Proper packing can make or break a trip, too much can be a burden, and less can be a hassle. Below is a consolidated list (from different sources) of the essential equipments that a Lakwatseros' member should have.
Individual equipments
Backpack
An ideal backpack would be large enough to contain all the gear and provisions you will need for a certain trip. Since backpacks come in design and several sizes, make sure your backpack should also be sturdy enough to endure for rough handling and carrying heavy loads. The Internal Frame Pack: Are designed to hug the body more closely and give the arms room to move. They provide good balance on steep ascents and ease of movement when moving along narrow trails. Features like lumbar pads increase comfort and compression straps help balance the load in the sack. Since an internal frame pack is supported only by two parallel stays, you must balance your load with more care than you would when using an external.
Hiking shoes
Some trekkers consider their shoes as being their most essential piece of personal equipment. Trekking sandals are extremely light, but they are not going to give you good support or protect your feet. A good pair of shoes is sturdy enough to withstand heavy use and exposure to the elements. There are two types of materials or fabrics used to fabricate shoes used in tropical climates, the all-leather shoes and the lightweight shoes. The all leather shoe is usually sturdier, more supportive and water repellent, but is warm and heavy. The lightweight shoe is lighter and cooler but less water resistant and provides less ankle support. A shoe with a low impact sole is to be preferred to a shoes with an aggressive sole. These new soles provide good traction while helping minimize your impact upon the trail and help prevent erosion.
Sandals
After a long day of walking/ climbing, having a pair of slippers is a good way of relieving the swelling and is also convenient and a low impact way of moving around the campsite because of its mild traction.
Sleeping Pad (Earth pad)
Made of synthetic material that should be large enough to accommodate your whole upper body. This serves as your barrier from water and the cold ground and protection from the small stones under the tent which are unavoidable.
Flash light / Head lamp and Batteries
Your primary source of light at the campsite since there will be no other light source other than the moon and stars in the night sky. Using a headlamp can give you an advantage of freeing your hands while cooking for dinner or preparing your things in the dark.
Water containers
It’s important to keep yourself hydrated at all times. You can buy cheap wide-mouth bottles if you can’t afford a Nalgene. A bladder is also a convenient alternative since you can fold it and takes less space to carry. If you are really on a budget, you can re-use water bottles with thick plastic material you can easily buy at the nearest convenient stores and refill them with water.
Mess kit with spoon and fork
Preferably aluminium because it’s light, easy to clean and have a higher melting point that can also be used for cooking. You can also bring a “Spork” which is a hybrid of spoon and fork to lessen the weight of your load.
Trail water and Trail food
Ideally , 1 Liter of water is enough while on trail. Make sure you are fully hydrated before starting the trek. Avoid drinking in huge gulps but in sips instead also learn to tolerate a certain period of hours without any water intake, two hours at best. It will be your responsibility to bring extra load of water if it’s in your nature to consume a lot of water.
Trail foods are helpful in eliminating hunger and exhaustion during trekking. It can even act as your main meal if you fail to eat during meal time due to delayed itineraries. It should not induce thirst, since it would induce the climber to consume more water. Easy to prepare and should require little or no cooking at all. Time and fuel constraints must be considered. Samples of trail food: Crackers, nuts, candies, chocolates, fresh or dried fruits, corn flakes, pre-packed gelatins and the eternal G.O.R.P. (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts).
Enough set of clothes
Know how many days you’ll be on the trip and just bring enough. Pack one set (preferably the one you’ll be going home with) separately and wrap it to keep it dry. For under wears, I prefer to buy those disposable ones you can buy at Watsons and Mercury drug. They’re clean and convenient to carry and easy to dispose. Well if you’re on the kinky side, that edible underwear will also do.
Stuff sacks
Ideal for organizing your clothes and equipments in group. Colour coding your sacks will help to identify which sacks contains which items so you don’t have to take all your stuffs out of your bag and check if you got the correct sack.
First aid kit
This is the item you hope you don’t need to use but have to bring along. You can buy a set from any drugstores or just build your own. The kit has the usual alcohol/ disinfectants, cottons, bandages, band aids and medicines. Medicines would include diarrhea tablets, if you ate something bad during your trip, Ibuprofen-Paracetamol, for fevers, headaches and muscle pains, some liniments like efficacent oils for muscle pain and colds and some puritabs as well if you have questionable water source.
Mini Folding Umbrella / Cap / Wide brimmed hat
Whether for that unbearable heat during summer or that sudden downpour of cats and dogs, make sure you have anyone of these for protection from the elements. A folding umbrella has the advantage of portability, but if you think you look like a sissy using you grandma’s floral umbrella during the summer heat, a fashionable cap or Wide Brimmed Hat would do.
