Gear and kit
The checklist first, the shop second. Most of what goes wrong on these trails is a kit problem — a bag that is not warm enough, or boots with no grip on wet rock.
Every hike, no exceptions
- Waterproof shell — highland rain arrives without warning
- Warm layer, even on a hot morning
- Head torch with spare batteries
- 2 L water minimum, plus treatment tablets or a filter
- More food than you plan to eat
- First aid kit with blister plasters and rehydration salts
- Whistle
- Charged phone and a power bank
- Cash in small notes
Add for anything rated Hard or Expert
- Sleeping bag comfort-rated to 0 °C (Hut 2 gets to ~5 °C with wind)
- Boots with aggressive tread — wet rock is what actually injures people
- Trekking poles for the descents
- 4 L water capacity for Mount Cameroon and the Far North
- Windproof layer for the Bamboutos ridge
- Mosquito net and full rain kit for the Dja
The mistakes we see most
- A summer sleeping bag on Mount Cameroon — the most common one by far
- Smooth-soled trainers on the Ekom-Nkam rock stairway
- Relying on buying water at the trailhead in the dry season
- No warm layer because Buea was 28 °C at the start
- Starting a Far North walk after 10:00 in the hot season
Where to buy it
Listings from partner retailers. We earn a commission on purchases made through these links, which costs you nothing and is how the trail information stays free.
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Read the full safety guidelines before you buy anything — they explain why each item is on the list.