The Golden Rule: Pack Light
Your base pack weight (everything except food and water) should be under 7kg. Every extra kilogram you carry over 170km and 10,000m of elevation adds up to significantly more fatigue, slower days, and less enjoyment.
The TMB has excellent infrastructure — you can buy food, refill water, and even do laundry along the way. You don't need to be self-sufficient.
The Essential Kit
Backpack
- 35-45L pack is plenty for refuge-to-refuge hiking
- Look for: good hip belt, rain cover, side pockets for water bottles
- Our pick: Osprey Atmos AG 50 or Gregory Paragon 38
Footwear
- Trail shoes or light hiking boots — heavy leather boots are overkill
- Must be broken in — at least 100km before your trek
- Bring lightweight camp sandals for evenings
Clothing
- 2x merino wool base layers (one for hiking, one for sleeping)
- 1x hiking shorts + 1x hiking trousers (zip-offs are fine)
- 1x lightweight fleece or puffy jacket
- 1x waterproof jacket (Gore-Tex or equivalent — you will get rain)
- 1x waterproof trousers (lightweight, packable)
- 3x merino socks + 1x liner socks
- Sun hat + warm beanie
- Lightweight gloves (mornings above 2,000m are cold)
Sleep & Shelter
- Silk or cotton liner — most refuges require one (saves carrying a sleeping bag)
- Lightweight sleeping bag only if camping
Rain & Sun Protection
- Waterproof jacket (listed above)
- Pack rain cover
- Sunscreen SPF 50 (the alpine sun is brutal)
- Sunglasses (Category 3 or 4)
Navigation & Electronics
- Phone + offline maps (download your GPX from our planner)
- Power bank (10,000mAh minimum)
- Charging cable
- Headlamp with spare batteries
First Aid & Hygiene
- Blister kit (Compeed patches — non-negotiable)
- Basic first aid: painkillers, anti-inflammatory, tape, antiseptic
- Microfibre towel
- Toothbrush, small toothpaste, biodegradable soap
- Earplugs (refuge dorms are loud)
Food & Water
- 1-2L water capacity (bottles or bladder)
- Water purification tablets or filter (streams are generally clean but be safe)
- Trail snacks for between meals
What to Leave Behind
- Jeans or cotton clothing — heavy, slow to dry, useless when wet
- Laptop or tablet — your phone does everything
- More than 2 changes of clothes — you can wash and dry overnight
- Heavy guidebook — use the digital version
- Full-size toiletries — decant into small containers
- Fears about packing too light — the TMB is well-served, you can buy anything you forgot in Chamonix or Courmayeur
Weight Targets
| Category | Target Weight |
|---|---|
| ---------- | -------------- |
| Pack (empty) | 1.0-1.5kg |
| Clothing | 2.0-2.5kg |
| Sleep system | 0.3-0.5kg |
| Electronics | 0.5-0.8kg |
| First aid & hygiene | 0.3-0.5kg |
| Rain gear | 0.4-0.6kg |
| Total base weight | 5-7kg |
Browse our gear shop for TMB-specific recommendations tested on the trail.
Ready to Plan Your TMB?
Use our interactive planner to build your custom itinerary, find refuges, and download GPX files.
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