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2022 Mountaineering down suits for extreme altitude expeditions - Namas Adventure

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2022 Mountaineering down suits for extreme altitude expeditions - Namas Adventure

Everest summit 8848M

Tendi Sherpa, at the top of the world. Athlete member of Himlai, wearing Himali 8000M down suit

2022 Mountaineering down suits for extreme altitude expeditions

If you have read our 2021 best Mountaineering down suits blog post (link) then those suits are still relevant and solid. There have not been major changes on the brands we listed but there are new players in the game and we believe it’s worth checking them out too. The reason, a lot of these suits performed and made it to the summits of Everest, Makalu, or other extremes/death zone altitude peaks. These new suits in the market can definitely be an option for you.

High-quality mountaineering down suits are a must in any extreme or death zone altitude expeditions. Highly specialized suits and only to be worn high in the Himalayas or during arctic crossing adventures. As you would have already spent a lot on your expedition, high-quality gears are another area where a lot of your expenses (About $7K - $10K USD) will be involved. Cutting corners is not an option, as you would not want to mess up your expedition just because you purchased poor-quality gears. You should be ready to face the weather at extremes during mountaineering adventures at 8000M, such as Mt. Everest, Makalu, Manaslu, or even at 7000M Baruntse, Himlung Himal, or Ama Dablam. Your down suit should be versatile to keep you warm, breathable, and easily adjustable. Below are some of the best 2022 down suits we can recommend for any climbers who are preparing for their 7000M - 8000M+ expeditions in the coming years.

HIMALI - 8000M DOWN SUITS

Himali may be the only brand that gives proper recognition to Nepalese guide members such as Tendi Sherpa, Mingma G (Winter K2 2021), Nima Tenji Sherpa, and Pasang Sherpa, Tashi Sherpa. (Pro-team page). It’s about time, Nepalese Sherpa gets other forms of recognition. Our Kudos to the Himali team 👏🏼

Himali 8000M down suit is designed to withstand the extreme conditions encountered on 8,000m peak expeditions. Built by using Pertex® QuantumPro ripstop nylon shell; it is tightly woven for durability and boasts a built-in microporous coating to repel precipitation. This Down Suit is packed with RDS certified 1000 fill-power HyperDry Down for ultimate premium lightweight warmth. With detail-focused their expedition suit features double chest zippers that work together to stop the wind, keeping this down suit highly functional without adding unneeded weight. The use of bright contrasting color designs helps you to stand out and be seen. It is truly built for the highest and harshest conditions on Earth.

  • 1000 Fill Power RDS Certified HyperDRY™ Down

  • Pertex® Pro

  • Windproof & Waterproof

  • Integrated stuff sack in the left-hand pocket 

  • Eco-DWR coating

  • Water Expanding Thread 

  • Fleece Lined Front Pockets

  • YKK® Zippers

  • Internal Mesh Pockets

  • Large Hood Lip is designed to protect against wind and snow

  • Adjustable Wrist Cuffs

  • Fully Seam Taped

Feathered friends - Expedition Down Suit

Made in Seattle, Washington Feathered friends have been in designing and making expedition down suits for 25 years. The best feature is their down suits are made to order and customizable (3-4 weeks). Their expedition Suit has been the down suit of choice by the world’s foremost mountain athletes and made it to the top of many 8,000m peaks and extensively in the North and South poles. Balancing warmth, weight, and durability, the Expedition Suit is built to defend against the earth’s worst conditions.

  • 900+ Fill Goose Down

  • Waterproof, breathable Pertex® Shield® XT

  • Tuck-stitched/baffled construction

  • Dual zipper front entry

  • Drop seat rainbow zipper

  • Adjustable internal suspender system

  • Leg zips

  • Two internal water bottle pockets

  • Reinforced knees, seat, shoulders and sleeves

  • Articulated arms

  • Napoleon style zippered pockets

  • Two insulated chest cargo pockets

  • Fully adjustable hood

  • D-ring mitt clips

  • Velcro adjustable cuff

We have all seen Millet’s amazing 8000M expedition boots and it’s time we explore their 8000M down suits too. Made with 800 RDS goose down, and ultra thermal protection Millet’s trilogy MPX down suit is built to endure harsh conditions and is a robust expedition suit. The reinforced knees and seat are built to withstand abrasion whilst the functional zip systems including a back opening and two-way zipper at the front allow it to be worn during the full length of your expedition. With large zippers and an adjustable hood, this suit is both helmet and oxygen mask compatible.

