Tarsh Turner enjoys transalpine tramping and exploring less-visited parts of Fiordland National Park, but for her any trip in the hills will bring a smile.

She has spent a decade in conservation fieldwork and has worn through a few pairs of tramping boots. “I’m now stepping into guiding and outdoor instruction as I’m keen to share my love of wild places with others,” she says.

Pack

I’ve used my Osprey Mutant 52 for trips with up to 10 days’ food plus glacier travel gear. I’m a firm believer that if you carry a bigger pack, you end up filling it, so I like to limit myself. It’s pretty lightweight, but has held up well to fairly heavy use.

Sleep system

Getting a good night’s sleep is important to me, so I always carry my Sea to Summit Aeros pillow as well as an eye mask and ear plugs. My sleeping mat is a Nemo Tensor Mummy, which I love because it’s light and small. My winter sleeping bag is a Macpac Epic 600, and in summer I use a Deuter Astro 500. I bump up either of these with my Sea to Summit Reactor liner, because I tend to feel the cold! 

Boots

I wear Salewa Rapace boots for most of the year, as I enjoy how light they are. In winter I wear the La Sportiva Karakorum for real warm toes. They are pretty stiff though, so I avoid walking firm tracks in them.

Glacier travel 

For transalpine trips I carry crampons and a lightweight axe and rope. My current favourite piece of kit is my Edelrid Loopo Lite Harness. This packs down so tiny, it’s an absolute game changer – especially given the ratio of days I have carried my harness around to how much time I actually spend wearing it.

Clothing

In winter I live in my Macpac Pulsar Primaloft jacket – it keeps me warm even in the wet. I’m also a big fan of my Macpac Pisa jacket because of its great warmth-to-weight ratio. It’s the perfect layer for spring missions. Under that I rock a Macpac Prothermal hoodie – in a men’s size so I get the handy chest pocket.

Accessories

I adore my Earth Sea Sky legionnaire’s hat. The neoprene visor is genius and the back flap tucks away if I want to style it. On bush trips I swear by Neoprene gaiters for keeping the grub out of my boots. Although not generally needed in Fiordland, I have begun carrying a four-litre MSR Dromlite water storage bag on some trips, especially if I’m planning to camp high and am unsure if there will be water available.