Torres del Paine Essential Gear Checklist
Backpack • Tent • Technical Items • Galley Items • Comfort Items • Toiletries • Full List
Trekking a new location means lots of research on not just the area itself, but the gear you will need to survive on the trail. Torres del Paine is no exception to this rule. Some things are standard; tent, sleeping bag, mess kit…others might surprise you! In this post we are going to provide you with the ultimate Torres del Paine gear checklist, as well as our recommendations on what gear/brands out perform the rest. We’ve also included links to where you can purchase these items for the best price. The best part about our product recommendations? Every product on the list has been field tested by myself or another contributor to 51° South. We’ll event tell you what NOT to take through our hard learned lessons. Let’s gear up!
Your Backpack
There’s another post on this site titled The Core 3: Backpack, Tent & Sleeping Bag, and if you’ve already read it, you know why choosing the right backpack can make or break your trekking experience. If you haven’t read it, here’s the gist: a good backpack will become part of your body. After a the initial adjustment period, you won’t even realize it’s there. This allows you to focus on the trail and the scenery instead of counting hours to your next camp. Furthermore, a well balanced, technically sound backpack plays a huge role in safety by keeping the weight distributed properly. This helps you balance, and keeps you from over compensating, putting excess strain on your joints, and injuring yourself. Check out Gear Lab’s post on How to Choose the Right Backpacking Backpack for an in depth guide on picking one that is right for you.
While Blaine and I aren’t full-blown ultralight backpackers, we do prefer ultralight, frameless backpacks. Here are the two packs we used for the “O” Trek in 2019, and our reasons why they are the best backpacks for hiking Torres del Paine:
Who is it for: the Circuit is a great all around pack that will perform well for just about anyone on any hike. Bonus: the Circuit has been noted as one of the best backpacks for trekkers with back problems.
We are big fans of Utah based company ULA Equipment, and both of us trekked Torres del Paine with different models of their packs. What makes ULA so great is…well everything! Not only do they have the best selection of ultralight, frameless packs, each one is fully customizable. From the torso length to the hip belt size and even the shape of the straps, the backpack you get from ULA will be made for YOU. The Circuit weighs in at less than 41oz with an impressive 68L of space. And while the Circuit is technically frameless, it does come equipped with a removable aluminum back support that you can shape to the curvature of your back, or take out completely. This pack performed GREAT on the trail, and despite it taking a beating, it held up like a champ! Don’t forget to get a pack cover for the rainy days!
Who is it for: the CDT is for anyone who is serious about ultralight backpacking and knows that every oz counts. This pack will be best for someone who packs light. For longer treks, be prepared to get creative with your space.
The CDT is pretty much the Circuit’s baby brother. But that doesn’t make this pack any less impressive! The CDT packs an unbelievable 54L of space, while only weighing in at 24oz. Yep, only 24oz. This pack is a true frameless backpack, and the only support you’ll get is from the stiff foam panel that slides down the inside back pocket, so it’s critical that you load up your gear properly. I was so impressed with the way this pack handled the weight I stuffed into it; I was definitely pushing the max load capacity at the beginning of our trek. This pack did an excellent job distributing the weight so that I could barely feel it. The frameless design is ultra comfortable, and hugs your body for great stability and balance. All ULA packs are super durable, and the CDT is no exception. Don’t expect to find lots of additional frills and features; the CDT is an awesome pack, but getting that weight down to just 24oz meant cutting out any features that weren’t 100% necessary. Don’t forget the pack cover!
A sometimes overlooked trekking essential is the day pack. Especially in a place like Torres del Paine where there are lots of short trails around the campsites for exploring. This pack is ultra lightweight, water resistant (really, almost waterproof) and comes with a stuff sack that packs the whole thing down to about the size of your fist. We used this backpack all over South America! It’s abrasion resistant material held up great hike after hike.
Stuff sacks are crucial to pack organization, especially if you are using a frameless backpack. They help keep your items organized, and provide much needed structure to your pack which will help the weight distribute more evenly. These sacks are particularly awesome because not only are they totally waterproof (inside and out), they are ultra lightweight! We have used these on our travels all over the world. Even when we aren’t backpacking, we use them for suitcase organization or easy go-bags.
