Tips & Tricks from Ribboners

PLANNING & PREPARATIONS

• Good to think about what you want to get out of the trip, and what goals you have.
• If you want to do the Green Ribbon,, do it! But be prepared for it to change you…
• Plan as much as possible before the trip. Once you’re out there, only plan the next few hours ahead and enjoy every second! Shape each day based on the events and situations that arise. Adapt on the fly, simply put.
• Try to keep your schedule as flexible as possible. You never know what will happen along the long way, and an extra rest day here and there can really be needed. You might also meet places or people you especially like, and then it can be wonderful to be able to stay a day or two. Plan carefully, but be ready to loosen or change the plan.
• Take it easy. Give yourself time to enjoy everything you pass and don’t rush past all the amazing things. Treat yourself to rest days and a bit of luxury during the journey.
• It will never turn out exactly as planned. Both timelines and route choices change over time depending on weather and conditions for the day. Try to stay calm and take one day at a time, even when it doesn’t go as planned.
• Don’t stress. Don’t over-plan the adventure into exhaustion. Have fun and experience the journey fully!
• Get out and hike parts of the stretches you plan to walk. Even if you already have some hiking experience, it helps a lot to have experienced proper bogs, 20+ km road walking with a heavy backpack, or the Rogen moraine terrain on your own beforehand.
• Do your research! Blogs and stories from previous hikers helped me a lot in my planning.
• Think mentally through what may be required of you as a mountain traveler. Cold, damp, rain, snow, and fatigue can be very hard to handle, especially when you are alone.
• Test equipment, food, and routines as closely as possible to how you expect it to be on the trip. Do a proper risk analysis. If done correctly, it will shape your preparations and answer many “what if…?” questions.
• Plan to carry light. Aim for a base weight of 7 kg or less. Carry no more than 15 kg including one week of food. Train, train, train. Every kilometer with a backpack before the trip will pay off. And break in your shoes properly – meaning at least 20 km per day for 2–3 days in a row to understand how your feet respond.
• Check your health condition before starting and bring what you need to survive and support your body.
• Practice getting up early in the morning.
• Make a good playlist with all your best hype songs –  it will save you when things feel tough (just remember to download it offline).
• Prepare your mentality – you will pass lots of wetlands. You will struggle with yourself, but it’s worth it.
• Plan your trip in advance, but don’t forget to be spontaneous! Deviate from your route if you want, take that side trip to the summit!
• Be prepared. Go with the flow.
• If you don’t have many dietary preferences/allergies/dog food or similar needs and you follow established trails, you may not need to send many supply boxes. It can be surprisingly expensive to ship them, and that money could instead be used for food along the way.
• Do careful food planning. Check where there are shops. It saves many kilos on your back. Also check distances – some stretches like Klimpfjäll–Hemavan can be longer than expected, which may cause food to run low.
• Get help sending supply boxes so you don’t lock your route too tightly.
• You can’t train too much strength and endurance for a trip like this!
• Rapeseed oil as a fat source, since it has a lower melting point than all other oils I’ve tested.
• Physical training. Practice with all your equipment and plan ahead as much as possible.
• Plan for a “soft landing” after finishing your trip – take some time before rushing back into civilization.

PACKING

• Dry it! Do it yourself! But not too much. It was incredibly nice to be able to buy something fresh.
• What you save in weight, you often have to make up for in experience.
• Bring a bath sponge. It makes it easy to wash off in streams and lakes. It weighs almost nothing, compresses well, and dries quickly.
• It seems worth it to dare to carry sturdy gear that lasts, if only for peace of mind!
• Bring ski grip wax! Don’t rely only on climbing skins, since the glue can freeze in low temperatures.
• Bring a dishcloth! Super nice for wiping rain and condensation off the tent, and for washing yourself if you don’t want to bathe, or drying off after a swim.
• Bring mosquito nets! And do not skimp on the chocolate.
• Bring a lightweight umbrella that can be attached to the backpack.
• Many people carry too much, maybe 20–25 kilos, which is fine for a one-week trip with 10 km days, but not for the Gröna Bandet. I think many people quit because they carry too much weight.
• My biggest tip is to get a frying pan with reasonably high sides and a lid. I cooked all my food in it and ate directly from it, minimal dishwashing.
• Bring plenty of ibuprofen.
• Make sure your ski boots have removable liners.
• 0.5 L Nalgene bottles are perfect for drying equipment.
• Pack your tent in a “tent condom,” it saves a lot of energy and time.
• At the beginning of a trip during the Vita Bandet, a powerful headlamp is very useful to extend ski days.
• It works very well to buy food in local shops, so don’t send too much food in advance.
• Rather send an extra resupply box than carry more than 12 days of food.
• If you are going to dry food beforehand, start well in advance of departure.
• Shop locally, then prep sandwiches with cheese and ham and fry them on the stove for breakfast. So good.
• Food tip could be eating baby porridge for breakfast, and adding calories in the form of oil to dinners, for example pouring it into a bottle.
• Another tip is to dry vegetables and protein to add to food you buy along the way. We also used mayonnaise (preferably chili or habanero flavored) and dried onions to make meals more calorie-dense and improve taste and texture.
• As a woman, I can recommend bringing a pee cloth. This reduced our toilet paper use and meant less waste to carry.
• Marzipan, next to butter, has one of the best energy-to-weight ratios.
• Bring some kind of wheel for the pulk sled.
• Bring a simple water filter. It is needed when water disappears in dry conditions and you have to take water from small lakes or trickles.
• Bring hiking poles.

