What To Pack for the W Trek in Patagonia Chile in the Summer- If going to Patagonia, specifically hiking the W Trek in their summer (November, December, January or February) you may be making a packing list and are curious of what to pack. We hiked the W Trek in Late December, my packing list will be geared towards what to pack for the W Trek, if staying in the provided refugios, cabins or tents. Patagonia can range in temperature, it’s always hard to judge what to bring. I never want to over pack but I want to be prepared as well.
***At the end of this article is a printable and downloadable checklist for a 4-5 day W Trek Hike.
We traveled to Santiago, El Calafete, El Chalten before our hike. And we went to Mendoza after our W Trek Hike. So we needed various forms of outfits for different temperatures. A tip for packing for such a trip like this is to bring a larger suitcase, leaving with your hostel during the trek. I packed my backpack in my eBags travel backpack, and left unneeded clothes in the Ebags bag while we hiked.
We booked our W Trek Hike with Chile Nativo. They held onto our luggage while we were on our hike, and during the morning of our return they had it waiting for us at our hostel. I heard many hostels will hold on to your extra luggage until you come back. You might want to discuss this ahead of time.
Backpack Essentials
Backpack
Since this will be on your back for 4-5 days straight I would make sure you really love your backpack. Find one with support, but also stick to something on the smaller side. It will help restrict how much you pack so you are not carrying too much weight. My husband and I both went with the REI 40L packs. I would also suggest Osprey Packs 50L Packs. A couple we were hiking with had these and also had rave reviews about them.
Rain Cover
A Rain Cover for your backpack is a must, as most likely it will rain or sprinkle most days or at least a day along your trek. If you purchased a REI or Osprey pack double check as sometimes rain-covers come with them.
Hydration Bladder
I suggest having a water bladder for the trail to keep you hydrated. But there are so many fresh water streams that you don’t need anything too large. A larger water bottle should work as well. We put our hydration bladders in our backpack for easy water access on the trails, but also had my favorite Collapsible Waterbottles to have in the cabins with us to stay hydrated at night.
Fold-able Day Pack
Some parts of the trail you will have the option to leave your larger bag as you will be backtracking the same day. These days will be for the Three Towers and then also the French Valley. I highly suggest leaving your bag as it takes a lot of weight off of your back. But you still might want something to hold your snacks, a layer or two and some water. So a fold-able backpack was perfect. Easily pack-able, affordable, and we used this in other areas of Patagonia such as Perito Moreno Glacier and on the Fitz Roy hike.
Packing Cubes
No matter what type of trip I am going on I always pack my bags with some packing cubes and or compression bags. Packing cubes have changed my life, and when hiking on the trail it helps your backpack stay organized. Nothing like stopping in the middle of the trail to grab a snack our of your bag and all your clothes falling out. These also helped us stay organized at the refugios as well.
***one other packing tip is to always bring a few zip-lock bags and garbage bags. Also nice to have something if you happen to have wet/muddy clothes or shoes. You also need to pack your garbage out on the trail, so a large ziplock helps.
Hiking Gear
Shoes
Bring your favorite well broken in hiking shoes. Nothing like getting a blister on the trail with new shoes. And it’s best to have a thicker sole to maneuver the rocky terrain areas. I love my Ahnu’s and recently bought Vasque’s and I am enjoying these as well.
Hiking Poles
I hardly ever go on long hikes without my hiking poles. I think they make a huge difference on my speed and knees when going on uphill and downhill climbs. These Collapsible Hiking Poles as great as they are fold-able up easily to pack and fit in your backpack, and they are super lightweight.
Clothes
Hiking Pants
I did love my Alpine Design hiking pants that I found on sale at Dick’s. They are lightweight and quick drying. They were fantastic for those rainy days, the next day they were always practically dry! These are great pairs and have great reviews as well, here and here.
Shorts
My husband once in a while changed into shorts when on a hike and it was sunny, but I never wore shorts in Patagonia, always did well with leggings on the warmer days. This is another item I never thought specific hiking shorts was necessary, but do make a difference. They don’t ride up and are much more waterproof and breathable. They also are very elastic around the hips to make movement easier. This Columbia pair is great to have and comes in many colors.
