What to pack for Patagonia in December
December is early summer in Patagonia, and the start of the main hiking season in Torres del Paine and around El Chaltén. The days are very long, and when the sun is out, the granite towers and glaciers are spectacular. But this is one of the windiest places on Earth, and the weather can swing from sunshine to sleet in an afternoon.
So the list is built for serious hiking in cool, wild weather. Layers are everything: a base layer, a fleece, a down jacket and a waterproof shell that can take the wind. The towns are casual, and hiking clothes go everywhere.
Checked
The weather
- Daytime high
- 59°F
- 15°C in the valleys. Colder at the viewpoints.
- Overnight low
- 41°F
- 5°C. Near freezing in the mountains.
- Wind
- 30–60 mph
- Gusts can knock hikers off balance.
- Daylight
- 17 h
- Light until after 10pm.
The capsule
Ten days, one traveler, Gilt palette. Gray layers with a gold down jacket, made for the wind. A capsule is a few clothes in one palette (a base color, a neutral and an accent) that all go together. The full list below adds what sits outside it.
Layers
Waterproof shell
Packable down jacket
Fleece jacket
Tops
Merino base layer
Long-sleeve tee
Bottoms
Hiking pants
Thermal leggings
Shoes
Waterproof hiking boots
Three days from this capsule
Shown for one traveler. Packlier packs a capsule like this for each person on the trip.
The full list
Clothes
- Waterproof, windproof shell jacket
- Rain pants
- Packable down jacket
- Fleece
- Two or three merino base layer tops
- Thermal leggings
- Two pairs of hiking pants
- Wool hiking socks, one pair a day
- Clothes for town and travel days
Shoes
- Waterproof hiking boots, well broken in
- Camp or town shoes
Hiking
- Trekking poles
- Daypack with a rain cover
- Beanie, sun hat and windproof gloves
- Sunglasses and high-SPF sunscreen
- Refillable water bottle
- Headlamp
- Dry bags to line your pack
Documents and tech
- Passport
- Park tickets and campsite or refuge bookings
- Travel insurance that covers trekking
- Cash in local currency; ATMs are few and often empty
- Plug adapters for Chile (Type C/L) and Argentina (Type I)
- Power bank; charging is limited in the refuges
Health and toiletries
- Blister kit
- SPF lip balm
- Any prescriptions, in your carry-on
Gear worth the space
A proper shell
Waterproof, windproof and with a hood that cinches tight. It is the single most important piece in the bag.
A packable down jacket
For cold mornings, windy viewpoints and evenings at the refuge.
Trekking poles
Light, collapsible and a real help on steep, loose trails in a strong wind.
Windproof gloves
Your hands get cold quickly in the wind, even in summer, especially holding poles.
Winds of 30–60 mph, and light until after 10pm. Packlier packs the layers for your dates, sized to your bag.
Tell it where, when, why, which bag and which palette, and it packs the capsule, checks it against the bag and adds everything that is not clothing. Launching this year on Android, with iOS to follow.
One email at launch, nothing else.