Te Araroa / Great Walks pack list
Hi everybody,
I'm planing to go some of the great walks in the end of this year starting on the north island in end of October and finishing the south island in the beginning of February. On my tracklist are the following walks: Cape Reinga Coastal Walkway, Lake Waikaremoana, Tongariro, Whanganui, Around Mount Egmont, Queen Charlotte, Abel Tasman, Heaphy, Harpers and Arthurs Pass, Routeburn, Kepler, Milford Track, Breast Hill, Rees Dart, Dusky, North West Circuit (Stuart Island).
I have taken a lot of thoughts about my packlist but nevertheless I'm pretty new to overnight tramping. So it would be great to hear what you think about my packlist. Google-Sheet under https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14lXhyBJZKrzNqfB9ZDamH7NwzqckPtfby9p1qz2TyF0/edit?usp=sharing
- How can I optimize my pack?
- What's unnecessary?
- What's missing?
- Which shoes? Hiking boots or trail runners? (especially under considerations of the alpine walks and Dusky and Stuart Island)
- How much of everything do I need for my first-aid-kit?
Thanks a lot in advance and best regards
Alex
45 comments
Haha yes true on the peeing.
Yep I did see the re-fill as you go suggestion and totally agree. 3L/kg does make a difference (as does the metric system. Imperial is :/ )
All comes down to the terrain you are on and what sources are available.
I'll usually have 2L bladder for downhill sips and 1L bottle with electrolytes of some kind to counteract the sweating. Haven't always needed it all. But as you say, terrain and day-hikes can be different.
Took 5.5L for Tongagiro Crossing (incl Ngauruhoe) and used the lot and was thirsty that night.
This thread branched to "hydration" on . Explore the branch (33 messages).
Anyone know about water availability on the northland section of Te Araroa? We all come from a tramping background, but that's a different class of walking up there in a different class of country. That would be my main concern water-wise. Lot of farmland and beach walking, with not much trustable water is my guess.
If that's so, 3l would be my call (I take 2x1.5l bottles if think there'll be no water as I hate trying to drink from bladders).
cant recall any comments about how people hydrated on peoples Te Araroa blogs...
track notes talk about
"Few water sources - follow dry stream beds to find pools. Filter all water.''
warning large file download
http://www.teararoa.org.nz/userfiles/file/tracknotes/Northland.pdf
"Few water sources - follow dry stream beds to find pools. Filter all water.''
Absolutely right about Hawdon Hut. The old Hawdon hut tank grew more bugs than the river water taken beside the hut when the entire catchment was studied - down to the mouth of the Waimakariri. I guess the e.coli and stuff from bird poop got flushed into the water tank at that old hut.
Anyway last time I was there, it was a moot point as the tank water was frozen up so I had to go to the river. Of course I didn't find out until I'd got my boots off but I worked out that my artificial down booties protected with plastic bags fitted nicely into Frank's wet shoes for the walk down to the river.
I use my dri-ducks as a layer under the 200g raincoat I wear. I've painted 4 inches of the cuffs and where the pack straps compress the jacket with electrician's tape. As well as waterproofing it also has strengthened the jacket considerably.
As an ex-Northlander I'd have to say that most water up there is dubious to drink, except in some of the clearer streams in the bush - of which there are not many!
I'm glad I'm one of those people who has never needed much water. Back in the old Whangarei Tramping Club days I could go for hours without needing to drink. We rarely carried water. We always had a 'brew' at lunchtime and if no water was apparent, some fit young guy would hare off down the nearest gully to find some.
Looks like a lot of good stuff has been covered here but just to add a couple of things.
Looks like you're only taking two pairs of sox. Personally on multiday trips I like to carry a pair of socks for each day plus a dry pair for at night. (So three day trip I'll have four pairs of socks for example. If the trip is a week or so then I stop at about five pairs).
It can be hard to get socks dry at times and I always like to start the day with a dry pair (even if they are going in to damp boots) and I like to have a dry pair for the hut.
A pair of sneakers/Crocs for in/around the hut or tent was suggested earlier. I like to use a pair of aqua shoes for this. Lightweight, compact and offer enough protection to keep the feet dry, clean and not too sore if you have some rough ground around your camp. Plus they are cheap!
You amaze me, Dodgydave. I have always only taken 2 pairs of socks (or 3 if I need 2 in large boots) no matter how long the trip. Sure it can be not too pleasant putting on wet socks, or even frozen if I forgot to deal with them properly, but they soon warm up. Already having wet socks cuts out all the problems of trying to get across every stream with dry feet - just wade straight on in. Never had a problem with wet feet when tramping. But we are all different and have different feet.
pour hot water on wet socks before you put them on
5 pairs is overkill, have a dry pair to change into at the end of each days walk when you're taking your walking footwear off and not likely to get your feet wet again and put on a dry pair. and change back into the wet pair the next morning again..
In general I prefer wet feet to dry. The only exception is if I'm above the snowline.
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| Forum | Gear talk |
|---|---|
| Started by | alexespunto |
| On | 24 August 2015 |
| Replies | 44 |
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