Duffel Bags

[LTLFTC]

Hi I'm going on a 24 day trek with my wife with porters, and am looking at duffel bags. The sizes are 70 90 and 142L. Are two smaller ones better or one big one or two big ones??

[yakshaver]

Hi I'm going on a 24 day trek with my wife with porters, and am looking at duffel bags. The sizes are 70 90 and 142L. Are two smaller ones better or one big one or two big ones??

I guess it all depends on how much stuff you're taking with you... Is your wife going to take with her the whole Max Mara make up set? Are you going to take your golf clubs, diving gear or tennis rackets?

Rule of thumb (developed over the centuries from time immemorial by trekkers) is that you give to the porter somewhere between 6-10 kg per trekker, appart from the stuff you take in your day bag (like your camera, bottle of water, cuddly or security blanket). More likely 7-8 kg per person, depending on the season (more stuff in winter, of course).

When going with my wife and our son, we had just one duffel bag between the three of us, and a total weight of 18 or 19 kg. The weight is crucial, as a porter will normally only carry a maximum of 20 kg. There is no good reason (unless you do take the Max Mara make up set), to have more than 15-16 kg between the two of you. So you've got to look at the volume really. I would go for the 90 or 100 L, but bear in mind, the bigger the volume, the more you're tempted to fill in.
I took way to much stuff in my first couple fo treks. Unless you do a really remote trek, you'll find everything you need (bar a good pair of boots) along the way. If you go to Anapurna or Khumbu regions, there are plenty of shops in every village, selling you whatever you think you need, and you've forgotten to take from home... Like trekking poles, polar fleece or goretex jackets, trekking pants, medicine (legal and illegal), water bottles, sunglasses, satelite dishes, small nuclear war-heads, etc.

[Petrus]

More convenient to have two smallesh (70-90 l) duffels than one giant one.

If you are going with a group they should have guidelines on how much you can give to the porters (maybe 10 kg each max), but a private porter will carry 30 kg in my experience.

And if you just have to have more gear for some reason, you can pay the porters a bit more to carry extra, or hire one more porter. No big deal really.

Just remember, non-tourist porters routinelly carry 70-120 kg loads, trekking porters have it quite easy with their 20-30 kg "limits".

[LTLFTC]

Thanks for that. We are going from Tumlingtar to Makalu across to Everest area via sherpani and west col and down to Lukla. Which I take is pretty remote so Will probably go fot two 70L to be on the safe side

[yakshaver]

Thanks for that. We are going from Tumlingtar to Makalu across to Everest area via sherpani and west col and down to Lukla. Which I take is pretty remote so Will probably go fot two 70L to be on the safe side


Good, well in this case your itinerary is an important clarification. You'll probably have a bit more stuff than you'd take on one of the "classical" treks, and a porter of each of you.

[RRainey]

I would guess my duffel will be 25 pounds so less than 12 kg and I have my own porter.

[kegarne]

If you don't mind me asking, who are you going with ie which company ?

Can you give me an idea of what this trek will be costing you ?

I have done some investigation into prices for this trek and have been amazed at how expensive it was going to cost.

Thanks for your help.

[Petrus]

Hold it!

If you are going to do the Sherpani Col route over the Barun glacier at over 6000m level, you need so much gear (or bulky gear: warm bags & jackets, extra everything, crampoons, maybe harness etc.) that 70 liter duffel is too small!

At least 110 liters each!

[LTLFTC]

Hold it!

If you are going to do the Sherpani Col route over the Barun glacier at over 6000m level, you need so much gear (or bulky gear: warm bags & jackets, extra everything, crampoons, maybe harness etc.) that 70 liter duffel is too small!

At least 110 liters each!
That is interesting you say that I get so many conflicting reports about what this will go over. From taxing for the moderately fit, to technical with mountain climbing skills required. We would be doing it in October. What are your thoughts as to weather and conditions??

[Petrus]

I have not crossed from Makalu to Khumbu side over the glacier, but I have been in Mera area & Amphu Labtsa twice. My friends climbed Baruntse in -94 and climbed the west col in the process.

I would say the trek is quite strenuous, as you have to cross a glacier (roped for safety?) at over 6000 m altitude. It can be moderate or really hard depending on the snow conditions. If anybody has difficulties with acclimatization, it is a real killer. Even if the glacier is easy, climbing up to it is not, those cols are quite steep, on the west side there is a 100 m ridge to cross before you can get out. I would venture to say climbing Mera or Imja Tse is easier and considerably less risky than treking across the Barun glacier.

Upper camp night time temperatures can approach -30C, thus the sleeping bag & down jacket should be fairly warm. During the day if there is no wind you will boil in the sun...

Here you can find a picture of the west col, camp I is on the top of it.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/trekkari/

Navigate to Baruntse 94 section 17. "Retkikunnan kuvia" and there the fourth picture "Ascent route". As you can see the West col is quite steep and the altitude difference is about 700m from the moraines, the wall itself about 400m high.

It will be an adventure! About the duffel; collect all the things you will take with you and test some duffels to see what size you really need, then take 10-20 liters larger....

[kegarne]

As stated above, it is very strenuous and you are above 6000metres for a couple of nights:

http://p6.hostingprod.com/@treks.org/nepal04.htm

This site has some great photos where you can see the possible snow conditions.

The sherpa I have hiked with in the past recommended that we join up with another group because of the possible snow - he reckons that it was not possible to do the trek with just a few people.

Here was the schedule I had in mind:

Kathmandu-Tumlingtar-Khandbari By flight (460m)
Bhotebas (1700m)
Mure(1980m)
Seduwa (1460m)
Tashigaon (2200m)
Kauma Kharka (3470m
Shipton La (4250m) – Mumbuk (3570m)
Nehe Kharka (3670m)
Rest day (3670m)
Merek (4340m)
Makalu Base camp (4900m)
Rest day (4900m)
Rest day (4900m)
Sandy camp upper Barun Glacier (5250m)
Sherpani East Col BC (Below East Col) (5250m)
Rest Day (5720m)
Traverse East (6140m) - Baruntse BC (6140m)
Spare day (6140m)
West Col (6135m) - Panch Pokhari (5445m)
Spare Day (6140m)
Amphu Labtsa BC (5520m)
Amphu Labtsa (5520m) - Chukung (4730m)
Tengboche(3860m)
Namche (3600m)
Lukla (2970m)
Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu (1300m)

[LTLFTC]

Thanks for the links, very helpful.