Clothing and Equipment

If you ask any New Zealand adventurer, they’ll have strong ideas about what should be in your pack, but here’s a list of the essentials. This is a guide only, as the list will change depending on where you're going, how long you’re going for and the weather forecast. The most important thing is to have enough food, the right clothing and the emergency equipment for the worst-case scenario.

• Good quality solid footwear – tracks can be rough, so wear sturdy shoes or boots with good tread that are comfortable to wear. Jandals, crocs and slides are not suitable for most New Zealand tracks.

• Layer your clothing, but don’t wear cotton – wool, fleece and polypropylene fabrics will keep you warm even when you get wet. Cotton and denim pull heat from your body when wet, which will make you cold and can lead to hypothermia, so leave these behind.

• A waterproof jacket – with NZ's changeable weather, it's essential to take a waterproof jacket, not only to keep you dry, but also protect you from the wind and reduce the wind chill factor.

• Warm hat and gloves – trampers should never leave home without  a warm hat and gloves, even in summer.

Watch how to layer clothing for the outdoors

• Most trampers need 2 litres a day to stay rehydrated. If it’s really hot, or a challenging trip, you’ll need more.

• To work out how much food you’ll need a day, work out what you’d normally eat and add about 50% more. Choose lightweight, energy-dense meals and snacks, as well as enough food for the whole trip, take an extra meal in case you need to spend an unplanned night out.