2019 guide to walking poles
Do your knees a favour and get a pair of walking poles – they’ll help you walk further, faster and for longer. How poles help Over a day’s tramping,…
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Gear Guides
Walking poles
Personal locator beacons
2019 guide to personal locator beacons
For those who regularly head into the backcountry, a personal locator beacon (PLB) is an essential item. Where to buy Most outdoors stores will sell PLBs, and a few…
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Navigation aids
Navigation aids
Mapping software, compasses and a charging device to ensure you stay on track Featured image: Hand-crank USB Charger $19.50 Recharge your devices with a hand emergency charger. Can recharge…
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Tents
2019’s best three-season tents
With their all-mesh canopies (or mostly mesh), three-season tents are a lightweight and breathable option for camping below the snowline. Guy points Guylines provide added support to the tent,…
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Packs
2018’s best packs
How to buy your next pack Capacity Multi-day packs are normally between 50 and 90-litres, overnight packs will be 30-45-litres and daypacks up to 30-litres. Multi-day packs will have…
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Footwear and socks View all
2019’s best sport sandals
With secure straps to hold the foot in place, quick-drying materials, and the same midsole technology used in hiking shoes, sport sandals can handle anything from the riverbed to…
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Rainwear
2019’s best wet weather jackets
No tramp, whatever its duration, should be made without a raincoat. But whether you opt for the ultra-packable or ultra-durable depends on the kind of trips you do. Here’s…
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Hiking clothes
The best fleeces and softshells for 2019
Fleece jackets The North Face Denali 2 $280 Recycled fleece, relaxed fit, reinforced shoulders, chest and forearms, covered, secure-zip chest and hand pockets, stretch fabric cuffs, hem cinch-cord, media…
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Knives and multi-tools
2019’s best knives and multi-tools
Modern knives are light, razor sharp and often come with multiple tools to help you out of a pickle. Handle A handle should provide a sure and comfortable grip…
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Sleeping bags and mats View all
2019’s best sleeping mats
Here’s how to find a mattress that is comfortable, light and within your budget. Fills There’s a number of fills – high-density open-cell foam, down, synthetic and plain air…
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Insulated jackets
2018 guide to insulated jackets
In the topsy-turvy world of insulated jackets, synthetic fills have improved markedly in recent years and are now nearly as warm, and almost as compressible and light, as down insulation.…
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Stoves and cookware
2019 guide to backcountry stoves
Does anything taste as good as a meal cooked in a backcountry hut? To experience such pleasure, you need a portable stove. Here are 2019’s best options. Burner size…
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Water filters and purifiers
2019 guide to water filters and purifiers
Even in ‘pristine’ New Zealand, microscopic bacteria and viruses can be lurking in streams and hut water tanks. A water filter or purifier offers on-the-go peace of mind no…
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Gaiters
2019’s best gaiters
Gaiters protect your boots and legs from abrasion and spikey speargrass. They also prevent trail debris from entering your boot and rubbing your feet up the wrong way. Closure Gaiters...
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Headlamps
2018 guide to headlamps
Straps Wide enough to support the weight of the headlamp and allow easy adjustment so it doesn’t bounce around or slide down while you’re on the move. A top strap is…
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