Wilderness April 2023

EDITORIAL A NEW STUDY has been published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine recognising the health benefits of a daily walk. The study analysed health data for more than 30 million people, looking for correlations between how much people move and how long and well they live. The conclusion: walking for at least 11 minutes every day could lower your risk of premature death by almost 25 per cent. The walk1200km challenge is designed to get you out walking for 35-45 minutes each day. It's helping people build a habit out of daily exercise. It's one of the most valuable investments you can make in your health and the longevity of your tramping career. So, if you haven't already, isn't it time you signed up? Get moving, head to…

PLEASE PAY YOUR HUT FEES Recently we drove to and stayed at Sedgemere Sleepout, a standard hut in Molesworth Recreation Reserve. Although we had our tent and gear the night was very cold and so we settled in the hut for the evening. It was an unexpected stay and we had not bought a hut ticket. At the toll gate, we were advised against leaving money in the honesty box because of robberies. That night two DOC rangers arrived and slept in the ranger's quarters. Next morning, we chatted to Paul and John, who were doing hut inspections. I can't remember how many huts Paul said there were, but the blue hut icons covered a fair portion of the map. The safety checklist was long and included, Paul said, “Sticking…

I love the way Wilderness gives our family great ideas for day hikes in this beautiful country. We've had some fantastic experiences. But one hike from the June 2022 issue has been out of reach due to access issues. It's the Mid Dome trip in Southland, which requires trampers to cross a farm en route to conservation land around the peak. When we approached the farm manager in June, he demanded to know how we had obtained his number. (We had tracked him down through the corporation he works for.) He denied us access at that time and suggested we do the hike in summer. In January the property manager denied us access again, after another respectful request. Have other readers encountered similar difficulties? – Access over private land can…

I found correspondent Brian Boyer's letter about the durability of his Hallmark tent (Pigeon Post, January 2023) interesting. My experience matches his. My tent was purchased in Christchurch around 1968. The brand was Rayfor and it was a simple pup tent without a floor. It finally died an honourable death on Thunderbolt in Kaimanawa Forest Park in October 2017 – nearly 50 years old. I had arrived at Thunderbolt (lee side) in strong wind gusts (every 30 seconds) and passing sleet showers. Before retiring, I checked the guy ropes. As I checked, I noticed the front pole wobble and then the nylon split 30cm back from the pole and a metre down each side wall. I kept the tent largely in one piece with a leather thong tied to the…

I don't mind which term is popular – hiking or tramping (‘The World Outdoors’, January 24) – as I enjoy doing both activities. It's when you turn to the maps on DOC's website that the meanings of walking, tramping, hiking, and tracks, trails and ‘track sections’ are important because they inform users about the quality of the path and how serious the undertaking is. But what's caught me out is ‘Track Sections’. They are boldly marked and coloured in purple on DOC maps, which suggests to me that they are accessible and well-maintained. However, when I drove to Mātaitai Forest in Auckland to enjoy a day walk, I discovered from the land owner at the start of the ‘track sections’ that they had been closed for years. What a waste…

I am amazed at the range and styles of boots, of manufacturers, the multitude of colours, soles, lacing arrangements and materials across brands. A friend has expensive German-made boots: synthetic material, mid-height. In less than a year, the sole is peeling and the fabric has failed where the foot bends. I've seen boots lined up outside huts and seven out of ten have the inner heel torn and worn through. Are these failures part of boot manufacturers’ planned product obsolescence? Currently, I tramp in a pair of Grisport boots. Very comfortable, wide fitting, Vibram sole and sub-$300. They're not perfect, but for the price I can tolerate a few foibles. They are more comfortable than a pair of $600 boots I once owned and less comfortable than a pair of…