Shirts
Many days along this trail I did find myself in a t shirt. I wore these moisture wicking t shirt from target, I brought 2 on this trek!
Tanks
As I have said many times before layering is key. I always had moisture-wicking sports tanks under my long sleeve shirts. Almost every hike we went on I used these as an additional layer. Here are two options that have great reviews and are cheap, cute and will go with anything, here and here.
Long Sleeve Tops
Again found at an outlet mall these Columbia long sleeve button ups are great. They are light enough to wear a layer underneath and thin enough to put a coat over. Great to keep you warm on chilly mornings and also light enough to use as sun protection on the sunny days. They have some more fun plaid styles for men as well.
I wore these constantly in Patagoina, they were the perfect layer under my raincoat. These are another great thin layer, you can find good deals on them at REI. I also like these here.
Raincoat
Your raincoat might be the most important thing on the W Trek Hike or anywhere in Patagonia. I would go with a lightweight one that you have room for layers underneath. Patagonia’s weather is constantly changing. So layers are key! I got this one during REI’s annual sale and it was perfect for our trip.
Hat
I didn’t bring a hat but I can see one helping to keep the sun off of your face, such as this simple ballcap. Make sure that it fits tightly as the wind in Patagonia is serious. I did pack a wool ear warmer, which I am glad I did, it held my hair down and kept me warm. But I did have a particularly windy day where it flew off of my head, luckily my husband was right behind me to catch it.
Sunglasses
I don’t go anywhere without sunglasses (two pairs at least). You will want these while hiking as well.
Socks
I never was one to think I needed hiking socks, I purchased some on a whim at REI and Amazon and I have never looked back. Having some in multiple thickness and heights to wear in different temperatures is ideal for me. I like these taller ones for the colder hikes and these short cut ones for when I am wearing shorts and its warmer.
Underwear
Some comfortable and moisture wicking is smart while hiking, such as these.
Gloves
I wore gloves almost every morning and evening while in Patagonia. A little pricey but these North Face gloves are by far my favorite. Lightweight enough to be able to move freely and grasp onto things but also warm enough to stop the wind from freezing your hands.
Leggings
I never travel without at least one pair of black sports leggings. My favorites are the high-waisted ones from Fabletics (get a huge discount with this link). They can be used for hiking and easily worn during a day in town. I prefer the high waist leggings for hiking and other physical activities. These here are a great pair, and these are as well and are a little bit cheaper.
For The Evenings
For the refugios I would suggest bringing one change of clothes to re-wear every night. We always showered right after our hike, so we were clean and only wearing them for dinner and a few drinks at night.
Comfy Pants
I really fell in love with these lightweight joggers. They were lightweight, and somewhat made us not feel like I was eating dinner in my pajamas.
Shoes
Bring a pair of shoes you can both shower in and lounge in, this will help with space. I brought my Chacos, and my husband brought sliders. And if it was cold you could wear socks with them, no one was judging anyone.
Warm Socks
It does get chilly in the evenings, even in the summer. I brought just a lightweight tall Colombia pair like these.
Sweatshirt
I brought this zip up, and it was great as sometimes you have a small walk to dinner. I also think this cute pullover would be great!
T Shirt
I also brought a plain comfortable tshirt to sleep in and wear under my zip-up sweatshirt.
Toiletries
Some refugios showers had pump soap and shampoo, but not all did. We did bring our own, my favorite toiletries containers are these leak proof bottles, they have a suction cup that occasionally comes in handy, and the silicone helps them from bursting during flights.
Shower Bag
I really don’t know what I did without my mesh drawstring shower bag. This is great for camping, and staying in refugios. When in public showers there is not always a good place to lay your dry clothes and items. I use the bag to store my clothes and the mesh to hold my shower items. Then once finished I love that the mesh bag can slide into the outer bag to keep your suitcase and backpack from getting wet. Definitely worth the purchase!
