For those bitten by wanderlust, an excursion to the mountains in summer is a perfect getaway. For the uninitiated, a week-long trek is apt, while for pros, nothing less than an expedition above snowline will suffice.

Technically, anything above 9,000 feet is high-altitude and anything beyond roughly 16,500 feet in the Himalayan context falls above snowline. In layman’s terms, snowline is the point above which the ground remains permanently covered under snow and ice. Here we shall confine ourselves to camping gear and equipment one may require for a trek below snowline. Equipment like tents, sleeping bags and boots meant exclusively for hiking will prove almost ineffective in any high-altitude mountaineering expedition.

Tents

Camping tents are available in various shapes and sizes, ranging from single-man tunnel tents to four or even six-man dome tents. All tents are made of waterproof fabric, but they can still be broadly classified into three categories—single skin, single skin with flysheet (cover) and double skin. The first type comes with only one waterproof layer. Those with flysheet come with a single cover spread midway to the bottom. The third type comes with a cover that stretches beyond the base of the tent fabric, keeping the inner layer completely insulated from rain and air. A good tent should be light to carry and able to withstand strong winds.

Some of the notable brands are Coleman, The North Face, Black Diamond (all US) Hi-Mountain (Poland), Camp (Italy). Summer tents can start from Rs 4,500 and go up to Rs 10,000.

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