Dialing in your gear for a big-time hiking trip like the K2 Base Camp Trek can make or break your experience. There are a lot of items to consider and certain things that you might take for granted at sea level might prove to be worth their weight in gold in the mountains.
Camping for days on end and living a more primitive existence than one is used to also present unique challenges for women. Based on conversations we had along the trek, this article is the culmination of real-world feedback and input from our female members.
So… future ladies of the Baltoro; the sage advice presented below will help you better prepare yourself for a more comfortable experience during the challenge ahead – with the goal being that you get out into the mountains without thinking “I wish I had brought that thing”.
Let’s dive right into it…
1. Kula Cloth (pee cloth)
A Kula Cloth aka “the pee cloth” – is kind of like people’s preference for the herb corriander; they either love it or hate it.
The women in the former camp swear by it as it significantly cuts down on the amount of toilet paper one needs to use on a daily basis, while also cutting down on the conspicuous mounds of used paper that crop up along the hiking path like little balled-up mushrooms.
This anti-microbial piece of cloth might just change the way you “pee on the fly” in the backcountry.
2. Face and Hand Moisturizer
“Tell them they need to bring tubs of cream!” is one of the quotes we got this year.
When at high altitudes where the weather is cold and dry and the sun fierce, your skin tends to suffer way more on a day to day basis. This environment seems to dry people out like the Sahara desert dries out sand – and the only way to keep your skin (especially the fingertips) from turning into a dry, cracking mess by the trip’s end it to employ a generous, and daily hand and face moisturizing regimen.
The feedback we got is that a small, travel-sized peasant ration is not enough for the skin hydration needs of the average Baltoro lady – so consider bringing a proper bottle of face and hand cream to keep your skin happy in these trying alpine conditions.
3. Hair Oil / Leave in Conditioner
For women with longer hair, the struggle is real to keep their hair from becoming a scientific replica of a spotted owl’s nest after a few weeks of trekking in Pakistan.
Along the K2 Base Camp Trek, we might have the opportunity to have a hot bucket shower where hair washing is possible only once or twice. This means hair can need a bit of extra nourishment/alternative care – and a nice solution/supplement can be hair oil or leave in conditioner – both to de-tangle and to nourish the hair before sleeping.
4. Fingernail File and Nail Clippers
Fingernail hygiene and maintenance are an often overlooked aspect of the trek. Your hands are in daily contact with a ton of dirt, dust, and blunt objects like rocks – all of which can damage your nails, especially if they are on the longer side (which you might find out quickly to be a big pain the ass).
Also, long toenails can cause quite a bit of discomfort in your hiking boots, so keeping them short and manicured is a no-brainer for a big hiking trip like this.
The point being, packing a small, compact nail file and clippers is basically essential.
5. Lip Balm
Like the skin care suggestions above, here is another gender neutral essential for both men and women; the ever-sacred lip balm
This is one of those things that if you lose on the trek or if you forget it altogether – you are pretty much guaranteeing that your mouth will look like the apocalypse has manifested on your face by the trip’s end.
First suggestion: bring more than one tube of lip balm. You will be astounded at the rate one can go through lip balm on the K2 Base Camp Trek, plus you have a back-up tube just in case.
We suggest you bring SPF lip balm in both the stick form (for ease of use) and also in the tube that you can squeeze out (for maximum quantity and coverage).
Hey – go crazy – bring three tubes just to be sure you have enough and avoid any possibility of the dreaded Baltoro apoca “lips”.
6. Underwear Material Choices
The essential garment – the humble underwear – will always come down to personal preference.
Based on advice from previous female team members, they suggest going with a Merino material versus cotton for a few reasons.
As is true with Merino socks, the Merino underwear “use clock” is longer than cotton – meaning you can reasonably wear one pair for a few days, then wash it. Merino also tends to dry quicker than cotton – which is beneficial whether we are talking about sweat drying or the air dry after a quick wash in the river next to camp.
7. Freshette Pee Funnel + Pee Bottle
Over breakfast in the mornings during the trek, we hear from just about every team member that they got up between 1-4 times to pee during the middle of the night.
How does one avoid needing to leave the comfort and warmth of the tent to answer nature’s call every night of the trek?
While men are anatomically better suited to the tried and true pee-in-the-bottle strategy – there are a few devices out there that allow women to do the exact same thing.
The most suggested item for achieving the above-mentioned results from our group is the Freshette Pee Funnel.
Bring a clearly marked “pee bottle” spare Nalgene to be used in combination with this device and cut down or eliminate the night forays out of your tent – which is especially welcomed in a snow or rain storm.
8. The Menstrual Cup vs Tampons/Period Underwear
Out of all the items mentioned on this list – the topic of how to manage a period cycle on the trail is often the least agreed upon.
Some women swear by the menstrual cup (diva cup) as it means you don’t need to bring tampons and the like or worry about disposal. One obvious potential issue we can think of is the need to sterilize and wash the cup throughout the day – which again some ladies manage to do. On a hut-to-hut trek in Nepal for example, this would be no problem, but in the wilds of Pakistan – there are certain days on the trek where this is challenging.
Others will tell you that this is the wrong move, and it is better to bring plenty of tampons or period underwear. It comes down to your personal preference. We suggest you try multiple options on a shorter trek back home to see what works for you before committing to an option you are unfamiliar with on a long trek.
9. Feminine Wipes
In case you have not caught on by now, the “wish we had these items” topics that have mattered most to our past female team members on the K2 Base Camp Trek revolve around moisturizing products, sun protection kit, and feminine-specific self-care and hair products.
Having antimicrobial feminine wipes are recommended for daily use to help prevent UTI infections and with the general cleanliness of these sensitive regions.
10. Hair Brush + Hair Ties
Again for women with longer hair, bringing a hair brush might seem obvious – but it is common to hear the phrase “can I borrow your brush” in the mess tent.
When combined with hair oil, the humble brush can be a more effective duo than even having a proper shampoo to detangle and nourish the hair in the dry Karakoram environment.
Hair ties and bobby pins for women are almost on the same level of sanctity as lip balm; if you forget these little pieces of elastic, your hike will be less comfortable for a variety of reasons so pack plenty of them as they weigh nothing.
Extra Clothing and Cold Weather Gear
Though our K2 Packing List is pretty thorough, here are a few more suggestions from our past female clients for a few bits and pieces of extra gear:
- Thin Sun Gloves: The Karakoram sun can be brutal on exposed hands, so consider packing a light, thin pair of gloves to be warn at all times when hiking for an extra layer of protection.
- Extra cold weather gear: While this recommendation too is not gender specific, we tend to get more females saying they “run cold” or are “cold sleepers” than men. For extra warmth and comfort, consider packing down booties, down pants, a fleece neck gaiter, Merino summit socks, and extra think Merino leggings.
Wrap Up: Essential Items for Women on the K2 Base Camp Trek
All of the little details that go into preparing for a trip like the K2 Base Camp Trek in Pakistan can feel overwhelming – but it does not have to be! We hope you gained some insights from the lady trekkers who came before you and now have some ideas on what extras to pack for yourself for this once-in-a-lifetime trip.
If you follow the solid advice and recommendations from our past female clients found in this article, then you are bound to come into this trek better prepared to achieve comfort in a difficult alpine arena than most people.
As we like to say here at Epic Expeditions: preparation is 80% of the game that sets up a successful expedition!
Did we leave anything off this list that you might recommend to other ladies keen to do the K2 Base Camp Trek or something similar? Let us know in the comments!