  • High protection for expeditions. Knees and buttocks reinforced

  • Delivered with storage pouch

  • Inner support waistband

  • Front fastening with two-way zip, with a large underplacket for thermal protection

  • Zipped drop seat system under wide insulated flap

  • Adjustable at the waist and cuffs

  • Capacious helmet hood, adjustable, oxygen mask-compatible

  • 2 large interior pockets

  • 4 big zipped pockets

  • Cargo pocket on thigh

Everest outfit - 8000M Khang-ri Summit suit

Born, made/tested in Nepal, the Everest outfit Khang-RI summit suit is another expedition suit that was worn by Everest ice fall doctors and route setters. Kami Rita Sherpa (26th Everest Summitier, pictured above) who lead the 2022 spring Everest/Lhotse expedition team to fix the rope can vouch for this made in Nepal suit. If they pro’s can vouch for it and have been tested rigorously then we surely can have our confidence on this suit.

Details are not mentioned on their website. Please contact Everest Outfit for any details.

Montane expedition suits rather come in a 2 piece system. Their expedition jacket and salopettes have been worn by climbers like Jon Gupta to the summit of Everest. Designed for use in the most extreme environments on earth, the Apex 8000 Down Jacket has been developed in conjunction with expedition leading mountaineers and tested in high altitudes of 8000M+. Filled with 500g of the highest quality water-resistant goose down within a box walled construction. With the additional water-resistance of PrimaLoft® insulation in key areas, there is no compromise to functionality or features on this piece of survival gear.

The expedition suits listed are some of the additional down suits we believe interested climbers should explore after all it all comes down to personal preferences once we know that these suits have been tested and worn by climbers during their expedition. Expedition suits are not updated every year like other clothing lines. What should matter is its performance at extremes and you can be confident in the 2021 and 2022 expedition down suits that we have listed in our blogpost. After utility and then it comes down to the brand you prefer, colors, styles, sustainability values, and reviews.

Conclusion

Choose the best one that’s out there in the market. With adventure brands innovating and developing high-quality down suits you have more options now. We have listed (2021 and 2022) some of the most famous down suits out there in the market today. We cannot stress this enough quality (highest) matters. This is the last place on earth where you would not have adequate clothing gear. The game is extreme in the Himalayan altitudes so you’ll need the best of the best which are listed above. Also, we highly recommend you read our 2021 mountaineering down suit blogpost. (Link)

Which mountaineering down suit will you buy for your upcoming extreme expedition? Please comment below :)

Suit up. Climb on.

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11 other essentials items for Mountaineering expedition: Easy to forget but super useful in the mountains - Namas Adventure

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11 other essentials items for Mountaineering expedition: Easy to forget but super useful in the mountains - Namas Adventure

11 other essentials items for Mountaineering expedition: Easy to forget but super-useful in the mountains

Mountaineering expeditions are tricky and when it comes to packing our gears it never ends. Pack, unpack, repack, re-check tour list and repack again. Wait for a few days and you feel you have missed something or you are wondering how can I make my pack lighter & smaller. So begins the process of organizing it and repacking it again. Our guess is you will never be satisfied with the process.

In this post, we have listed 11 essential items that may not look handy but are super useful during your mountaineering expedition. These items are not super-must and are easy to miss but having them in your pack can make your life a little bit easier during your expedition. Consider it mountain luxury at your disposal, adding a bit of comfort to your expedition.

Lip guards (Yes, more than one) & Sunscreen cream SPF 50, 70, or 100 (Also more than one)

SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays

SPF 100 blocks 99% of UVB ray

Extra socks and gloves

We highly suggest you pack at least 1-2 pairs of expedition socks and gloves. There are days when you don’t feel like doing your laundry and having that extra socks is comfort on its own. Gloves are tricky, great if you don’t loose one, but if you do having that backup pair is key as you won’t be able to climb without your gloves. That we can guarantee and frostbite is not the ideal situation you want to experience.

