Antarctica is the far end of a three-year build. Svalbard first, above 78 degrees north, as a shakedown for the cold-weather systems. Then a crossing of the Greenland ice cap. Then the South Pole and the summit of Mount Vinson. Each leg is a harder environment than the last, and each one asks a bit more of the kit.
People keep asking what I actually carry. So here it is, laid out in full, with the reasoning behind every choice rather than just a shopping list.
How the list works
Two mitts can look identical on a shelf and behave completely differently at minus 40. The interesting part of any kit list is never the product name. It's the trade-off. Down or synthetic. One warm layer or three modular ones. A spare liner or a whole second pair for redundancy.
Most of this started as a spreadsheet from the Svalbard trip and a long research log for the colder legs. Every item is tagged to the trip it was packed for. Svalbard is complete today, and Greenland and the South Pole build out from it as each leg demands more. Where something was rented, provided by the operator, borrowed, or is still on the shopping list for a future leg, I've said so. Everything else is mine.
A few principles that run through all of it
First, stay cool, not warm. This is the counterintuitive one. The moment you start moving, your body pours out heat, and if that heat has nowhere to go it turns to sweat. Sweat works its way outward into your insulation and freezes there, and frozen insulation stops insulating, which is how people get into real trouble. So you run slightly cold, and you drop and add layers all day, fast, over and over.
Second, adapt everything for mitts. Almost nothing comes out of the box usable with big mitts on. One of the first jobs is to go round every zipper and fit extenders so you can work them without taking your hands out.
Third, size for the system, not the street. The big puffer goes on over three or four other layers, so it might be two or three sizes larger than you would ever normally buy, to the point of being almost unusable anywhere else. That is the correct size.
Fourth, test everything together before it matters. The classic failure is a small crescent of exposed skin between goggles and face mask. You only find it by wearing the exact combination, not by trusting any spec sheet.
The kit
Filter by trip to see what went on each leg, narrow by category, search for a brand or a material, and open any item to see why it's on the list and what else I looked at. It's what I use and why, not a definitive guide, so check ratings, fit and prices against your own operator's list before you buy anything.
Every item, and why it earns its place
The same kit, laid out in full for reading. Grouped by category, each with the product I use, what it cost (estimates marked est.), and the reasoning behind it.
Base & mid layers
Merino base layer (next-to-skin) (Sitka Stay Fresh merino half-zip, ~$110 est.). The layer right against the skin. Merino for warmth and odour control over many days, in a half-zip so I can dump heat fast. This is the piece I most like wearing directly on the body.
Fleece layer (half-zip, base or mid) (The North Face Summit Series FutureFleece 1/2 Zip, ~$120 est.). A really thin, stretchy fleece with a looped grid knit inside, tiny loops that trap warm air against the skin while still moving moisture. It works as both a next-to-skin layer and a light mid layer, worn sometimes over and sometimes under the FlashDry depending on how I want to layer, and it feels almost like merino.
Lightweight base layer (top & bottom) (The North Face FlashDry lightweight, ~$100 est.). The light wicking layer for higher-output days, top and bottom. Moves sweat off the skin, dries fast, never cotton.
Midweight base layer (top & bottom) (The North Face FlashDry midweight, ~$120 est.). A second weight so I can add warmth without exposing skin. The whole system is modular layers rather than one all-purpose garment.
Merino boxer briefs (Icebreaker Merino Anatomica Boxer Briefs, ~$87 (×3)). Merino next-to-skin underwear that resists odour over many days without washing and keeps wicking when damp. Three pairs to rotate.
Outer shell
Hard-shell jacket (The North Face Summit Series L5 GORE-TEX, ~$600 est.). A GORE-TEX hard shell and the critical wind and weather layer, worn over the insulation. Roomy enough to layer under, with zips to vent when the pace picks up. This is one of the most important items on the whole list.
Hard-shell pants (The North Face Summit Series L5 GORE-TEX, ~$500 est.). The matching GORE-TEX shell bottoms, so I have full hard-shell protection top and bottom against wind and driven snow.
Softshell pants (The North Face Summit Chamlang Soft Shell Pant, ~$250 est.). A stretchy, breathable softshell pant with reinforced areas and lower-leg zips. Better than the hard-shell pants on active, drier days when breathability and freedom of movement matter more than full storm protection.
Insulation
Expedition down parka (over the anorak) (The North Face Summit Series 800-down Belay Parka, 2017 Queen Maud Land Antarctica edition, ~$600 (Vinted)). The big warm layer thrown on the moment I stop moving, sized to fit over the shell. This is my parka for every leg, Svalbard through the Pole and Vinson. It is the 800-fill Summit Series Belay Parka in the 2017 Queen Maud Land expedition edition, with a special patch on the side. I found it secondhand on Vinted for around 600 dollars and paid for their product verification, which is well worth it on expensive kit where you want to be sure a listing is legitimate.
Puffer vest (over the anorak) (The North Face 1996 Retro Nuptse Vest, 700 down, ~$174). A fast core-warmth layer for breaks and low-output stretches, cut boxy to sit over the shell. It warms the core without the arms, which is exactly what you want at a quick stop.
Active insulation jacket (L3) (The North Face Ventrix full-zip hoodie (black), ~$220 est.). A quilted active-insulation hoodie rather than a fleece, with underarm stretch panels for mobility and no chest pockets in the way. Think of it as an L3 layer, warm enough to move in but breathable, and the stretch makes it easy to work in.
Synthetic insulated hoodie (The North Face ThermoBall Eco Hoodie (orange, ~2018), ~$180 est.). A synthetic ThermoBall hoodie with grey underarm stretch panels for mobility, probably the 2018 Eco. Of the two mid layers I slightly preferred this one, it is a touch warmer, and it doubles as a great all-in-one hoodie. I could not wear it under the hard shell while moving because it got me too hot, but it shines in camp, and it is my go-to for travelling to site and on flights.
Insulated mid puffer pants (Rab Photon Pants, ~$310 (£250)). Full-zip synthetic over-pants that pull on over boots and shell without undressing. Synthetic over down for the same moisture-tolerance reason. Also worth a look, Mountain Hardwear Compressor Alpine (full side zips, reinforced seat and knees).
Hands
Expedition over-mitts (Outdoor Research Alti II GORE-TEX Mitts, ~$209). The outermost hand layer and a genuine safety item, and the piece I am happiest with. I run the removable liners from my Summit Series mountaineering gloves inside them, and the combination is incredibly warm. The rule I would pass on is do not size mitts tight. Go at least a size larger than you think you need, because a snug fit is a cold fit and trapped air is what keeps hands warm. One honest lesson, I do not have a proper mitt leash. I rigged one from paracord and it did not work well, so I would buy a real leash system rather than improvise. Also worth a look, Wintergreen Plunge Mitt (a friend used these and rated them highly); Black Diamond Absolute Mitt (very warm, removable liner).
Mountaineering gloves (removable liners) (The North Face Summit Series mountaineering gloves, ~$120 est.). The gloves I work in for rope, carabiners, crampon straps and repairs. Their removable liners double as the insulating liners inside the Alti II mitts, which is what ties the whole hand system together.
Lightweight gloves (The North Face Sierra Etip Gloves, ~$40). A thin, dexterous fleece glove for tasks that need finger movement, and warm enough on its own for milder moments.
Working gloves (camp & cooking) (SmartWool working gloves, ~$40 est.). Worn with the lightweight gloves for moving around camp and cooking, when I want a bit more warmth than a liner but still need to use my hands. They have a touchscreen tip on one finger, not that I use it much out there.
Silk glove liners (Cocoon Silk Glove Liner, ~$20). Ultra-thin silk liners worn under the working gloves, a comfortable base layer for the hands that adds a little warmth and lets me do brief fiddly tasks without going bare-skinned. I found them somewhat helpful rather than essential.
Vapour-barrier gloves (Oversized nitrile gloves, ~$10 est.). Worn over a liner, a non-breathable layer stops sweat migrating into the insulating gloves and freezing over successive days. I did not end up wearing them much on Svalbard, it was not cold enough to need them and I found they restricted the circulation in my hands, but I will try them again on a colder trip where the moisture problem is real.
Head & face
Merino skull cap (thin liner) (200-weight merino wool skull cap, ~$25 est.). The technical thin liner for high-output skiing under the hood, low bulk with minimal seams. A proper 200-weight merino cap rather than an off-the-shelf beanie.
Warm beanies (The North Face beanie plus a couple of unbranded, ~$30 est.). Simple warm hats for camp and colder, lower-output periods. Nothing technical, just dry and warm with good ear coverage, and a spare or two.
Neck gaiters (Buffs ×2) (Buff ×2, ~$50 est.). Two Buffs at the neck and lower face. They seal the gap between hat, mask and collar and make a real difference keeping the wind out.
Balaclava (face cover) (TUO Kinetic Merino 150 Balaclava, ~$40). The face and neck cover I actually used. A lightweight 150-weight merino balaclava, very warm for its weight and a good starter for cold mornings. The nose and the strip of skin under the eyewear are the real frostbite risks, so any face cover gets tested as a system with the exact goggles and hood. Also worth a look, ColdAvenger Expedition Balaclava (the alternative I researched, with a detachable nose and mouth mask and a breathing ventilator).
Glacier sunglasses (Julbo Reactiv photochromic, ~$200 est.). Wraparound glacier sunglasses with photochromic Reactiv lenses that darken and lighten with the conditions, full side coverage and a retaining strap. Paired with a face buff these handle most cold days, and I only switch to goggles when it really turns.
Ski goggles (primary) (Smith 4D MAG, interchangeable lenses, ~$320 est.). The primary goggle when the weather forces the switch. Interchangeable lenses let me match the light, so I do not need to carry a big quiver of goggles.
Ski goggles (backup) (Older Oakley pair). The backup to the backup, a pair that is literally 20 years old. Between these, the Smith goggles and the Julbo sunglasses I have plenty of eye protection, so these only matter in a worst case.
Feet
Expedition ski boots (3-pin, rated to -90 °F) (Baffin Three Pin Pro, rented from the operator). The specialist polar ski boot is expensive and size-specific, so I rented it through the operator rather than buying for a single build. Worn on the skis and on the ice, not for the approach.
Approach / hiking boots (La Sportiva Nucleo High 2 GORE-TEX, ~$259). A solid waterproof boot for getting to and from the start. You do not use these out on the ice, where it is the ski boots on the skis or camp booties in camp, but a good approach boot matters at either end.
Thick insulating socks (SmartWool thick, boot-liner weight, ~$30 est.). The heavy, almost industrial SmartWool socks that act like a boot liner, the warmest of the rotation.
Thin & mid liner socks (SmartWool, calf-height and ankle-height, ~$60 est.). A couple of thinner SmartWool weights in different heights. I take a few pairs and rotate them depending on how I feel and how the feet are doing.
Leg gaiters (Sea to Summit gaiters, ~$40 est.). One pair, and really important. I use the Sea to Summit gaiters to seal the boot and leg against snow and water on the hiking and any water crossings.
Camp booties (with sole) (The North Face ThermoBall Traction Bootie, ~$70). A big end-of-day comfort item, getting dry warm feet out of the ski boots, with a sole that lets me move around camp.
Sleeping
Sleeping bag (main) (Down bag rated to -40 °C, operator-provided). The main bag on Svalbard was a big down sleeping bag the operator provided, rated to -40 °C. For a first cold-weather trip that took the biggest single risk, freezing at night, off the table. On the colder legs ahead this is the piece I most need to own rather than borrow.
Inner bag & liner (The North Face Wasatch 30 plus sleeping-bag liner, ~$120 est.). My own lightweight bag and a liner, used as an extra layer inside the operator's bag and the Piteraq bedding bag. It adds warmth and flexibility to the system rather than carrying the whole load on its own.
Inflatable sleeping pad (NEMO Tensor Extreme Conditions Long Wide, ~$280). A high-R inflatable, sized Long-Wide for a 6 ft 1 in frame and broad shoulders. Inflate it with a pump sack, never breath, or moisture freezes inside. It sits over the foam pad as the warm half of a two-pad system.
Foam sleeping pad (Closed-cell foam mat, operator-provided). The foam pad under the inflatable adds insulation, protects the inflatable from punctures, and is a survivable backup if the inflatable fails. The operator provides these from their facility, so there was no need to buy one.
Tent (Hilleberg Keron GT, rented from the operator). The operator's tent rather than mine, and the vestibule is the whole point. It is too cold to cook outside, so the vestibule becomes the kitchen and the porch. We would dig a pit into the snow inside the front vestibule so you could sit in the tent with your feet hanging over the edge, set the stove up on the far side of it, and feed the dug-out snow straight into the pot as the first water of the evening. The other trick is to bury the bottom six inches of the tent all the way round with snow and ice, so the wind cannot get underneath it.
Climbing & travel
Climbing harness (Petzl Adjama, ~$105). A comfortable adjustable harness for roped glacier travel and the climb, worn over layers and boots. My own, bought ahead so I could train in the exact harness I would use.
Pulk pulling harness (Ski-pulk.com Expedition Rope Pulling Harness, ~$125). The harness that connects you to the sled, and something you are in almost all day, so I bought my own ahead of time to be sure of the fit and to get the timed training in. There are really only two options. The other is Fjellpulken, which would not ship to the United States, so I went with this one, and honestly I liked it a lot.
Trekking / ski poles (Leki collapsible folding poles ×2, ~$180 est.). Collapsible poles that pack down small. One lesson, they were a little short for pulking, because on skis you are lifted up off the snow. If you are pulking in particular, go longer than feels natural so you are not stooping over normal-height poles.
Carabiners (3 locking, 4 non-locking) (Assorted, ~$80 est.). The working set for rope systems, anchors and clipping. Locking where it matters, non-locking for speed.
Accessory carabiners (×4) (General-use, ~$20 est.). For racking, hanging kit in the tent and general camp use, kept separate from the climbing carabiners.
Accessory cord (20 ft, 5 to 6 mm perlon) (5 to 6 mm perlon, ~$20). Prusiks, repairs, guy-outs and improvised rigging. Cheap, light, endlessly useful.
Camp & kitchen
Camping stove (MSR XGK EX expedition stove, ~$190 est.). One of the most important things you carry. From the moment you make camp to the moment you sleep, and again from waking to setting off, you are basically always melting snow and boiling water. You get comfortable enough with it to hear its problems coming. Carry it with a couple of repair kits so you can change the pins in the field.
Stove fuel (MSR fuel bottles with white gas, ~$40 est.). MSR fuel bottles filled with white gas, which is the cleanest-burning camping fuel, carried and rationed by the number of days since melting snow for water is the single biggest fuel draw.
Insulated flask / Thermos (1 L) (REI 1 L insulated Thermos, ~$35 est.). Hot drink on the move without stopping to melt snow. A real morale and warmth lever on a cold day, and this one holds heat well.
Insulated mug with lid (GSI Infinity Backpacker Mug, ~$16). Light, with a sip-through flip lid. The rule in the cold is that everything you eat or drink from has a lid, or it freezes and spills.
Bowl / food container (humangear Stax XL (largest container only), ~$33). I am not a huge fan of the full stacking system. In practice I just take the biggest container off it and carry that, which does the job of a bowl without the extra parts.
Drinking bottle (1 L wide-mouth) (Nalgene Sustain Wide-Mouth 32 oz, ~$17). Wide mouth fills easily with hot water and clears if ice forms. A second, differently coloured bottle handles the pee-bottle job.
Pee bottle (wide-mouth) (Nalgene Sustain Silo 48 oz, ~$20). A dedicated bottle in an unmistakably different colour and size from the drinking bottles, because there is no room for confusion at minus 30 in a tent.
Insulated bottle cover (Neoprene sleeve, ~$20). This is where I got it wrong. I used a neoprene sleeve that only covered from the top of the bottle down, and even filling with boiling water in the morning I often could not finish it before it froze, sometimes within an hour or two. Any colder and that is a real problem. For seriously cold trips, get the best-insulated bottle system you can, not a partial sleeve.
Long-handled spoon (REI titanium long-handled spoon, polished face, ~$12). A genuine lifesaver, and worth being specific about. You rehydrate the meals right inside their bag with hot water and let them steep to cook, so you need a long handle to reach the bottom and eat without spilling or making a mess. Titanium for weight, a polished face so nothing sticks, and long enough to get to the bottom of the pouch. About 12 dollars from REI.
Stuff sacks (varied sizes and colours) (Sea to Summit stuff sacks, ~$60 est.). The counter-intuitive part is how you pack them. Do not sort by product, one bag of base layers, one of food, one of toiletries. Sort by time of day. One sack holds everything for the morning, the base layers you put on and your breakfast. Another holds everything for the evening. When you are in that part of the day you grab a single bag and it is all there, and when you are done it all goes back into the same sack. You work in clock cycles rather than product groupings. Keep one more sack for the day of travel with your cold-weather clothing, so you can strip a layer off or bundle it back in as it warms up or cools down.
Stick sunscreen (high SPF) (Banana Boat Kids Sport SPF 50 Stick, ~$8). Stick format does not freeze solid or leak like a tube, and the plateau reflects a brutal amount of UV. Reapplied to nose, cheeks and any exposed skin.
SPF lip balm (Banana Boat Aloe Vera SPF Lip Balm, ~$5). Lips burn and crack fast in cold, dry, high-UV air. Kept in a pocket so it stays soft enough to use.
Chemical hand warmers (Air-activated warmers, ~$15 est.). They make a massive difference. Sometimes you simply cannot get your hands warm, and a warmer is close to a lifesaver in that moment.
High-energy snacks (~1,500 cal/day) (Homemade trail mix plus bars, ~$100 est.). Cold burns calories fast, so I ran on roughly 1,500 a day, portioned into 250 to 300 calorie bags. I made my own trail mix, peanut butter, pretzels, M&Ms, dates, and cashew clusters with nuts, for a good balance of carbohydrate, protein and fat, and backed it up with bars. Two lessons. First, do not use small fiddly zip-locks. I got away with it because it never got truly cold, but any colder and I could not have picked food out of them, though I could still have tipped a whole bag straight into my mouth. Second, keep snacks rotating from the sled onto your body so your body heat keeps them soft, and make sure your kit has the internal pockets to do it. I did not have enough pocket space to warm everything I wanted to, and that was a real limitation.
Hygiene wipes & toiletries (Dude Wipes plus minimal toiletries, ~$20 est.). The Dude Wipes matter more than you would think for morale and skin health over many days. One trick, they freeze solid, so I slept with the packet inside my sleeping bag to thaw it overnight and have usable wipes in the morning. The rest of the toiletries are pared to essentials.
Toilet paper (kitchen towel) (Kitchen towel rather than toilet roll). A top tip, take kitchen towel instead of toilet roll. In big mitts a small slice of paper is almost impossible to handle, and a large sheet of kitchen towel makes the whole business far easier. Kept dry in a bag. One more thing it took me four or five days to work out, dig foot holes either side when you dig your toilet, so you can actually squat in comfort.
Lighters (Flint lighters plus backups, ~$10 est.). Flint lighters and backup lighters for the stove, kept warm in a pocket so they actually spark in the cold.
Electronics & media
Drone (DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo (with RC 2), ~$1,099). Aerial footage is what makes the expeditions worth watching, and it carries the sponsorship story far better than ground-level shots. The Mini class is light enough to justify its place in the payload, with obstacle sensing and tracking that let me fly it solo.
Spare drone batteries (×2) (YATEOO 5000 mAh Flight Battery Plus, ~$180 (×2)). Cold destroys flight time, so spares kept warm against the body are the difference between one usable flight and several.
microSD cards (×3) (Lexar E-Series 128 GB, ~$80 (3-pack)). Redundant, fast cards so I am never choosing which footage to delete, and a failed card never costs the whole record.
Action camera (GoPro Hero 7 Black, ~$300 est.). A rugged point-of-view camera for the record and the sponsor content, with batteries kept warm against the body or they die in minutes.
360 camera (Insta360, borrowed). A 360 camera borrowed from a friend for the trip, good for immersive footage a single fixed lens cannot capture. Not something I own, so it goes on the list as borrowed.
GPS / navigation (Garmin GPS72H, ~$150 est.). A handheld GPS as a navigation aid. It started life as a sailing unit and works just as well on land. Worth being clear that it is navigation, not a two-way messenger or SOS device.
Head torches (×2) (Black Diamond head torch plus an REI backup, ~$65 est.). A lightweight Black Diamond head torch as the main light and a cheap REI one as backup. Honestly barely used on Svalbard, because by late April up there it was almost constant daylight, but you carry them anyway.
Power bank & charging (Generic 20,000 mAh power bank, ~$40 est.). A generic 20,000 mAh bank was more than enough over a six-day trip, charging the drone a couple of times and the cameras. The trick is less about capacity and more about going in with everything fully charged and warming the batteries thoroughly before use.
Haul & transport
Pulk bedding bag (Nordic Life Piteraq Arctic Bedding HD, ~$400 est.). An absolute essential, and the item that organises the whole day. It sits on top of the pulk and holds the foam mat, the inflatable and the sleeping bag inside. The top pockets carry the accessible food and water I need while hauling, like a daypack, and the tent loads on top. At camp I pitch the tent fast and pull the bedding straight inside. I got into a strong routine of building the next 24 hours into it every morning, the day's food and water, that evening's meal, and any accessories, so the whole system was laid out and I was thinking one full cycle ahead.
Expedition backpack (100 L) (The North Face Prophet 100, ~$400 est.). A large adjustable climbing pack for personal kit plus a share of group gear. I did not take this to Svalbard, where the pulk carries everything. It is the bag for a Mount Vinson or Denali style climb, so it belongs to the South Pole and Vinson leg rather than the ski trips. Bought in North Face's red-and-black era around 2018.
Duffel bag (90 L) (The North Face 90 L duffel, ~$170 est.). A standard 90 L duffel that rides on the sled and takes the bulk of the packed kit. Both operator lists call for a 90-litre-plus bag, and a tough duffel is easy to tag and haul.
Repair & tools
Stove repair kit & spare pins (MSR field maintenance kit, ~$25 est.). The stove is mission-critical, so I carry the maintenance kit and spare pins to strip and fix it in the field. Being able to change a pin is the difference between hot water and a very bad night.
Mattress repair kit (Therm-a-Rest Instant Field Repair Kit, ~$13). A punctured pad in the field is a cold, serious problem, so the specific instant-patch kit for the sleeping mat travels with it.
Gear & tent repair kit (Gear Aid Seam Grip WP with Tenacious Tape, ~$13). Seam sealant and adhesive patches for holes and torn seams on the tent, shell and general gear. Light, and it saves an otherwise trip-ending failure.
Optional extras
Camp chair (Crazy Creek Original Chair, ~$65). A small luxury that makes eating and resting off the snow much more civilised at the end of a day, and it doubles as extra sit-insulation.
Personal first-aid kit (Compeed, plasters, sterilising wipes, gauze, ~$30 est.). The team carries a group medical kit, so this is the personal supplement. Mostly small stuff, Compeed for blisters, a few plasters, sterilising wipes, and some gauze for a tourniquet if it ever came to that.
Skincare (hand cream & talc) (Travel-size Gold Bond plus a talc shaker, ~$15 est.). Easy to forget and genuinely worth it. Hands crack and skin suffers in cold, dry air, so a travel-size hand cream or moisturiser like Gold Bond earns its place, along with a little shaker of talc to keep skin and feet dry. Lip balm belongs in the same personal-care habit.
Eye mask (Alaska Bear sleep mask, ~$20 est.). With 24-hour daylight a mask is the difference between sleeping and not. I would recommend this exact one. It is soft on the head, holds its place, and the pads are shaped so there is no pressure on the eyes.
Earplugs (Foam earplugs, ~$5 est.). Wind, a flapping tent and a shared camp all work against sleep, and earplugs are a tiny, cheap way to protect it.
Watch (Cheap Casio or similar, ~$10 est., planned for a future leg). A lesson from Svalbard rather than something I carried. I kept my phone off and often could not tell the time, which was a genuine faux pas. Next time I will take a 10 dollar Casio, so it is on the list for Greenland and the Pole.
If your brand has a point of view on endurance, preparation, or the long build, the sponsorship story sits alongside all of this on the Antarctica page, and you can always get in touch.