I'm climbing Mt. Fuji for the first time next month.
I had absolutely no idea what I was supposed to prepare, and it sounded like there was a huge list of gear I needed. I mentioned this at work, and it turned out one of my coworkers had climbing experience. They told me, "Just go to Montbell and say you're climbing Mt. Fuji and want to get everything you need."
So on my day off, I took the train to a Montbell store.
As soon as I told the staff I was going to climb Mt. Fuji, they handed me a checklist of the gear I'd need and then patiently walked me through everything—from rainwear and a headlamp to the little strap that keeps your hat from blowing away. They even shared stories from their own Mt. Fuji climb while explaining what each item was for.
Then they had me take off my shoes and measured my feet while I was wearing hiking socks. That's when I discovered something surprising: I'd always thought my shoe size was 26 cm, but my left foot actually measures 24 cm. My right foot is 24.5 cm, so I learned for the first time that my feet aren't even the same size.
After trying on hiking boots, they had me walk laps around the store. They even had a fake rocky slope set up so I could make sure the boots felt stable on uneven ground. They suggested I test them sideways too, so there I was crab-walking across the fake rocks in the middle of the store.
The staff kept saying, "You've still got plenty of time before your trip—you don't have to buy everything today." But... I ended up buying quite a lot anyway.
They also recommended doing a practice hike on a smaller mountain before tackling Mt. Fuji. I don't have any plans for that, though, so today I came to work wearing my new hiking boots just to start breaking them in.
I expected they'd be awkward to walk in, but it's actually the opposite. It feels like the boots naturally push my feet forward, and walking is surprisingly enjoyable.
Now I can't wait to climb Mt. Fuji.
The end.
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