The Tent
The most important thing to consider when deciding which tent to bring on your Torres del Paine trek is the crazy Patagonia wind. Katabatic winds wreak havoc on both sides of the Cordillera Paine. Winds have been known to reach up to 110 mph (180 kph) in the summer months which is more than likely when you will be visiting. If you haven’t decided when to travel yet, check out my guides on Hiking the “O” and “W” Treks where I make my case for traveling in spring instead of summer.
Regardless of what time of year you go, Patagonia’s weather is exceptionally unpredictable and you could find yourself experiencing all four seasons in the course of a few hours, so you need a tent that can hold up to those conditions.
We’ll give you two great options below: the tent that we used (and loved!) for the “O” Trek in 2019, and the tent we WISH we would have bought specifically for Torres del Paine.
Who is it for: The Naturehike Cloud Up 3p is for anyone traveling in a group of 2 or 3 hikers, and who doesn’t want to spend an outrageous amount of money on a tent. Naturehike’s tents are also exceptionally quick and easy to pitch, so even if you’re not an experienced camper, you’ll have this one up in no time. Traveling alone? No worries! Naturehike makes the Cloud Up model in 1, 2, and 3 person sizes. The Naturehike Cloud Up is also great for ultralight backpackers as the 3 person version only weighs 3.4 lbs (54.4 oz).
Ok, I’ll admit it, this is a budget tent. But you know what? I’m a budget shopper! I’m always looking for the best bang for my buck and balancing quality with price. Furthermore, because this tent was cheaper to begin with, I decided to upgrade to the 3 person model so we could store our gear inside instead of in the vestibule. To be 100% honest, I’ve been really impressed with this tent every time we’ve used it, including the way it held up to the demanding conditions of the “O” Trek. Sure, there are things I would change, but all in all, we were very happy with how our every-day, average Joe tent performed at Torres del Paine. This tent flattened out a little during a pretty hectic storm on our first night, but it remained upright and totally waterproof! While I’m not going to sit here and tell you that this is the best tent on the market, it has certainly done a great job for us, and you can’t beat the price! We saw three or four other backpackers along the “O” trek with Naturehike tents, so it looks like other trekkers are learning that just because a tent comes with a lower price tag doesn’t mean it’s poor quality.
Who is it for: Serious backpackers or anyone willing to spend a little more on their tent. Also great for trekkers that like to travel off the beaten path to places where the elements can be a little more extreme.
We saw TONS of MSR tents on the Torres del Paine circuit, and for good reason. After speaking to other backpackers using the MSR Elixir, we were a little envious. Due to their more domed shape, these tents did a phenomenal job withstanding the wind. And while it’s always great to have a snow/rain flap on the bottom of your rain fly, it makes for some noisy nights if the wind is howling. The MSR did away with the snow flap in this model, but still provided its users with a totally waterproof experience. As our Naturehike continues to wear, we will definitely be looking at this tent as our next upgrade option. And although we didn’t test this item personally, we don’t have any hesitations recommending it after seeing firsthand how it performed in Patagonia.
Technical Items
Technical items are all the bits and bobs you back on a backpacking or camping trip that are not galley related or comfort items. These items are things like zip ties, lighters, headlamps, etc. It’s pretty easy and fairly common to forget something from this category that seems trivial, but makes your life difficult if you need it and don’t have it. For that reason, here is our list of essential technical items for trekking Torres del Paine:
Life Straw (optional)
We bring these with us on every hike we go on, but the water in Torres del Paine is crystal clear and 100% clean. We didn’t even take these out of our packs.
Line/Cordage
We didn’t sue this for much, but I always recommend having some thin, high strength line (rope) with you on any trek you complete. This can be used if a guyline snaps, or for casualty/gear recovery.
If you use this charging bank, make sure to charge it in full daylight at camp in the afternoons. You won’t get a big enough charge just letting it hang off your backpack while you’re hiking.
