Climbing Equipment
Rental
Click to Buy/ View Item
Ice Axe w/Leash
General mountaineering tool. Sizing is important: under 5'7" use a 60cm tool; 5'7"- 6'1" use a 65cm tool; over 6'1" use a 70cm tool. (Too short is preferable to too long). No rubberized grips-they are heavy and do not plunge well into the snow. Make sure that you have a leash that is designed for use on a glacier axe or a leash that you make from 9/16 webbing and a piece of bungee cord. We suggest addition of prussicks or 20 feet of supple, 5mm cord – fyi, 5 mm as the climbing ropes we use here are very thin. This year, there were crevasses on the route.
$47
Crampons
With flat rather than 'cookie cutter' frame rails. Your crampons should be steel, not aluminum for strength and durability. A combination heel bail/toe strap is a more universal system than a heel and toe bail system. We strongly recommend crampons with anti-balling plates
$25
Alpine Climbing Harness
Harness should fit over all clothing, have gear loops, adjustable leg loops and be reasonably comfortable to hang suspended in. Make sure you can get into the harness without having to step through any part of it.
Auto-Locking Carabiner
Belay “Rapell” style auto locking.
D Carabiner
1 carabiner. Oval shape acceptable.
$35
Adjustable 3 section Ski/Trekking Poles w/ Snow Baskets
Shock absorbers are not recommended.Snow baskets (vs. smaller baskets) are important.
Footwear
$65
Double Plastic Climbing Boots
Good quality plastic shells with inner boots Avoid tight fit with heavy socks. Comfort is key in buying plastic boots. Spend a little extra time walking around the store or take them home and wear them around your house to make sure the fit is right. A little big is always better than a little small. Boots with integrated gaiters (e.g., Millet Everest, La Sportiva Olympus Mons) are also OK.
$37
Gaiters .
Wool or Synthetic Socks
2 pair heavyweight socks to be worn over the liner socks. When layering socks, check fit over feet and inside boots.
Liner Socks
2 pair of smooth thin wool, nylon or Capilene to be worn next to the skin. This reduces the incidence of blisters and hot-spots and makes the outer sock last longer before needing to be changed. They should fit well with your heavyweight socks.
Light Hiking boots or trekking shoes
For acclimation hikes and wearing in towns. Light weight, supportive and comfortable.
Technical Clothing
Synthetic Short Underwear.
2-3 Pairs of NON-Cotton short style underwear. (boxers, briefs, panties, bras etc.) Amount based on personal preference.
Lightweight Long Underwear ( M | W )
1 pair tops & bottoms, Capilene, other synthetic or wool. No Cotton. Lightweight is preferable as it is more versatile (worn single in warmer conditions and double layer for colder). Zip-T-neck tops allow more ventilation options. One set of white for intense sunny days on the glacier and one pair of dark for faster drying gives the most versatility.
Heavyweight Long Underwear Top ( M | W ). . Expedition weight Capilene for extra warmth.
Soft Shell Jacket or Synthetic Puffy Jacket ( M | W )
Mid-heavyweight. A full-zip version is easier to put on and has better ventilation than a pullover.
$56
Soft Shell Pants ( M | W ). Mid-heavyweight,
$59
Hard Shell Jacket w/ hood ( M | W )
We recommend a waterproof breathable shell material with full front zipper, underarm zips, and no insulation. This outer layer protects against wind and rain.
$57
Hard Shell Pants ( M | W )
Waterproof, breatheable. Full length side zippers preferred because it allows easy removal of pants, 7/8th zippers allowed but is more difficult to remove pants. No short 1/2 length, or short lower leg zippers allowed as it is difficult to put pants on when crampons are already on.
$99
Insulated Down Parka w/hood ( M | W ). Must be fully baffled, have an attached, insulated hood, and go below the waist. A lightweight hoody is not sufficient.
$49
Insulated Synthetic Pant ( M | W )
Full separating side zippers (This is very important for ventilation. Full side zips also allow pants to be taken off without having to remove boots).
Headwear
Wool/Synthetic Ski Hat .
Balaclava .
Baseball Cap or other Sun Hat .
Buff. A synthetic multipurpose tube of fabric that can be used in a variety of ways.
$38
Ski Goggles , 1 pair.
$42
Glacier glasses (w/ side covers or wrap around).
Regular sunglasses are usually not sufficient. 100% UV, IR, high quality optical lenses designed for mountain use, must have side covers and leashes. No more than 10% light transmission. If you wear contact lenses we recommend packing a spare pair of glasses - it is a good idea to have these with "photo-gray" or equivalent light-sensitive material so they can double as emergency sunglasses. If you wear glasses we recommend prescription glacier glasses (gray or amber).
Handwear
Lightweight Synthetic Liner Gloves
1 Pair. To wear alone on very sunny days for hand protection or as a layering piece with your Shell mitts.
$38
Lightweight Shell Glove w/insulated removable liner
1 Pair. This glove is usually worn alone and during times when the shell mitts would be too warm.
Shell Mitts w/ insulated removeable liner.
Waterproof, breatheable. Make sure that you can fit one of your gloves inside the mitten with the shell over the top, three layers total.
