Hiking Gear For New Zealand: Part Two

This is the second part of the three-part blog series covering the hiking gear I will be using in my upcoming trip to New Zealand. The first part covered what tent, backpack, sleeping system, and sleeping mat I’ll be using.

Disclosure: some of the items featured in this list are those I sell through my outdoor store – Globewalker.

In this blog for our trip to New Zealand, I’ll be going through what clothing I’ll be taking.

For those of you who have yet to visit New Zealand, the weather can change fairly quickly and thus you always need to be prepared.

While I can only speak for my experiences on the North Island, what I do know is that there can be intense heat one day and then freezing cold rain the next.

In short, you need to be prepared for anything and pack accordingly.

L-R: Lightweight Down jacket, MEC Rain Jacket, MD Fleece jacket, Brubeck Men’s Athletic Tops, Brubeck Comfort Merino Short Sleeve Top

Tops & Jackets

My ideal hiking clothes and I’d like to think that this would be the same for other hikers too, that it’s lightweight, comfortable and breathes.

If it doesn’t breathe then you’ll find that it’ll retain plenty of moisture when you’re on the trail.

In the instance that it rains, and you’re standing still, this is when you become ‘cold wet’ and hypothermia may set in (not good!).

My tops and jackets will consist of:

• Brubeck Men’s Short Sleeve Athletic Top. What I love most about these tops is that they breathe incredibly well even in the most intense heat.
• Brubeck Comfort Merino Short Sleeve Top. Very much a top you can wear all year round. It will keep me warm during the cool days/evenings and cool during those hot days.
• MEC Men’s Rain Jacket. A jacket that has armpit zips, as well as all the usual zips, this jacket’s ability to keep the rain out is incredible.
• Lightweight down jacket. A no-name brand that is not too dissimilar to a Uniqlo jacket. This will be used mainly around the campsites for an extra layer of warmth.
• Mountain Designs men’s fleece jacket. While it’s not the most effective jacket going around, it does keep me warm to a point. When coupled with an extra layer, that’s when it’s most effective.

L-R: SKINS, Footy shorts, Crane Outdoor Pants, Brubeck Comfort Merino Leggings.

Pants & Leggings

• SKINS. I’m always surprised that hikers don’t wear these more often. I always wear them on hikes with a pair of footy shorts over the top. They’re also great to wear when it rains as they don’t retain moisture.
• Footy shorts. As mentioned above, I wear these on all hikes over my SKINS. However, they’re a multi-use item and can double up as swim gear too.
• Crane Hiking Pants. I picked these up a few years back during Aldi’s outdoor sale and they’ve held up well ever since. What I like most about them is a) the number of pockets they have and b) that you can zip off the bottom half of each leg and turn them into shorts.
• Brubeck Comfort Merino Men’s Long Johns. Similar to the Comfort Merino short-sleeved top, you can wear these all year around. On this trip, I’ll probably wear them as pyjamas.

L-R: Brubeck Men’s Trekking Light Socks, Darn Tough Hiking Socks, Brubeck Men’s Trekking Prestige Socks, Brubeck Unisex Compression Socks

Socks and Boots

• Brubeck Men’s Trekking Light Socks. Ideal for all conditions, their moisture-wicking capabilities are fantastic. Comfortable and lightweight, they can almost go a week before they start to smell.
• Darn Tough Hiking Socks. I bought these socks right before the boys and I went to New Zealand last time. As the name suggests, they’re incredibly durable and comfortable too. I’ve had very few issues with blisters wearing these socks.
• Brubeck Men’s Trekking Prestige Socks. A slightly thicker version of the Trekking Light range, and a higher cut, I am bringing these along to put into rotation with the other two.
• Brubeck Unisex Compression Socks. Given the kilometres we will be doing during this trip, these compression socks are purely for recovery during the evenings. However, I will almost certainly use them on the odd occasion during the day.
• Salomon Quest 4D Hiking Boots. My first and only pair of hiking boots which I bought at the end of 2014, is a higher-cut boot that gives me the ankle support I need. They’re a bit heavier than most other boots, however, they have lasted through just about all conditions.

Miscellaneous Hiking Gear

• Beanie. Your head emits the most amount of warmth out of your body, so having one with me will keep me warm during the evenings or during cold/rainy days.
• Coolcore Multi Chill. The great thing about this piece of hiking gear is, as the name suggests, that it’s multi-use. I can use it as a wristband, a neck gaiter, or wrap it around my head ala Rambo. Made of polyester and spandex, it certainly keeps me cool when using it.
• Coolcore Chill Towel. I’ve yet to use this on a hike, but from everything I have heard about them, they’ll come in handy on those hot days when I need to wipe away any sweat or after I’ve been for a swim.
• Crane Outdoor Gloves. Again, another purchase from an Aldi outdoor sale. I consider a piece of hiking gear like this to be not absolutely necessary but given how cold it can get there, it would be silly to leave them behind.
• Brubeck Unisex Thermal Glove Liners. They can be used as a base layer in isolation or to complement the Crane gloves I’ll be taking with me. They’re very thin but even when used by themselves they keep my hands really warm.
• Undies. Probably only going to take 2-3 pairs and put them through a rotation.