E V E R E ST GE AR S- TH EN AND N OW

A look at the gear of yore might be one of the best ways to understand the challenges and triumphs
of the pioneers who led the charge to the earth’s highest points. Technical mountaineering goes back
to 1492 when climbers summited France’s Mont Aiguille. Since then, gear has been invented,
adapted, and modified. By the time Ed Hillary and Tenzing Norgay summited Everest, there had been
major updates, and those updates have continued over the last sixty years. For perspective, here’s
what Hillary and Norgay used during their historic 1953 ascent—and how modern climbers are
preparing for Everest expeditions today.

COMMUNICATIONS
Then: The 1953 British expedition used wireless radios, but only
lower on the mountain. Higher up, sleeping bags were laid out in
patterns—across, parallel to one another, or alone—as visual signals
to observers at lower camps. Successes during the climb were
delivered as coded messages by a runner to a telegraph station in
Namche Bazaar.
Now: Today, walkie-talkie radios are common on the mountain and,
depending on the year, cell service can be available all the way to
the summit. Satellite phones and two-way satellite messengers like
the, InReach, are the most reliable means of communication.

INSULATION LAYERS
Then: For the summit push in 1953, Ed Hillary wore wool underwear,
a wool shirt, a string vest, a wool sweater, down pants and jacket,
and a layer of windbreakers.
Now: Climbers use synthetic or merino wool base layers, varying mid
layers, and a down suit—which they sleep in at the higher camps
along with a sleeping bag draped over them—like the Mountain
Hardwear Absolute Zero suit .

TENTS
Then: Tents in 1953 were made of heavy cotton canvas, and they came in many sizes. Large
mess and group tents were pitched in the lower camps, while small two-man tents—that
often ended up holding three to four people—were used on the upper slopes.

Now: Modern mountaineering tents are made of lightweight nylon fabric with forgiving carbon
fiber or fiberglass poles. Easier to carry, these materials tolerate the cold temperatures and high
winds. The massive 309-foot Space Station dome tent  from Mountain Hardwear is set up at base
camp, and some climbers use Eddie Bauer’s First Ascent Katabatic  mountaineering tent higher on the
mountain.

OXYGEN

Then: In 1953 there were two types of oxygen systems available.

Most used an open-circuit system, which weighed 18 pounds
with one cylinder and a total of 43 pounds with three cylinders.
This system supplemented oxygen with the atmospheric air. The
less frequently used, closed-circuit system weighed 35 pounds
with only one cylinder and 47 pounds with two cylinders. It didn’t mix oxygen with the atmospheric air
but instead delivered pure oxygen under a tighter mask to the climber and then trapped the exhaled
air to scrub with a soda-lime mix, store, and use again.
Now: Today, over 95 percent of climbers use oxygen and one bottle systems, like the Summit Oxygen
Elite System which weighs 8.6 pounds.

EYEWEAR
Then: In 1953 climbers had a few choices to protect their
eyes, including what we’d now call ski goggles, glacier
goggles, and large lens, aviator-style sunglasses.
Interestingly, local porters at the time did not use any eye
protection and some started to suffer for it. To help,
expedition videographer Tom Stobart gathered spare dark
lenses from climbers and fashioned goggles for them using
black electrical tape and string.
Now: Today climbers use a similar array of eyewear,
including the newly released version of an old favorite,
Julbo’s Explorer 2.0.

BACKPACKS
Then: On the upper mountain, Hillary and Norgay’s only
backpacks were their massive oxygen units, onto which they
strapped extra gear. The approach team used external frame
packs, backboards, and tumplines to haul gear up the mountain.
Now: Porters still use tumplines, while climbers use lightweight,
internal frame, nylon backpacks with a capacity of around 40 to
50 liters, like the Ascensionist pack from Patagonia. In it, they
can carry their oxygen, a spare tank, and emergency supplies.
According to Everest summiteer Mike Moniz they don’t take the
time to dig into their packs much while climbing. Snacks and
water are usually kept in the internal pockets of the down suits.

