UKC

With a backpack/camping climbing orientated trip coming up, which takes place abroad, I am limited to 32kg in luggage in total. 

What do people recommend to take?
- Stripped Trad Rack (What do you class as the stripped/essential version)

- 2 x Half Ropes 60m

-Shoes, Harness, Helmet

-Tent, sleeping bag, stove

-clothes, shoes

-toiletries, towel

-electronics 

-passport and other important documents

Anything else you think would be essential to take?
 

32kg total checked luggage? Assuming there is hand luggage? In which case, clothes/electronics/passport and documents in there! 

Arrange the trip with a partner who can carry one rope + the tent and the stove.

Hard to answer without details. 

What are the routes like? Could you climb on a single and take extra slings? 

Weather. Would a bivi bag and small tarp be better?  Or share a larger tarp and exclude the bivi bag?

Alcohol stove to save a bit of weight? (Or cook on campfire?)

Water filter to save carrying extra? Assuming water sources are available. 

Easy to answer without details - but 32 kg is a lot of weight.

Best thing is to load it all into a van and drive to the destination.

You can wear your heaviest clothes.  Buy toiletries at the airport or on arrival only small amounts so you don’t end up bringing them home.  

Im sure I have taken nuts as hand luggage before...

I assume you are climbing with a partner so best decide who is taking what gear for your trad rack .

Basic first aid kit.

Split between 2 then 32kg is fine, if all for you then 32kg is a lot to walk uphill with

Friend and myself go sport climbing with EasyJet with a hold luggage limit of 23kg. Hand luggage has no weight limit but must be light enough to lift into overhead locker.

Sport climbing does not require full trad rack but we do take 70m rope and 18 quickdraws. Also take 1 set of wires to supplement bolts or as ground anchor for belayer.

Therefore our rack will be lighter than full rack.

We do however each take a tent Force Ten Helium 2

Both of us take small stoves (with cartridge adaptors)

To save weight

• Wear approach shoes or boots on to the plane.
• Wear more clothes than normal whilst boarding. (current weather the duvet jacket may be overkill on the plane)
• Toiletries - part used tube toothpaste. part used bar soap.
• If desperate buy more toiletries at destination.
• Two small pack towels.
• Big potential weight saving
  • Don't take a heavywieght kit bag. The 100 litre thick ones are getting on for 2+kg.
  • Montane Transition or preferably gear in the rucksack you intend to use.
  • Heavy items in hand luggage

Put your trad rack in hand luggage at your peril. I would not risk having that consficated at airport by security staff. (Nothing to do with the actual airline) Search UKC for endless forum posts.

Obviously it depends on your destination as to the amount of clothing but we are prepared to wash clothes regularly, (no cotton)

We are going for a climbing holiday so are prepared not to win fashion or sartorial elegance awards.

Good luck but it is possible to do this under 32kg.

Good luck

The weight of your kit will be a big deal. A down bag of good quality such as PHD will shed grams on a cheap synthetic as will a good quality lightweight tent. Our helmets are Petzl Sirocco and the harnesses are Hirundos to shed loads of weight. We regularly get our climbing and camping kit just within 23kg on long haul. The down side is light kit isn't cheap.

Pack your gear in your handluggage obviously minus anything sharp like knives or nut keys. Stick all rope and slings in the hold too as these can be used to tie people up and they would rather you didn't do that. If you pack like this 20kg plus handluggage for two people will be more than enough.