A pack for every adventure...

 

 My three most used backpacks...

I am a bit of a gear collector and have quite a good selection of outdoor equipment to take on my adventures around the country. While your basic gear load may be the same each trip I believe that individual trips will require some specific gear for a safe and comfortable experience. Items like food, packs, sleeping bags, tents and clothing will vary with the conditions you expect to face. 

My standard day trip load...

I have multiple tents, cookers, sleeping bags and packs which I tailor to a particular trip. When it comes to packs I currently own five decent packs with sizes ranging from 40 liters right up to 75 liters. This gives me the ability to choose a backpack that will best fit the type of trip I am planning. 

Rainbow Reach on the Kepler Track...Atmos AG 50

What I find though is that I keep using three main bags as between them one or the other will fulfill every need I may have. The three packs are the Vaude Brenta 40, the Osprey Atmos 50 AG and the Osprey Volt 75. 

Vaude Brenta 40l: 

Used for: Day trips, overnight trips:

I am a big fan of Vaude products and I currently own three Vaude backpacks ranging in size from 40 liters to 65+10 liters. Vaude is a well regarded German outdoor equipment manufacturer and their tents, sleeping bags and packs are some of the best in the world. 

I also own a Vaude Astra 65+10 pack....

...and a Vaude Brenta 50l pack...

I have one of their lighter backpacks which I use for short overnight trips and as my day tramping bag. This is the Brenta 40l pack and it has all of the features of its bigger 65 and 75 liter cousins. It is really a bit big for day trips unless I need to haul a lot of warm gear, ice axes or crampons. 

Vaude Brenta 40l pack is also red

Here is what I usually carry in the Brenta 40 for a typical day trip...clothing, safety equipment, wet weather gear and water. Added to this would be food for the day including some snacks, lunch and drink powders. 

My Vaude Brenta 40 with a typical day trip load

I have been using the Brenta 40 for four years now and it is an excellent pack. It has a really good harness system and provided you don't overload it it is comfortable for many hours. Ventilation is excellent and it is tough enough to take a few knocks without compromising its structure. 

The Brenta has an integral rain-cover contained in a small pocket on the bottom of the tent although I always carry my gear in a plastic bag to stop water ingress. No pack is totally waterproof despite what outdoor companies tell you and it is awful to need warm dry clothing and open your bag to find it is all soaking wet. 

Atop Mt Herbert in 2021 on a windy day

Break time on the Bealey Valley Track...

Heading for Packhorse Hut with the Brenta

Lunchtime at Bushline Hut, Nelson Lakes NP

I am happy to give the Brenta 40l eight out of ten stars...

It is a stylish, comfortable and well thought out pack and a pleasure to use. After four years of use it still looks good and I do not anticipate any problems with it in the near future. You are certain to see it on my adventures for some time to come.

Osprey Atmos 50 AG:

Used for: Overnight trips to bookable huts, Great Walks, Te Araroa Trail sections

Beside Vaude the other pack brand I favor is Osprey from the United States. Osprey have an excellent name among the outdoor community for high quality gear with a lot of thought going into the set up, materials and technology they use. They are a weight conscious brand and they have probably the best range of lite weight packs on the market bar specific UL manufacturers like ULA, Gossamer Gear & Hyperlite etc. 

An array of Osprey packs in an outdoor store

A lot of my multiday tramping trips over the last 2-3 years have been to bookable huts, remote huts or Great Walk huts. The thing with all three categories of hut is that you are either guaranteed or highly likely to have a bunk for the night. This means you don't have to carry any camping equipment with you saving weight and space. 

...guaranteed bunk for the night on the Great walks...

If you do not need to pack a tent, mat and ground sheet in your pack you can get by with a smaller pack. This is the main reason I brought a Osprey Atmos 50 AG pack. This pack is more than big enough to carry 3-5 days of equipment and I have used it exclusively on all of my Great Walk tramps from 2018 to the present. 

Osprey Atmos 50 AG pack

The primary use of my Osprey Atmos pack is for 2-3 night tramps where I will be staying in a hut. In a pinch I can carry my camping gear with this pack but it is a squeeze so I use my heavy life Volt 75 pack for those trips. 

