Listed below are my suggestions for a good-quality Te Araroa Gear record. The Te Araroa has a popularity for being exhausting on gear, with a lot of rain and dust.
After I hiked the Te Araroa, my gear record was round 6kg (13lb), which put much less stress on my physique in contrast with another hikers who carry heavier hundreds. As I’ve hiked many long-distance thru-hikes, I accomplished a light-weight gear record for the Te Araroa.
Ultralight Te Araroa Gear Checklist
As talked about above, the mud, the chilly, and the troublesome terrain make the Te Araroa path a troublesome path for gear. Nevertheless, it’s potential, however you will need to take high-quality light-weight gear on the path.
Greatest Light-weight Tent for the Te Araroa
The perfect tent for Te Araroa will probably be light-weight, waterproof, bugproof, and capable of face up to windy circumstances. Here’s a record of the very best light-weight 1-person, 2-person, and 3-person tents.
Greatest 1P Tent for Te Araroa
Greatest 2P Tent for Te Araroa
Greatest 3P Tent for Te Araroa
Greatest Backpack for Te Araroa
The perfect backpack for the Te Araroa will probably be light-weight and have sufficient capability to hold all of your meals and kit for as much as round 5 days. For many light-weight via hikers a 50 litre pack will probably be sufficient. Some hikers who haven’t dedicated to carrying a light-weight and compact load may have a barely larger pack.
Greatest Sleeping Bag for Te Araroa
There are a lot of decisions of ultralight sleeping baggage for the Te Araroa Path. Listed below are my suggestions.
Greatest Ultralight Quilts for Te Araroa
In recent times many ultralight hikers have moved from sleeping baggage to ultralight quilts. I feel they’re a greater and lighter possibility for most individuals. They perform effectively till the temperatures get a few levels beneath freezing. At that time, a sleeping bag turns into a greater possibility because it features higher in colder climate.
Greatest Sleeping Mat for Te Araroa
Light-weight and compact with good insulation is what you want in a sleeping pad for the Te Araroa. Listed below are some nice choices.
And don’t neglect a superb high quality ultralight pillow and a pack liner to make sure every part stays dry through the inevitable moist climate.
Footwear for Te Araroa
I wore 3 completely different pairs of path running sneakers on my hike to see which one I appreciated greatest.
However will Path Operating Sneakers make your toes happier?
You’ve gotten a selection of carrying Light-weight Climbing Boots, Light-weight Sneakers, or Path Runners. There are professionals and cons for every. I wore path runners however discovered they carried out poorly within the muddy circumstances. Climbing boots put an excessive amount of stress in your toes through the lengthy highway stroll sections and light-weight mountain climbing sneakers don’t carry out as effectively throughout mud. So which is greatest?
The reply is, there is no such thing as a reply. I hiked with path runners they usually carried out very effectively on all sections of the path besides the very muddy sections on the North Island. Specifically the mud close to the very northern sections of the path and the Tarraroa Vary within the southern part of the North Island. The mud and tree roots destroyed my path runners.
Perhaps light-weight mountain climbing boots for the North Island and Ultralight Path runners for the South Island.
Listed below are my 3 suggestions for the very best sneakers and boots for the Te Araroa hikers with vast toes.
Listed below are my 3 suggestions for the very best sneakers and boots for the Te Araroa hikers with slim toes.
Don’t neglect a superb pair of mountain climbing socks. I just like the New Zealand which you’ll be able to simply choose up on-line in NZ. If coming from abroad then Darn Powerful Socks are top-of-the-line choices.
Insulating Layers – Down Jackets / Fleece / Baselayers
An excellent layering system that features a heat down jacket, fleece mid-layer, and a light-weight base layer will probably be wanted and far appreciated on the Te Araroa. One of many key issues about this layering system is to not overdo it, or overthink it. Take gadgets of clothes that can work, are top quality, and can be utilized together to see you thru every kind of climate circumstances. For probably the most half, there is no such thing as a must look any additional than New Zealand model Macpac.
Down Jacket
- Macpac Icefall Down Jacket – This jacket appears to be on clearance so is sort of low-cost, if you could find one make certain and purchase one as they’re good for the Te Araroa!
