Fiona Burleigh returned to tramping in her 40s, and made up for lost time between 2015 and 2019 by completing Te Araroa and an alternative North Island route dubbed Spine of the Fish.

She joined the Ruahine Whio Protectors, trapping in the ridges and rivers of Ruahine Forest Park. Her project, Manaaki Ruahine, is setting traps along the Makaretu River and protecting the headwaters of the Manawatū. She has also volunteered with the Backcountry Trust on the restoration of Herepai, Colenso and Diane’s huts.

“My gear is a combination of homemade,  op shop and expensive lightweight,” she says. “I keep organised with DCF (Dyneema Composite Fabric) bags made from DIY kits bought from  Ripstop by the Roll. “Trapping trips involve hours in a river or along the tops. In summer this can be done as day trips, lightening the load. My overnight base weight is 6.6kg, plus tools.”

Pack

My Kiwi Ultralight KUL 40 is big enough for overnights and light enough to be slung on top of a K2 pack frame when we are setting out new DOC 150 double set traps.

Hut clothes

Vivo Barefoot shoes for around the hut, op shop-sourced thermals, Kathmandu socks, MKM possum merino hoodie and a Macpac Uber Light down jacket.

Cooking

My 900ml Keith titanium pot holds a Bushline Designs BRS 25g stove, my Fold-a-Cup bowl, a titanium spork, Opinel knife and a lighter.

Walking gear

We trap in a hunting area, so I carry a PLB and a first aid kit. I wear a hi-vis vest, neck tube and beanie, work gloves and orange Nature Hike gaiters. My boots are from The North Face – they cope well with water.

Bathroom

A bamboo toothbrush, refilled micro toothpaste, a comb, a Chux Robuste cloth and earplugs. Hanging from my pack is a Kiwi Ultralight Bush cloth, nice on nature and nice on your bits.

Trapping gear

My Macpac bumbag is full of tools, pink tape and triangles, a sharpie and notepad. On my pack is a hammer which I use to tack pick tape to trees and to bang in the rebar that secures the traps to the ground. I also take a folding Silky saw and some Bamboo Buster Cut’n’Paste to deal to any wilding pines. Plus up to four dozen eggs or bait.

Electronics

I carry my cellphone in a waterproof Aquapack. I use a Black Diamond Revolt headlamp and charge everything with my Belkin 10,000mAh power bank.

Wet weather gear

Waterproof pants, Arc’teryx Beta SL jacket, Rab Power Stretch gloves and a beanie. Sleep gear I never expect a bunk in a hut so I carry a Siltarp fly, a Klymit Insulated Static V Lite mattress and a groundsheet made from 3M window insulation. I sleep in an Enlightened Equipment Revelation quilt which I boost with a Sea to Summit Thermolite liner in winter. My luxury is half a pillow inner.