Personal Equipment
Expedition Backpack/Duffle Backpack
Internal frame pack expandable to a minimum of 80L - 100L (5,000-6,000 cu.in.) Keep simple and light, avoid unnecessary zippers which add weight. In lieu of an expedition backpack, a duffle bag with a shoulder strap carrying system will suffice (e.g., large North Face Duffle). The duffle will need to be carried as a backpack for short sections of the climb
Sleeping Bag
(Expedition quality rated to at least 10°F). If you sleep cold bring a warmer bag. Goose down preferred over synthetic for bulk & weight. If well-cared-for, a down bag will last much longer than a synthetic bag. It should be roomy enough for comfortable sleeping but snug enough for efficient heat retention.
30 Liter Compression Sack with Pack Straps
This sack will be used both to reduce volume when packing a sleeping bag, and as a day pack and summit pack. A compression sack that has a roll top and straps will work best. We recommend OR Drycomp Compression Sack. A 30 liter day pack can be substituted for the compression sack, but will be heavier to carry.
$47
Self-Inflating pad
One 3/4 or full length pad. Make sure to include a valve stem and patch repair kit.
$12
Headlamp
Bring spare bulb & batteries. No Halogen bulbs: they take more power and have a shorter life.
Sunscreen
SPF 40 or better, 2 small tubes. Note: Sunscreen older than 6 months loses half of its SPF rating, make sure that you have new sunscreen.
Lipscreen .
Hand warmers and Toe Warmers
Bring 2 sets of each. Toe Warmers are different than hand warmers. They are formulated to work in a lower oxygen environment, like the inside of a boot, they also burn out more quickly.
Water Bottles
Minumum 2 liters of capacity – 3 liters is better Bottles should be wide mouth made of copolyester (BPA free plastic). No water bag or bladder systems, they freeze or are hard to fill and no metal bottles as lips have a tendency to stick.
Water Purification tablets.
1 bottle. Water filters are too heavy and clog quickly with silt. Steri-Pen also acceptable.
Water Bottle parka (2).
Fully insulated with zip opening. Neoprene "cozy" style does not provided enough insulation and is not recommended.
Pee Bottle (1 Liter).
Large mouth, clearly marked water bottle. Collapsible 1 liter canteen takes up less volume than a bottle when empty.
Pee Funnel (for women).
Knife. Medium size. Keep it simple and light, needs a blade and screwdriver.
Ear Plugs. (1 or 2 sets)
Huts can be noisy at night. Foam ear plugs are comfortable and inexpensive.
Trash Compactor bags (3).
To line stuff sacks and pack. Trash Compactor bags are made from a heavier plastic.
Hand Sanitizer .
Traveling
Camera gear: Optional. We recommend a small instant or point and shoot cameras. Please do not bring large SLR cameras
with extra lenses. For the best pictures bring slow speed film, 50, 100, or 200. Simple and light. Disposable and digital cameras
also work well.
Toiletry Bag.
Include toilet paper, toothbrush, toothpaste. You should also include soap, shampoo for
the nights we stay in hotels on the expedition.
Travel Clothes.
Include 1 pair of synthetic hiking shorts.
$30
Large Duffel Bag w/ travel lock.
1 for transporting all gear. Extra baggage in Russia is costly. If the climber brings a large duffle in lieu of the expedition backpack (see above item), then the duffle referred to here need only be a small lightweight bag to use to store travel clothing and other items at the hotel while we are up on the mountain. The small, lightweight bag should, when empty, fit inside the large duffle. The small, lightweight bag should also be lockable.
First Aid
Small Personal First-Aid Kit
(Simple and Light) Aspirin (Extra Strength Excedrin is best), Antibiotic ointment, Moleskin,
molefoam, waterproof first-aid tape, athletic tape, Band-Aids, personal prescriptions, etc. The guides will have extensive first-aid
kits, so leave anything extra behind. Please let your guide know about any medical issues before the climb.
Drugs/Medications/Prescriptions.
Climbers should bring Pepto Bismol. Ciprofloxin (Cipro) 500mg tablets for traveler’s diarrhea and for urinary tract infections. Acetazolamide (Diamox) 125 or 250mg tablets for altitude sickness. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) 200mg tablets for altitude heachaches, sprains, aches, etc. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) 325mg tablets for stomach sensitivity. Excedrin for headaches.
Rental Agreement Terms and Conditions
Rental Information
Confirmation:
Allow 48-72 hours for rental confirmation via email. Please note confirmations
might differ from original reservation, please check your confirmation as that list
contains items scheduled to ship.
Payment:
Credit card on file will be used to process rental payment. Charges are
processed at time of shipping (two weeks prior to departure date) and will include a
$50 Security deposit per item and shipping . Shipping cost is based on size and
weight and can only be determined at shipping.
Security Deposit:
Fees are fully refundable upon timely return (one week from end of trip date).
Fees may be assessed for repair or replacement of damaged item. Please allow
up to two weeks for your refunded to be credited. Please note that items not
returned within one week after trip end date Alpine Ascents reserves the right to
withhold all or part of your Security Deposit.
Shipment:
Rental items are scheduled to ship two weeks prior to departure. Once received
verify all items are correct and fit appropriately. Please note sizing information
provided is used to determine the sizes of items shipped.
You are responsible for rentals once items are shipped and until items are
received back at Alpine Ascents. We encourage you to insure your shipment.
