The equipment has proven itself in the best way. Nothing compelling was missing and only one extra beanie I never wore.
The following overview lists the strenghts and weaknesses of my gear. You have to scroll horizontally to see the entire and randomly sorted table 🙁
| Category | Product | Manufacturer | Purpose | Additionally used for | Positive | Negative | Considerations |
Headlamp | Scout RC Headlight | Silva | illumination in the tent | Lighting on the trail, if very early or very late on the road (exception) | – Small – Chargeable via USB – Good illumination where you look (intelligent light) – Illuminates path in low beam very well – Full light for identification of more distant cairns | Rather too strong light for reading and writing | |
Windbreaker | Galvanized Jacket | Patagonia | Wind and rain protection | – Comfortable to wear – Well adjustable hood – Stretchy fabric -Breast pocket – Ventilation zippers under armpits – Adjustable cuffs | – Moderately waterproof – Relatively heavy and bulky | ||
Sleeping bag | Hyperion -6°C | Thermarest | – Small pack size – Light – Good shape – Cuddly soft – Does not crackle – Good hood | – tricky zipper – Thermal insulation | – Sheet bag for additional insulation – Alternatively evaluate sleeping bag from Rab (heavier, but with aluminum coating) | ||
| Camping mat | NeoAir ® XLite™ | Thermarest | – Light – Small pack size – Good thermal insulation | – Sensitive against punctures – Identification of small holes only possible in lakes – Molds if not dried thoroughly after use | Waterproof packing of the pad and drying if not used like the sleeping bag | ||
Camping mat | Back pad OMM backpack | OMM | Seat pad during breaks | Protection from damage to the Xlite under the torso | – Sufficiently warm for marching breaks – Size allows to lean or lie – Robust | ||
Hiking pants | Point Peak Trail Pants regular | Patagonia | – Good fit – adjustable waist with velcro – Strap loops – Pleasant on the skin in cold and hot conditions – Robust – Leg pockets with zipper Slip pockets to warm hands – Seat pockets – Adjustable leg cuffs (roll up when wading) – Hook on leg end | – Takes very long time to dry – Fabric structure catches a lot of dirt – Fabric structure pulls out leg hair (I found out only afterwards) | |||
T-shirt short sleeve | 150 ZONE SS CREWE, black | Icebreaker | – Heat balance – Body awareness – Long odorless – Dimensionally stable – Good workmanship | Bleaches out unsightly in the sun | |||
T-shirt long sleeve | 150 ZONE SS CREWE, black | Icebreaker | – Heat balance – Body awareness – Long odorless – Dimensionally stable – Good workmanship – Thumbhole | Bleaches out unsightly in the sun | |||
T-shirt | Norang tee red blue | Devold | T-shirt in civilization and cabins | T-shirt on the way | Comfortable to wear without strain | Feeling of heat accumulation and wetness | |
Rain pants | PacLite | Berghaus | – Small pack size – Light Full length zippers on legs – Ventilation by opening the top zipper – Adjustable leg cuffs with snaps | – No access to trouser pockets without contortions – GoreTex coating on the inside of the leg cuffs quickly suffers from the friction of shoes | |||
¾ tights | Trail Tights | On | – Additional warming layer – For warm rainy weather under the rain pants | Legwear on rest days or in cabins | |||
Gloves | Focus racing gloves | KV+ | – Good fit – Leather remains supple – Robust – Pleasant even at higher temperatures as a windbreaker | – You can hardly get in when wet – Cold feeling when wet – Not windproof (strong wind) | – Dry bags against wet and cold – ev. overgloves against strong wind and in case of rain – ev. Windstopper gloves | ||
| Hiking poles | Corklite Aergon SL2 | Leki | – Locomotion support – Wading balance | Tent poles | – Very comfortable handle – Textile loops – Screw plate | Stick knob for tent unsuitable | |
Hiking poles | Atlas | Gipron | – Locomotion support – Wading balance | Tent poles | – Light – Robust – Packing size | – Stick plate can only be changed with a lot of effort – Click sound when walking | |
Headgear | ligthwight merino buff | Buff | Cold weather headgear | – Lightweight – good feeling at all temperatures and also when damp/wet | |||
Headgear | Lightweight Cap | On | Headgear for heat Sun visor | – Lightweight – good feeling – Visually discreet color | |||
Shorts | Lightweight shorts | On | Legwear for warm temperatures | Swimming trunks | – Lightweight – Comfort Inner slip – Flat waistband | Material suffers when sitting on rocks | |
Trail running shoe | Cloudventure Peak | Whether | Hut and shoe for rest days | – Dry road stages – Replacement shoe | – Lightweight – Good fit – Good grip – Quick drying | A little less cushioning in the forefoot | |
Hiking boots | Cloudridge | On | – Lightweight – Good fit – Protects ankle – Good grip even in wet conditions (wading) – Dries quickly – Comfortable to wear even when wet in combination with On Long Socks – Shaft warms during long wading | – Upper is prone to cracking – Sharp eyelets on the shaft – Immediately wet (grass in the morning); annoying especially where you stay dry with a waterproof shoe). | – concept with leaky shoe requires that everyone in the group is equally equipped. Otherwise the advantages fizzle out – Alternative: Lundhags or Crispi hiking boots with shaft to mid calf – In very cold temperatures, wear neoprene socks or plastic bags over your socks. | ||
Hiking socks | Long socks | On | – Fit – Feel of wear in wet conditions – Compression avoids blistering | -Dry slow – Heel quickly becomes flimsy (about after 300 km) | |||
