Snow-covered mountain with jagged peaks against a cloudy sky, known as Island Peak at the top. As you navigate the rocky terrain in the foreground, ensure your island peak gear list is complete to tackle this breathtaking ascent safely.

Island Peak (Imja Tse) Gear List

ByMac Hours
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Island Peak (Imja Tse) is technically classified as a “trekking peak, ” but it requires much more gear than you would expect from a typical “trek.” Why? Because you have to climb, not walk, to the summit of the 20,305 ft / 6,189 m peak.

First things first, I paid 90,000 NPR (~$900 US) for my climb of Island Peak. I was told that all the equipment I would need for the climb was included in this price (this included shelter at base camp) and that I would be able to get my gear in Dingboche (where I would meet my guide).

One of my concerns was whether whoever would be renting me the gear would have boots large enough for my especially wide feet. I ended up with a pair of US-size 13 plastic boots. They were definitely too big, but they were certainly wide enough, and they didn’t hurt my feet; they were also incredibly heavy (I carried these until the crampon point at 19,029 ft / 5,800 m).

In addition to my boots, I was provided with the following gear by Everest Resort in Dingboche (where you can find some of the best food in the region):

  • Crampons
  • Helmet
  • Harness
  • Ascender
  • Figure-8 descender
  • Locking carabiner
  • Tent for base camp
  • Mattress for base camp

Apparently, a sleeping bag and additional clothing would have been available to me, but my guide and I were satisfied with the rest of my outfit. Below is all the gear I brought from Jiri to Island Peak Base Camp.

I climbed Island Peak in the spring (March 16).

Note: This gear list has been updated with what I would bring today if I repeated the climb. Most of the gear I originally used is no longer available.

The Big Stuff

Clothing

Carried/On Body

Backpacking Gear

Electronics

Camera Gear

Bathroom

The Rest

  • Credit/debit card, rubber bands, duct tape, notebook, pen, dice (for Yahtzee!)

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6 Comments

  1. Hi! I am going to Nepal in early march and am considering Island peak. Do you think it is a good choice if i only have time for one trek? I only have 2 weeks. I find the peak experience appealing, and would love to go above 6000m, but perhaps the views are better on other trails?
    Thanks for any advive you have!
    / Filip

    Reply

    1. The Island Peak views are unbeatable. However, that short of a time will likely not be enough time to properly acclimatize – especially if you’ve never been to that elevation before. For that reason, I would recommend something else.

      Reply

  2. Hello Mac, thank you for this helpful info.
    Can you please provide me with the agency / guide name with whom you organised your trip? Also what is your opinion on wearing La Sportiva Nepal Evos in March for Khumbu/Cho La circuit plus summiting IP?

    Thank you in advance and hello from Frankfurt,
    Michael

    Reply

    1. Hey Michael – I used Glory Himalayan Club to organize this trip, but I can’t recommend my guide as I did not like him very much. La Sportiva Nepal Evos are overkill for anything that’s not beyond the crampon point of the Imja Tse climb. I did Cho La (and the other two passes of the Three Passes Trek) in trail runners.

      Reply

  3. How high did you camp for the climb, and was the WM Versalite warm enough? I’m considering buying it but I’ve been hesitating because I’m not sure it would be warm enough for Nepal. Care to share experiences?

    (And a more extreme version of the question: do you think it would have been warm enough for your January Nepal adventure, while wearing some extra down layers too?)

    Reply

    1. Island Peak Base Camp is around 16,732 ft / 5,100 m and the Versalite plus a four-season shelter was warm enough for me (I was also wearing a synthetic and merino base layer).

      It definitely would be warm enough for everything I did beforehand in Nepal since I was sleeping in tea houses each night (except for when I purposely slept outside because I had a stupidly warm bag). Might be a little cold for Island Peak Base Camp in January, but if I was going back I would probably chance it.

      Reply

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