Just wondering what sort of travel and trekking equipment, are better bought in nepal vs buying at home (australia)?
I will probably be looking at some rain jacket and pants. Water purification tablets. Possibly some merino wool clothing. What about silk items? I am thinking about buying a silk sleep bag liner... but they are so expensive here. I may just end up getting a cotton liner instead.
There are a Lot of things that you can buy Very Cheaply in Kathmandu for your trek, Down Sleeping Bags and Down Jackets, Adequate fleeces, Windstoppers, Waterproof Jackets (They say “Gortex” on the label and invariably aren’t – But they keep you dry enough but don’t expect them to breath !!), Trekking socks and trekking trousers.
But - Personally I would buy the following before you set off from Home
Trekking Boots (Make sure that you have broken them in)
Socks – Over the years I have tried varying combinations and have now settled on Thorlo outers and Bridgedale Liners (Socks are available locally but tend to be wool and apart from being difficult to wash, they can mat up and cause blisters)
Rucksacks, You can buy Rucksacks at a fraction of the price in Nepal to what one with a similar label would cost you at home, The problem is however that All these rucksacks tend to be fakes and often fall apart quickly. Also the carrying systems aren’t nearly as good as the genuine item. If you are doing a trek as a one off, then with careful buying then you can get away with a fake (Make sure that the stitching is good and give a good old Hard Tug on the carrying system) But if you are going to be using your rucksack a lot then Personally I buy mine at home !!
Technical underwear should also be bought at home (2 ways to go and down to personal preference, Natural Fibres such as Angora or Technical, Such as Dry-Flow, Polar Tech etc (Both work well, I usually opt for the latter simply because it dries quicker)
Good Luck and Happy Trekking
Rob
Contributor 
3,450 posts
80 reviews Previous post has lots of information however most importantly you have to buy trekking boots in home because quality boots are very important in Nepal. I am sure that without comfortable boots your trekking won't be enjoyable. I mean non branded quality boots are hard to find in Nepal. Down jackets and sleeping bags are cheap [not branded] and durable for sometime. Pants and shirts are even cheap in Nepal but its very hard to find genuine products here.
Depends what quality you are looking for!
Contributor
2,374 posts
144 reviews In addition to Rob's information - yes, you can get adequate clothing at reasonable prices, fleece jackets, waterproofs (adequate, but I wouldn't use one for trekking in the monsoon !), etc. Perhaps not top quality, but the 'Goretex' coat that I bought years ago (for a fraction of the UK price for a 'reputable' brand) has worked adequately for several years.
I'd definitely agree about boots. Firstly it's better to have bought them in advance and to be certain that they are comfortable and sufficient for the job. Secondly I haven't noticed that they are significantly cheaper in Nepal
I did not want to spend my time in Nepal/ KTM looking for gear, as the above state, quality could be an issue. I did not use my water tablets and bought bottled water daily. It was not too outrageous. Think about what you need, I was on the trail 22 days and did quite well with less , but at a better quality. Check websites etc. for good gear, there are always sales. If you are flying to Lukla , I think your weight limit is 33 pounds.
Hello - in addition to the info above.. specific to Water tablets:
I am at a disadvantage coming from the UAE that has ZERO supply of decent trekking equipment! I will be grabbing a down jacket and waterproof pants on my way to the Lukla flight!
More important to me is buying Katadyn Micropur Chlorine Dioxide tablets!
Will they be readibly available there?
** I don't want to purchase bottled water for environmental impact reasons.
Thanks in advance I arrive Kathamandu in 5 days!!!!!
I agree, also let your trekking agent know of your needs and they can also advise you to places as well, KTM has what you will need , I had no idea you were coming from the UAE. As for bottled water, I understand your point ; it was a decision I made on the trail, I gave my water tablets to a young couple that had little money and were drinking freely the water from the various taps and cisterns on the trail. The trails and Teahouses do an excellent job of maintaining refuse, I was impressed by the overall cleanliness of the trails. Have a wondreful time.
"and ideally I would spend the time in pokhara for acclimatization purposes"
Zero acclimatization taking place in Pokhara ( 800 meters altitude ) or in Kathmandu ( just below 1300 meters ) .
If you know what to look for good down products can be found in Ktm. Check seams and stitching on all clothes and packs carefully . Silk is fantabolous , not only in the Himalayas . Use it daily , and is also very popular today here in N Sweden with reindeer herders in the winter...
