Tour du Mont Blanc packing list / gear review

Hey!
This video shows what I took with me on the TMB.
210 kilometers around the Mont Blanc in the French, Italian and Swiss alps in late June and here's the gear. I can say now that I took too much, and I explain in the vid what was extra.
I hiked early in the season and there was still quite some snow. I didn't bring anything for camping / cooking because I stayed and ate at refuges along the way.
Let me know if you have any questions :)
Follow me on instagram
/ sandra_hikes
More detailed GEAR LIST below :
BACKPACK
- Deuter Aircontact lite 35+10L
- Random fanny pack
DAY CLOTHES
- Coolibar UPF50+ travel shirt
- Another dad shirt from a thrift store
- Uniqlo sport bra
- Kalenji Kiprun light running short
- Adidas trail leggings
- North Face Hikesteller Midlayer Jacket
- North Face puffer jacket (I think it's the North Face Down Aconcagua Jacket 550 fill)
- Carhartt Hat Beanie
- Roland Garros hat
- La Sportiva UltraRaptor
- Darn Tough micro crew socks
- Tsl outdoor gaiters
NIGHT CLOTHES
- Quechua merino wool baselayer
- Patagonia Capilene Thermal Weight Bottoms
- Smartwool women's mountaineering extra heavy crew socks
RAIN GEAR
- Quechua waterprook overtrousers
- North Face Shinpuru jacket
ELECTRONICS
- Petzl ACTIK Bleu headlamp
- Omars 10000mAh Ultra Slim power bank
- Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III Digital Camera
- DS DSstyles silicon protection case for the camera
- Joby BWW GorillaPod 325
- Garmin etrex 30x GPS
OTHERS
- Hiking poles : Komperdell C3 Carbon Pro Compact
- Spikes : AUHIKE 19 spikes
- Sunglasses : Julbo vermont classic
- Water bladder : Camelbak Crunx 3L
- Sleeping bag liner : Sea to summit Reactor Extreme Thermolite Mummy
PERSONAL CARE
- Nabaiji microfiber towel
- Medical tape & Compeed
- Toothbrush & Toothpaste
- Sunscreen
- Lip balm with sunscreen
- Soap for body & clothes

[@reneerogers7618]

Super video! Extremely helpful guide as to what to wear on the TMB. You were very thorough. Excellent job! Thank you so much for walking us through each piece of clothing. For anyone serious about hiking the TMB you should watch this video from beginning to end. Great video, Sandra!

[@shannonsouth6481]

This was great. We are planning to go next summer and you reviewed everything so well that I feel comfortable knowing what to look for as we plan. Thank you!

[@sandravisentin]

Thank you for your comment! Enjoy every bit of it and feel free to ask me any question!!

[@TheSherchel]

I am planning to hike TMB. Very useful video ❤

[@clairejohnson7809]

Fantastic video Sandra! Thank you. Very honest and helpful video on what is essential and what you could of done without. I dont want to carry too much and fit it all into my 30l! Im hoping the rest of Europe increases their vaccination programme so I can walk it soon, I just had my 2nd vaccination. Look forward to more videos from you!

[@sandravisentin]

Thank you so much!! And have fun on the trail (yes I'm hoping we're soon all vaccinated and back on the trails!!!)

[@ricardfrantz]

Very nice, thanks

[@sandravisentin]

Thank you!!

[@koreanature]

Wow, My best friend, I liked the video very much, thanks you for sharing, stay safe, stay blessed

[@GruntProof]

cool!

[@sandravisentin]

Yeaah! Thanks!

[@milestogochannel]

Good work keep hiking

[@sandravisentin]

Thank you!!

[@ojankhoey1109]

Hi Sandra, have you posted a video of your walk of TMB? If you have, could you please send me the link. Thanks.

[@maicha3]

Hi Sandra, thanks for the info; how about food? we are doing the 4-days highlight; it BF and dinner is provided. Do we carry lunch or you can buy on the way?

[@sandravisentin]

Hi Monica! You can usually find several huts where you can stop for lunch, they are everywhere on the TMB. Not sure what section of the TMB you do on the 4 days highlight, but you can check the map (umap.openstreetmap.fr/fr/map/tour-du-mont-blanc-ccpmb-_206457#11/45.8902/6.9653) and find out where the huts are on the sections you will hike! When you cross a city (Les Contamines, Courmayeur...), you can also buy food from a store! Enjoy :)

[@CeeCee9]

Hii Sandra, thank you for making this video. I am going to hike the TMB upcoming august, but I have doubts regarding a sleeping bag. Did you only use your liner? I am planning to camp most of the days. Thank you!

