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What to take in the Carpathians in winter to hike? List of equipment

Winter hiking in the Carpathian Mountains is a serious challenge both for tourists and for their equipment. That’s why you should choose the necessary things responsibly.

Please note that in the program , что в программе “Winter hiking on Hoverla and Petros” you don’t need to bring a tent, a sleeping bag, a mat and a large backpack, because you will live in warm cabins and go to the summits radially.

The list is suitable not only for winter hiking in the Carpathians, but also for the May holidays and in late autumn.

What to take in the Carpathians in winter – the basic equipment for the trip

We have a nice 10-15% discount for participants of hiking with Kuluar in our partner store X-zone. Just tell the store consultants (or write in the comments to the order) that you go to the mountains with Kuluar. To make it easier to choose the right product, keep the link to the category: insulated clothing.

Backpack

A must-have piece of equipment for any hiker.

Sleeping bag

To stay warm during winter in the Carpathian Mountains, you need a warm quality sleeping bag. One of the main characteristics is its temperature rating. You should be guided only by the comfort temperature, which for the Carpathians should be about -10 ° C. Such a sleeping bag is not cheap, so sometimes it can be replaced by two demi-seasonal (or demi-season + summer). But it will be heavier and take much more space in your backpack. There are a lot of manufacturers, some of the best: Pinguin, Deuter, Marmot, Grifone and others. Please note that since the Carpathians are quite humid region, the use of down sleeping bag in winter is limited. So if you do not check every gram and centimeter of the backpack, take a warm synthetic one. In addition, it will be half the price.
How to choose the right sleeping bag for a hike and what data to be guided by, read our article.

Mat

The best option for winter would be an inflatable mat with an R-Value over 3.5. Famous brands include Exped, Therm-a-Rest, and Mammut. A compromise option would be a combination of a three-season inflatable mat and a regular travel “foam” with an R-Value of about 1. The total thermal insulation will be enough for sleeping on snow in winter, and this option will be relatively compact. One more variant is a combination of high-quality summer “foam” with R-Value about 2.0 (for example Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite). Or 2 mats of Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite type. As experience shows this combination is quite enough for a winter hike in the Carpathians, but still this option is a compromise – take care to securely fasten both mats to your backpack.
In general, inflatable mats are a great option, but they are several times more expensive and much “gentler” to use.
About how to choose the right rug for hiking in the mountains and what to pay attention to read in the article.

Trekkings poles

Trekking or ski poles are a must-have piece of winter camping equipment. Trekking poles reduce the load on your knees during descents, relieve your leg joints, and help you keep your balance. Telescopic trekkalks consist of several segments with the ability to adjust the desired height with the clips-fixators. We advise you to choose trackpals with external eccentric clamps (Lever lock type). Depending on the brand these clamps will be called FlickLock, SpeedLock, PowerLock, but they have the same working principle. We do not recommend buying trekking poles with internal collet clamps like Twist Lock, because they are less reliable and practically do not work in winter. To keep your stick from falling through the snow, be sure to use large-diameter snow rings. If you don’t have your own trekking poles, we can lend you one.

Tent

Winter hiking requires a tent with an increased wind resistance, necessarily with aluminum poles and a good waterproof awning (from 3000mm). The tent must be double layer! Most models have a snowcap, which prevents wind from blowing snow under the tent. The more arcs in tent and points of their intersection – the stronger and more stable is construction. When camping above the forest zone, this is crucial.
Ordinary trekking tents, and especially their lightweight designs, are not likely to be suitable for winter camping. They have a large area of mesh, which is not duplicated by the fabric and blown by the wind, and are not designed to withstand intense wind and snow loads over a long period of time.
Also pay attention to the fact that the winter tent should have a sufficient number of storm straps, they are sewn in quality and thoughtfully. After all, in winter the usual stakes are not used to stretch the tent, and the number of fast and securely installed drawstrings and windproof construction is always a compromise.
To stretch a tent in the snow in winter, ice axes, trekkies, snow anchors, pickets are commonly used; crampons and even flip-flops are buried. The design of the tent should be such that you have no problem setting up and stretching it reliably in all weather conditions: in a strong wind, during a snowstorm, etc. When camping on ridges above the forest zone, snow walls are built around the tent for more comfort.

