A champion of the outdoors for people with disabilities, Nick Allen, who has multiple sclerosis, is an avid tramper and climber. When he’s not outside, Nick runs Mastering Mountains Charitable Trust, which supports people with multiple sclerosis to get outdoors.

Clothing

November is the cool side of summer, and I like to keep things light but warm. I tramp with a technical base layer but keep my Macpac Prothermal fleece and Prophet rain jacket close to the top of my pack. These quick-drying and breathable jackets are suitable for most weather. Once I get to the hut, nothing beats a merino top, fleece tights and a down jacket on a cool night.

Sleeping

Most often, I’m on a solo mission so pack my Macpac Sololight tent or Alpine Cocoon. I save weight by using a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir mattress paired with a Macpac Epic 400 sleeping bag. My down jacket doubles as a pillow.

Eating

Nutrition and recovery are everything. On a typical overnighter, I’ll take three dehy meals and some nuts for snacking. My favourite meals are Mixed Berry Breakfast (good for lunch too) and Free Range Chicken Curry by Radix Nutrition. I take a long-handled titanium spoon and an MSR Reactor stove – it boils water quickly, even when it’s windy.

Pack

My Macpac Ascent has been tramping and climbing all around the world. While it is not the most lightweight sack, it puts up with a lot of abuse and just keeps going.

Essentials

For safety, I always travel with a few essentials, including personal locator beacon, a map and compass to minimise phone/GPS usage, a Petzl Nao headlamp for navigating the tops at night. Skinnies sunscreen lasts all day. My survival bag contains all my necessary medications, first-aid basics, and survival essentials. I also take MitoQ supplements, to speed recovery.

– Nick is sponsored by Macpac, Radix and MitoQ