Here is a typical equipment load for one of these trips...this is without food:

Osprey Atmos with an overnight load...Great Walk or bookable huts

Specifications for the Atmos 50 AG are as follows:

The Atmos 50 has become my 'go to' pack and I use it on around 60% of the tramps I am doing. I has gone to most corners of the South Island and Rakuira now but has yet to see any service in the North Island. 

The Atmos hanging in Lakehead Hut in 2020

A map check stop in the Hawdon Valley....

Atmos 50 on the Rakuira Track back in 2019

The shoulder harnesses on Osprey packs are always good but it is spectacular on this pack. I have carried it for 7-8 hours before and my legs give out way before my back does. It is comfortable and has great ventilation across the back with their patented Anti Gravity system. The waist belt is fantastic and molds around your hips for exceptional weight carrying ability. I have recommended this pack to dozens of people over the last four odd years...

The Atmos is the most comfortable pack I own...

Turkey Flat in the Waimakiriri Valley enroute from Carrington Hut

The Atmos 50 AG gets nine stars out of ten from Jon...only nine because any pack would more or less need to carry itself to get ten stars!!!

I am going to be sad when this pack finally gives up the ghost as it has become a solid companion on many adventures. I almost want to buy another and store it away for later use that is how much I like this wee beast...

 

Osprey Volt 75:

Used for: Heavy loads...longer trips from 3-7 days, camping, Winter trips:

The third pack I would like to talk about is my Volt 75l pack which I purchased back in 2018 as a heavy load replacement for my Vaude Astra. The Volt is basically a big olde sack that I can fill with all the equipment I usually carry as well as a full set of camping gear. With a bigger load carrier all your gear can stay safe on the inside of your pack and not hanging precariously on the outside. 

Osprey Volt 75l pack...heavy load carrier

This is my gear load out with camping equipment included. This includes a tent, sleeping mat, ground sheet and sometimes a small tarp for more living space. 

A full load...gear for a multiday or camping trip

My Volt is the heavy load carrier amongst these packs...it is the one I use if I am carrying a multiday load of food and gear. It has plenty of internal space for my usual load of equipment plus space for a tent, sleeping mat and camping accessories if required. 

Here are some specifications for the Volt 75l.....

This pack has not seen as much use as the other two...my style of trips over the last couple of years have heavily favored Great Walks, day walks and trips to bookable huts. I have used it most notably on my tramp of the Travers-Sabine Circuit and on the Casey-Binser Saddle trip. Now I have finished all the Great Walks I will be looking for more multiday trip ideas with the potential for camping. 

The Volt 75l near Hallelujah Flat in Arthurs Pass NP (2020)

The Volt 75 reminds me of Macpac packs I have seen...it is made from heavier duty materials and will last for a lifetime of tramping. New Zealand outdoor gear was traditionally built tough as we were very limited as to the gear you could get here. You brought a pack and expected it to last you a lifetime which some of them did. It is only over the last 20 years that overseas manufacturers have seen fit to sell their gear here in volume. 

The Macpac Torlese is similar to the Volt 75

The Volt is WAY lighter than any Macpac pack...1.8 kg's as opposed to something like 2.2-2.6 kg. For comparison...the Macpac Torlese pictured above is similar to the Volt but weighs 2.4 kg. That is 600 gm's heavier for less carry space. 

On Howard Saddle enroute to Sabine Hut (2018)

I have found the Volt to be a really comfortable pack and it has just enough technology to make it competitive. Even with a heavy load you arrive at your destination at the end of  the day feeling good. The pack has both excellent shoulder straps and waist belt and it can be adjusted to fit most medium to larger trampers.

 

The Volt 75 is an excellent heavy load carrier...

My one complaint about the Volt is inadequate airflow across my back...you get a bit sweating carrying it. It is a solid form shaped harness so not much air can get to your back. In reality it is not that bad and certainly better than many other brands. I have just been spoiled by the harness setup on the Atmos 50 which is the best I have ever used. 

Lakehead Track on the way to Kerr Bay in 2018

The Volt 75 is a rugged yet comfortable addition to my Gearshed...

I would give the Volt75 seven stars out of ten.

 I think it is a really awesome bit of kit and worth buying if you can find one. I will be using it for many years to come and my next outing with it will probably be a camping trip along the Abel Tasman Coast Track I am contemplating for later this year. 