DURING THE RIBBON

• Start with shorter daily stages and gradually increase them. Lower your expectations — being out for several months can’t be compared to “normal” mountain trips of 1–3 weeks.
• Consider taking the Padjelantaleden instead of the Kungsleden.
• Take the chance to talk to local people along the way! Ask for tips, listen to their stories about the area – the most unusual and amazing things can happen.
• Be open to everything and allow time for detours.
• Don’t always choose the fastest route; choose the one that looks the most exciting!
• Don’t think of it as 1300 km from the start – that’s too overwhelming. Instead, work with stage goals.
• Make your own journey and don’t compare too much with how others have done it.
• My best tip is to be disciplined and take regular breaks with rest and airing out your feet. I myself walked 50 minutes and rested 10. I had 7–8 such cycles per day. Two of the breaks were longer, about 60 minutes with lunch.
• Try to find your personal, healthy balance between being present in each day of the journey and striving toward your final goal.
• Take your time – this is not a race or competition.
• Don’t make it harder than it already is. Try to notice the small moments that make you enjoy it. Turn the trip into something that feels like a holiday.
• Eat proper food when passing a café, mountain station, or restaurant. Sleep well when you can, take extra rest days when weather is harsh. Don’t stress – it’s already a hardcore challenge, no need to amplify it.
• Eat – everything gets better with mayonnaise.
• Prioritize foot care. My partner and I did foot care every morning and evening and had zero blisters during the entire trip.
• Take the day as it comes, don’t rush, and eat whenever you can.
• The short section just north of Skalmodal is extremely steep and dangerous. It can technically be done, but vegetation is thick and slippery and I fell many times. I wouldn’t recommend it. Others suggest following the ridge east instead of dropping into the trail-less forest.
• Try to enjoy it and don’t see Treriksröset as the goal – the journey is the goal. Hiking should be enjoyable.
• Go through western Jämtland! People are often afraid of it, but it’s not difficult, and places like Anjan and Kolåsen have incredible hosts you shouldn’t miss. The Skäckerfjällen, Sösjöfjällen, and Offerdalsfjällen are stunning and feel like true wilderness.
• Take it slow for the first 10–14 days.
• Consider joining other “Ribboners” you meet going the same direction — it’s often very rewarding. Also don’t hesitate to knock on locals’ doors for water, charging, or directions. Unexpected and wonderful encounters happen.
• Talk to Sámi people about smart routes – they know their land deeply and can save you a lot of time.
• Don’t be afraid of harder routes. I was warned about the Lapplandsleden being rough and unmarked, but it became my favorite section. The untracked crossing of Hotagsfjällen was also a highlight, even in strong winds and whiteout.
• Avoid walking along roads whenever possible – it’s hard on gear and mentally draining.
• Flow with the landscape. Don’t fight the natural conditions; adapt step by step and you will always move forward eventually.
• Allow yourself to rest.
• Start easy with short stages, then increase distance (to avoid injuries).
• The most memorable days were often the ones where we left the standard routes.
• If distances feel long, break them down (e.g., 12 km becomes 3 × 4 km).
• Use snowmobile maps as well as hiking maps for winter trips.
• Stay in Gäddede Camping, support local businesses, rest at Gärde bathing spot north of Åre, visit Naturum Stora Sjöfallet, enjoy a waffle at Saltoluokta, take a summit detour to Skierfe…
• Don’t miss Stig in Olden – he warmly welcomes everyone doing the journey.
• Try not to listen to music or use your phone while walking – it’s a powerful feeling being alone in nature without external stimulation.
• Enjoy it. It might not feel like it, but it’s over faster than you think. Above all: dare to do it.
• Don’t get caught in performance pressure. Some enjoy finishing fast with light packs – but compare only with yourself.
• Have fun. Enjoy. Take each day as it comes and don’t obsess over kilometers or plans. Do it your way, not others’.
• Avoid roads. Go as wild as possible.
• On winter routes, always follow marked snowmobile trails, especially around Tjaktjajaure between Pårtestugan and Aktsestugan – going off-route there can be very dangerous.
• Learn foot care and accept wet feet.
• Always say yes if invited by locals.
• Work with nature, not against it.
• Avoid roads. Go Norway instead.
• Don’t miss the sauna – it feels like being reborn every time.
• Luxury matters! Good snacks, sauna, or small comforts make a big difference. If there’s ever a time to indulge, it’s here.
• Social media can inspire, but don’t compare yourself to others – only to your own journey.
• Buy food in shops, don’t be afraid to choose alternative routes to Kungsleden.
• Don’t try to break speed records – it’s not worth it.
• Eat, eat, eat – you cannot eat too much energy if you’re going long distances. Stay hydrated and keep a buffer before cooking new meals.
• Pause tracking when indoors to save battery on emergency devices.
• Talk to people, listen to advice, but decide for yourself.
• Hakuna Matata.