Equipment and clothing is an essential part of any high altitude expedition. Temperatures can get down to minus forty, before windchill. Not having appropriate gear can cost fingers, limbs or lives. Each piece is clothing and equipment has a purpose and is chosen very carefully to suit the climber.  The chicks know which type of each piece if equipment is best for them as there is a variety to choose from. They will have tried every piece of equipment they have so that they are comfortable using it and of course, that it fits them and with all the combinations of clothing they can wear at each stage of this enormous climb. The North Face sponsor all of the clothing the chicks require from their thermal underwear to their downsuits. Without this fantastic gear, the chicks would be facing serious issues such as frostbite and hypothermia.

The chicks will be taking about 120 kgs of clothing and equipment with them. What the check-in people think when they get to the airport?  Now that’s excess baggage!

Covering your body

Many layers are needed to protect against sun, wind, rain and the cold from thermals to fleece, down, Gore-tex and light cotton.  Consideration must be given to the “toilet accessibility" of garments and this can be quite an effort on Everest.  Snacking is also important while climbing so zip pockets on the outside are good to carry small items that can be accessed quickly.  The chicks will be wearing thin, light north face gortex jackets, which will protect them from the rain and the wind, and will have an appropriate layering system underneath.

“We never thought we would sweat so much in Antarctica,” Nikki says reflecting on the climb.  “And often in the heat of the day, you would be in just a single thermal and fleece. Yet, the second it gets cooler, the sweat can freeze solid, so unless you have other layers ready, and start putting them on pre-emptively, you can get dangerously cold, dangerously quickly.”

For your head

The majority of a person's body heat is lost through their head so it is vital to keep it warm and covered.  Items suggested range from baseball caps, bandanas, balaclavas and face masks.  The reflection off the sun can be blinding so eyewear must fit properly.  For eye protection glacier glasses and goggles must be 100% UV and IR light protection.  There are even goggles available with a built in battery powered ‘demister’. Now that is modern equipment.

Protect your hands

In extremely cold weather the human body starts to focus attention of vital organs the extremities start shutting down, so it is essential that gloves are warm and fit properly.  Gloves required range from thin liners and fleece gloves that can be worn by themselves or under the thicker expedition mittens.  Expedition gloves are also useful instead of operating ropes with the expedition mittens.

“We tend to wear at least three pairs of gloves,” Cheryl explains.  “Exposed flesh is at risk of getting frostbite, and so at no times can you be wearing nothing on your hands. So wearing two pairs of thin polypro gloves beneath thick technical mountaineering gloves means that if you need to open a protein bar, or play with difficult knots in ropes you can have the dexterity to do so without exposing your hands. But even this needs to happen quickly, and wearing just the polypro exposes your hands to the cold. This is a big issue for Nikki, because  she  gets very cold peripheries, and having already been exposed to frostnip in  her  hands,  has a greater chance of re-exposure. Making sure we always have enough gloves on, and having spare gloves handy if we lose a pair is something we are always considering. In addition to this, we always try to carry a set of hand warmers in our gore-tex pocket, and have mittens handy, even on a warmer day, once again just as a precaution.”

Walking on your feet

There are so many items to consider for footware. Feet carry weight, are plunged into snow and water and must also be kept warm as the body stops sending blood to them.  Socks must not be too tight. Climbing boots can have boot liners and snow gaitera which seal around the boot and extend to the top of the calf.  Then there are over boots which are particularly useful on summit day if added insulation is required. Feet must also be kept dry and warm at night, so water resistant socks for sleeping are packed.  Sandshoes are most comfortable to wear around base camp and trekking shoes for the walk there.

“We wear double plastic mountaineering boots which we have had since Antarctica," says Nikki. "They have inner booties, that are made of silver reflective material, which are designed to keep heat in and reflect the heat being generated by your own feet. In addition, they have a hard outer shell that is almost knee high, which keeps snow out and being fully integrated, keeps your feet warm.”

On Cho Oyu, Nikki also had small inner liners with in built heating attached to a tiny lithium battery pack that lived just outside her boot. This provided added warmth for the beginning of summit day, but current technology means that in the cold, the batteries do not last more than a few hours.

Climbing 

Safety is so important and its important to practice using all pieces of equipment as there are slight differences in style and brands.  Each climber will use the ones they are comfortable with rather than changing to a new design just before a climb.

Equipment includes;  climbing harnesses, locking and non locking carabineers and a figure 8 rappelling device, mechanical ascenders tape webbing, prusik cords for crevasse rescue.  Crampons are large spikes that attach to boots for grip in the snow and ice.  Ice axes, ski poles, headlamps and helmets all must be packed.  Cheryl and Nikki will be carrying about 18kgs in their pack, but remember at higher altitudes when oxygen is low, the weight becomes greater for them.

Camping Gear

Good rest and recovery is required to attack the mountain with enthusiasm every day.  A good place to sleep eat and wash can make so much difference although the comforts are far from luxurious. The chicks will be sleeping in their favourite north face ve25 tents, which have served them well in antartica, alaska and across the world. This yellow dome will become thier home for three months. By the end of the seven summits, the chisks will have spent over 8 months of their life in a tent! A foam mat and sleeping bag is the bed.  A lightweight plastic mug (insulated), bowl and spoon is all that is used for eating.  The bathroom consists of a pee bottle.  Yes, a pee bottle is the toilet and its best to take a coloured one so you know which one is yours…. and not yours.  Finally a torch or headlamp is used for lighting.

Accessories

Accessories are not earrings, handbags, belts and ties.  Fashion plays no importance when climbing Everest.  A couple of water bottles and water bottle covers as well as a thermos bottle for hot drinks.  A daypack carries carries camera, snack food and jacket on the trek.  Lockable bags for equipment and clothing and small duffel bag stores clothes in at Kathmandu during the climb.  The guides will have a medical first aid kit but most climber will bring their own which can include additional personal or specialist items that are not standard in the guide packs.  This list goes on to include; personal toiletries, large plastic bags, ear plugs, sun block and towel.  An interesting fact is that iPods often do not work at altitude although the iPod nano reportedly seems to work OK.  Finally a book will help pass the time when climbers are stuck inside during snow storms.

Comforts

Having certain small creature comforts from home makes a big different when you are confronted by the difficulties of high altitude living.

“For us both, one of the very serious and very technical pieces of equipment is chocolate!’ laughs Nikki. “Before every expedition we go out and buy our favourite chocolate, and it certainly is a factor in adding to our overweight baggage. In fact in gear checks for mountains where you are carrying all of your own gear, and so weight is very important. Lots of our chocolate has been thrown out of the bag by the guide, and then has snuck its way back in afterwards. In South America, there is a Pachamama Ceremony requesting the good will of the goddess, in which you have a nip of alcohol yourself, and then pour a shot of alcohol onto the earth, as a symbol of asking for safe passage on the mountain. We did our Pachamama Ceremony with chocolate covered bullets.”