What to take in winter in the Carpathians – shoes and clothing

Boots

The main thing that we pay attention to every tourist – it’s shoes for hiking. From the choice of shoes directly depends on whether you can go with us in the winter hike in the Carpathians, to pass the route and not get sick, whether it will be comfortable and dry your feet. You need high trekking boots, preferably with a membrane type GORE-TEX. Winter boots should be warm. This can be achieved by using a special quick-dry insulation, or thick walls and a thick, sturdy sole (ideally Vibram). Choose shoes one to two sizes larger, so you can fit two pairs of warm socks without squeezing. You can find popular models of boots from manufacturers such as: AKU, Asolo, La Sportiva, Zamberlan, Scarpa, Salomon, Meindl and others.
How to choose the right boots for the hike read the article.
You can buy boots at a discount in one of the stores-partners of the club “Kuluar”.

Spare shoes

These can be sneakers or regular boots. You need them for hiking with overnight stays in the house and for shoeing in camp while the main pair is drying. You can get by with the only hiking boots you’ve tested, reliable and warm mountain boots, but in that case be sure to consult with our manager about these boots, send them pictures.
For staying in the house or in the crib, for a bath or shower after a hike, it is advisable to take crocs. They should be lightweight and comfortable.

Thermal underwear

For a comfortable stay of a tourist in the mountains during the hike, it is necessary to observe the principle of 3 layers of clothing. The first (body) layer is thermal underwear, which is divided into active (used during transitions) and passive (to sleep). That is, there must be two sets of thermal underwear.
The main task of this layer – to absorb and divert moisture (sweat) from the body, to have good absorbent properties. In specialized stores you will find sets of Craft, X-BIONIC, Marmot, Neve, Turbat and other manufacturers. Fabric material for warm winter thermal underwear – usually Polartec Power Strech, or thick wool. A combination of these materials is also possible.
Since the cost of quality thermal underwear can be quite high, to a certain extent it can be replaced by synthetic t-shirts (golf) and underpants. This is especially true for the sleep kit, which should be warmer.

Fleece

This is the second layer (insulator), in addition to the function of warming, it should be good moisture dissipation from the thermal underwear. We recommend using a fleece sweatshirt, because this artificial material has many advantages: it keeps warmth and wicks away moisture, retains its properties in high humidity, dries quickly. There are many manufacturers on the market, such as The North Face, Mammut, Marmot, Milo, Neve, Turbat … In winter hiking take two jackets – a thin and thick.

Membrane jacket (windbreaker)

The last third layer is a protective layer. The main tasks: to protect you from strong wind, snow, rain, high humidity. Thanks to the membrane, evaporation from the body will be conducted outside. In winter it is quite suitable ski jacket, as in a thin jacket you can freeze. If you decide to buy a membrane jacket for hiking consult with a salesperson in the store and you find the best according to your requirements and purse variant. If pretty cheap jacket – there will be a membrane with a rather low vapor permeability. So check the presence of ventilation zippers under the arms – they will help to cope with the diversion of moisture during active transitions.

Down jacket (warm jacket)

Why a down jacket? Because it’s lightweight) Warm jacket you need in order to keep warm on the shelters and parking lots. That is will have to constantly carry it in the backpack, so do not take heavy bulk jackets. The down jacket must have so-called “warm seams” and a large, comfortable hood (mandatory!).

Trekking Pants

An important element of the protective layer of clothing. These are synthetic pants that don’t get wet, don’t get windblown, and don’t sweat your legs. Ideally, they should be membrane pants. It is good if such pants will have ventilation zippers on the side, or even be “self-drop” (side zippers that run the entire length of the pants and allow you to quickly change the pants without removing shoes).

Warm pants

These are the pants you wear when you arrive at the camp site, at lunch, or during a long camping trip in cold weather. They are the pants you walk around camp in the evening, gathering on frosty mornings. Ideally, they should also be pants (with side zippers) – this will allow you to quickly warm up or lose warmth at the right time in any weather. In our stores not bad value for money would be a variant of such pants from Fram Equipment brand.
If you already have insulated ski pants – this option is also suitable, although it will not be as comfortable.