Hiking sock | Merino lightweight hiking socks | Smartwool | cabins and rest day | Hiking sock for cold | – Fluffy – Pleasant to wear | – Feel significantly longer cold when wet in hiking boots | |
Underpants | Odlo | – comfortable in warmer temperatures – Very comfortable | – Less odorless – Unpleasant when wet | ||||
Underpants | Anatomica briefs Merino | Icebreaker | – comfortable in cool temperatures and when wet – Odorless for a long time | – Fit | |||
Windbreaker vest | Weather Vest | On | Windbreak | – Tight collar – Light – No heat accumulation (breathable back – Chest pocket for cell phone | – Zipper pocket on the back – Welded seams can not be sewn | ||
Insulation jacket synthetic | Nano Puff Jacket | Patagonia | – Warming layer – Outer layer at low temperatures and dry | – Rest day jacket – Sweater replacement | – Packing size – Warm – Fit | – Quickly too warm | – ev. take R1 Fleece in addition |
| Backpack | Saccus 48 l | Bonfus | – Waterproof – lightweight – Good concept with outside pockets – Roll-top closure – Hip pockets – Sholder strap pockets – good workmanship | – Narrow straps to adjust shoulder straps (not enough friction; had to constantly retighten). – Sensitive to pointed damage – Outer net is sensitive to damage; however, holes do not become larger – Shoulder padding is very thin when carrying large weights for long time | |||
| Stuff bags | DCF dry bags | Bonfus | Waterproof packing of sleeping bag, spare clothes, pharmacy, power bank and diary | – Waterproof – Good workmanship | – The small bags could be used as over gloves at best – Be sure to pack everything in waterproof bags (i.e. Thermarest sleeping pad) | ||
| Stuff bags | DCF 0.51 stuff sacks | Bonfus | Packing bag for tent, running shoes, spices and snacks | – Waterproof – Quick to open and close – Flexible | – Susceptible to damage when used in outside pockets | – For snack and tent choose a stronger version of the fabric | |
Food bag | Food bag large | Bonfus | packing bag for food on long stages additionally on top of the backpack | – Waste bag – Gas canister and pressure-sensitive food (crispbread, crème) | – Waterproof – Easy to clean – Easy to handle – Can be stably fixed with the Y-strap of the backpack | ||
Tent | Duos 2P | Bonfus | Weather protection | – Lightweight – Small pack size – Easy to assemble – Spacious Headroom – Two-way access – Mosquito net – Wind stable if all pegs can be well placed – 6 pegs are usually enough | – Hooked locking system | ||
Stove | Windburner Duo Stove | MSR | Gas stove | – Very good stand – Very wind resistant – Suitable for larger pots and pans – Fits in personal pot | – big size – Heavy | A smaller stove would be quite possible without compromises | |
Cooking pot | Windburner Personal Pot 1 l | MSR | Cooking pot and eating utensils | – Size – Wind resistant – Rapid heating of water – Isolation Handle – Good insulation against cooling and burning hands – Pouring lid – measuring cup | – Measuring cup deforms when water boils – Relatively large and heavy because of windburner system | Simple titanium pot | |
Insulation cup | MSR | Keep drinks warm | Weather protection for toilet paper | – Good insulation – Lid with drinking opening – Gives heat to hands | |||
Cutlery | Long handle spoon titanium | Toak | Stir during preparation Food from pot or bag | – length of handle – Spoon shape and size pleasant in the mouth and very good for scraping out in the pot or bag – Shatterproof | – sharp handle damaged backpack | ||
Water bag | Platy 2 l soft bottle | Platypus | Water for overnight camping if not directly at the water source | – Packing size – Robust – Tolerance to taste and mold | |||
Powerbank | PowerCore+ 26800 PD with 30W Power Delivery Charger | Anker | Power supply on the trail | – Capacity – charging speed – USB 2 – USB-C – Wall plug | – Weight – Charger draws too much current for 12V equipment in the cabins | – Take USB-2 cable for iPhone with you, as cabins usually only have USB-2 ports – Oversized for my use. But as soon as further devices (emergency transmitter, camera) or much more entertainment is used, this capacity should be fair | |
| Mobile phone | iPhone 13 mini 256 GB | Apple | – Communication – Photography – Navigation | Entertainment (e-Reader, Music) | – Handy – Fits well in breast pocket and also in hip pocket – Good photos – Battery life (approx. 2 hiking days in flight mode) | Missing optical zoom | Ev. Pro model with optical zoom |
| Clock | Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar | Garmin | – Clock – Recording of the GPS track – Navigation | – Long power independence especially with active power saving function and chest strap for pulse measurement – Offline synchronization with Garmin Explorer app | – ClimbPro is a farce – The benefit of the solar cells is not ascertainable for me |
Repair set
- Thread
- Needle
- Thimble (I had to buy)
- fixing pin
- Buttons in different sizes (trouser button and other important buttons)
- Thermarest repair and seal kit
- zip ties
Pharmacy
- Anti-inflammatory ointment in normal package size. Inflammation is very likely to occur and requires regular treatment several times a day
- disinfectant
- Bepantene ointment to support wound healing
- Gazepads
- Sports tape
- Steristrips
- Dafalgan against fever
- Ibuprofen against inflammation
- Imodium if prone to diarrhea
- Magnesium against cramps
- Fenistil against bites. I have never used it (very individual)
Body care
- Washcloth
- Towel
- Liquid soap
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste: on long hikes it is not worth to take a small tube at the beginning, because later you can’t buy small tubes anywhere. Travel sizes are only worthwhile if they last for the entire trip.