My other packs:

Vaude Brenta 50

Used for: Overnight trips to bookable huts, day walks in Winter:

Another excellent pack from Vaude this was my main day trip pack from 2014-2018 and filled the roll admirably. I have also used this on a couple of overnight tramps including to Carrington Hut, Packhorse Hut, Nina Hut, Lake Daniell and to Rod Donald Hut. 

The Brenta 30 up the Otira Valley

Karen used this pack on the Abel Tasman Track in 2019 and thought it was good even though it was a little too big for her. Georgia also used it when we went up to Packhorse Hut to act as hut wardens back in 2019.

Karen crossing Awaroa Inlet wearing the Brenta 50

Georgia's feet got hot so into the river she went...

I still have this pack in my gear cupboards and will not dispose of it as it still has plenty of life left in it. I might use this for a short section hike in the Abel Tasman later this year although I now use the Atmos for those type of trips.

 

Vaude Astra 65+10

Used for: Heavy loads...longer trips from 3-7 days, camping, Winter trips:

This was the first new piece of equipment I brought when I started tramping again back in 2012. I brought a stash of new gear including a tent, sleeping bag and mat at that time and it was the start of my current gear shed. My choices at the time were dictated by my army gear and early tramping experiences before I knew anything about UL gear or lightening your load. 

The Astra on the Casey-Binser Circuit back in 2012

The Astra was my main overnight tramping pack from 2012 right up to 2018 when I replaced it in use with the Atmos 50 and Volt 75. It went to many different areas of the South Island such as the Casey-Binser Circuit, Wharfedale Hut, St James Walkway, Queen Charlotte Track, Hawdon Hut, Te Ara Pataka and Fyffe Hut to name a few. It was the pack I used on my first new Great Walk on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track in 2016. 

At the start of the St James Walkway in 2015

I am fond of this pack which is why I haven't sold it on Trade Me as it is a rugged, well designed bit of kit with some really good features. It is still my only 65 liter pack which is a good size for trips of 3-7 days. It also has an excellent harness with the ability to size to a persons torso. This means people other than myself can use it. 

Up the East Hawdon Valley in 2015

The main reason it doesn't get used more is two fold. It is heavy...it started at 2.2 kg's but I managed to get the weigh down to 2 kg by removing some straps etc. The other reason is that I have been visiting a lot of bookable huts and Great Walks and it is too big for these type of trips. 

Astra visits the Abel Tasman Coastal Track

I may sell it or give it away at some stage but I will be sad when I do so...

Future acquisitions?

I am in the market for a suitable 30-35l pack for my day tramps as my current stable are all a little big for this purpose. Ideally I would love to buy either another Vaude or Osprey pack to fill this role but Vaude is not readily available anymore and the price of Osprey packs has rocketed since Covid hit. 

The Osprey Talon 33 retails for NZD $299!!!!!

Ideally I would like a Vaude Brenta 30...Vaude have a whole family of packs in the Brenta range from 25-55 liters and they all have the same harness system. This means you can dial up or down the sizes and they will all be just as comfortable. 

The Vaude Brenta 30l pack

I can buy one overseas but not here in New Zealand which bothers me but that's what its like living at the bottom of the world. I look at this size range every time I'm in an outdoor store but have yet to find one that suits my requirements. 

The search goes on....

Tramping food: Dutch style fruit bread

 

..Krentenbrood...great for breakfast, lunch and dessert!!!

I was looking for something different to take with me on my recent tramp of the Heaphy Track and after a bit of consideration I decided on some of this delicious fruit bread. Rosedale Fruit Loaf is a specialty dense fruit bread made by the Delamine Food Company here in New Zealand. 

Rosedale Dutch style Fruit loaf or Krentenbrood

The bread comes packed in a sturdy plastic bag and due to the ingredients and baking process it is shelf stable and totally usable for up to 10 days. You will find it at most supermarkets and it will either be in the baked goods section or specialty bread section. 

Krentenbrood is packed with dried fruit and peel

This fruit loaf is good for all meal periods but it would be best as a breakfast option as it is sweet. I could see myself eating this with a strip of  Prosciutto or some Salami but then I am freaky and like to mix sweet and savory items together. A loaf of this bread could easily last you for one of the longer South Island sections of the TA. 

Rosedale Fruit loaf with other breakfast options...