Socks

For hiking, take one pair for every two days. They should be warm, high-top trekking socks. Don’t forget to take one wool (or fleece) pair for sleeping. You can put it in your sleeping bag at the beginning of the hike, and wear it there. This will provide warmth and comfort for your feet at night.
It is practical enough to use fleece socks (with flat seams) or Polartec Power Strech socks in winter.

Hat

Take two: a lighter (fleece) hat for the transitions and a warmer spare. A warm hat should keep you comfortable in any weather.

Balaclava, Buff

They protect your face from frost and wind.
Buffs are extremely useful and multifunctional. In relatively warm weather and when there is no strong wind, it can be used instead of a hat, and when weather conditions get worse, it can be combined with a hat.

In harsh weather conditions, a balaclava saves the day. It almost completely covers the skin of the face and neck, leaving open only the respiratory organs and where the mask will be put on top.

Gloves

Ideally, you should have three pairs:

Note: mittens are better than ski gloves for winter hiking! After all, the mittens have four fingers together – it’s warmer. If you do not have the opportunity to buy on this hike above options – suit the usual fleece gloves in combination with ski gloves. But take this with responsibility, it is very important!

Hamashi (shoe covers)

They protect the bottom of your pants from getting wet, and protect your shoes from getting snow inside.
If you buy them, pay attention to the leggings with a metal cable, not a sling that goes under the shoe. These leggings are more reliable and will last much longer.
We have exactly those in our rentals.
Sometimes to insulate boots instead of leggings they use full shoe covers, but then you have to put cats on top to move along the route – their soles are made of fabric.

Underwear

Take as comfortable as possible, so as not to chafe for you.

Swimsuit and flip-flops

Necessary for a shower or bath after a hike.

Important personal

Deat mat

A small piece of mat with an elastic band. A very handy resting device to avoid sitting on the cold, wet snow. Also used in camping to blow up the fire.

Proven mountain goggles or ski mask

Needed to protect your eyes from the sun and wind. Because of the good reflection of the sun’s rays in the snow, being without a mask or goggles to get a burn of the retina is a matter of hours. For the winter Carpathian Mountains, as a universal, budget-friendly option, we recommend getting a mask or goggles with the third category of blackout. On a bright sunny day it will be quite tolerable (though not ideal), on a cloudy day it will be fine. At dusk you will have to take off your mask or turn on the flashlight.
Another, but more expensive option is to take a mask or mountain goggles with a “chameleon” lens that changes the degree of darkness depending on the amount of ultraviolet radiation. For the winter Carpathian Mountains, the best lens would be 1-3.

Note that the mask or goggles must fit snugly against the skin. There should be no “glare” at the bottom, top or sides. Otherwise you can get snow blindness unnoticed. At the same time, the mask must have a well-designed and efficient ventilation so as not to fog up.

Individual first aid kit

The recommended composition of the individual first aid kit for the participant in the group is given here.

In addition, the team leader must have a group first aid kit.

Mug, spoon, bowl, knife

You should choose dishes made of metal or resilient plastic (not fragile!), but ceramic and glass are forbidden. A knife will never be superfluous, but you can take one for several people.

Head flashlight

It is good if it has the ability to recharge the battery through the USB port. This will help you save on batteries in the future. Now more and more flashlights are produced with such an option. Moreover – standard batteries used in such flashlights sometimes also have a built-in USB port. In winter it is possible that the battery in the flashlight is already discharged (it gets dark early, it is cold, you forgot to charge it), but you have to go or do something. Another important condition is that the battery must be removable, and keep one more in reserve. Replace dead acum; if it has a built-in USB-port – put immediately on the charging from the paverbank, and a couple of hours again have a charged battery to replace the working. Convenient and reliable. If your flashlight does not have the ability to recharge from a pawtank, make sure you have a spare set of batteries!

We advise you to choose reliable flashlights from leading brands that specialize specifically in light. They include Fenix, Skilhunt, Zebralight, Nitecore, etc.

