Tanya Bottomley is an ultra-distance runner and adventurer whose most recent journey saw her follow the 45th parallel for 600km from Fiordland to Ōamaru.
“I love going fast and light in the mountains, but I also love getting off the beaten track on longer expeditions into the wild – the kind where you can go weeks without seeing another human or even a trail. I’m small, barely 157cm, so going light is really important to me. Here are some of the things I can’t live without on off-track multi-day expeditions.”
Pack
As I’m small, getting a pack that fits well and can carry a heavy load is essential. The Osprey Aura HD 65L is comfortable to wear all day and is durable in extreme terrain. I take the Osprey pack cover for wet weather and further protect my gear by stashing it inside dry bags.
Footwear
I wear Inov-8 trail running shoes in the backcountry. They are grippy, comfortable, light and dry quickly. Moxie Shin Gaiters keep the crud out.
Clothing
I embrace my inner dirtbag on multi-day expeditions with just two sets of clothes – moving clothes and tent clothes. Moving clothes include a pair of shorts, tee, crop-top, long-sleeve top, insulated jacket and waterproof jacket and pants. Tent clothes: tights, long-sleeve thermal and cozy socks. I always have three pairs of socks (one wear, one spare, one tent). I don’t worry about underwear because my shorts have liners.
My essentials
I can’t sleep without reading, so my Kindle comes with me every time. My Nalgene bottle is indestructible in the backcountry and doubles as a hottie. Epic drip coffee is life; enough said. My additions for deep backcountry off-track terrain are a short rope for pack lowering and climbing/descending steep sections, and a short-brim cap that provides protection without stealing too much vision and getting in the way on steep terrain.
Communication
Contact with the outside world and GPS tracking are safety essentials in the backcountry. The Garmin Inreach allows me to share my location, communicate and summon emergency support if required. I like to have a PLB as a backup.
Personal care
Small trowel, toilet paper, hand sanitiser, wipes, ziplock bag and a few scented nappy bags for packing out period products and wipes. Small nature-friendly soap and half a chux cloth, toothbrush and tabs, half a comb, and spare hair-ties.
Food
Dehydrated food is my go-to because it’s tasty and the weight-to-calorie ratio is ideal. I love Back Country Cuisine and decant it into ziplock bags. I travel with a Jetboil Micromo stove, one or two gas canisters, a silicone ziplock to rehydrate the meals in, a spork and a Sea to Summit collapsible cup.
Sleeping
Light, robust, comfortable and warm are my requirements. I use a Rab Latok Mountain tent, a Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL mat and the Sea to Summit Flame FM sleeping bag and pillow.
Walking poles
With a heavy pack and steep terrain, my Black Diamond Z poles are an essential piece of kit.
