What to pack for a summer trip to the Tatra Mountains? A checklist

What should you pack in your rucksack so you don’t have to lug a ton of stuff around, but still stay warm? A tried-and-tested list of things that really come in handy (and those you can leave at home).

Packing for the mountains is an art. Take too little – you’ll get cold or wet. Take too much – you’ll be cursing on every climb that your rucksack weighs a tonne. Here’s my subjective ‘Must-Have’ list for a one-day summer trip.

1. Clothes: The ‘Layering’ System

It’s +25 degrees in Zakopane, so you’re going in short sleeves? Mistake. At 2,000 metres, it’s windy, and the wind chill can drop to +5 degrees.

• Jacket: Anything to protect against rain and wind. A thin membrane jacket, a softshell, or, as a last resort, even a plastic poncho for 5 zł. You must have something to block the wind.
• Sweatshirt/Fleece: Even in July. When you’re standing on the ridge, sweaty, and the wind picks up, you’ll be glad you’ve got that fleece in your rucksack.
• Boots: They don’t have to be heavy-duty hiking boots costing 1000 zł. But please – no trainers with flat soles. You need a tread to avoid slipping on mud and wet rocks.

2. First Aid Kit (Minimal Version)

Don’t take the whole bathroom cabinet with you. What’s actually useful?

• Plasters for grazes: Plenty. Different sizes. Compeed blister plasters are worth their weight in gold.
• NRC foil: That silver-gold blanket. It costs next to nothing, weighs as much as a sheet of paper, and saves lives in the event of hypothermia.
• Something for pain relief: Ibuprom or Paracetamol. If you get a headache in the sun, the descent will be a nightmare.

3. Electronics and Safety

• A fully charged phone: A no-brainer.
• Power bank + cable: In the mountains, your phone struggles to get signal and the battery drains before your very eyes. You won’t get far without a power bank.
• The “Ratunek” app: Download it at home. It’s a single button that sends your GPS location to TOPR rescuers. A must-have.

4. Fuel (Food)

Sandwiches taste better in the mountains than anywhere else in the world – that’s a fact. What else?

• Kabanos sausages: A classic. They don’t melt and give you energy.
• Chocolate/Energy bars: A quick sugar fix for a pinch (a so-called ‘power cut’).
• Cash: At the Pięć Staw mountain hut or on Ornak, card machines sometimes don’t work. Fancy some apple pie? Make sure you’ve got cash.

What NOT to take? (The ‘shame’ list)

• Jeans: The worst trousers for the mountains. They’re heavy, restrict movement, and if they get wet, they take a week to dry and make you cold.
• Umbrella: Seriously, you see this. On a ridge, an umbrella acts like a sail (it’ll blow you away) or a lightning rod. Give it a miss.
• Glass bottles: They’re heavy and can break. Transfer the water to a plastic bottle or a water bottle.

Packed? Right then, let’s go. How about starting with Gęsia Szyja? You won’t get tired from carrying things there, and the views are brilliant.