List of things to pack for a hike in the High Tatras, Poland

When packing for a trip to the Tatras, you need to take into account some of the features of this region. In the Polish Tatras it is prohibited to use tents, light fires and walk outside established routes. You can only live in the national park in shelters. Therefore, you won’t need tents, but you may have to take something more interesting. It all depends on the route and the date of travel.

For participants of all hikes in the Tatras:

• construction gloves (2 pairs) - the simplest rag gloves. Needed to protect hands on routes equipped with safety chains and cables
• flashlight - useful in caves, shelters and on long radials
• trekking poles - unload the knees and make movement along the kurumnik safer
• rain protection (raincoat-poncho or membrane jacket + backpack cover) - in the Tatras, as in any mountains, there are often powerful afternoon thunderstorms.
• trekking sneakers or boots - you need durable and comfortable shoes.
• slippers or Crocs - for walking in shelters and apartments in Zakopane. They can also be used for showering.
• hiking clothes (pants, T-shirts, thermal underwear, warm fleece, hat, change of socks) - proceed from the assumption that the weather can change very quickly in the temperature range from +25 to +2. But most often there will be something in between (+20 during the day, +10 at night)
• small backpack (10 liters) - you can use it in radials instead of the main backpack
• powerbank - during long trips to the mountains you may simply not have enough phone charge and you will be left without photos.
• bowl, mug, spoon - light and not too fragile
• medical insurance - required required. Check that the policy includes not ordinary recreation, but active (trekking, extreme sports, etc.)
• individual first aid kit - the instructor will have a general group first aid kit, but a minimum dressing kit, plasters and Everyone should have “personal” medicines

For participants of the Extreme trek to the Tatras:

• backpack (60-80 liters) - for moving your things from shelter to shelter.
• sleeping bag - since we will sleep indoors, you can take a summer sleeping bag with a comfort temperature of about +5.
• mat - in one of the shelters (at 5 lakes) we are almost guaranteed to sleep not in the rooms, but on the floor in the dining room. The floor there is wooden, it's not cold. Accordingly, any rug will do. True, considering that you will only need it 1-2 times, it would be logical to take the most compact and lightest mat you have.
• helmet - on the Eagles Trail and climbing Rysy it is better to constantly move in a helmet. Firstly, there you can simply hit your head on a rock, and secondly, in many areas a stone can fly from above.
• self-belaying mustache and two carabiners - it is better to take large carabiners so that you can easily fasten them to metal chains on the via ferrata route. Ideally, take a special belay device for via ferrata
• system (arbor, lower harness) - needed for self-belaying on the Eagles' Trail and climbing Rysy. Simply put, in order to fasten to safety chains and shackles in dangerous areas

If you are planning to participate in the Extreme Hiking in the Tatras at the beginning of June, then due to the presence of snow on the route, in addition to standard equipment you will need:

• climbing cats - the simplest, softest (tethered) cats are more than enough. Crampons are needed for climbing through the snow to the Zavrat pass (the beginning of the Eagles' Trail) and climbing Rysy. The snowy areas there are relatively short (from 50 to 200 meters), but overcoming them without crampons is extremely dangerous (impossible)
• ice ax - needed for insurance and self-arrest in case of a breakdown in the snow. Without an ice axe, you will actually have no chance to slow down and you will slide down the slope until you crash into the rocks
• eight or another descending device (for example a glass) - most likely you won’t need it, but you can take it just in case
• gaiters (shoe covers) - to protect boots from snow
• hiking boots - rather than sneakers as the main footwear. Such that they don’t get wet too quickly in the snow (it won’t be cold, it will be wet) and fit normally into the crampons.
• sunglasses - for protection from the blinding sun in the snow. You can take regular, non-climbing glasses.

Answers to questions about the equipment list

Which of these should you definitely take?

This question most often arises when looking at the part of the list where ice axes and carbines are mentioned. So, if you are going to go to the Eagles trail and climb Rysy (let me remind you that both of these radials can be skipped) in June, then you need to take all this equipment. Necessarily. If you need additional arguments, read the article about accidents in the Tatras.

Is it possible to rent equipment?

Firstly, you can rent the missing equipment at home (for example, in Kyiv). Then it will cost from 25 to 40 Euros depending on the presence of snow on the route (crampons and ice axe). Write and we will tell you the contacts of a trusted rental point. Secondly, the equipment can be taken already in Poland. It will cost 4 times more (from 65 to 160 Euros), but less junk will have to be lugged across the border. If you are going on the Extreme route, then you need to rent a car in Zakopane, and you can do this not on the first day of the trip, but on the second, in order to save a little. If you are participating in a regular hike in the Tatras, then you can rent a helmet immediately before climbing Rysy, at the Morskie Oko shelter. Read more about prices and rental conditions in the Tatras in this article.

Kirill Yasko, May 22, 2018