Otamatea High School student Sophie Lawson received a Federated Mountain Clubs Youth Expedition Scholarship to undertake the 55km Five Passes traverse in Mount Aspiring National Park. “As a high school student, most of my gear is budget-friendly,” she says. “For all of my Duke of Edinburgh hikes and some additional ones, this gear has been more than sufficient, and I would recommend it for beginners. However, after my Five Passes hike there are some investments I will be making to improve the comfort and enjoyment of my future adventures.” 

Pack

My Osprey Eja 58 pack is the most comfortable I have tried. It is probably the biggest investment of all my gear and was a recent upgrade. Investing in a quality pack has made my adventures significantly more enjoyable.

Clothes

For clothing I stick to the rule ‘one to camp, one to tramp’. I take two tops and two bottoms and two pairs of socks – quick-dry for hiking and merinos for camp. My socks and merinos are Icebreaker and I also carry a Macpac polar fleece. I use a Patagonia Torrentshell 3L rain jacket.

Cooking

My stove is a 360 Degrees Furno pot and cooker set. I also carry a Kathmandu bowl that folds down and has a clippable lid – great for soaking dehydrated meals as the lid prevents steam escaping and food going cold. A foldable spoon fits nicely into my bowl.

Essentials

In order to maintain sanity I have two non-negotiables when hiking: a Five Crowns card game and peanut butter to be had with every meal. Other essentials include first aid, toiletries, map, compass, headlamp and PLB.

Tent

I use the Orson Ranger two-person tent from Intents Outdoors, a New Zealand-designed and tested brand, making it reliable in our tough conditions. The tent weighs 1.95kg, is double walled and spacious.

Sleeping bag and mat

My Kathmandu Pathfinder sleeping bag is rated 5°C comfort to -15°C extreme and I combine it with a one-season Lansan light air mat. They worked well in warmer weather and were reasonably priced, but after sleeping in a tent in the snow for several nights I will definitely be upgrading. Having to sleep in all my clothes (including rain coat and pants), and still being cold, is not ideal.

Footwear

My Oboz Bridger hiking boots are sturdy with a good sole, and the arch support makes them very comfortable. I use Macpac Torlesse gaiters (because who doesn’t love that tan line?).