The loaf comes unsliced and you can cut it to whatever thickness you desire...in my case that is bloody huge chunks about 2 cm's thick. It is good fresh or toasted and while it can be eaten without anything it is so much better with some kind of spread. I have had this bread with butter and margarine but it is also a great loaf for fruit jams, marmalade, conserved fruit, nut butters or honey

Slices of the Rosedale Fruit Loaf...looks good!!!

Rosedale Fruit Loaf  is a dense fruit bread...

With a slice or two of salami or cheese it is a complete breakfast meal option and I have had nothing but a chunk of the loaf and coffee for breakfast a number of times on a trail. It is also a lovely dessert for the end of the day as the sweetness of the fruit and peel is very appealing after the main meal. I was having it morning and evening for the first three days of the Heaphy Track. 

Ingredient list for Rosedale Fruit Loaf

Krentenbrood is great fresh....

There are a couple of negative points to the bread...it is on the heavy side with a loaf weighing 450 gm's. That is the same weight as 2/3 of a 24 hour ration for me on a typical day!!! This is not a problem if there are four of you to distribute the food weight but it is significant if you are humping everything on your own back. 

It is also uncommon in smaller food shops like a rural Four Square but is readily available in any of the larger supermarkets. 

...or toasted with your favorite toppings

The other factor is it is a bit sticky so you have to wash your hands after handling it or they will get all your gear dirty. Apart from that it is all good as far as I am concerned. A loaf of this bread costs between $5-$6 NZ dollars at this time. It is definitely something you should consider the next time you are planning a menu for a tramp.

 

Nutritional Information for Rosedale Fruit Loaf

Here is a blurb about these fruit loafs from the Delmaine Food company website...

Keep an eye for the next appearance of this fruit loaf on a tramp...I am taking some on the Routeburn with me!

SI Section: Havelock to Pelorus Bridge Campsite: October 2021

 ...Havelock to Pelorus Bridge on the Te Araroa Trail...

I recently had the opportunity to walk the Havelock to Pelorus Bridge section of the Te Araroa Trail. This is the first TA section I have managed in more than a year and is one of the linkages between the Queen Charlotte Track and the Richmond Ranges. 

On SH6 just outside Havelock enroute to Pelorus Bridge

Most of this section is either road walking or following farm tracks between the two points although the last kilometer or so is through some very nice forest. 

Map: Te Araroa Trail- Havelock to Daltons Bridge 

From Havelock you walk along State Highway 6 (SH6) for about two kilometers where you take Te Hoiere Road to a bridge over the Pelorus River. Along the way you pass the estuary for Pelorus Sound which surrounds the small town of Havelock. 

Pelorus Sound from just SH6 outside of Havelock

Turn off to Te Hoiere Road from SH6

Prior to this year you had to road walk all the way to Daltons Bridge just past Canvastown but this section is now away from the busy Highway and along a quiet rural road. It is a much better option....

Te Hoiere Road, Te Araroa Trail

At the end of the road you turn left along Kaiuma Bay Road and walk for about 12 kilometers along this rural road. This is typical TA road walking...you just put your head dawn and move your feet. 

We follow the TA sign left along Kaiuma Bay Road

One of several small bridges along Kaiumu Bay Road

When you get to the turn off for Daltons Road you cross a stile and follow a grassy pathway along the side of the Pelorus River for about four kilometers across farmland. This is a specific TA easement so stay on the path and do not jeopardize access to this section of the trail...follow the poles with the orange triangles/bands as this is the track.

Joining on to Daltons Bridge Track, Te Araroa Trail

Map: Te Araroa Trail- Daltons Bridge to Pelorus Bridge 

The track is fairly obvious as it gets a lot of use and while there are some boggy patches close to the start it is a fairly decent track for the rest of its length. 

You walk for six kilometers along the Pelorus River bank

On the TA between Daltons Bridge and Pelorus Bridge

Eventually you will find your self at the end of the farmland and the start of the Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve. There is another stile here that will take you into some nice Beech forest for the last kilometer or so of your walk. 

Crossing into Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve, Te Araroa Trail

View back down the Pelorus River Valley, Te Araroa Trail

Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve is sandwiched between Richmond Forest Park and the road walk from the QCT. It is a taste of what awaits you over the next couple of weeks in the Richmond Range and Nelson Lakes NP. You will be walking through Beech forest from here to the river valey after Waiau Pass.