Cable Ties
Lighters (camping stove ignitions can be dodgy)
Galley Items
Galley items are everything you need to need to prepare drinks or meals on the trail. When shopping for various galley items, you always want to consider weight and space, as these items can sometimes be quite bulky. Also look for items with multi-functional purposes; the more versatile an item is, the more valuable it is to your kit! Here is our list of essential galley items for trekking Torres del Paine:
Most mess kits come with cutlery, but it’s usually pretty worthless. I advise purchasing nice, lightweight set of camping cutlery separately
Thermal insulated water bottle
A nice metal one like HydroFlask can also double as a myofacial roller in camp!
Small mug for tea/coffee (optional)
We didn’t use these that often. The mess kit listed above comes with drinking lids for the soup bowls, and we used these way more for tea/coffee
Cooking fuel
Sponge
Dish Rag (comes with camping towel)
ZipLoc Bags
Bring about 50% more than you think you need.
Garbage Bags
4-5 individual bags should be enough
Comfort Items
Comfort items are…well…exactly what they sound like! These items are anything that is going to play into the overall creature comfort of your backpacking experience. Its very important to get these items right to ensure you get some good rest in camp. Here are our favorite comfort items for trekking Torres del Paine:
There are lots of different factors that go into choosing a sleeping bag for your trek. The first thing you’ll have to decide on is if you want down or synthetic. There are pros and cons to each, and REI has a great comparison article that can help you make your decision. As a semi-ultralight backpacker, I always use down bags. They are lighter and generally pack down smaller than their synthetic counterparts. Next is the temperature range; for Torres del Paine in Spring-Fall, you’ll want something rated for temps as low as 30° F (-1° C). I’m a big fan of all Nemo sleeping bags, but the Tango might be my favorite. The Tango is what happens when a sleeping bag has a baby with a camping quilt. You get the best of both worlds! The Tango will fit a standard 25” sleeping pad (or two if you buy the two person duo - pictured here). The foot sack and head cover wrap around the underside of the sleeping pad sleeve to create an enclosure at each end, but the top quilt does not zip down the sides. This allows you to curl up and snuggle into Nemo’s ultra soft down camping blanket as if you were in your bed at home, but with the added convenience of your feet and head staying toasty warm. Oh, and in case you forget to open the condensation flap on your tent, the Tango is waterproof!
Your sleeping pad is almost, if not more, important than your sleeping bag. Once again, there are two main types of sleeping pads: inflatable and foam. While an inflatable sleeping pad will save space in your pack, I have found them to be heavier and not as insulating as their foam counterparts. It’s true, foam sleeping pads do take up a lot of space, but they are ultra light. Furthermore, foam sleeping pads can be strapped to the outside of your pack so you’re not sacrificing the much needed space inside. The Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Foam pad is unbelievably insulating. My husband rolled over and pushed me off of my sleeping pad one night in Torres del Paine, and the temperature difference between being on the pad and off the pad was SHOCKING. I don’t know how Therm-a-Rest does it, but even on cold nights, you’d never know you were sleeping outdoors. The water bottle in the photo is only for perspective on size.
Once again, you’ll be faced with the inflatable or not inflatable question. Maybe I’m just biased against inflatable sleeping items, but when it comes to getting much needed rest on your backpacking trip, I just don’t think inflatable pillows or sleeping pads hold up to the comfort of other options. Buying inflatable comfort items used to be about cutting down weight at the cost of…well, comfort. But with the new technology that’s out there, you really don’t have to make that sacrifice anymore. This pillow from Therm-a-Rest packs down pretty small, and weighs only 9 oz. The best part? Once you fluff it up, it puffs up to a medium density pillow that will almost have you convinced you took it off your bed at home. How’s that for efficiency and comfort?! To save space, I strapped mine to the outside of my backpack, and the stuff sack/cover held up great even when scraped against branches and rocks.
A good camping towel is lightweight, packs down tight, drys quickly and doesn’t smell. And that’s what you get with the Wise Owl microfiber camping towel set. It comes with a large, bath towel sized personal towel, and a smaller wash cloth. We used our smaller towels for cleaning/drying cookware, and our large towels for the showers.
Toiletries & First Aid
These items largely depend on your personal preferences, but it’s always good to have a comprehensive list to base your decisions on. So, here is our list of essential toiletries and first aid items to carry with you on your hike through Torres del Paine. Keep in mind, we obviously did not use all of these items, but it’s important to have them in case of emergency. You’ll notice I haven’t linked anything in this section. This is because you can purchase everything on this list at your local drug store for much cheaper (or at least the same price) than you would online.
