Trekking: our advice on equipment!

For nature lovers, adventurers and the courageous, trekking is a really good idea! You can discover new landscapes, enjoy the silence of the mountains, contemplate the natural world around you and breathe the air of freedom.

Whether solo or in a group, the joys of trekking are numerous. But to make the most of this outdoor adventure, you need to be able to walk without hurting your feet; carry a comfortable backpack adapted to your morphology; have a light sleeping bag adapted to the outside temperature; a light, sturdy tent for bivouacs in the best spots... In short, you need the right equipment to live this adventure to the full!

To help you make your choice before the big day, we've selected the essentials that are perfect for multi-day trekking.

1. Choosing the right trekking boots

Whether you're trekking for 2 days or more, it's essential to have good, pain-free trekking boots! So choose wisely. You won't choose the same shoes if you're going on a day (or two-day) hike in the low or medium mountains, or if you're going on longer treks in the medium and high mountains. For the former, lightweight walking shoes, trail shoes or hiking boots are all you need. For trekking, you need more protection, support and sturdiness, so you'll need shoes designed for trekking and/or mountaineering.

For multi-day trekking and portaging, we recommend high-top hiking boots with waterproof membranes, stone guards and quality soles.

To find out more, read the following article: How to choose the right pair of hiking boots?

2. Choosing the right trekking backpack

Once again, the choice of backpack is very important. You need to choose carefully, taking into account the following factors: storage volume, practicality, accessories and features, weight and carrying comfort.

For long treks with bivouacs, we recommend backpacks with a capacity of between 50 and 80 liters, so you can carry your sleeping bag, tent and camping gear. We do not recommend backpacks larger than 80 liters for walking, as the load would be too heavy. Backpacks larger than 80 liters are ideal for taking a maximum amount of gear if you're traveling abroad, for example, and can leave some stuff where you sleep (in a hotel, refuge, etc.). To choose a practical hiking backpack, you'll need to look at its various pockets and pocket accesses. You'll be carrying every ounce of your gear, so the weight of the backpack is another factor to consider. Beware, however, that the carrying system can sometimes add weight to your backpack, but relieve you of the burden of carrying it. So it's essential to take an interest in the carrying system that brings you comfort on your journey. This depends on a number of factors, such as

- Rucksack frames, which transfer the weight of the rucksack to your hips while supporting your movements as you walk, making you feel lighter.

- Breathability and moisture evacuation, with a back ventilated by honeycomb materials or a stretched back (with a space between the back and the backpack to allow air to pass through more easily).

- Adjustments: it's important to be able to adjust your backpack to your morphology to optimize carrying comfort.

Find a wide choice of backpacks from the best brands, including Osprey, Lowe Alpine and Deuter.

3. Choosing the right sleeping bag

Trekking also means being able to rest, so you need a comfortable sleeping bag that's light to carry during the day, compressible so it takes up as little space as possible, and warm enough for outside temperatures. To choose the right sleeping bag, look at the 3 temperatures indicated by the brands:

- Comfort temperature: this indicates the temperature at which a person is comfortable, and doesn't feel cold in their sleeping bag.

- The comfort limit temperature: this indicates the temperature at which the person must curl up in order not to feel the cold.

- Extreme temperature: this indicates the temperature at which the person feels the cold in their sleeping bag and risks hypothermia.

It's important to remember that this is the comfort temperature on which you should base your purchase, as it's the one with which you'll spend the most comfortable, and therefore pleasant, nights to continue your journey. If you're a cold person, opt for a sleeping bag with a comfort temperature a little lower than the temperatures you'll be facing.

To choose the right sleeping bag for your trek, you need to take into account the geographical area of your trek, the altitudes where you'll be sleeping, the season and the weather conditions, in order to establish the comfort temperature you need for your sleeping bag.

The filling of the sleeping bag can also be a factor in your choice. Synthetic fill is often heavier and less compressible than down, but more resistant to moisture. It's up to you to adapt your choice according to what you need: if you're going to a damp region, don't choose down but rather synthetic, and vice-versa.

Finally, when it comes to sleeping bag shape, we advise you to opt for the sarcophagus, which optimizes thermal protection, is lighter and less bulky than rectangular sleeping bags (also known as blanket sleeping bags).

To find out more, click here: How to choose your sleeping bag

4. Choosing the right trekking tent

The last step in choosing the right equipment for your trekking trip is to choose a lightweight, sturdy tent to protect you from the elements and insects. In your choice, weight is the most important factor: your tent needs to be light so that you can carry it with all the rest of your equipment without too much trouble.

Next, choose between a 1, 2 or 3-seater tent. A word of advice: if there are 2 of you, opt for a 3-seater trekking tent. When you add the big backpacks, you'll be less cramped than in a 2-seater tent, although it can of course be done, it would just be a little more cramped.

For the choice of shape, it depends on your use. Dome tents (or "igloo tents") are easy to erect, and offer a more spacious living space, but are difficult to windproof, so should be avoided for high-mountain bivouacs. Tunnel tents are much more resistant to wind, provided they are well oriented, but can be more difficult to erect. And geodesic tents offer the best resistance to wind, whatever its direction - the best choice if you're climbing at altitude.

To find out more: How to choose the right tent for camping and bivouac?