Necessary clothes and equipment to bring from home country

Question

Necessary clothes and equipment to bring from home country

This topic has 3 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 11 months ago by Jake.

Mar 27

I’m asking about the clothes and equipment that should absolutely be bought in my home country before I come to Nepal to do the Annapurna circuit.

I’ve tried emailing Shonas but the reply took a long time. Based on their email they recommended shoes, sunglasses and backpack to be bought from where I am instead of in Nepal.

Can anyone advise on the quality of equipment so I can decide on where to get those? Bags in my country cost quite a bomb and if the quality is acceptable at Shonas I would get mine there.

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Jake · Answer 1 · 2016-03-29

Thanks for the reply. I’ve decided to bring my backpack and shoes, plus some base layers. Will get the rest in Thamel.

imagesbyandrea · Answer 2 · 2016-04-20

Hi Jake, You can basically buy everything that you need right here in Kathmandu before you go on your trek. You will find the prices much more reasonable than in your own home country. The quality does vary however and you can buy cheap stuff that will last 1 trip or good quality stuff that will last for much longer. There are a couple of exceptions to this and they are:
Large size mens clothing – I’m talking anything bigger than XL in your home country (I’m presuming you won’t have that problem as you are going trekking which involves a certain fitness level)
Large size shoes – if you have big feet then you may find it easier to bring your trekking shoes with you.
Any prescription medications that you need while you are here (you can buy most regular meds over the counter here very cheap).
If you need help from a local expat that knows all of the storekeepers in Thamel and what prices you should be paying for this stuff then don’t hesitate to send me a message and I will be glad to help.

Jake · Answer 3 · 2016-04-30

Thanks Andrea. I’ve completed the Annapurna Circuit trek.

I found Shona’s Alpine to be a reliable store, going out of their way to make sure you only get what you need.

They even recommended I get the bags from my own country as it is more reliable and there would be a wider variety of bags for my needs.

I wore shoes which I wear on my trekking trips, which eventually kind of fell 50% apart but managed to get them repaired along the way for 250-500 npr depending on where you go. It was good enough to use to complete the trek.