Thermos

Take 0.7-1 liters per person. It is better to have more – you can never have too much hot tea 🙂 In the morning pour hot tea in a thermos, and its volume should be enough until evening. After all, in winter it gets dark pretty quickly, and the daylight hours are very short. It is not worth spending precious hours to get the burner, to wait for the snow to heat, and then boil the water. This takes a lot of time, which can be saved in the morning by making thermos tea and getting ready at the same time. Plus, there may not be a convenient place or good weather to heat water for tea in the afternoon – while this is being done, everyone will freeze. In the morning, tea is still made from the evening (because it gets dark early and there is free time), and also poured into thermoses.

Choose a thermos of proven brands, such as Zojirushi, Thermos, Tatonka, Tramp. We don’t recommend you to take a thermos for winter which has a lid with a button – sometimes it freezes or gets clogged with brew. “Proper” cap-cork – with slits on the sides, on the thread. After unscrewing the cap a little, we pour the tea into the mug. Water runs through the bottom slot, air is sucked in through the top one. Very simple, but reliable design.

Hermetic bags

Very practical and cool thing. Your sleeping bag and clothes should be reliably protected from moisture when hiking. We recommend to have at least three hermetic bags of 15-25 liters. In one of them you put a sleeping bag, in the other – things you use in the camp and spare things, and the third hermetic bag put on top of backpack, it stores clothes you may need during the day trip. For example, a fleece, windbreaker, down jacket, pants for insulation. You should have quick access to these items without disassembling or packing the entire backpack.
Another airtight volume should be in the flap of the backpack. You should have quick access to it without even opening the main compartment of the backpack. This can be another, fourth hermetic bag, or just a thick plastic bag. There are spare gloves and a spare hat in there.
You can replace all the hermetic bags with large, thick bags, but they are less reliable and practical because they tear over time anyway.

Sunscreen

With a factor of 50 or more, because the snow perfectly reflects the entire spectrum of solar radiation.

Hygienic lipstick

It should also be with UV-protected.

Hygiene products

Toothpaste + brush, soap, toilet paper. Do not take a full tube of toothpaste – take the smallest one, save on weight. The same goes for toilet paper. If you take wet wipes – keep them warm under a layer of clothing, because they freeze and turn into a piece of ice..

Towel

Should take up minimal space in your backpack and not weigh much, so we recommend buying a small microfiber towel. Rugged hikers wipe with a fleece 🙂

Waterproof bag for money and documents

In popular usage it is called “ksivnik”. It should be well protected from moisture. You can take zip-tabs and put them in a lightweight fabric compressor. It is convenient, reliable and practical.

Trash bags

As experience shows, it is best to take not thin in a roll, but several large and thick, type “ATB”. Ordinary garbage bags tear quickly.

Power bank

For winter hiking the ideal choice is the capacity of 74Wh. More often they write 20000 mAh having in mind voltage of single cell 3,7 volt (20000 mA3,7 volt = 74 Wt*h). You can charge both your phone and flashlight from a paverbank with such a capacity – electronics discharges much faster in the cold.

Important: Do not charge equipment with lithium batteries (flashlights, phones, radios, cameras, etc.) on frost! The temperature during charging must be above zero degrees Celsius, or better yet, above +10° C.

Camera

You can do with your phone, but the really great angles you can catch with the equipment designed for it ;). Please note that you’re unlikely to be able to change lenses without consequences for your equipment when it’s cold or snowy, so amateurs should limit themselves to one zoom lens that covers the most popular focal lengths. Professionals know what kind of optics to get 🙂 Just keep in mind that batteries run out twice as fast in freezing temperatures as they do in summer. Also, don’t forget the protective case and an extra memory card.

Lighters

Several, in different pockets. Convenient, and in an emergency can save a life. Combined with a few pieces of dry alcohol (or Plexiglas) and a knife gives a minimal campfire starter kit.

Special gear

Crampons

Optional, depending on the chosen route. Useful on the ridge on firn or icy slopes. Must match your shoes. If you don’t have wounds on your shoes you will be able to use crampons with universal bindings. Automatic and semi-automatic will not work.
On our winter and spring routes in the Carpathians, the cats are most often needed during the ascent of Petros. If you prefer, you can rent them. They have universal bindings and fit for any foot length (for those with size 47 and larger, check with the manager).

Important! Crampons shoes must have a non-flexible sole! Otherwise there is a risk of breaking the connecting bar, which is an important part of the cat. Alas, there are already many such examples.

