The gear that carried

Nothing here is sponsored. I bought all of it with my own money, so I have no reason to recommend anything that is not good. Poles. Two Gabel poles, half carbon, which makes them lighter, and they held up well. The lower sections bent badly enough that I had to throw them away abroad to get the rest home. I do not think I would have managed the route without them — they help on the climbs, they help more on the descents, and they take the load off your knees. I recommend them to anyone. Sleeping bag. A Wildcat rated to minus five. I have had it for years, since the army. I do not think you need anything warmer than that, and I do not think you need anything colder either. The coldest night I slept outside was around zero, and I was genuinely warm — especially with another layer on, and it does not even have to be a thermal one, just trousers and a shirt. Pillow. A small compact inflatable one. Plenty of people skip it and use a pack or a jacket or clothes instead. It takes no room and almost no weight and it adds a lot to how well you sleep, so I would take it. Mat. An ordinary egg-crate foam mat. Nothing special. That is what I like. And the pack. I chose it for one reason: I wanted fast access to the back panel, because I was carrying camera gear. What I ended up with has no proper back system and is simply heavier. If I had the choice again — still carrying camera gear — I would take a standard trekking pack. It is far more comfortable, the load is divided properly, and it is just easier to walk with. Unless you are a working photographer, I would not take a camera pack on a trek like this. I started at 23 kg without food and water, and got down to 18. During the route I managed to send a lot of unnecessary things home.