Places to Purchase Trekking Gear in India

Hi aaaag, I am not sure about the Paltan Bazaar, however i purchased one sleeping bag (polyfill) from the similar kind of market outside the Pathankot Railway station for 1200/- and it really served me well for Mayali Pass Trek. I wont say very good but it was sufficient enough for Mayali Pass. Though i am planning to purchase feather filled now from the same place and i am sure it would be much better then the polyfill which i purchased from there.

^ that sounds good, thanks Sudhir. I know you can find similar stuff in other places too (McLeod Ganj for example), so it probably all comes from one place. Hopefully that means the level of quality is somewhat uniform.

I'm living in Delhi and I've been doing some research by phone and internet on buying a complete trekking gear for myself at the lowest possible cost without compromising for quality. It's better to pay 15-20% extra for a reliable product, rather than buy a cheaper but unknown quality product.
I'll really appreciate if someone suggests some improvements

Rucksack is important as it carries everything and if your rucksack is damaged, you're going to have a very inconvenient trip. I'm looking for 60 L or higher
Stikage : Rs 2600-2800
Wildcraft: Rs 5300
Rocksport: Rs 3800


Tent should be waterproof, easy to use and lightweight. It's the single or double sized one that I need:
Stikage: Rs 6000
Wildcraft: Rs 5000
Rocksport: Rs 3500

Sleeping Bag I need is for near zero temperature. Better be safe than sorry:
Stikage: Rs 2200
Wildcraft: Rs 2900
Rocksport: Rs 2800

Lamp. Torch
Rs 400 to Rs 800


Multifunction Tool
Rs 800 to Rs 2000

Stove ?
Not really sure what to do about that. Should I go for liquid fueled or solid tablet fueled ?

Food
Whar are the options available here for ready to eat meals like the one available for army men ?


Clothing
Waterproof jacket and trousers ? Which brand ?

Shoes
I realise the importance of good shoes but I've an old foot injury, so I can't wear heavy hiking shoes for long time. I've traveled a bit in RBK, Nike sneakers and they are light and easy on my feet. Is it really necessary to buy hiking shoes ?



That's about all that I can think of. Missing anything ?

I too will be waiting for someone to answer the above stated questions. I have a more or less similar shopping list excluding the Backpack and the tent.

I bought my tent from Wildcraft. Its a 3 season dome tent and costed me Rs.5000. The only drawback are the fiber glass poles. I am soon ordering a set of aluminium poles separately to compensate for that.

Have you tried the website www.playmore.in or www.lifemojo.com? These are resellers of Decathlon products. You will find plenty of things of excellent quality going cheaper compared to the stores you have listed. I plan to do most of my purchases online from there.


Cheers!

Hello,

Could someone kindly share names of any establishments where i can get heavier socks that can be used with trekking boots?

thanks
Vaibhav

I called Carabin in New Delhi and their prices are:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Price~~~~~~~Rent per day
Tent~~~~~~~~~:3800~~~~~~~~60
Sleeping Bag~:2200~~~~~~~~25
Rucksack~~~~~:2700~~~~~~~~25

Security deposit for all 3 is Rs 2500, 1000 and 1000.
How good is this brand ? I'll be gone for 12-15 days. What is better, buying or renting ?

I have bought camping equipment from Decathlon and their products are very good. Lifemojo is also very good. Excellent response.

Quechua has blister preventing socks, called Forclaz 500 (shoe also has same name). Rs 599 per pair (Made in Italy).. You could buy online too..

I have not tried it yet.. So can't comment how valid their claim is

Just got an email from www.playgroundonline.com

They are selling Forclaz 500 shoes for mere Rs.2699 ONLY for this week. This is their 'Deal of the week'.

If anyone is interested, I don't think it will get any better than this! But gotta hurry!!

So much for gears and so little for courage. Look at all those porters and mule-owners hiking along in sleepers and worn out canvas shoes. And I have seen Sadhus walking bare-foot on Gangotri glacier and places that are amongst the most inhospitable environment on earth.

I strongly believe that we can't be so fussy about the gears we need. Indeed, you need gears that won't give up while trekking, but above all having the zeal to scale the treks is utmost important. Also taking good care of the equipments is necessary. It is very easy to loose you expensive tents and equipment due to negligence.

About Brands:
Coleman, CAMP, Quechua, Vango, Forclaz ... the list is a huge one. They all are reliable brands.