Fleece Mid Layer
Baselayers
- Macpac Merino – For lovers of fine high quality Merino Wool.
- Macpac Geothermals – Low-cost however adequate
- Macpac Prothermals – The Very best quality, lightest, and highest high quality base layers accessible. I’ve been carrying a pair of tops and bottoms for greater than 5 years, and love them.
Don’t neglect underwear, once more check out Macpac. I really like the Merino Underwear.
Climbing Pants / Climbing Shorts / Climbing Shirts
Similar to your layering system of insulation talked about above it’s best to take a superb take a look at what sorts of Shirts, Shorts, and Pants you may be carrying.
Climbing Shirts
Climbing Pants
- Macpac Trekker Pants – Light-weight softshell. I’ve been carrying them for the final couple of years.
Climbing Shorts
Gloves / Hats / Sun shades
Check out a number of the mountain climbing gear guides that can advise you on the very best gloves, Hats, and Sun shades for the Te Araroa.
Raingear for Te Araroa
It’s going to rain so much when thru-hiking Te Araroa. Be ready with a high-quality light-weight rain jacket and rain pants. Listed below are a number of the greatest for 2024:
Climbing Poles
Do you want mountain climbing poles for the Te Araroa? Quick reply, probably not. However if you’re like me and you utilize them when long-distance mountain climbing then check out my information beneath. Or for one thing light-weight from Macpac, check out the Macpac Carbon Trekking Poles.
Cookware – Stoves & Pots for te Araroa
You’ll respect a heat meal at night time and possibly a scorching espresso or tea within the morning. Listed below are some cookware units, stoves, pots, and different gear you will want for the path.
Water on the Te Araroa
General the water high quality on the Te Araroa is sort of good however as with nearly each backcountry journey, it’s best to deal with the water and carry sufficient in your wants. Listed below are some really helpful water remedy gadgets and water storage bottles and bladders.
Cameras and Electronics
With so many electronics that we tackle the path as of late, it may be exhausting to determine what to take and what to depart behind. Check out a number of the gadgets you could want and observe the hyperlinks to my detailed guides about which of them are the very best.
- Greatest Cameras for Climbing – For the photographers. Most individuals will probably be glad sufficient with the standard of their smartphone.
- Greatest Battery Financial institution for Climbing – Crucial to have a high-quality battery to recharge all of your electronics.
- Greatest Climbing GPS – Not wanted for the path as most individuals can navigate OK with a smartphone App.
- Greatest GPS Watch – An increasing number of persons are mountain climbing with a GPS watch. They’re nice however will want charging each night time so remember to take a conveyable battery financial institution with you.
- Greatest PLB and Satellite tv for pc Messenger – Extremely really helpful for thru-hiking the TA. Many individuals get into problem on the path and considered one of these can save your life.
- USB Wall Charger for New Zealand /Australia+ Cables.
Different Gear
- Plastic zip lock baggage
- Cash / ID / Credit score Playing cards
- Blister pads
- Strapping Tape
- Foot an infection anti-biotic
- Ibuprofen
- tweezers
- Toothbrush and Toothpaste
- Security Pin
- Needle
- Deet insect repellent
- Sunscreen
- Lip Balm
- Bathroom tissue
I hope this helped together with your planning in a roundabout way. For those who want extra assist with all the very best light-weight mountain climbing gear then check out my Gear Guides.
BikeHikeSafari Gear Assessment Course of
The writer, Brad McCartney from BikeHikeSafari is a small impartial adventurer and outside gear tester who owns and runs BikeHikeSafari.com.
BikeHikeSafari isn’t half of a big weblog community and is proudly impartial. All evaluations on this website are impartial and sincere gear evaluations of outside merchandise by the writer.
The writer, Brad McCartney is a really skilled triple crown thru-hiker, adventurer, and bike tourer having spent 1000s of nights sleeping in a tent and sleeping bag (Learn extra). He was a supervisor of an out of doors retail retailer and may be very skilled in what’s essential when utilizing and testing gear for evaluations like this.
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