How to equip oneself?
So, that’s decided! This New Year’s Eve will be spent on the shores of famous Lake Baikal! An important question that emerges is how to equip oneself?
No matter what month it is, in winter in Siberia it is necessary to:
- protect oneself from cold
- protect oneself from wind
- protect oneself from humidity at the level of feet
- protect oneself from reflection of the sun in ice and snow
Keep to the system of «three layers»:
1. The first layer called “second skin” determines the performance of the other two layers. It will pass the sweat to the next layer and must dry quickly to avoid cooling after efforts. This is why it is better to prefer underwear made of synthetic fabric to cotton that keeps humidity of the skin.
2. The second layer must keep as long as possible the warm of human body. Choose warm synthetic or mixed cloth that dries quickly (wool turtleneck sweater, fleece).
3. The third layer must protect you from wind and humidity. Choose long enough jacket (down jacket), 100% waterproof, with hood preferably.
Equip yourself with:
- Gore-Tex or similar down jacket
- several T-shirts
- 1-2 fleece or warm sweaters
- warm underwear
- Gore-Tex or similar windproof trousers
- light trousers or jeans for evenings indoors
- shoes high enough to hike on ice and snow
- light shoes to feel at ease indoors
- several pairs of thick socks
- hat, warm scarves
This list of equipment is not exhaustive. Please think of enough spare clothes and do not forget that extremities are first to freeze. That is why it is necessary to protect oneself well at the level of feet, hands, without mentioning the end of one’s nose. Take with you warm waterproof gloves and two pairs of silk under-gloves, one or two balaclavas, pocket warmers for hands/feet or warming soles.
And that is not all, to provide yourself with maximum comfort bring as well:
Sunglasses with filtering glass, sun protective cream for skin and lips, lipstick, penknife (to be placed in the registered luggage), flask, personal-care items (please use biodegradable products), vitamins, slippers, towel for banya. Frontal mirror will be also useful when walking in villages after 6:00pm.
The last piece of advice concerns your luggage packing. You should pack all your things using 2 bags: 1 small backpack and 1 big traveling bag.
SMALL BACKPACK: will be useful to carry your personal belongings during the day (camera, raincoat, personal pharmaceuticals, flask, etc.)
It will also serve as hand luggage during the flights for all your heavy things (to lessen the weight of your traveling bag in luggage hold), brittle (camera etc.) and necessary things (sponge bag etc.)
BIG TRAVELING BAG: should contain the rest of your things. It will be placed into luggage hold during the flights.
A small thing, but what a pleasure!
The map of Lake Baikal in English! BaikalNature translated everything for you. Detailed enough and nicely designed, the map also contains some instructive articles with practical information. This map will be surely your loyal fellow-traveler during the whole journey.
Download it for free and let your journey begin!
