We are already in mid September. Now is the time for prepare for the winter season. Check the head lamp, sharpening the crampons and the ice axe. It is still time for good hikes, but, check when the sun  set… Today I will do a reflection as a guide. Why does people not use guides more? I think we all (guides) have to reflect to that fact. Do I as a guide use guides? Yes of course. I know that I will learn, and get a better understanding over all of the area I beeing guided in. But my thaught about it, is that we must be even more proffessional. So how, by listen to our customer, the better we catch the needs and expectations the more satifyed the customer will get. So that is one important answer to that…

Now about back pack. How to choose a back pack? The first quetion you need to ask -what will I use the back pack for? If it is for a day tour, then 30L will be good enaugh. If you going for a couple of days, 45-50L will be the right choice. If the trip is about a wekk or so 60-70L will be needed. What is important is that if you are going for a mountain tour, you need a stable frame. This because it will be heavy, and the trail might be unevenly. Normally the back pack are available in ladies variant. So the next thing to think about will be about details. What is your needs there? For me, a opening from the sside is important so I can reach thing in the whole back pack easy. I will also have compartments and pockets for special equipments such as probes and shovel. My most important suggestion will be to take rather a smaller than to big back pack. It will always be heavier…

Now I will continue my series about altitude medicine. Today we have reach the area of AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). The best way to avoide AMS will be a gradually ascending and time for rest for the acklimatization. Some doctors advocates Diamox 250mg x 2 a day ahead the ascending and during the acsending. Worth to notice is that Acetazolamid(Diamox) is classified as doping. If you are being affected of AMS it is time for restday (days) You can use pain killers such as Paracetamol and also Diamox 500mg one a day. Next week I will write about hard AMS and HACE.

This week I will evalute the Mammut Eigerjock IN Hybrid jacket. A hybride jacket that shall combine a shelljacket and a softshell jacket. So this one will be interesting to test.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOZUxl074Bc

See ya soon