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Please see the equipment list for full details of what you will personally need to bring along
for your course or climb. We hold a quantity of good quality rental equipment for your
convenience in addition to a retail purchase service.
Due to the nature of the mountain environment equipment and clothing must be suitable for
its intended purpose. It must be light, remain effective when wet or iced and dry easily. It is
important that the product will not become redundant before it wears out. These notes will
help you make informed choices so you save time and money.
Bring your own clothing and wet weather gear, and if you already have your own equipment
that is on the list then we suggest you bring it along as well to learn how to use it best.
As you know, Adventure Consultants is able to offer clients good prices on a range of
clothing and equipment and up to date information regarding the range of products available.
If you need assistance with making a purchase or making your selection, then please feel
free to contact us.
There are numerous fabrics, which are both water resistant and breathable such as Gore-
Tex, Reflex, Membrain, Entrant etc. These fabrics are expensive but can last for years if
well looked after. Shell clothing should be seam sealed during the manufacturing process
(tape sealed on the seams) or it will leak through the stitching. It also should be easy to
move in and easy to put on and take off when wearing gloves or mitts. Shell clothing
made of PVC, or similar totally waterproof but non breathable material, is not suitable as
moisture cannot escape when you are exerting energy and you become damp from the
inside out! So fabric breathability is very important when you are active in the mountains.
Gore-Tex or similar
waterproof breathable material. Look for a model with a
full front zipper, a good attached hood with draw cord etc
for good adjustability so it will fit over a helmet.
Preferably, the jacket should be long enough to allow a
generous overlap with your overpants when you bend
over. Obviously a technical mountaineering jacket is ideal
but many general purpose jackets are sufficient.
We recommend: Macpac Prophet Jacket NZ$765.00
or Macpac Zone Jacket $297.00
Macpac Prophet Jacket
Gore-Tex or similar waterproof breathable material. These must have full
length zips down the legs so they can be put on and taken off when you are wearing
boots and crampons. The bib or salopette type are warmer as they extend above the
lower back / kidney area giving a good overlap with your jacket. Make sure they have
sufficient movement to enable you to lift your legs high and enough room to wear light
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fleece pants underneath. We recommend: Macpac Mountain Bibs NZ$679.00,
Macpac Mountain Pants NZ$424.00, Marmot Oracle Pants NZ$254.00 or Mountain
Hardware Tenacity Bibs NZ$600.00.
There are several glove
combinations that work. We generally use waterproof-
breathable mitts or gloves with removable fleece liners. It is
best to have a model where the liners can be removed to
make drying easier. A pair of polypropylene or Driclime
gloves as an additional liner to these also allows some
dexterity without exposing the fingers. As an alternative to
mittens the `ski' type finger glove can be handy when
handling equipment, though many models are not waterproof
and can be difficult to dry. We recommend: Marmot Apex
Mountain Gloves NZ$152.00 or Marmot Crestline Glove
NZ$110.00
Marmot Apex Gloves
Full calf- length gaiters keep the snow out and
need a good tie down system under the in-step to stop them
creeping up at the heel and allowing snow in. A Velcro or zip
closure at the front is best for putting them on and removing
them easily.
We recommend: Macpac Snow Gaiters NZ$85.00
Macpac Snow Gaiters
Macpac Zen Women’s
A 200 weight Polartec or windstopper
with a full front zip to allow ventilation. Zip up pockets help
avoid losing items which are stored there. A hood is also a
bonus. We recommend: Macpac Zen Windstopper Jacket
NZ$314.00, Macpac Vapour Windstopper
Jacket NZ$254.00 or Marmot ATV Jacket NZ$340.00
Macpac Flipside Jumper
A lighter weight mid layer
(Equivalent to 100 or 200 weight Polartec) is a good addition
if you need extra warmth to combine with your other jacket or
if it is not cold enough for your regular jacket (above).
We recommend: Macpac Flipside Jumper NZ$110.00
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Macpac Mission Pants
Preferably not too heavy a fabric as they
can cause overheating. These can be loose or tight fitting.
There are a variety of softshell pants available that have
water and wind resistant qualities and can be used
independently of your Gore-Tex pants in fine weather but do
not replace Gore-Tex overpants.
We recommend: Macpac Mission Pants NZ$297.00 or
Macpac Bees Knees NZ$85.00
Macpac Hot-Hed
HAT: Made of either wool, windstopper or fleece, it must
extend over the ears and should not have a tendency to fly
off in a strong wind. A polypropylene or silk balaclava is
good to carry as a spare or to use as a neck warmer.