Quick Dry Towel
I never travel without my Turkish Towels now! They are perfect for this type of hike where you get the option to shower in the evenings or mornings. These fold up small, so they don’t take up much room in your backpack and dry very quickly.
Compression Socks
I tend to swell, and I just came off a bad sprained ankle on this hike. Compression Socks helped my swelling in the evenings, and kept my feet warm! I also use these on long flights to help prevent my feet some swelling.
Sleeping Mask
Because we did stay in some bunkrooms with other people I did find it handy to have a sleeping mask. Patagonia also has long sunlight hours in the summer, so it may not be dark out when you are ready for bed, or too bright early in the morning. Ear plugs might be a good purchase, I never used them but I have heard of stories of people getting stuck in a room with someone snoring loudly.
Tech Gear
Tech Organizer Bag
To stay organized in my suitcase, or here in my backpack, I love using a cord organizer bag. This small one is perfect for just the few things you need along the trail.
Charger
One charger should be good, I like having these long cords so it can be charging while I use it. Check here on my information about wifi and internet at the refugios.
Adapters
Don’t forget your outlet adapters! From Chile you will need these. Many places in Argentina will accept them but Argentina does have some outlets that need these. We brought both just in case, they are small to pack. Or bring an adapter like this universal one that covers over 150 countries.
Battery Pack
I like taking pictures along the trail so I made sure to bring a battery pack. I don’t think we used it a ton, but possibly a little on the longer hike days.
Camera
Cell phones take great pictures nowadays but I still like to bring my camera. I brought the minimum, memory cards, charger, extra batteries and a lens. Check here for my typical travel camera packing list.
Snacks, Medications and Others
Snacks
We did choose the trekking plan where they provided meals for us. But it was nice to have some of our own jerky sticks and granola bars to supplement, or eat if we didn’t just love the meal packed for us.
Coffee
In most of Argentina and Chile you will only find instant coffee. If you love coffee I would suggest packing these pack-able pour overs. There will be hot water available to make these. Some people brought their own french press but these pour overs our way easier to bring and don’t take up as much space.
Hydration Tablets
For the hike and evenings we did try to make sure we stayed hydrated. We used these Nuun Immunity Hydration Tablets as they were easy to put in our water bottles, and it was a plus that they had vitamin C to keep up from getting sick.
Airborne
Traveling in close quarters is always a risk for getting sick. The Airborne Chewable Tablets are great to have as a good prevention, easier to pack and use then the powder mix.
Advil
Just in case for a sprain or injury, or just general sore muscles.
Digestion Aide
I like the Pepto Bismol Chewable Tablets again as they are easy to pack, and as well as tums. We didn’t have any issues with food, but you never know.
Sunscreen
This is a must, some days it does get hot and you are out all day, protect yourself!
Sleeping Gummies
Being in bunk rooms with other people, or even in a tent, or private room you do hear people around you. Hiking all day you need a good night’s rest. I really like using OLLY Sleep Melatonin Gummies as they help me fall asleep faster. I use these on the airplane as well!
Plastic Bags
You are expected to carry all of your trash out. Bring a big plastic ziplock bag to carry your trash out. Don’t leave it on the trail, and there are not many trash cans at the refugios as they have to ship their trash out of the park as well. Bring it back to the city after the hike.
Packing Checklist by the Numbers
This list is for a 4 night 5 day hike in the summer months, we went at the end of December. Click the button to download and print the PDF checklist below.
Where To Stay
We wished to stay at the same place in Puerto Natales before an after the hike, but that didn’t work out for us. But we did stay in two great places before and after the W Trek. I would highly recommend both of these!
Hotel Vendaval (great restaurant next door, we ate there twice!)
Also check out AirBnB for some great options (use this link for $55 off your first stay)
You May Also Be Interested In These Articles:
Visiting the Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia
Hiking the Mt. Fitz Roy Hike in Argentina
FAQ, Tips and Tricks for Hiking the W Trek in Patagonia
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