Cold/warm air Mask regulator

This is one of the tools that we would consider essential for every climber. I It is amazing that many climbers are now attempting higher expeditions above 8000M+ like Everest, Makalu, Manaslu etc without supplement O2. (Kudos to the human potential and one’s motivation of pushing themselves) Or even climbing at 6000ers to 70000ers like Baruntse, Himlung, etc peaks. The air is so thin, dry, and crip cold that it takes a toll on our nose. Gross, it may sound but climbers know the issue of the clogged up nose and trying to get rid of this booger and breathing in cold air which is a struggle on its own. These air mark regulators are a godsend. It helps retain the moisture and regulate the cold air you breathe in to somewhat tolerable and a little warm. These are slowly becoming a must-have choice for many professional climbers. We can recommend two products which are listed below.

Thermos flask with a cup

Super handy when things are flexible and accessible especially when camping in high camps. That sip of warm water or tea is a god send and a booster. Imagine just having a cup when you want to drink water in your camps, the value of it is immense.



Nose/cheek Shielder

olympic-skiers-wear-tape-on-face-today-inline-2-180212.jpg

Nothing fancy here the UV rays from the sun and the cold air might be harsh on your cheeks and nose especially. So taping up can protect it from burning up.

Satellite communicator

Want to give peace of mind to your friends and families during your expeditions? Then satellite communicators are your answer. Garmin and other providers allow you to send messages to your loved ones or audience to keep track of your expeditions. (Works in most of the Himalayas Expeditions) You will have to use their subscription plans to be able to connect to the internet and use the features. The great news is you can use their FREEDOM plan when you are in the mountains and cancel it once you are back home.

Extra batteries, power banks and portable solar panels:

Solar technology keeps advancing and that’s great news for everyone. Highly recommend getting portable solar panels that you can just hang on your bag when juicing up your batteries and devices. Especially when you are in the remote corners of the Himalayas or other mountains, the sun is the only source of energy on clear days so you will want to make the best out of it and recharge all those batteries. Goal Zero makes some amazing portable solar panels and other devices that we can highly recommend for expeditions.

Extra Sunglasses

Nothing is more frustrating than losing or breaking your glasses when climbing in the mountains. Reflections from the sun are harsh and strong or even during gloomy days you must have a pair or even impossible to climb without a good visual. So always have an extra glass as a backup option. Plenty of brands out there but we are in love with JULBO pairs 😍.

Pee bottles

One can only understand the comfort of having a pee bottle when you are inside your tent and the temperature outside is freezing below -10C. Having a pee bottle at your reach is always handy when you do not have to keep getting out into the cold and dark to just your little business. That’s why we consider this, one of the musts.

Pro tip: Comes super handy when you are driving and you don’t have a place to make you wee stop 😅.

Nuts, Bars and Energy gels

You will always need that constant supply of nutrients in any form. Be it in solid-food form or liquid through the water. So having nuts, bars, or energy gels is always handy which are pocketable and easier to carry and just reach out when climbing or just resting. There’s plenty of amazing brands out there in the market. Cliff bars, High5 nutrition, SIS, etc

Wet wipes

Showers are a luxury during expeditions and it’s hard to maintain a constant flow of water at some locations or even non-existent. Wet wipes are your answers then. For the most part during the long mountain expedition, climbers understand that they may not be able to take shower for an extended period of time but we can adapt. Take a wet wipe shower (at least that’s what we call it) is a perfect alternative.

Do you have an item that you think is a must, on long expeditions that makes your life a little bit comfortable in the mountains? Please comment below.

And if you are planning mountain adventure in the Himalayas then our team is here at your service. We have yearly 6000M peak expeditions like Mera peak or Chulu West peak for beginners and experienced level climbers. 7000ers such as Baruntse 7129M Peak or Himlung Himal 7134M peak for the explorers or challenge seekers who want to climb higher peaks. 8000ers such as Manaslu 8163M or Makalu 8485M for the ones that want to get into the death zone and summit the Big E, Mt. Everest.

Explore More. Go.

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Namas Adventure team

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