HARNESSES
Then: Not only did the rope in 1953 not have any give—which
would have helped absorb some shock during a fall—but there
were no harnesses to speak of at the time. Climbers simply tied
a rope harness around themselves, often just around their waist
and not through their legs. This led to bruised and broken ribs on
some falls, ending a climber's bid for the summit.
Now: Modern mountaineering harnesses like the Altitude from
Petzl are made of webbing, have built in padding, and can
protect climbers from hard, high falls. These differ from rock
climbing harnesses, since they can be put on while wearing
crampons or skis.

ALTIMETERS
Then: Hillary and Norgay used a handheld altimeter. A similar altimeter was recovered from George
Mallory’s body, who died on his 1924 attempt to summit Everest.
Now: Today watches like the Suunto Ambit 3, which has been worn by a number of climbers who’ve
made it to the top of Everest, use GPS and barometric pressure to record altitude as well as aid in
navigation.

ROPE
Then: The 1953 climbers used hawser-laid (or
twisted) hemp rope, which didn’t have much give and
was known to snap on occasion under particularly
hard falls. However it held well through several falls
on the expedition. Interestingly, the German company
Edelrid invented the first nylon kernmantle rope—with
a core and sheath—that same year, but not in time to
make it to Everest.
Now: Today Edelrid is still a leader in mountaineering
ropes, making dynamic braided nylon ropes with a
waterproofing finish. The ropes are relatively easy to
handle even in the harshest conditions.

SLEEPING BAGS
Then: The majority of the Everest expedition team
traveled to the mountain from England, while Hillary
was based in New Zealand. He was charged with
sourcing bedding and cooking equipment and found a
New Zealand supplier to provide canvas and down
sleeping bags for the team. The temperature rating for
these bags is unknown.
Now: Today, climbers on the mountain use nylon and
down sleeping bags rated for 20 and 40 degrees
below zero Fahrenheit, like Montane’s Deep Heat.
Having multiple bags allows them to be left at
different camps when climbers move back and forth to
ferry loads and acclimatize.

BOOTS
Then: There were two types of high-altitude boots
available to the 1953 climbing team. Tenzing
Norgay wore reindeer skin boots, wrapped in a
canvas overboot, like he used with the Swiss
expedition the previous year. Ed Hillary and
others wore boots made of kid leather with an
inch of kapok fibers for insulation, a sweat-
resistant liner, and a new type of microcellular
rubber for the soles. It took 35 British firms to
manufacture just one pair.
Now: Modern climbers wear high-altitude,
mountaineering-specific boots like
the Zamberlan 8000 Everest Evo RR . Sometimes climbers modify the boots with Intuition moldable
insulation liners and battery-powered boot heaters.

CAMERAS
Then: The 1953 expedition photographer Alfred Gregory carried a Contax 35mm body with a 50mm
and a 125mm lens.
Underestimating the size of the
mountain, he did not bring a wide
angle lens. He also had a medium
format Rolleiflex and two
lightweight Kodak Retina 2 fixed
lens cameras for high on the
mountain.
Now: Most climbers keep it simple
with point and shoot digital cameras
like the Sony RX100V or their smartphones. The trick is keeping the batteries warm.

MOUNTAINEERING AXE
Then: Also known as an ice axe,
mountaineering axes have changed
very little in design from 1953 to today.
They have gotten substantially lighter.
Back then the tools were made of wood
and steel, which made them relatively
heavy compared to today’s materials.
Now: Now axes are made of lightweight
aluminum, like the Camp Corsa.
Though, with the excessive fixed lines
currently set up on the mountain, they
are often left on the pack. Some
climbers don’t bother to carry one at all.

CRAMPONS
Then: The first crampons can be traced
back to the 16th century when simple
four-point forefoot grappettes were
used by hunters in the ice and snow. By
1953, 12-point steel crampons were
available for the Everest crew. They
were heavy and were tied on to the
climber's feet with string.
Now: Today lightweight 10- and 12-
point stainless steel crampons like
the Black Diamond Sabretooth  are
common on Everest and use a simple
webbing strap or heel bail clip system.
Climbers avoid aluminum crampons,
since they get banged up by the
exposed rock.