Ice axe

Optional – depending on the selected route. Device for self-protection on the snow-ice slope and self-holding on the terrain in case of a breakdown. Also, in winter, it is widely used for setting up tents..

It is not enough to have an ice-axe – you need to know how to use it correctly. Just having an ice-axe does not guarantee your safety at all, even on the contrary – it instills a false sense of security. It is a reflexive skill, which must be trained beforehand, on the training course. You can learn how to use an ice axe at our Carpathian Mountaineering School.
We provide ice axes for rent, and we have reliable models of the leading firms Black Diamond and Climbing Technology.

Snowshoes

Very useful equipment in winter, because in some cases greatly increases the speed of movement and saves your strength. Without snowshoes you can fall deeply at every step, getting very tired and reducing the speed of the group sometimes up to 0.5 km/h. Sometimes without them it is impossible to pass the entire route in the planned time. What about whether to take snowshoes or not for a specific hike, ask our consultants – they constantly monitor the snow conditions in the Carpathians.
We advise you to take the reliable snowshoes of the leading brands, for example TSL. We have them in our rentals.

Above is a list of personal equipment for the participant going on a winter hike in a group with the Couloir Hiking Club. We also recorded a detailed video, where we talk about all the subtleties and make recommendations. Take a look, it will definitely be useful and will help to go to the mountains more comfortably:

If you go to the mountains by yourself, in addition to the above, you will definitely need other things that we refer to the group equipment.

Group equipment for a winter hike in the Carpathians

Burner

Used for cooking in the absence of a fire. In winter you can use gasoline, gas or multi-fuel burners.
Gas burners should have a gas preheating tube – then their work in the cold will be the most stable. In winter, you should use winter gas. This is usually a combination of propane, butane and isobutane in a certain proportion. At normal pressure propane has a boiling point of -41°C, isobutane -11°C and butane ~0°C. So if you have summer gas, which has a very high percentage of butane (because it’s much cheaper) the burner will not work in freezing temperatures. Also from low-quality refueled gas (from gas stations) the burner has a rather thin preheating tube clogged up. Specialized travel gas is not cheap, so gasoline burners are often used in winter. Gasoline burns without problems even in the most severe frosts.
Gasoline and multi-fuel burners are more expensive than gas burners, but they are more profitable in the long run. In winter in the Carpathians, we use reliable multi-fuel burners Kovea and refined gasoline “Kalosha. For safety reasons we take at least 2 burners per group.

Hand saw and axe

Used in the forest area to build a campfire. If the saw is long enough, it can be used to cut bricks for building snow walls above the forest zone. An axe is optional, depending on the chosen route, because it is a significant addition to the weight of the backpack.

Kitchen set

Includes means for kindling the hearth, cotton mittens, special hooks for hanging cauldrons over the fire, fire rope, scoop, plastic board, sponges and brushes for washing dishes, etc.

Pots

Take at the rate of 0.5 liters per person + 1 liter on top. You need two boilers – one for cooking, the second for tea. If you need to heat the snow – take a radiator boiler – it is much more effective in this task. But you can’t put it on the fire. When cooking on the burners, the boilers must necessarily go with a wind shield. In winter, the most effective way to do this is to use glass cloth to cover the boiler.

Avalanche shovel and avalanche sheet, snow saw

Taken in quantities depending on the size of the group. Used mainly when setting up the camp (working with snow). With a snow saw and an avalanche sheet, if you have the right skills, you can quickly build walls around the tent. A burner can be placed on the lavlist or shovel for cooking.

Navigational Supplies

Button GPS navigator with current maps, paper maps, compass. Used by the leader of the group. Smartphones in winter in bad weather with their touch screens, fast-draining batteries and insufficient level of moisture protection are very losing to a professional highly specialized device.

Group first aid kit

A tentative list of the group first aid kit the team leader should have is given here.

Walkie-talkies

Walkie-talkies in winter camping are a very convenient type of communication – both between participants in a group and between several groups working on the same frequency. We use reliable walkie-talkies with the possibility of recharging from a paverbank and work in the permitted and unlicensed UHF range.

The article was prepared by Nikolay Sakovich, team leader and consultant of the Kuluar Club.

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