The packing mistakes that cause real trouble on the Everest Base Camp trek are usually bad choices, not forgotten items. New boots, cotton clothes and a sleeping bag that isn’t warm enough are the big three. None of them shows up in Kathmandu. They show up days later, at Dingboche or Lobuche, where you can’t easily fix them.
Below are the ten mistakes worth avoiding, why each one matters on this route, and what to do instead. For the full kit list, see our EBC packing list.
What’s Inside This Guide
- 1. New, unbroken boots
- 2. Cotton clothing
- 3. A sleeping bag that isn’t warm enough
- 4. One heavy jacket instead of layers
- 5. Overweight bags
- 6. Fake branded gear from Thamel
- 7. Weak sun protection
- 8. Packing for the wrong season
- 9. No way to treat water
- 10. Not enough cash
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Planning Guides
1. New, Unbroken Boots
This is the easiest mistake to avoid. Stiff new boots cause blisters within a day or two, and blisters get worse with every day you walk on them. A bad one can slow you down for the rest of the trek, or stop you short of Base Camp.
Buy your boots at least a month before you fly. Wear them on every training walk, including long downhill ones. Pack blister plasters and use them at the first sign of rubbing.
2. Cotton Clothing
Cotton T-shirts and jeans feel fine in Kathmandu. On the trail, cotton soaks up sweat and stays wet. When you stop on a cold, windy ridge, wet cotton chills you fast.
Wear merino or synthetic base layers instead. They dry quickly and keep you warmer when damp.
3. A Sleeping Bag That Isn’t Warm Enough
A three-season bag rated to 0°C feels warm at home. At Lobuche and Gorak Shep, standard teahouse rooms have no heating, and nights drop well below freezing.
Bring or rent a bag rated to at least −15°C, and colder in winter. Otherwise you end up sleeping in all your clothes and starting the next day tired and cold.
4. One Heavy Jacket Instead of Layers
A single big jacket is too hot on the climbs and leaves you sweating inside it. Then you stop, and the sweat makes you cold.
Use layers: a base layer, a fleece, a heavy down jacket for evenings, and a waterproof shell. You add or remove one as the day changes.
5. Overweight Bags
On our treks, one porter carries the bags of two trekkers, up to 15kg in total. Each duffel needs to stay around 7–8kg. Lukla flights also limit baggage, usually to about 10kg checked plus 5kg hand luggage.
Weigh your bag at home before you fly. Leave town clothes and spare items at your Kathmandu hotel, and rent bulky items in Thamel.
6. Fake Branded Gear From Thamel
Thamel sells good local gear alongside fake copies of big outdoor brands. A fake down jacket may have thin or synthetic fill, and you find out on the coldest night.
Buy or rent the jacket and sleeping bag from shops with a good reputation. Check the fill, zips and stitching, and treat a very cheap “premium” label as a warning.
7. Weak Sun Protection
The sun is much stronger at altitude, and snow reflects it back at your face. Without proper sunglasses, you risk snow blindness, which is painful and can stop you trekking for a day or more.
Bring sunglasses with full UV protection, high-SPF sunscreen and SPF lip balm. A sun hat and buff help too.
8. Packing for the Wrong Season
An October packing list won’t do for January. Namche averages a low of −8.5°C in January, compared with about 1°C in October, and it is much colder higher up.
Check the temperatures for your month in our best time guide. For winter, add a warmer sleeping bag, warmer gloves and an extra insulating layer.
9. No Way to Treat Water
The municipality announced a ban on plastic drink bottles in the Khumbu from 2020, and bottled water gets expensive higher up. Trekkers who rely on it spend more and add to the rubbish problem.
Bring two refillable bottles and purification tablets or a filter. If you boil water, keep it at a rolling boil for 3 minutes, as the CDC advises at altitude.
10. Not Enough Cash
Showers, charging, Wi-Fi, snacks and tips are paid in cash on the trail. Card payment is rare above Lukla, and you shouldn’t count on finding a working ATM higher up.
Bring enough Nepali rupees from Kathmandu for the extras and for tips. Keep it in small notes, split between two places.
Frequently Asked Questions
New, unbroken boots. They cause blisters within a day or two, and blisters can slow or end a trek. Wear your boots for at least a month before you go.
Yes. Bad blisters, a sleeping bag that isn’t warm enough or fake down gear can all cut a trek short. Most of these problems are easy to prevent before you fly.
Some local-made gear from reputable Thamel shops is good value. Be wary of very cheap items with big brand labels, especially down jackets and sleeping bags.
Weigh your duffel at home, keep it to about 7–8kg, and leave non-trek items at your Kathmandu hotel. Rent bulky items like a down jacket in Thamel.
Yes. Bring a warmer sleeping bag, heavier gloves and an extra insulating layer. January nights in Namche average −8.5°C, and Gorak Shep is much colder.
Enough Nepali rupees for showers, charging, Wi-Fi, snacks and tips. Card payment is rare above Lukla, so take what you need from Kathmandu.
Related Planning Guides
- Everest Base Camp Trek package — porters, permits and Lukla flights included, from $1,039
- EBC Packing List — the full gear checklist
- Best Time for the EBC Trek — temperatures month by month
- EBC Accommodation Guide — how cold the teahouses get
- EBC Trek for Beginners — preparing for your first big trek
Get the Gear Right Before You Fly
Our Everest Base Camp Trek costs $1,039 to $1,379 per person, with porters, permits, Lukla flights and teahouses included. See the full trek details, or ask us on WhatsApp whether your gear is good enough.