Cameron Fedde is an ultralight tramper and fastpacker. He has done all the South Island Great Walks and a large portion of Te Araroa with his wife Kadi.

They started sewing their own tramping gear in 2020 while living out of a van, which led to their own ultralight cottage brand in Christchurch, Chromatic Gear (formerly The Very Least Ultralight). Nowadays, with a young baby on the scene, Fedde goes on shorter, faster excursions around Canterbury. His base weight for an overnight trip is 3.4kg.  

Pack

Fastpacking requires a pack that keeps everything high and tight but easy to access. To do this I developed the Ridge Run Fastpack. This 22L ultralight vest-style pack is waterproof and large enough to hold the essentials. I also wear a bum bag to hold items I want easier access to, such as a first aid kit.

Clothes

My all-time favourite clothing setup is a sun hoodie, a Polartec Alpha Direct jersey (like the Macpac Nitro) and a lightweight windbreaker. These keep me warm for most activities in a day. I often bring a down vest and merino tights for the evenings, then use my rain jacket as a final layer if needed. I made myself some Alpha Direct mittens, and take shell mitts if rain is forecast.

Camp

I use a trekking-pole tent, similar to the Orton Indie, when I’m not in a hut. My Klymit torso-length sleeping pad saves some weight, and I put my empty pack under my legs. I have a down quilt from Enlightened Equipment (similar to Kiwi Ultralight’s quilts). Instead of using a stuff sack for it, I pack everything on top of it so it conforms to the shape of the pack. In camp, a little luxury is nice, so I take a Klymit inflatable pillow, a dry pair of socks and a plastic ocarina to amuse myself. The pointy end of the ocarina doubles as a massage tool – always necessary after a long day!

Consumables

The Katadyn BeFree filter (600ml) is an absolute must for trips where water may be suspect. I carry two in my front vest pockets, allowing for 1.2L of water up front. I also bring a collapsible water flask in case a longer carry is necessary. For food, I often just take a sandwich or wrap for dinner and some chocolate. When I do take a stove, the BRS3000 canister stove is an ultralight icon to go with a small titanium pot.

Electronics

Along with a phone, I like to take bone conduction wireless headphones (Shokz) that allow me to hear my surroundings if I listen to music. I carry a 10,000mAh Nitecore battery bank and two Nitecore NU25 headlamps. Sometimes I take a small camera and tripod if I plan to document my trip. I always carry a PLB, just in case.