Wilderness August 2019

I’VE BEEN TAKEN TO TASK this month because in the July issue I reviewed three ‘budget’ raincoats, only some readers felt they weren’t budget at all (see a sampling in Pigeon Post, p6). Granted, the Rab jacket that cost $399 is debatable, but I reckon the other two – an Outdoor Research and Marmot jacket that both retail for $199 – are in the budget category. I like a bargain as much as the next person and I’ve had my fair share of really cheap gear: $4 walking poles that lasted just a few trips before the section clamps started slipping. Then there was the $25 stove that took 45 minutes to get my water luke-warm on a winter camping trip. I had a pair of cheap as chips over-trou…

HYPOTHERMIA NEVER FAR AWAY Two articles in the June issue – one about the Timber Trail cycle trail which was billed as an ‘all-weather track’ and the other about hypothermia reminded me of a Manukau Tramping Club ride of the Timber Trail a few years ago. As we began the ride, clouds were gathering and at the 10km mark, it started to snow. We thought we were well-equipped with gloves and coats and decided to carry on. The snow became heavier and heavier. Our muscles produced plenty of heat as we climbed towards the top of the ridge. Fat mountain bike tyres go well over fresh snow and the snow made a soft cushion to fall in when we took a tumble. Once we started to come down the other…

Get your photo published here to receive a double pack of BPA-free, biobased plastic Sporks worth $13. Learn more about Sporks at ampro.co.nz. Last Weekend submission criteria can be found at wildernessmag.co.nz…

CACTUS BETS BIG ON NZ MANUFACTURING THE NEW ZEALAND APPAREL and pack manufacturer Cactus Outdoor has announced a bold plan to ensure it survives at least as long as its famously hard-wearing outdoor gear. The Christchurch-based company, which has made all its gear in New Zealand for the entirety of its 27 years of operation, has done something almost every other outdoor brand has said is impossible: it’s doubled down on its commitment to New Zealand-made by purchasing Albion Clothing Limited, a large-scale Christchurch-based apparel manufacturer with more than 100 employees. Albion has carved a niche making uniforms for the New Zealand Defence Force, Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the New Zealand Police. “It is super big news for the [outdoor] industry because for 20 years all…

AFTER SEVERAL READERS queried Dr Malin Zachau’s claims that a hypothermic person would require 300 bodies in their sleeping bag to sufficiently reheat them, Dr Zachau issued a response. “I believe much of the misunderstanding of this concept is fuelled by the fact that many people have experienced cold stress (the preliminary symptoms of mild hypothermia) and they feel warmer when insulated by another person,” she said. “However, the inefficiency of skin-to-skin rewarming is huge, it is only approximately 10% efficient.” Unlike reptiles, humans are not efficient at absorbing heat from their environment, and even less so when in a hypothermic state, where blood flow near the skin surface has reduced. In a hospital environment, severely hypothermic patients can be treated by intravenous fluids, airway and blood rewarming, and irrigation…

A MIRACULOUS FIND At the summit of Mt Urchin, during a four-day tramp in the Kaimanawas, the sole of my friend’s left boot began flapping like a demented pukeko. Tape was deployed and we continued to our Waipakihi River campsite. But on the following day’s walk up the river to Waipakihi Hut, the boot disintegrated. Using a pocket knife to punch holes, my mate tried to stitch the sole back on with twine. But the knife closed shut on his finger, leaving a deep gash. Frustrated by these speedbumps, I needed some alone time and headed up to Pt1475m nearby. That was when I spotted a lone boot lying abandoned in the middle of the track. With my mates approaching, I discretely hid it in my pack and we convened…