Kia ora, I’m Leigh,  I came on board as deputy editor in April. After almost 20 years in Australia, Covid brought my whānau and me back to New Zealand in 2021, and I’ve been rediscovering our wild places ever since. I’m an avid tramper and rock climber, and mum to a five-year-old.

Until I had my son, I went tramping with whatever gear I had and didn’t worry too much about what it weighed. Carrying a toddler into the outdoors changed all that. When Ahi was two, my partner Nic and I took him on the Inland Pack Track in the Paparoa Range. I had most of our gear in my 3kg pack as well as the tent, which weighed 3.5kg. Coupled with windfall and minimal sleep, it was a slog. Enter a sudden interest in downsizing.

Luckily for me, this coincided with ultralight gear becoming more accessible here, led by a cutting-edge Kiwi cottage industry. Upgrading my gear has been a gradual undertaking, as and when I can afford. I’m a long way from having a base weight of less than 4.5kg, the definition of ultralight tramping. However, even replacing two of the ‘big three’ – my pack and tent – with ultralight alternatives has made a real difference to my energy levels, the distance I can cover with a little human in tow, and the stress  on my joints. And it feels good knowing my environmental footprint is lighter too.

Buying ultralight has allowed my partner and me to take our son to more of the places we love, and teach him why looking after them is important. And now he’s older and able to tramp on his own two feet, I’m excited by what’s possible. I honestly don’t think we would’ve got to this point if ultralight gear hadn’t been an option.

This month, as part of a focus on ultralight tramping, we profile five different adventurers and find out how lightening the load has opened up the landscape for them. Their tips and advice inspire me – I hope they inspire you, too.