Fabric characteristics...

• Cotton/denim:BAD! Comfortable and cool in fine weather but dangerously cold when wet.
• Polyester: GOOD! Depending on the composition of this fabric it can be very breathable and comfortable. Dries quickly. Beware around fires and cookers as polyester has a low melting point.
• Polypropylene: GREAT! Warm even when wet, lightweight, breathable and dries quickly. Tends to smell bad after a day or two! Also has low melting point.
• Wool: GOOD! Warm even when wet, but absorbs a lot of water so can be heavy and slow to dry. Can be itchy and uncomfortable. Fire retardant!
• Merino wool: GREAT! Lighter, finer, more comfortable and dries quicker than traditional wool. Fire retardant and doesn't smell like many synthetics.
• Fleece: GREAT! Ie Polar fleece . Lightweight, breathable, comfortable and warm when wet. Low melting point!
• Wind proof fleece: GREAT! Ie Windstopper . As above but provide better insulation in wind.
• Down (puff jackets): GREAT! Down filled jackets and vests have excellent insulation value for their weight and they pack away small. If the down gets wet however it will matt and loose most of it's insulating ability so ensure it has a water proofed shell fabric and take care to keep it dry.
• Synthetic Down (puff jackets): GREAT! Synthetic filled jackets and vests have less insulation value for their weight than down and they don't pack away as small. However they make up for this by maintaining their insulation value when wet.
• Waterproofed Nylon (rain jackets): OK! Functional and affordable, but not very durable and may not stand up to New Zealand rain! Non breathable.
• PVC (rain jackets): OK! Very waterproof but non breathable. Can be stiff and uncomfortable but is quite durable.
• Breathable waterproofs (rain jackets): GREAT! Ie Goretex . Breathable and lightweight. They never breathe quite as well in the real world as some would have us believe, but are still the best all round fabrics for rain jackets. Tend to be expensive.

Keeping the wind and water out

To stay warm it is important to keep out wind and rain.

Always carry...

• A good waterproof jacket. Pull over plastic 'ponchos' or cheap plastic jackets are more likely to endanger your life than save you money.
• Windproof or waterproof trousers.
• A plastic rubbish bag or a 'Pack liner' to keep the contents of you backpack dry. No backpack is waterproof!

Layering

The best way to maintain a comfortable body temperature is by layering your clothing. This allows you to take a layer of clothing off if you are hot or put another layer on if you are cold. Avoid cotton and denim, they will not keep you warm when wet.

Layers...

1. Polypropylene, wool or similar thermal underwear next to you skin
2. Warm hat on you head
3. Lightweight Polar fleece or wool
4. Medium or heavy weight Polar fleece or wool, or a down puffy jacket
5. Waterproof jacket over the top

Suggested clothing list

The following is a list of clothing that you might find in a kiwi hikers backpack during summer.

• Thermal underwear, top and bottom + spare dry pair for camp
• Lightweight, quick drying shirt
• Shorts.
• Lightweight, quick drying trousers. Kiwis don't tend to be big fans of long trousers, they can be annoying when wet and catch on undergrowth. However they do keep out sandflies, save your legs from the scrub, and protect you from the sun
• Lightweight Polar fleece or woollen shirt
• Medium - heavyweight polar fleece, woollen jersey or down puffy jacket
• Socks + a spare dry pair for camp
• Gloves
• Warm hat
• Sun hat
• Waterproof jacket
• Waterproof trousers
• Gaiters. Canvas sleeves that cover the top of your boots to keep sand, snow etc out

Download a printable gear and clothing list by clicking PDF Gear List

Be prepared for the sight of kiwis wearing thermal longjohns beneath their shorts. Try it out yourself sometime, it's comfortable when wet, creates less drag when river crossing than trousers and keeps most of the sandflies away!