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Rick

Now days there are plenty of small one or two man dome tents with in-build flys available. Don't make the mistake of underestimating the NZ weather conditions keeping in mind that we are a relatively small Island (in width) in a big ocean with the lower half of our country down towards the Antarctic southern ocean and weather can change very quickly and dramatically. At any time of year lows can sweep in from the south all the way from the Antarctic and while you may not encounter snow below the permanent snowline in the summertime, you can experience very cold rain and winds which if you are off the beaten track and not in a hut could leave you and your gear wet and miserable or worse, facing a dangerous situation for your safety.

Don't scrimp on quality of equipment, particularly your tent as this is the very item that will keep your gear and yourself safe and comfortable if things take a turn for the worse weather wise of even if you strike illness or sustain an injury.

A self inflating mattress is good or at minimum a bedroll of closed cell foam will help with some comfort when tenting. Our DOC department are not too happy to have trampers or hunters cutting down brush and ferns to make comfy beds as we used to in the early days.

I spent the first 40 years of my life living and hunting in the South Westland area of our South Island also venturing down to Fiordland and as far south as Stewart Island after whitetail deer.
I spent the coldest week of my life at Stewart Island when we struck high winds, sleet and snow blown from the Antarctic. We had the big old style calico tent and camp stretchers sheltered in the bush which was dry and comfortable enough but our sleeping bags were cheap grade ones (mine, my bag from school days). No matter whether we slept on top of our spare clothes, put them all on in the bag, or put them plus a blanket I had over our bags, we absolutely froze when in the tent. Looked forward all night to the dawn were we could stoke up the fire, have breakfast, and then get out hunting all day and get warm. Lesson learned, back to civilisation and bought the best quality sleeping bag money could buy and a decent modern tent with mosquito and sandfly screens.

Good luck for your future tramps here, there are plenty of beautiful places to explore.

Edited by eagle27 (01/11/12 05:42 PM)

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