Gear

Gear setups & packing

Real kit lists from TMB, Laugavegur, Otter, Skye, Bernina and Alta Via 1 — what I carried on each trek, organised by category with links to on-site product reviews.

First-hand trek

Packing list

Tour du Mont Blanc

11-day self-guided TMB hut kit — liner, layers, and navigation for France, Italy, and Switzerland.

11 daysTarget under 7 kg base weight — 10,000 m ascent over 11 days29 items6 on-site reviews

Gear setupFull packing guideBuild your listWatch packing film

Backpack & organization

• Osprey Exos 5835–45 L effective load for hut TMB
• Pack rain cover
• Packing cubes & dry bags
• Dirty-laundry sack

Clothing

• Moisture-wicking tees (2–3)
• Fleece or light insulated layer
• Trekking trousers / zip-off pants
• Arc'teryx Beta AR shell
• Waterproof over-trousers
• Merino socks (3–4 pairs)
• Warm hat, thin gloves, buff

Footwear

• Broken-in hiking shoes or boots
• Camp sandals for refuges
• Blister kit

Trail essentials

• Sleeping bag liner (required in refuges)
• Earplugs & eye mask
• Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Z poles
• Petzl Actik Core headlamp
• First-aid kit
• Sunscreen & sunglasses

Water & food

• 2 L water capacity
• Katadyn BeFree filter
• Trail lunch & snacks between refuges

Camera & tech

• Garmin Fenix 7Offline maps for variants — 6X Pro also works
• Phone with offline GPX/maps
• Power bank & EU charger

Toiletries & documents

• Microfibre towel
• Cash (EUR/CHF) for refuges
• Passport / ID & insurance

First-hand trek

Packing list

Laugavegur

FI hut trek kit — sleeping bag, river-crossing shoes, and full food carry for 55 km in Iceland.

4 days40–60 L with 4 days food — no hut electricity23 items7 on-site reviews

Gear setupFull packing guideBuild your listWatch packing film

Backpack & organization

• Osprey Exos 5840–60 L with food for 4 days
• Pack rain cover & dry bags

Clothing

• Merino base layers — no cotton
• Fleece or light down mid-layer
• Arc'teryx Beta AR shell & rain pants
• Gloves and beanie — even in July
• Quick-dry hiking pants and shirts

Footwear

• Waterproof hiking bootsSupportive mid for wet hut stages
• Sandals / neoprene shoes for river crossings
• Gaiters (optional)

Trail essentials

• Sleeping bag — huts provide bunks only
• Sleeping bag liner
• Earplugs
• Petzl Actik Core headlampRequired — no hut electricity
• Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Z poles

Water & food

• Katadyn BeFree filter1 L soft-bottle filter for topping up between highland huts.
• Freeze-dried meals + snacks for 4 days
• Stove and fuel for hut kitchens

Camera & tech

• Garmin Fenix 7
• Power bank — no hut charging
• Phone with offline maps

Toiletries & documents

• Cash (ISK) for showers and snacks
• Toiletries & wet wipes

First-hand trek

Packing list

Otter Trail

Five-day coastal hut trek — stove, sleeping bag, dry bags, and river-crossing kit.

5 days40–55 L — self-catered SANParks hut trek21 items7 on-site reviews

Gear setupFull packing guideBuild your listWatch packing film

Backpack & organization

• Osprey Exos 5840–55 L with rain cover
• Dry bags for river crossings

Clothing

• Moisture-wicking base layers
• Light fleece or puffy
• Arc'teryx Beta AR rain shell
• Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses

Footwear

• Waterproof trail bootsRiver mouths and mud — Moab 3 for new buyers; keep Moab 2 if already broken in
• Camp sandals for wet river mouths
• Extra socks

Trail essentials

• Sleeping bag — mattresses only in huts
• Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Z poles
• Petzl Actik Core headlamp
• Stove, fuel, cook set
• First-aid kit with rehydration salts

Water & food

• Katadyn BeFree filter
• All meals for 5 days — huts have no meals
• 2 L+ water capacity

Camera & tech

• Garmin Fenix 7
• Phone & power bank

Toiletries & documents

• SANParks permit paperwork
• Rubbish bags — pack out all waste

First-hand trek

Packing list

Skye Trail

Self-guided wild-camping kit for Scotland's unmarked 128 km coastal traverse.

