What to carry with you?
Unfortunately, an universal packing list for a hut hike does not exist. It all depends on how long you will be on the way and in what terrain you will be hiking. A very important advice is: ‘take less than you think you need to take’. You really don’t need 4 pairs of socks and 5 pairs of undies. 1 spare of all your clothes is enough. In all huts you can rinse out your clothes and in most huts they will have a drying room.
What do we find absolutely essential?
- 1 pair of semi-high shoes of very good quality (e.g. Meindl, Lowa, Hanwag), category B or B/C. And don’t just buy good ones for yourself, but also for the children.
- A high quality backpack with wide shoulder straps, a proper waistband and proper adjustability. For adults at least 60 liters, for children 25-40 liters.
- A lightweight rain cover for every backpack.
- A camelbak (a water bag with a hose) per person.
- Telephone + charger.
- 2 pairs of good high hiking socks per person.
- 1 pair of cabin slippers/crocs per person.
- Earplugs (snore protection).
- Lightweight rain clothing, preferably with a zip or Velcro at the legs so you can easily put it on over your bulky shoes.
- A liner or lightweight sleeping bag and pillowcase. Because of the corona measures, you are not allowed to use a liner. Hopefully this will be different in 2021, because taking sleeping bags with you is quite heavy.
- Sunscreen that doesn’t sting your eyes.
- Medicine bag with painkillers, (blister) patches, good nail clippers and tweezers.
- Hiking poles. A suggestion we were given and which has helped us a lot is to buy extendable hiking poles of good quality. No, this is not only for the elderly. Get over the embarrassment, because good hiking poles are make hiking with a backpack a lot more comfortable. Both ascending and descending is significantly easier with hiking poles.
