Getting out on the trail is one my favourite things to do, especially long multi-day hikes. I’ve got into the habbit of reflecting after each adventure, what worked well, what didn’t, potential opportunities or tips I discovered from other more experienced hikers. In software, some agile methods refer to this act as a retrospective and its a powerful way to get better at something.

“At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly” - Agile Manifesto, 2001

2025

January - Te Araroa, New Zealand

Base weight: 4.7KG

A solid two-week stage of this epic thru-hike in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. To me NZ is one of the most naturally stunning places in the world, making it a gold mine for hiking. I don’t normally travel internationally to hike, so navigating customs restrictions was new for me, as was New Zealand’s unpredictable weather. I decided to push my ultralight skills beyond my comfort level, figuring I’d just pick up gear, ask for help, and “live off the land” (e.g., resupplying from small supermarkets and dairies). This meant no spare clothes, no cook system, and avoiding specialty items like dehydrated meals. Coming from traditional backpacking with 20-25KG packs, this was one of the most freeing and enjoyable hikes I’ve done, less gear, longer distances, better morale.

What Worked Great

  • Cold soaking: I’ve dabbled with this before and loved the simplicity (no butane, no burner, no cleaning pots). A warm drink would have been nice in cold patches, but once layered up, I never missed it.
  • Katadyn BeFree: A real-time water filter/treatment system. I used it extensively instead of chemical treatments. I carried at most 1L and drank as much as possible at streams (the “camel method”). Flow rate was excellent—about 20-30 seconds per liter.
  • Lightway 58L pack (medium): Minimalist design with just enough features. Fits me perfectly.
  • Silverlight socks: My single pair held up through every condition, including being wet all day.
  • Altra Lone Peak 7 trail runners: Kept my feet happy and cool.
  • Lightweight gloves (Sealskinz): Unexpected cold, wet, and 60KM/h winds made these essential.
  • Patagonia Torrentshell pants: Normally don’t take rain pants, but NZ’s insane weather made them invaluable. Saved me from hypothermia in near-freezing conditions and performed well for river crossings.
  • Scroggin mix for lunches: Simple, no fuss, and no need for slicing or wraps. Made my own from small NZ shops: salted nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, macadamias, Brazil nuts), goji berries, dried banana chips, mango, pawpaw, apricots, soy crisps, peanut M&Ms, and Skittles.
  • Protein-heavy foods: Improved muscle recovery. Found small tubs of WPI at Fresh Choice (a common NZ grocery chain) and mixed 80g with oats and chia seeds for quick cold soaking.

What Didn’t Work

  • Sunscreen: Nivea tube failed miserably—reapplied frequently but still got burned.
  • Short-sleeve shirt: Above-treeline exposure led to sun and windburn.
  • PLB rental: Hired an old, heavy one for ~$70 for two weeks. Returning it before flying home was a hassle.
  • Too many Platypus bladders: Love 1L bladders, but a single disposable 1L bottle would have been better for quick water collection. Also, NZ had abundant water sources, making my 4L capacity overkill.
  • USB cables: Total fail. Had old Anker batteries (USB-A), a headlamp (micro-USB), a phone (USB-C), and various cables that didn’t connect properly. Barely scraped by on battery saver mode. Luckily found a fix at Geraldine’s Fresh Choice. Needed seven different cables!?

Opportunities for Next Time

  • Lightweight long pants: Exposure (to sun and wind) was fairly intense, requiring too much sunscreen. Also, I was knee-deep in rivers often.
  • Long-sleeve hiking shirt or sun hoodie.
  • Badger foot balm: Met an American hiker (Sammy) who used this every evening to maintain foot health.
  • Garmin PLB: At ~$600, it’s lighter than traditional PLBs and offers text messaging even when out of coverage (which we were for most of the trail). Would have been great for organizing logistics at major river crossings. Instead, we had to hitchhike, which actually worked out fine.
  • Bring my tarp: Took a heavier tarp/tent (700g) with a mosquito mesh, but given the mostly alpine environment, bugs weren’t an issue.
  • Narrower shoes: Altra Lone Peaks are fantastic, but my narrow feet slid around in the wide toe box. No blisters, but something to improve.
  • Bounce boxes: Many experienced hikers mailed themselves gear, food, and clean clothes between post offices or planned accommodations. Need to figure out the correct addressing method, but this would help keep my pack ultra-light.