First trail marker...Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve

Heading further into Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve

The TA route follows the Circle Loop Track from here to the Pelorus River bridge...there are two tracks which make up this walk. You can follow either path as both lead back to SH6. I followed the right hand or up hill route as I know this quickly levels out into a nice flat forest walk to the Rai River bridge. 

On the Circle Loop Track, Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve

Following the right branch of the Circle Loop Track...

There are a mixture of different Beech species in this forest with the largest being Red Beech. One of the Red Beech had fallen over a couple of hundred meters up the track and you could see just how big these trees are. The amount of detritus on the forest floor from the one tree was enormous..

Fallen tree along the Circle Loop Track...Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve

...there is a lot of timber there...

The track meanders through the forest for about 600 meters...it is rough and ill defined but just follow the orange track markers and you will not get lost...

On the Circle Loop Track heading for Pelorus Bridge

There is an active pest trapping program at work in this reserve and you could see trapline marking and traps right along the course of the walk. Traps are denoted by either coloured tape of triangles and if you see tape tied to a tree there will be a trap close by. 

Trapping line marking on the Circle Loop Track

...the tape denotes a trapline...

...here is the trap at the end of the trapline marking...

Mature Red Beech along the Circle Loop Track

You will eventually reach a set of stairs that lead down to the approaches to the suspension bridge over the Rai River. 

Stairs led to the Te Araroa Trail....and Daltons Bridge

Suspension Bridge over Rai River...Te Araroa Trail

The Rai River is a moderately sized waterway that feeds into the Pelorus River just down from the Pelorus River Bridge. It was high on the day I visited as it had been raining for the proceeding couple of days...

Rai River suspension bridge...Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve

Rai River from the suspension bridge...Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve

After the Rai River there is just 300 meters till you reach SH6 once again and the end of your days walk. There are glimpses of the Pelorus River as you walk and a nearby lookout point gives good views down to the river itself. 

On the Circle Loop Track, Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve

Pelorus River from a lookout on the Circle Loop Track

Just past the lookout you get your first view of the Pelorus River Bridge...you are close to the road and the noise of traffic using this main highway grows louder and louder. When you start out the next day you will be walking up Maungatapu Road which is directly opposite the Circle Loop Track entrance...

First view of the Pelorus River Bridge....

Back at SH6 at Pelorus Bridge, Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve

The end of the Havelock to Pelorus section...

The Pelorus Bridge was built way back in the 1930's and has been in constant use ever since. There have been several plans to replace it with a two lane structure as it is on the main highway from Nelson to Blenheim but you are looking at several billions of dollars and an awful lot of hassle. It keeps getting put in the 'too hard' basket...

Pelorus Bridge, Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve

The Kahikatea campsite is on the opposite side of the river...

If you are staying at Pelorus Bridge for the night and it is warm then go for a swim in the river. I have been in here several times over the years and it is awesome in the middle of summer. Obviously it is hideously cold over winter and dangerous in flood so consider that before jumping in...use some common sense.

Please do not jump off the bridge...several people have died that way. 

Downstream view of the Pelorus River, Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve

The main DOC office and a café are on the opposite side of the fbridge so you will need to head over to get yourself a campsite for the night. Be aware that this is a favoured Kiwi Christmas and New Year holiday spot so it pays to pre book if you possibly can. 

The café does an nice cup of lifers juice...

Entrance to the café and DOC office at Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve

Kahikatea Campsite at the Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve

So another short section of the Te Araroa Trail completed...I have the other connector from Anakiwa to Havelock on my to do list for this year. Hopefully I get a chance to show you the new tracks they have built for TA walkers on that route very soon.... 

Access: SOBO from Havelock via SH6 road, Te Hioere Road, Kaiamu Bay Road and Daltons Track to Pelorus Bridge.  NOBO from Pelorus Bridge follow Daltons Track, Kaiamu Road, Te Hioere Road and SH6 to Havelock.

Track Times: 20.7 km's or 5-6 hours 

Hut Details: No huts on this section of the TA. DOC campsite at Pelorus Bridge.

Miscellaneous: The first section is road walking along a busy highway for two kilometers. The remainder is either rural road or across farmland. Please keep to the marked track at all times.