Packing for four weeks on the ridges

What goes in a pack for the whole trail, and what stays at home: our guides' list, weighed.

Hiking gear laid out on a wool blanket on mountain grass: a backpack, a sleeping bag, a pot, bottles, a map and a rain jacket.

The trail passes a village or a hut most days, so you don’t need to carry a week of food. What you do need is enough water for the dry ridges, layers for the weather on the crest and a sleeping bag for the shelters.

The base

A 35 to 45 litre pack is plenty. Shoes matter more than anything: broken in, with room for your feet to swell on long descents.

For the weather

A proper rain jacket and trousers, a warm layer and a hat, even in August: the Low Tatras crest can be cold and windy when the valleys are hot.

What we leave at home

The second pair of trousers, the big camera lens and the book you won’t read. Every kilogram is felt on the climb to Chopok.