This is my gear list as it stands at the start of my Te Araroa thru-hike. I’ll make a note of any changes made on trail. I’ll provide in-depth reviews at the end of my journey.
Pack
Black Wolf McKinley 75L (pre-TA)
This pack has done me well for several years now. It’s not the lightest in the world at 2.2 kg, but I figured it’d be better if I stuck with a pack that I knew how to use than splurge on a lighter one. However, I just couldn’t ignore the pain that I had to endure on the Carnarvon Great Walk and Great Ocean Walk, so I made the tough decision to retire this pack in favour of something lighter and better fitting.
Osprey Exos 58L (TA)
When I tried this pack on for the first time, I knew instantly it was a contender for the replacement of my McKinley. It’s very light, weighing in at only 1.3kg, and it fits my frame excellently. I was rather concerned about the lower capacity compared to the McKinley (considering I completely filled the latter on the GOW), but testing it at home showed it had plenty of space for all my gear. I didn’t get the chance to test it on trail before leaving for New Zealand, so I won’t know how well it holds up until I hit the trail.
Tent
Zempire Atom
Having never used a tent out on trail before, I wanted something that was light, small, and could keep me dry. Part of me wishes I’d gone for something a bit lighter (it’s 1.78 kg), but the price of tents seems to grow exponentially as weight decreased. It’s done me well on smaller camping trips since I bought it in 2022, so it’s what I’m gonna stick with.
Sleeping System
Sleeping Bag: Denali Capsule 300
Not the lightest sleeping bag in the world and it may not do so great on a super cold night, but still very comfortable and gets the job done of preventing me from freezing.
Sleeping Mat: Sea to Summit Ether Light XT
My mum bought this inflatable mat for a hiking trip she did back in 2021 and has graciously offered to let me borrow it for my TA adventure. I have tested it out a couple times and been pretty pleased with it.
Pillow: Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow Large
On previous trips I used a cheap inflatable pillow from Kmart (that’s the actually decent Australian Kmart, not the how-is-it-still-in-business American Kmart), but by the start of 2022, it could no longer reliably hold air (read: it deflated almost immediately after you put any sort of mass on it). As such, I did splurge a bit to get a good quality pillow, which should pay off by giving me a better night’s sleep and therefore more energy to walk the next day.
Cooking System
Stove: MSR PocketRocket 2
Having never needed to use a camping stove on any of my previous trips, I don’t really have the best idea of what to look for in one. With that said, learning how to use the PocketRocket 2 has been a breeze and I reckon it’ll do the trick.
Dinnerware: Sea to Summit X-Set
I bought this set back in 2019 for a trip to New Zealand with my younger sibling Eli. The set comes with a collapsible 2.4 L pot and two bowls and cups (obviously, I only need one of each when I’m going solo). It’s nice and light, and doesn’t take up a whole lot of space.
Shoes
Oboz Bridger Hiking Boots
To anyone who’s completed the TA in previous years, my choice to use boots instead of trail runners is downright sacrilegious. I may swap to runners at some point, but, like my pack, I want to stick with what I’m comfortable with. I made the mistake on the Carnarvon Great Walk of buying boots the same size as my regular shoes, forgetting that I need to factor in my feet swelling as I walk. I bought a second pair before heading down for the GOW that were half a size bigger which performed way better.
Camera
GoPro Hero 9 Black
Just to be clear, I’m not a serious photographer or videographer by any stretch of the imagination, otherwise I’d be bringing a much higher quality camera. For me, all I needed was a relatively cheap, light camera that still provided decent quality videos, which the GoPro fitted perfectly.
Miscellaneous Items
Zoleo Satellite Communicator
This is the one piece of kit that I hope I don’t need to use at any point on my trip. Well, that’s not exactly true. Instead of solely being an SOS beacon like a PLB, a satellite communicator has a few other features that I will likely make use of, like being able to check-in with my family and access weather reports outside of mobile service. It also has a big red send-a-chopper-now button if I ever need it.
Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter
Another first for me. I was tossing up whether to get the Sawyer Micro or spend a bit more for the full-size model, the latter of which I have gone for. It has worked well for me so far, no issues to complain about although I do have some concerns about the long-term integrity of the O-ring seal.
HydroPak Contour 2L Hydration Bladder
I’ve never used a bladder before now, but the convenience of not needing to stop and take out a bottle to have a drink sounded rather appealing. The downside is I never know how much water I have left and using a filter is a bit of a faff.
Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Bags
Sea to Summit Pocket Trowel
At some point I’ll need to poop and there won’t be a toilet around. I will therefore have to dig a hole. This will be used for digging said hole.
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