Ibuprofen (Advil) or other pain killer
Pepto Bismol or other stomach settler
Dayquil/Nyquil
Sunscreen
Bug Spray/Cream
Band-Aids
Neosporin or other disinfectant salve
Gauze Pads
Sterile Wipes or Alcohol Wipes
Moleskin or Blister Pads like Compeed
Tweezers
Athletic Compression Wrap
Anti-Bac Wipes or Sanitary Wipes
Hand Sanitizer
Small pack of Kleenex
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Deoderant
Shampoo
Chapstick (Carmex is best)
Ladies or men with long hair - extra hair ties
A couple bobby pins
Hairbrush or Comb
So I mentioned above that we did not use all of the items on this list, and that lots of them were brought for precautionary measures only. Now, let me tell you about the items we wre SO GLAD we had:
Dayquil/Nyquil - I don’t know if we both had some kind of allergic reaction to something in the park or if we just both came down with traveler’s colds. Either way, every night when we got into our tent, both of us got really congested. Having that Nyquil with us was a life saver; we wouldn’t have gotten any sleep without it. In the morning, we would wake up a little congested but by the time we got on the trail it would subside. I still don’t know what was wrong with us, but I’m glad we prepared for that kind of scenario.
Ibuprofen (Advil) or other pain killer: I did not expect to need this as much as I did. To make a long story short, an old piriformis injury from over 4 years ago decided to act up about two days into our “O” Trek. It wasn’t bad enough to make me consider stopping, but it was bad enough to make me limp a little…in addition to LOTS of stretching in camp, I started taking two Advil every morning before getting on the trail. It didn’t cure the pain completely, but let me tell you, it mad a HUGE difference and a much more enjoyable trek.
Chapstick (Carmex) - this is an absolute must! Between the cooler climate and the hectic winds, your lips will get chapped. Badly chapped. You will absolutely need some kind of chapstick, but we recommend Carmex. It’s a medicated lip balm that will not only moisturize your lips, it will prevent cold sores, and heal any that you may have already contracted.
Sunscreen - Ok…I forgot to pack this…(you see?! That’s what happens when you don’t have a comprehensive list!!). It would have been awesome to have sunscreen on our trip. You don’t think about it, but you’re at higher altitudes where the atmosphere is thinner. Combine that with the reflective properties of snow, and that can make for a pretty nasty sunburn. Here is a picture from our trip where you can see my rosy red, sun-burnt cheeks:
Full Gear Checklist
Now that we’ve been through all the different gear categories, lets put it all together in to a full list of essential gear for Torres del Paine. Below is a full checklist of what to pack for hiking the “O” or “W” Trek, excluding clothing or accessories - for the epic guide to Torres del Paine hiking clothes, click here. This is based on exactly what we used when we completed the “O” Trek in 2019. Aside from forgetting the sunscreen, we had everything we could have needed.
Printable Checklist —> Torres del Paine Essential Gear Checklist
BackpackDay PackStuff SacksTentHealampTrekking PolesLife StrawLine/CordageUtility KnifeOutlet AdaptersCable TiesLightersVelcroSolar Powered Charging BankUltralight Mess KitCamping CutleryCamping StoveThermal Insulated Water BottleSmall Mug for Tea/Coffee (Optional)Cooking FuelSpongeSoapDish Rag (this comes with the Wise Owl camping towel)ZipLoc BagsGarbage BagsHydration Tablets w/CafeineSleeping BagSleeping PadCompact PillowCamping TowelIbuprofen (Advil) or Other Pain KillerPepto BismolDayqil/NyquilSunscreenBug Spray/CreamNeosporinGauze PadsSterile Wipes or Alcohol WipesMoleskin or Blister Pads like CompeedTweezersAthletic Compression WrapAnti-Bac Hand Wips or Sanitary WipesHand SanitizerSmall Pack of KleenexToothpasteToothbrushDeoderantShampooChapstick (Carmex)Extra Hair Ties (if necessary)A few bobby pinsHairbrush or CombCheck out some of this gear in action:
