Shopping in Kathmandu for Trekking Gear-11794

Shopping in Kathmandu for Trekking Gear

Shopping in Kathmandu for trekking clothes, gear and equipment is an overwhelming experience for the first-timer.  So here’s our guide to making it easy.  After 11 months on the road, living in the same two pairs of trousers and four t-shirts we had to buy some trekking gear in Kathmandu.  To cut a long story short, we ended up in Shona’s Kathmandu Nepal buying virtually everything there!

UPDATE:  October 2019:  Thanks to a reader for confirming that Shona’s Alpine Kathmandu is continuing to supply trekkers and hikers with gear! (and yes my 2014 thermals are still working well too!!)

UPDATE:  21st October 2017 – Thanks to Jeff DuPilka for confirming that Shona’s Alpine Thamel Kathmandu is still in operation (despite having no internet presence) and that Andy and Shona are both well and continue to sell great gear for your treks! (My 2014 thermals are still going well!)

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER

We’d frozen our way around Darjeeling, but we’ve arrived in Kathmandu overland from India to Nepal specifically to head off on a trek and therefore we need something a little more substantial than the Karrimor and Go Outdoors T-Shirts we’ve been living in.  We needed to go gear shopping in Kathmandu.

If you want to see what we trekked with – here’s our Trek Gear List.  We planned to supplement the stuff we’d been traveling with for 10 months, buy only what was needed, and donate what we did not want to carry afterward.  Therefore we were on a budget.

What Trek Are We Going on?

We are doing the Everest Circuit via the Cho La Pass.    It is an 18-day trek that starts with us flying from Kathmandu to Lukla.  We then head up to Namche Bazaar, then towards the Gokyo Lakes, over the Cho La Pass to Everest Base camp, and return via the Tengboche Monastery.

Read a Day by Day Guide to Trekking to Everest Base Camp

Most Important Item to Buy Before Trekking

The most important item to buy before setting off on a trek is an insurance policy.  Most treks in Nepal are at high altitudes.  That carries significant health risks.  Read our article on travel insurance for Nepal here.

Trekking Gear to Buy in Kathmandu

Boots for a start – there is a very high likelihood that we’ll need crampons as well as just boots.  You can also imagine that our warm weather gear just isn’t going to cut it.

You can find our entire Trek Gear List here – including what we brought with us, and what we donated to Nepali Porter Charities too.

Shopping in Kathmandu for Trekking Gear-5904

We’re in Thamel, Kathmandu

We’re staying in Thamel, the tourist, backpacker area of Kathmandu, at a great cheap hotel – it’s easy to find cheap places to stay in Kathmandu, but you’ve probably arrived here after a long trip, so we recommend booking your accommodation before you get here.

Every other store is a gear store. And then there are restaurants and cafes and bars.

And if you’re short on tie-dye, hemp, woven handmade crafty things, then you’ll be in your element here.

Where to Stay in Kathmandu

Karma Boutique Hotel – Jyatha Marg, Thamel, Thamel, 44600 Kathmandu, Nepal Check Rates here Great location, friendly staff, and very clean. All rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV. Some rooms have a seating area where you can relax. Every room includes a private bathroom. For your comfort, you will find slippers and free toiletries. Karma Boutique Hotel features free WiFi throughout the property. Reserve your room now

Yatri Suites and Spa – Amrit Marg(Manang Plaza), Thamel, Thamel, 44600 Kathmandu, Nepal. You can reserve a room here. Great location with 24-hour reception, gift shop, and bar. Some rooms have seating areas, Free Wifi throughout, plus Flat-screen TV and AC in each room. Grab a room at this superb spot in Kathmandu

Thamel Villa – Chaksibari Marg Thamel, Thamel, 44600 Kathmandu, Nepal – Reserve at this great boutique hotel with an airport shuttle service. Breakfast is served daily, 24-hour desk, a great location if throughout, and Air-conditioned rooms. All rooms include private bathrooms and flat-screen TV, fridges, and kettles. Plus rooms have seating areas and some rooms have terraces. All rooms have a seating area and some have a terrace. Book your room now!

Shopping in Kathmandu – the shops

There are legitimate brand stores here in Kathmandu.  You’ll pay only around 5% cheaper than you would at home.  If you’re looking for legitimate branded gear, then you’ll find most of the brand stores on the road into Thamel, from Durbar Marg.  This road is called Tridevi Sadak.  Here are the brand stores that you’ll find there.

  • Red Fox Kathmandu:  Narayanhiti Path, Lal Durbar Marg
  • Sherpa Kathmandu:  Narayanhiti Path, Lal Durbar Marg
  • Black Yak Kathmandu: Narayanhiti Path, Lal Durbar Marg

North Face Kathmandu Store

You’ll find the official North Face Shop in Kathmandu at Tridevi Sadak, 44600, Nepal.  It’s in Thamel near the Garden of Dreams.

Mountain Hardware Shop Kathmandu

You can find Mountain Hardware in Kathmandu on Tridevi Sadak.

Shops selling fake branded trekking gear in Kathmandu

In all the other shops we’re of the opinion that everything is fake. Some are better than others. There are legions of shops here. Legions. There are no prices on anything.  It can be completely overwhelming.  Every other shop in Kathmandu is a trekking shop.  Kathmandu is one of the easiest places to buy hiking gear.

READ THIS POST
The Best Filter Water Bottles To Travel With 

Some stores have a good reputation for non-branded, locally made gear.  One of those is Shonas Alpine Kathmandu, Nepal. We recommend Shona and Andy who run the shop.  They won’t rip you off and you’ll get decent enough gear for your trek.  This is one of the best places for buying trekking gear in Kathmandu.  Shonas Rentals is another service that they provide – they provide trekking gear rental in Kathmandu.   You can even rent sleeping bags, down jackets, and tents from them.  If they don’t supply the specific trekking equipment that you’re looking for then they’ll tell you where you can get it.

It’s not just us, I’m sure in the process of finding this post you saw a lot of reviews about the best place to buy trekking gear in Kathmandu.  And the name Shona’s alpine is referenced.

Shopping in Kathmandu for Trekking Gear-5906

What to Pay for Trekking Gear in Kathmandu

We have a list of what we need to buy. We spent all of yesterday figuring out what starting prices were, as we’d met our guide, Ramesh, who told us that we should expect to pay 60% of what folks start at. It’s pretty difficult then when we found the same gear – a thermal top for instance for a starting price of 2,100, 2500, and 3,500 Nepalese Rupees in three successive stores.

It starts as amusing going into a store when clearly the person trying to sell you something is making the price up on the spot. The look of concentration that passes across their face as they size you up, they look at what you’re wearing, what you’re carrying, and presumably the look of desperation on your face before they then stare into the middle distance and pull a number out of the air.

To a certain extent, the cost of the trekking gear in Kathmandu depends on what you’re prepared to pay and how good a negotiator you are, especially if you’re going to the knock-off/fake shops.

Don’t buy Nepalese Fakes.

This is what we were told in one shop.  “You don’t want the Nepalese fakes said one guy. You want the Chinese fakes. They’re better. Nepal = bad. Chinese = good quality.”  Make up your own mind, if you haven’t brought your own gear with you.

And that was amusing in itself. I never really thought that there would be knock-offs of the knock-offs. Neither did I consider that I’d be considering Chinese knock-offs to be good quality.

I have no idea how to check what is a Nepalese fake versus a Chinese fake.  We checked the gear that we bought as much as we could.  Trying to pull it apart, looking at the seams.  On our boots, we tried the soles and looked at the inner soles.  Got a general sense of the quality of the kit.

We also bought duct tape, super glue, and a sewing kit in case we needed them.  We didn’t.  All our gear that we bought in Kathmandu in 2015 worked for our trek.   I was still using the thermals, gloves, and hat today in 2021.

Shopping in Kathmandu for Trekking Gear-5907

After a full day of this. It’s less than amusing. We were chased out of several stores with folks screaming, “well how much do you want to spend?” and with the price halving from the back of the store to the front – and these are tiny stores.

Little wonder there are so many bars here. Never have I found shopping so much hard work. The shopping list now seems endless.

Shona’s Store – Kathmandu

The Internet in its wisdom had told us of a British Expat called Andy Griffeths, married to a Nepalese woman called Shona. They have a store – “Shona’s Alpine Kathmandu” that several blogs raved about. Honest, said many of the sites, and Trustworthy said others. Near Thamel said yet more, “just ask any local, they all know where Shona’s is”.

Four locals down and we were still none the wiser. Add to that the fact that the locals call the streets different names than what Google maps does and the depression about having to buy gear continued until, trudging towards our hotel in defeat, there she was.  On a pale blue signboard, SHONA’S in white lettering.

Shopping in Kathmandu for Trekking Gear-5908

Perhaps it was the accent – Andy might have left the UK 40 years ago – and as well as Nepal he calls Perth, Western Australia home now – but there’s still a strong Brummie accent there. Or perhaps it was the no-nonsense advice as to what we’d need for the trek – including what we definitely didn’t need it was all just so easy.  Add to that no bargaining (and the price we paid seemed fair compared to all the other stores we’d visited).

Shopping in Kathmandu for Trekking Gear-5909
Andy & Shona

And so, less than an hour later, we walked out with 95% of our list of gear satisfied – with at least 5 items not even purchased – he’d told us how we could manage without – Andy used to be a guide and we’d explained which company we were going with (World Expeditions) and which trek (The Everest Circuit and Cho La), so you can add me to the list of folks who will now recommend him and Shona.

Of course, most of their items are of a Nepal/Chinese origin but the prices are fixed and cost about 60% of the asking prices of other stores seems about right.

How to Find Shonas in Kathmandu

So on the off chance that you’re in Kathmandu searching for gear, here’s how to find them.

Shopping in Kathmandu for Trekking Gear-5910
Google Map for Shonas

First of all, you need to be in the Thamel area of Kathmandu. Then you’re looking for a road that runs parallel to Thamel Marg. The locals call it Jyatha Marg. Google calls it Amrit Marg. If you leave Tridevi Sadak and turn to the south, down Amrit Marg, then Shona’s is on the right-hand side (spot the vertical white on the blue sign on the lamp post). Just past the turn down for Rumdoodles. Easy.

The Address of Shonas Kathmandu is Amrit Marg, Kathmandu.  Shona’s Alpine Opening hours are Sunday –  Saturday 0900 – 1830.   The telephone number of Shonas Alpine is +977 984 3688910.

We wanted gear that wasn’t going to break the bank, that would last the trek, and that we could donate to our Porters when we were finished and Shona’s ticked all the boxes for us.

We arrived in Kathmandu by way of Kakarvitta and you can read about that here.

Essentials for an Everest Base Camp Trek

And… the most important thing…

Travel Tips for Exploring Nepal

We receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using our affiliate links. We do not represent World Nomads. This is not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.

ASocialNomad is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, and amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

10 thoughts on “Shopping in Kathmandu for Trekking Gear”