[@sandravisentin]

Hi Cetanya! Thank you for your message! I stayed at huts every night and used my liner underneath the huts' blankets. If you're camping, you should definitely bring a sleeping bag, some nights can be cold here! I would say it goes down to 10°C ish at night, depending of the altitude. Enjoy!!

[@kdyounger1]

Did you need the spikes on any of the normal route? Or just the variants? Canadian hiker 🙋🏼‍♀️ doing TMB in Aug 2022. Wonderful video. Thank you!

[@sandravisentin]

Hey there! I used the spikes on many névés (firns) that I crossed and also when I went up the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme (still very snowy when I was there in June). But I guess in August, you should be ok and probably won't need spikes! (Although they're very small in the backpack!) ENJOY!!!

[@paulcreux3929]

Hi Sandra, great video! I’m looking at doing TMB soon and want to ask you about booking refuges/ organising the hike yourself versus paying a company to do this for you. How did you arrange your hike (if you did it yourself, how did you do it?) What could you expect to spend on the hike: refuges, food any other fees? Thank you in advance! :)

[@sandravisentin]

Hi!!! Definitely easy to arrange without a company!!! I did it by myself and spend about 500€! It's about 50€ a night with breakfast and dinner when you stay at refuges. It's very easy to book the refuges before going on the TMB and I can help you do the itinerary!

[@paulcreux3929]

Thank you for your reply, that’s very kind of you! :)

[@rajendranathpatra43]

@@sandravisentin Hi Sandra, nice video. I never did multiple days hike. I am planing to do TMB and little afraid to organise all myself. How do you book refuges? How advance one has to do it. I knew that TMB is pretty busy in summer. Your itinerary might help to do the arrangement.

[@sandravisentin]

@@rajendranathpatra43 Hi!! To book refuges, you can go on www.autourdumontblanc.com/en/index.cfm/tour-mont-blanc-accomodations.html and book directly from the website ! I would start booking as soon as your itinerary is chosen, even if the refuges are closed now, they answer by email to book for next summer! As far as my itinerary, I slept in : Chalets de Miage / La Balme / Croix du bonhomme / Rifugio Elisabetta / Maison vieille / Bertone / Elena / Maya joie / Relais d'Arpette / Le Peuty / Lac Blanc / Bellachat. Hope this helps!

[@pricgee]

Did you not carry a towel? Does the refugios provide it?

[@sandravisentin]

Hello! No they don't, you'll have to carry one. I carry a very small and light one that dries fast!

[@vikastyagi793]

Sandra are you the one who met cycle baba (Dr Raj ) from india in africa recently.

[@lenaeude5708]

Hi, I'd like to know how heavy was your bag please ?

[@sandravisentin]

Hi! Thank you for your message ! My bag was probably around 8kg, could have been much lighter though!

[@lenaeude5708]

Thanks :)

[@dallagrana]

Did you had use the water filter?

[@sandravisentin]

Hi! No, I didn't bring one and found clean water almost everywhere! But the water from the stream and the glacier is sometimes a bit hard for the stomach, you could bring one :)

[@GunnarTheF]

(Komperdell is from Austria, not France)

[@nitindevgan4021]

Love from India cycle baba

[@globule7771]

😭😭😭😭😭 tu es française et pas en français 😫 je comprend rien... Sinon moi cette année je fais le gr5 le TMB voyant que je passe devant...

[@sandravisentin]

Haha! Désolée, dis moi si tu as des questions, je te réponds en français avec plaisir :D Oui une petite partie du GR5 emprunte la même route que le TMB (1 ou 2 étapes, pas plus!) Profites en bien!!!

[@globule7771]

@@sandravisentin tkt je rigole oui je sais mais je vais faire les 2 🤣

[@globule7771]

@@sandravisentin tu es au usa ?

[@sandravisentin]

@@globule7771 Trop bien!!

[@sandravisentin]

@@globule7771 Non je suis en Haute-Savoie ;)

[@fizzz555]

No proper microphone, French accent and annoying music in the background. Not the smartest move to be honest.

[@ojankhoey1109]

Did you watch it to the end?