What kind of shoes should you buy?
To choose the right shoes, you need to measure the maximum number of pairs. Try the shoes directly on warm socks, which you would wear during a hike. Choosing the right shoe last is the key in the selection of shoes. Any shoe should be spread before the trip. Even if the shoes do not wear in, you need to get used to them and make sure your feet sit well in them. To do this, go for several day trips. Many models are made using a variety of membranes (GORE-TEX / eVent / SympaTex). In the tours on Kamchatka you will walk streams, snow or rain. We strongly recommend you to buy shoes with membrane materials.
In many of our helicopter tours, you can use trekking sneakers. These are low-sitting but strong shoes, they do not fix the ankle and have soles designed for rough terrain.
In the tours with ascents to volcanoes, you can use wear medium or high boots. They may have flexible soles, but should support your ankle well.
In hiking tours, shoes MUST fix your ankles. Soles should be rigid. Shoes should be high and sturdy. If possible, toe caps should be made of rubber.
In winter tours in Kamchatka, we strongly recommend the use of specialized shoes / boots that can keep your feet warm at temperatures from -250 С (-320 F) to -400 С (-400 F) and lower. These kinds of shoes you will need in almost all of our tours. We recommend that you buy shoes from the Canadian footwear manufacturer «Baffin» or its equivalent.
Sandals / Sneakers.
You will need them to move in the city and around the camp. They will also be needed for crossing rivers (if / when they happen). If you do not want to wear sandals / sneakers for these purposes, then you should buy specialized shoes. They are thigh high rubber boots (waterproof footwear). They can be found without any problem in Petropavlovsk.
How to choose outerwear?
For maximum comfort during your holiday in Kamchatka, your clothes should consist of three layers: base (underwear), middle (warm / heating wear) and outer (membrane). The purpose of these layers is to maintain a comfortable body temperature.
Base layer. Thermal underwear is designed to quickly exhaust the moisture from your body. Thanks to the special materials the moisture is distributed over the entire surface and evaporates from the maximum area and as a result you get dry underwear, which does not stick to your body, and when cooling does not allow the underwear to get supercooled.
Important note! Wear your thermal underwear directly on your body (no T-shirts) and make sure it fits well.
Middle layer. Jackets and sweatshirts from different materials, such as fleece or Polartec. Insulating / warming layer keeps a layer of warm air close to your body. The materials are very light and quick-drying.
Important note! Insulating interlayer must not adjoin the base layer too tightly, because it is designed to store a warm air layer.
Outer layer. Membrane materials are necessary to protect you from wind and rain. The peculiarity of the membrane is that its pores are smaller than raindrops, but larger than the steam particles that evaporate from your body. Thus, the membrane is waterproof, but allows for the sweat to evaporate on the surface.
Important note! Size of membrane clothing must be selected on the same principle as that of for the middle layer: do not allow outer layer to attach to the middle layer too tightly.
Backpack for hiking trails
Backpack. The volume should be from 80 to 100 liters. There should also be the cape to protect the backpack from the rain. Remember that in addition to your personal belongings you will have to carry part of the provisions, a sleeping bag, half of the tent and the camera. It is recommended that before traveling to Kamchatka it’s best to pack a backpack and go to the one-day trip (10 km / 6 mi). In addition to the things that will need for such a one-day hike, please add another 7-9 kg of weight. If you find that a backpack is too heavy, you will have to reconsider your list.
More detailed instructions you will receive from the employees of the company «The Great Adventure».