Listed here are my suggestions for a good-quality Te Araroa Gear record. The Te Araroa has a repute for being onerous on gear, with plenty of rain and dirt.
Once 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 tough terrain make the Te Araroa path a troublesome path for gear. Nevertheless, it’s attainable, however you should take high-quality light-weight gear on the path.
Greatest Light-weight Tent for the Te Araroa
The perfect tent for Te Araroa shall be light-weight, waterproof, bugproof, and in a position to face up to windy situations. Here’s a record of one of the 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 shall be light-weight and have sufficient capability to hold all of your meals and equipment for as much as round 5 days. For many light-weight through hikers a 50 litre pack shall be sufficient. Some hikers who haven’t dedicated to carrying a light-weight and compact load may have a barely greater pack.
Greatest Sleeping Bag for Te Araroa
There are lots of selections of ultralight sleeping baggage for the Te Araroa Path. Listed here 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 choice for most individuals. They operate nicely till the temperatures get a few levels beneath freezing. At that time, a sleeping bag turns into a greater choice because it capabilities 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 here are some nice choices.
And don’t overlook a very good high quality ultralight pillow and a pack liner to make sure every part stays dry throughout 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 Footwear make your toes happier?
You will have a selection of sporting Light-weight Climbing Boots, Light-weight Footwear, or Path Runners. There are execs and cons for every. I wore path runners however discovered they carried out poorly within the muddy situations. Climbing boots put an excessive amount of stress in your toes throughout the lengthy highway stroll sections and light-weight mountaineering sneakers don’t carry out as nicely throughout mud. So which is greatest?
The reply is, there isn’t any reply. I hiked with path runners they usually carried out very nicely on all sections of the path besides the very muddy sections on the North Island. Particularly 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.
Possibly light-weight mountaineering boots for the North Island and Ultralight Path runners for the South Island.
Listed here are my 3 suggestions for one of the best sneakers and boots for the Te Araroa hikers with huge toes.
Listed here are my 3 suggestions for one of the best sneakers and boots for the Te Araroa hikers with slim toes.
Don’t overlook a very good pair of mountaineering socks. I just like the New Zealand which you’ll be able to simply decide up on-line in NZ. If coming from abroad then Darn Powerful Socks are among the best choices.
Insulating Layers – Down Jackets / Fleece / Baselayers
A superb layering system that features a heat down jacket, fleece mid-layer, and a light-weight base layer shall 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 prime quality, and can be utilized together to see you thru all types of climate situations. For probably the most half, there isn’t any must look any additional than New Zealand model Macpac.
Down Jacket
- Macpac Icefall Down Jacket – This jacket appears to be on clearance so is kind of low cost, if you could find one make sure 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 Highest quality, lightest, and highest high quality base layers out there. I’ve been sporting a pair of tops and bottoms for greater than 5 years, and love them.
Don’t overlook underwear, once more check out Macpac. I like the Merino Underwear.
Climbing Pants / Climbing Shorts / Climbing Shirts
Identical to your layering system of insulation talked about above you need to take a very good have a look at what sorts of Shirts, Shorts, and Pants you’ll be sporting.
Climbing Shirts
Climbing Pants
- Macpac Trekker Pants – Light-weight softshell. I’ve been sporting them for the final couple of years.
Climbing Shorts
Gloves / Hats / Sun shades
Check out a number of the mountaineering gear guides that can advise you on one of the best gloves, Hats, and Sun shades for the Te Araroa.
Raingear for Te Araroa
It should rain lots when thru-hiking Te Araroa. Be ready with a high-quality light-weight rain jacket and rain pants. Listed here are a number of the greatest for 2024:
Climbing Poles
Do you want mountaineering poles for the Te Araroa? Brief reply, not likely. However if you’re like me and you utilize them when long-distance mountaineering 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 recognize a heat meal at night time and perhaps a sizzling espresso or tea within the morning. Listed here are some cookware units, stoves, pots, and different gear you have to for the path.
Water on the Te Araroa
Total the water high quality on the Te Araroa is kind of good however as with nearly each backcountry journey, you need to deal with the water and carry sufficient on your wants. Listed here are some really helpful water therapy units and water storage bottles and bladders.
Cameras and Electronics
With so many electronics that we tackle the path nowadays, it may be onerous to determine what to take and what to depart behind. Check out a number of the gadgets it’s possible you’ll want and comply with the hyperlinks to my detailed guides about which of them are one of the best.
- Greatest Cameras for Climbing – For the photographers. Most individuals shall be completely happy sufficient with the standard of their smartphone.
- Greatest Battery Financial institution for Climbing – Essential 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 – Increasingly individuals are mountaineering 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 issue 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
- Rest room tissue
I hope this helped along with your planning not directly. For those who want extra assist with all one of the best light-weight mountaineering gear then check out my Gear Guides.


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The writer, Brad McCartney from BikeHikeSafari is a small unbiased adventurer and out of doors gear tester who owns and runs BikeHikeSafari.com.
BikeHikeSafari shouldn’t be half of a big weblog community and is proudly unbiased. All opinions on this website are unbiased and trustworthy gear opinions of out of doors 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 could be very skilled in what’s vital when utilizing and testing gear for opinions like this.
BikeHikeSafari won’t ever obtain any cash for opinions and they don’t settle for sponsored opinions on this web site. All of the feedback in regards to the gear opinions are from the writer based mostly on his years of expertise. Hope this unbiased evaluate was useful for you.