6 daysWild-camp load — aim lighter than my first hike22 items6 on-site reviews

Gear setupFull packing guideBuild your listWatch packing film

Backpack & organization

• Osprey Atmos AG 6550–65 L for tent + food — carried on Skye
• Pack rain cover & dry bags

Clothing

• Arc'teryx Beta AR shell & rain pants
• Merino base layers
• Fleece or insulated layer
• Gaiters for bog sections
• Midge head net

Footwear

• Waterproof hiking boots — broken in
• Merino socks (3–4 pairs)
• Blister kit & knee brace

Trail essentials

• Nemo Hornet Elite tent
• Sleeping bag & mat
• Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Z poles
• Petzl Actik Core headlamp

Water & food

• Stove, fuel, cook set
• 5–6 days food or resupply plan
• Water bottles 2–3 L capacity

Camera & tech

• Garmin Fenix 7
• Phone with offline AllTrails GPX
• Power bank

Toiletries & documents

• Midge repellent
• Map & compass backup

First-hand trek

Packing list

Bernina Trek

Seven-day Via Bernina SAC hut traverse — liner, poles, and layers for Swiss glacier country.

7 daysTarget under 8 kg base — 30–40 L SAC hut kit23 items6 on-site reviews

Gear setupFull packing guideBuild your listWatch packing film

Backpack & organization

• Osprey Exos 5830–40 L hut-to-hut — pack light
• Dry bag for liner + hut clothes

Clothing

• Moisture-wicking shirts (2)
• Light fleece + insulating layer
• Arc'teryx Beta AR waterproof shell
• Sun hat, sunglasses, SPF 50
• Thin gloves for windy cols

Footwear

• Broken-in boots or trail shoes
• Camp sandals for huts
• Blister kit

Trail essentials

• Sleeping bag liner — required in SAC dorms
• Earplugs & eye mask
• Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Z polesEssential on Bernina descents
• Petzl Actik Core headlamp

Water & food

• Katadyn BeFree filter
• 2 L+ water capacity
• Electrolyte tablets
• Trail snacks between huts

Camera & tech

• Garmin Fenix 7
• Phone with offline GPX before Madulain
• Power bank

Toiletries & documents

• CHF cash for half-board huts
• Quick-dry towel & wet wipes

First-hand trek

Packing list

Alta Via 1

Hut-to-hut Dolomites kit for a 7-day solo hike — no tent or stove, liner required in rifugi.

7 days~9.5 kg loaded with food and water41 items14 on-site reviews

Gear setupFull packing guideBuild your listWatch packing film

Backpack & organization

• Decathlon MT500 Air 50+10 LMain pack — ventilation and adjustable fit
• Pack rain cover
• Packing cubes & dry bags (clothes, tech, food, laundry)
• Clothesline & pegs

Clothing

• Breathable hiking shirt (worn + spare)
• Jack Wolfskin Glastal zip-off pants
• Merino socks (2–3 pairs)
• Merino long-sleeve base layer
• Fleece / midlayer
• Rab Microlight Down jacket
• Lightweight rain jacket
• Rain pants (optional — check forecast)
• Hut loungewear (shorts or joggers + sleep tee)
• Buff, beanie & light gloves

Footwear

• La Sportiva TXS GTX hiking shoesWaterproof, broken in — worn on trail
• Flip-flops or camp shoes for huts

Trail essentials

• Sleeping bag liner (required in most huts)
• Earplugs & sleep mask
• NatureHike carbon trekking poles
• Petzl Actik Core headlamp
• Sea to Summit Airlite towel
• Sunglasses & protective case
• First-aid kit (blister care, ibuprofen, electrolytes)
• Sunscreen & lip balm with SPF
• Trail map / offline maps backup

Water & food

• 2 L hydration bladder
• Katadyn BeFree 1 L soft bottle + filter
• Trail mix, protein bars & electrolyte tablets
• Emergency snacks between huts

Camera & tech

• iPhone 15 (main camera)
• DJI Mini 4 Pro2 spare drone batteries
• DJI Mini 4 Pro ND filters
• Lightweight tripod / selfie stick
• Garmin Fenix 6X ProRoute tracking on trail
• Power bank (10–20K mAh) + EU multi-port charger
• Kindle e-reader
• Jabra earbuds (hut evenings)

Toiletries & documents

• Travel toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap
• Wet wipes & hand sanitizer
• Cash (€50–100 for huts)
• ID / passport & insurance details

Each setup links to the full packing guide article when you want prose, photos and affiliate picks.