The Gear I took

I did not get around to any pre-departure posts. I had wanted to take the time to detail the gear I was planning to take so I will do that post tense. The embedded video below shows the gear I packed in my bag with some commentary. The load weighed in at 21.4 Lbs including 2 liters of water and the pack itself (which weights 5 Lbs). Note: for those who are detail oriented like me the 21.4 Lbs does not include the following items that are shown in the video (as I would be wearing them) – the boots, one pair of shorts, one t-shift, one pair of boxers and one pair of socks.

What I May Not Bring Again

The only item I might not bring again was the rain pants. We lucked out in terms of rain but mine are also heavy and bulky. In the interest of saving weight by bringing items that serve more than one function I would like to get some waterproof pant that zip off into shorts.

What You Might Not Think/Know To Bring

For those who have never been to a hut before another consideration is hut footwear. All huts expect that you take your boots off inside. Even if they did not I doubt after hours in your rigid boots you would want to keep them on. That being said you need to consider what else you will wear and their weight/pack ability. We took MEC Get Dow Booties and while they may look a little odd but they are warm, comfy and as flexible a pillow. They can be squished into any shape or that tight corner of your pack nothing else will fit. Other people had a wide variety from very thin slippers (that look like they were lifted from a spa) to hiking sandals.

Another essential item is a Schalfsack or sleeping sack. This is requested by the huts as a way to reduce laundry. What it is a thin cotton or silk/synthetic sack that you get into to essentially provide a barrier between you and the provided bedding. What you will find at most huts is a fitted sheet over the mattress and a duvet (with a removable/washable duvet cover) or wool blanket as a covering/insulation. You should know that these sheets and duvet covers are not going to be washed every time (at least not at every hut). Therefore your schlafsack is the only thing separating you from “other people”. All that being said the communal reality of the huts is an atmosphere of conscious and considerate people, and most people shower before bed.

The Pack Itself

As mentioned in the video my 60 liter pack is a bit big for this kind of trip. You could easily do it with a 35-40 pack and this seemed to be the choice for most people. I continue to be a big fan of the water bladder stored inside the pack and we took one 2 liter and one 3 liter (Note: with the weather this time of year I think 2 liters of water per person is sufficient). One observation is that bladders are definitely either not popular in this area or just less available. Most people had Sigg style water bottles, one on either side of their pack.

Communication On The Trail

For safety I took a cell phone in case we needed to call for help or call ahead to the hut to say we would be late for dinner, etc. I am told that cell service is good in this area but due to some technical issues with my iPhone 3G, I cannot comment on that (I never was able to get it working). For those looking to stay in contact over the internet, only two of the huts had Wifi – Dresdner and Sulzenauhutte. Dresdner’s was pay and although we intended to pay for it ( I assume for x amount per hour) we were able to get on for free (???). I am not sure about Sulzenauhutte as it was password protected and I did not enquire if it was for public use. None of the four huts I visited had public terminals for internet. Note: I will comment in the individual hut reviews about access to power outlet for charging, but sneak peak: they are easy to find and not an issue with these huts.

And last of all, one item we did not have but always seemed to need: a simple pen.