Taman Negara Kinabalu What to Pack

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: The paths at Mount Kinabalu are slippery, always slippery. Because the humidity is always extremely high in the park, the paths are always wet, and when covered with leaves very slippery. Make sure you bring good, decent shoes when you want to go for a walk, even when it's a short one.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear:
It often rains in the park. Early in the morning the sun normally shines at the top, but the rest of the day the mountain is often hidden in clouds, that produce rain. Especially when you are planning a longer walk, make sure you bring some rainclothes, or some dry clothes to get changed.

Miscellaneous: You need to bring a compact flashlight & extra batteries unless you just loaded with brand new batteries.

I keep seeing people walking in the dark due to low battery condition.

You'll need approximately 3 hours battery life to scale the summit. So just make sure you're not one of those walking in the dark. If your battery running towards the end of the hike is still alright, but +/- half hour before & after Sayap Sayap can be quite dangerous without proper lighting and torch light.

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Luggage and bags: Backpack and not trolley luagage.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: jacket (when going to the peak), gloves (for icy and slippery rocks), rain coat (not for flashing, but in case if it rains), thermal wear (light and thin), head muffler(before your brain freeze up), knee guard (pressure on your knees trailing down) and proper hiking shoes.

Photo Equipment: Camera (is a must)..

Miscellaneous: Torch light.

Luggage and bags: 1 day bag and 1 back pack.

The whole thing weighed 6kg, and the rest were in carried a day pack (first aid kit, whistle, food & water, rain coat, insect repellant, camera, phone, tissues, note book, id).

The rest went into the back pack for the porter.
This is my ultimate list.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: 1 Long sleeves shirt for day 2
2 cotton tshirts (1 for 1st day and another was what I wore to and from the airport)
1 short sleeve thermal cum tshirt for day 2
2 track pants (day 1 - 2)
1 long johns (day 2 for the morning only)
1 travel pants that I wore to and from the airport
1 anorak, 1 light wind breaker cum parka with lining
1 very light lambswool cardigan for nights & day 2
1 lightweight Fleece jacket
Sturdy hiking shoes and second pair of rubber shoes
Leather fingerless gloves and wool gloves underneath
Beanie
Neck warmer
2 pairs of cotton socks (wearinmg 2 layers is more comfortable), 1 pair of rough wool socks
Sufficient underclothes

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Comb, ear plugs
Microfibre towel, tooth brush, small tube of tooth paste to share with my partner, half bar of mini soap, sachet of shampoo
Tissue paper / toilet roll
Sun block squeezed into a plastic sachet & lip gloss, Insect repellent
A list of first aid items (see packing tip on First aid)

Photo Equipment: Camera / Plastic bag for camera, charger
Mobile phone & charger

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: A couple of plastic bags (for wet clothes)
Head torch & fresh batteries
Whistle
Key chain mini compass and thermometer (for fun, not required)

Miscellaneous: Notebook and pen
High energy food (see packing tips on food for list)
Vitamins
Water bottle for 500 ml
ID/Passport in protective waterproof bag (very important)
Travel tickets, itinerary papers, emergency contacts in plastic bag

Luggage and bags: I used a Silicone Water Guard spray on both my shoes (see section on Waterproofing your shoes) and selected clothes. I sprayed my backpack and jacket with the stuff and water just ran off it. Of course, in a heavy downfall, a rain jacket is still useful.

Another tip for back packs is if you have a back pack cover. This helps in heavy rain. Some people use a large plastic bag like a garbage bag to cover their back pack. Or they use their ponchos. But always keep all your things in plastic or zip lock bags anyway, as water could still seep in. It also helps to organised and compartmentalise your things.

Miscellaneous: If you are sharing a dorm at Laban Rata, it is advisable to get ear plugs. Foam ear plugs are really light and weigh almost nothing, and is most useful for several hours sleep, especially if you are a light sleeper. With people being so tired or suffering from colds, there can be some snoring going on. Or excited whispers over the day's events. Even if your dorm mates are quiet, the people outside can be quite noisy, shuffling around, joking and laughing to the wee hours of the morning.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Waterproofing your shoes is recommended in case you encounter wet weather. Even in muddy surroundings, moisture can seep into your shoes and cause discomfort. It is not comfortable walking in squishy shoes and socks for a whole day.

I waterproofed my shoes by spraying a silicone water repellant spray on my shoes. It is called Silicone-Water-Guard Shoe Spray. It is a heavy duty water repellant for suede, leather, nylon, cotton, canvas and other fabrics. I bought it for A$10.95 from the Army Disposal Store in Chatswood, Sydney (Australia).

Spray your shoes at least 24 hours beforehand as it will need to dry off. One coating is sufficient. The silicone repels moisture, but still allows the shoes to 'breathe'.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Someone recommended wearing simple canvas shoes rather than fancy expensive sports shoes to climb the mountain. Some would say Trekking boots rather than runners or tennis shoes. Whatever the brand of shoes, it must have the following attributes: good fit, flexible, protects the ankles, protects the toes (especially on the downhill journey).

The porter wore simple light rubber shoes. She reckons they move with your feet and are very comfortable. The soles had small round bumps on them for friction and grip. I believe that these are sufficient for the first part of the climb, but the second part of the climb requires better grip.

I saw one trekker coming down with his shoes tied round and round with rafia string as the soles had opened up (jaws open like a croc). Do look out for stitched soles as this would help. Also, waterproofing your shoes will aid with moisture problems (my next tip).