If you’re an experienced long-distance walker, you probably already have all the gear you need for a mountain trek like the Tour de Mont Blanc. But if you’re like me and only walk occasionally, it might be helpful to know which pieces of mountain clothing are worth investing in and which ones you’ll only use once or twice. Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports has expert staff and a huge selection of gear.

After walking part of the Tour de Mont Blanc for two years in a row, I had a much better idea the second year of what to pack for my trek. Since you’ll need to carry everything with you (no Sherpas in the Alps), the key is to take just the right things and no more. Here are the items that proved useful in my backpack:

First and foremost, you’ll need a comfortable pair of walking boots with good ankle support. As long as you’ve broken them in and are sure they won’t cause any problems, these could be the only footwear you need on the mountain trails. However, when you come down to the valley, you might want some lightweight trainer-style shoes. All the refuges we stayed at provided slippers or plastic clogs to wear inside, but if not, you can pad around in your own.

I like to treat myself to a couple of new pairs of socks for a trip like this. I found that two pairs were enough for the three days we were walking. I might stretch it to three pairs if I were doing the whole 12-day trail. The trick is not to over-pack but to rinse them out and dry them overnight if they get too smelly. I also had some lightweight cotton socks for wearing in the refuge at night. And of course, for the changeable mountain weather, you’ll need a good jacket.

I had a cream Gore-Tex jacket from Ellis Brigham. They specialize in mountain and outdoor clothing, including women’s waterproof jackets like mine. It packed up quite small but was substantial enough to keep off the morning and evening chill when you get up to altitude. I loved the cream color, although my husband urged me to choose a more practical color. I’ve found that you can easily wash it when it gets dirty. My jacket has plenty of zip pockets and a hood with a visor that zips away into the neck when not in use. My last waterproof jacket saw me through a trip to the rainforest of Ecuador three years ago and has been earning its keep ever since, so I have high hopes that this new one will last me a few years until I can finish the whole Tour de Mont Blanc.

I took one pair of walking trousers, also from Ellis Brigham, made of quick-drying, lightweight fabric. They had a comfortable waist and zips on the legs to convert them into shorts. I wore the same pair every day, only changing when we arrived at the mountain huts in the evening. Avoid heavy cotton trousers or jeans, which will mark you as a fair-weather walker. These will leave you soggy if it rains and take ages to dry. Like my jacket, the trousers had lots of useful pockets for lip salve, maps, and cameras.

For my top half, I walked in a stretchy running t-shirt that I already owned. If you’re buying anything special, look for lightweight, quick-drying fabric or specially treated Merino wool. These are ideal for walking as they wick away sweat and keep you cool. I alternated with a running vest, but it’s probably better to wear t-shirts that cover your shoulders to avoid painful sunburn. If the weather turns bad and it rains, you’ll need some waterproof trousers. On both my trips, these were the least used item in my backpack. However, we were walking in August and were blessed with sunshine most of the time. You may have bad weather for several days in a row, and in this case, your waterproof trousers will keep you comfortable and dry. Unless you do a lot of walking, I wouldn’t invest a lot of money in waterproof trousers. Buy something inexpensive that will pack up small but still do the job of keeping you dry.

When you arrive at your mountain refuge, the etiquette is to remove your boots at the door. You will normally be offered some slippers or plastic clogs to wear inside. Typically, you would shower before dinner if the refuge has a shower – some of the more remote ones don’t. Then you’d change into your refuge wear, which for me was stretchy running trousers – comfortable, quick to dry, and could double up for walking if necessary. I also wore a lightweight cotton t-shirt that I kept just for the refuge and only put on after I had showered, so it didn’t get too sweaty. My refuge outfit doubled up as pajamas since the sleeping arrangements were mostly communal, with men and women sometimes sleeping in large dorms. It was a bit pointless to pack pretty nightwear. To keep warm, I also had two fleece tops – one was a zip-front mid-weight fleece that I also wore when walking if I was cold. The other was a lightweight long-sleeve fleece t-shirt that would go over a short-sleeve t-shirt. Last year, I underestimated how cold it could be in the evening at altitude in the mountain refuges. I found that two fleeces that could be layered kept me cozy.

Here’s a list of what I packed for our three-day walk, rather than the whole 12-day tour:
– Walking boots, 1 pair
– Walking trousers, 1 pair
– Jogging bottoms, 1 pair
– Waterproof trousers
– Two quick-drying t-shirts
– 1 light cotton t-shirt
– 1 long-sleeve fleece t-shirt
– One mid-weight zip-front fleece
– Sunhat
– Two pairs of walking socks
– 1 pair of light cotton socks
– Underwear
– TMB walking guide and TMB map
– Walking poles
– Miniature medical kit
– Small size toiletries
– Tissues
– Wet wipes
– Suncream
– Camping towel
– Silk sheet sleeping bag
– Camera
– Video recorder
– Audio recorder
– Mobile devices
– Enough cash for our whole walk

If you need an airport transfer from Geneva for the start of your summer walking or winter ski holiday, you could try ChamonixFirst, which offers both private and shared transfers to Chamonix. Their sister company, CourmayeurFirst, offers transfers to Courmayeur and the Aosta Valley.