Gear for Switzerland

Last week in Berlin. Wow. Five months ago I arrived in winter clothes to a Berlin that saw the Sun for 6 hours a day, and I’m leaving it when nights are only eight hours, darkness less than five.
The cold weather doesn’t freeze the canal and keeps people inside drinking hot beverages any more; instead it’s the hot weather that keeps people outside drinking iced beverages by the canal.

And I, somehow wearily, but partly ready for a change of airs, am going to the South of Switzerland again, to the Sufi Camp where I spent the last summer, in the North of Ticino.

I decided this time to take a picture of my bag contents (i.e. gear) that I’m taking on my trip. Starting from the top-right corner and going clockwise I have:

• Tent (Tangent 2, from HardWear), tent footprint, sleeping bag (Marmot Never Summer), sleeping bag liner (silk), backpack rain cover and tent poles (top left of picture)
• Osprey Exos 48 backpack (totally recommended!)
• Solomon shoes (X-Ultra 2), 66North rain jacket, double layer pants (good for cold, mosquitoes and rain), two shirts, beanie, underwear and socks (Icebreaker and compression)
• 10L day backpack (Decathlon) and my microfiber towel (it’s actually a kitchen cloth, but same material. 1€)
• Cheap aluminium pots, gas canister, cheese grater, can opener, oil, salt, spices, lighter and matches, candles (if wood for fire is wet) and tea.
• Chopsticks (love them, also: very versatile), my travelling spoon and Opinel #7
• Toothpaste, toothbrush, tweezers, nail-clippers, plasters, surgical needle (might one day save my life) and foldable saw.
• Kindle Paperwite, notebook, GPS, bag (for documents, sewing kit, money and random objects), harmonica.
• Flashlight (USB-rechargeable), power bank, iPod Touch, cables and adapter, camera charger (also USB-powered)
• Nikon D3400 (with 50mm lens and extra battery)

I’m a bit over-prepared because it’s going to be much warmer (winter tent and winter sleeping bag?) but I’m going to sleep very comfortably and I’ll have the option to camp at high altitude (where at night, even in the summer, could get below freezing) if I see a nice lake.