- Deodorant (for civilization, or if there are others in the cabin)
- Sunscreen: choose the package size depending on your skin type. For my skin type in comparable weather conditions, a smaller tube would also suffice.
- Lip protection and care
- Mosquito repellent: AntiBrumm forte (Swiss product) keeps mosquitoes away during 5 hours, as it says on the package. Do not spray on synthetic fabrics, because their structure gets damaged (e.g. my socks lost the shape in the sprayed places).
Cooking
- Small bottle of oil for sautéing or cooking. Often there is no oil in the accommodations.
- Spices for refining have proven themselves. Replenishment is well possible in the stores, however, there are not everywhere refill bags. Therefore, keep them and leave the jar behind
- Bouillon cubes are often available at the cabins. Nevertheless I would always take it with me
- Milk powder is not available in the retail trade in Norway. The DNT huts with stock rooms in the south always have milk powder in sachets (for 2 dl).
- Couscous is not always in stock in the stores
- Alcohol is not allowed to be sold on Sundays. So you have to think about it earlier 🙂
- Service times in the cabins are very strict. Breakfast only from 8-9 o’clock. Before and after there is nothing to want. During the day, trifles are sold from 12-16 o’clock. Dinner usually from 19-20 o’clock. After that, everyone must move to the recreation room, where there is still coffee and cake. Self-catering on served huts is usually not tolerated, or you have to install yourself outside.
- Stock rooms in the cabins
- were rarely complete according to the list in the payment app. Especially cookies were often no longer available
- The supply differs a bit from region to region (e.g. milk powder for 1 l in Reinheimen, vanilla cream in Skarvheimen and Hardangervidda)
- There are no nuts and dried fruits, except raisins
Navigation
- Hiking maps are only available at the big starting points in the south (Finse, Sognefjellhytta, Haukeliseter), but not in the retail shops in the local centers further north.
- If you go for paper maps, you have to buy them in advance
- Hvor? App has worked very well
- NaVida app I didn’t use; the detailed offline maps require several GB of memory
- Emergency transmitter (e.g. Garmin inReach mini): makes sense in case of severe leg injuries, as mobile network coverage is non-existent over wide areas. In addition it gives you access to weather reports.
Proven practices
- March stop 2 hours after main meal and then hourly. Small snack, a few sips of drink and stretching
- Stop even if the destination of the day is to be reached in less than an hour -> keep concentration high
- Starting with a T-shirt and vest has proven to be the best. In windy conditions possibly supplemented with beanie and gloves
- Hiking with a rain jacket at higher temperatures or during heavy exertion leads to stinking sweat. In dry conditions a thin fleece pullover (e.g. Patagonia Capilene® Thermal Weight or R1 sweater) could be useful.
- Screenshots of local weather forecasts before stage start and update as opportunity arises
- I took every day at 11:11 a selfy. This arbitrary snapshot helped to reconstruct weather conditions (temperature, wind)
- Screenshots of tricky passages (e.g. river crossings) from Mapant
Absolutely complement
Sheet bag: this is actually required in all the huts and is also demanded in the served huts. You can rent sheets there, but you pay 80-100 NOK each time.
Considerations for a future hike in the north
- Gaiters:
- keep hiking pants clean so you can keep them on in the cabin or in the tent
- protect shins from brush
- Emergency transmitter: see “Navigation” above
- thin fleece pullover (e.g. Patagonia Capilene® Thermal Weight or R1 sweater) as an additional warming layer, so you don’t have to sit in your insulation jacket in the cabin or in a cool restaurant. In addition, at best in dry-cold conditions on sweaty ascents instead of the rain jacket.
- Camera with zoom for animal photos or details in the distance
- BT headphones instead of tangled cables
- USB-2 cable for all devices, so that they can be charged in the cabins with solar cells. Most cabins have solar cells with at least on USB-2 port. This would allow to go for a smaller power bank.