Arm / Leg warmers
When walking under the scorching heat of the sun, sometimes you just opt for a T-shirt with Arm Warmers instead of a long sleeved shirt because it might feel more comfortable. In addition, it is also more flexible as you can just take them off when you want to.
Towellete / Malong
Instead of bringing those large towel which is thick and heavy, a nice small towelette, enough to keep you dry and cover your essentials after a shower would do. It dries up faster than a large towel as well. A large Mindanao-batic Malong is also a suitable fashionable alternative. It can be used as a blanket, a towel and even to cover you up when changing wardrobe in public places.
Bandanas
Large bandanas are better than small hankies. Not only can it be used to wipe off that sweat, it is large enough to be a towelette for face rinsing and be used as bandage during emergencies.
Kikay / Kikoy kit
Unless you want to end up looking like a taong grasa along the road, bringing basic hygiene kits helps to keep yourself clean and tidy. Basic kit can have a set of soap, tooth brush, toothpaste, and shampoo, with cottons, cotton buds, deodorants, alcohols/alcogels and sun block would do. You can also add a dash of perfume there if you want. Daily vitamins or supplements can also be put here. Try to buy small containers where you can put your shampoos instead of buying those large shampoo containers or sachets that can be messy after use.
Toilet / Tissue paper
Can be used on just about anything, from wiping clean those utensils and plates, cleaning your camera lenses, and of course when “nature calls” (just make sure to dispose of it properly).
Wind Breaker / Rain Gear / Poncho
Being in a tropical country, a sudden tropical depression, even in the midst of summer can rain on your parade. If you find yourself hiking along the Cordillera Mountains in the north and met a wailing wind of banshee on the hill along with a torrent of rain, keeping yourself dry will prevent you from getting that dreadful hypothermia.
Money
Ideally bring extra cash or an ATM card as back up for the trip. Always bring it with you during transit. Be discreet counting cash in public places. Leave all the unnecessary items inside your wallet.
Cellular phone and other means of communication
Identification Card
Any kind of identification you can carry during a climb is helpful.
Dog Tag and Whistle
Your name tag (with your blood type) and whistle should always be worn during a climb for emergency use. A very useful way of using a whistle is to get the attention of the other participants when you get lost in the trail.
Lighter and Matches
Bring at lest 3 lighters or match boxes and waterproofed it individually. Placing it in different locations inside the pack heightens the chances of still having a dry one just in case the backpack gets soaking wet.
Folding Knife
This is a small and compact knife which can be folded into its handle for convenience and protection
An example is the Swiss Army Knife. It often has other accessories such as a can opener, a saw, a screwdriver and other useful tools. The blade is used for cutting rope, cooking, whittling and other camp chores.
Notebook and Pencil
Don’t lose the important information. Just jot down important notes for documentation purposes, lodging contact numbers which may be useful in the future or that beautiful lady’s cell number you asked directions earlier.
Plastic Bags and Trash Bags
Bring extra for other purposes. Prefer the “clear" cellophanes because it’s easier to look for a gear when it is fully stuffed.
Cameras, memory cards and extra batteries
Again for documentation purposes, if you’re not really a Photographer, a good old point and shoot will be handy and compact for travelling. As they say, “It’s not really on the camera but in the eye and composition.” And don’t forget the regular “I was here” photos!
Group Equipments
The group equipment is divided among the members of the group. Each is assigned a specific equipment to bring. If a climber fails to participate in the climb because he/she got sick, it is his/her responsibility to bring his/her assigned group equipments and group food to the assembly place before the climb.
Tent
One of the most basic hiking gears is the camping tent. In most overnight climbs, a tent would be required. A tent offers cold, rain, and wind protection for both the camper and his gear; it also protects against animals, insects, and falling branches, especially when camping in dense jungles. Tent is categorized as group equipment, so don't be oblige to buy one if there are enough tents to provide lodgings to all the participants of the event.
Stoves and cook set
In mountain climbing, the question of food – “How do you eat when you’re up there?” is answered by stoves and cook sets. Gone are the days when campfires are the mainstay for cooking food while on camp; it is not only impractical, but also potentially hazardous to the environment. Thus, with the development of portable stoves running on butane and other fuels, cooking and eating in camp has become a mountaineering custom.
Camping Lamp
Having a camping lamp for a group is useful when eating dinner and group socials.
Map and Compass
Must be waterproofed and accessible at all times. A topographic map (scale 1: 50,000) of the area to be climbed is available at the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA). The compass may be the lensatic type or protractor type. The latter is more convenient when used in conjunction with the map.
Trowel
Can be useful for burying human waste in the wilderness. Since trowels are made primarily for gardening, it comes in various sizes and weight so choose the lightest one.
Credits:
UPM Basic Mountaineering Wiki
Pinoy Mountaineering
Ironwulf
