. their ability to keep you warm is exceptional. You can also buy the product from Decathlon as they have a perfect range of merino wool products for both men and women. My recommendation – Add Gear Ski + Mountaineering base Layer Looking for cheap flights. Check out Kiwi.com – For Best Price Middle Layer Fleece Fleece is a great way to protect you from cold. It is a comfortable layer of insulation by trapping air in the pockets between its fibres. My recommendation – For women, For men Down Jacket Have a good warm down jacket that is water proof as well as withstands negative temperatures. This helps in further trapping of the heat. My recommendation – Forclaz Trek 100 Hooded Down Jacket Hiking Pants For your legs, wear your second layer over your thermals. I personally prefer quick dry and light cloth for this purpose. My recommendation – Quechua Forclaz 500 Outter Layer Wind Cheater Jacket In Chadar, the temperature goes to its minimum when winds are blowing. To avoid winds to pierce your skin, it is essential to wind cheat it with the help of a good jacket. I will highly recommend my ski jacket which I also used in Gulmarg while learning skiing. My recommendation – For Men For Women Simond Makalu II Down Jacket Water Proof/Wind Cheater Pants In Chadar, it is essential that you wear waterproof pants. Your lowers are vulnerable as you might have to cross water streams, and if you fall (which you definitely will), your legs will get wet if your pants are not of proper material. My recommendation – Simond Mountaineering Pants Hands & Feet Gloves It is essential to layer on your hands as well. You can wear woollen gloves underneath the snow proof gloves. If you will only wear woollen gloves then the snow might get accumulated on them and they won’t dry easily too. My recommendation – Quechua Adult Trekking Mountain Gloves Trek 500 Woolen gloves Socks Have at least 6 pairs of socks. Socks tend to get wet not only because of the streams but also because of the accumulated moisture while trekking. It is important to change your socks everyday. Layer your feet as well. Wear a fleece first over your