We recommend: Macpac Maverick Hat NZ$42.50, Macpac
Hot-Hed NZ$25.50 and Silkbody Puresilk Balaclava
NZ$20.00
Have at least two complete sets with you for a trip. Wool or a mix of fibres with
good thermal properties are a good choice. Often people wear combinations of thick (wool
socks) and thin socks (polypropylene liner socks) rather than just one thick pair. Try your
socks out with your boots if possible beforehand.
We recommend: Bridgedale Socks & Silkbody Puresilk Liner Socks NZ$16.50
In addition to your waterproof mitts or gloves. A light pair of fleece or
windstopper gloves are ideal. Otherwise wool or a couple of pairs of polypropylene or silk
gloves.
We recommend: Marmot Windstopper Gloves NZ$64.50, Marmot DriClime Base
Layer Gloves NZ$24.50, Marmot Powerstretch Gloves NZ$45.00 & Silkbody Puresilk
Base Layer Gloves NZ$16.50.
A long sleeve cotton shirt in a light colour can be useful for those hot
days on the glacier. We recommend: Adventure Consultants Columbia Glacier
Shirts NZ$89.95
THERMAL OR BASE LAYER
Macpac Interwool Mid Zip
Long sleeve thermal tops made of
polypropylene, silk weight driclime or a silk / wool mix are
excellent. A high neck with a zip gives good temperature
control. Bring two tops (one for climbing in and one for
wearing in the evenings or to double up if you are really
cold).
We recommend: Marmot Silkweight Driclime Long
Sleeve Top or Macpac Interwool Mid Zip or Mid Crew
Tops
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Macpac Interwool Mid Longs
Thermal long-johns made of the same
materials as thermal tops are lightweight and provide a
change if your fleece pants are wet or too warm. They also
provide lots of additional warmth if worn under your fleece
pants, though this would generally only be required in winter.
We recommend: Macpac Interwool Mid Longs NZ$77.00
or Marmot Silkweight Driclime Long Johns NZ$76.00
Macpac Interwool Boxers
Bring sufficient changes of your regular
underwear. It is possible to buy polypropylene, silk or merino
briefs and singlets, which are warmer and dry faster if you
get wet however, most people use their normal, most
comfortable underwear.
We recommend: Macpac Interwool and Marmot
Silkweight Driclime Mens & Womens Boxers and Mens &
Womens Silkbody Finespun Tank Tops
Lightweight shoes or lightweight trekking boots are handy for
walking around in at the end of the day and for the walk out down the valley.
We recommend: Salomon’s light weight trekking boots: Extera Mid or Salomon
trekking or running shoes Extera Low or XA Pro 2
Plastic rigid soled boots with removable inner boots
are the status quo. These are produced by several
manufacturers and are lightweight and stable. The hard shell
accepts only the foot shape it was designed for so you may
need to try on a few different brands to get the right fit.
Different brands use different foot lasts. The fit should be
snug with room to wriggle your toes, either tighten or loosen
the laces to adjust for different circumstances. They need to
be comfortable to walk and climb in for many hours. Some
shells can be heat moulded by ski shops to ease out any
minor pressure points.
The boots must have a reasonable sized welt at the back
and front to accept `clip on' crampons. There are many
different models designed for different kinds of use from
glacier walking to steep ice climbing. As they don’t wear out
that quickly it’s worth thinking about what your end use is
going to be before buying a pair. It is important to identify any
pressure spots and if you are trying boots on for size, do it
later in the day when your feet have had a chance to swell a
little. It is also best to get used to walking in them before you
head off on your first big trip as they do require a slightly
different style of walking and the inner boot becomes more
comfortable with use. We recommend: Koflach Degre
Boots NZ$612.00, Asolo Evoluzione Boots NZ$489.00
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A baseball cap is commonly used but it won’t protect your ears from the sun.
A cotton or silk scarf is a sensible addition for ear and neck protection. A wide brim hat
offers extra protection but it will need to have a chin cord to stop it from blowing away.
HARDWEAR EQUIPMENT
All of the following hardwear items are available for hire from Adventure Consultants if
necessary.
We recommend the clip-on type as
they are the quickest to put on and take off which can
save an appreciable amount of time
on a mixed climb.
Strap-on crampons are suitable if you are planning on
doing mainly trans-alpine tramping trips with leather
boots which don’t accept a clip-on crampon. If you do
have strap-ons then the ‘scottish’ system is much
faster to use (it has a ring on a strap over the toe).
The front points of your crampons should stick out from the front of the boot about 2.5cm.
Be sure to check the heel piece of the clip on crampon is compatible with your boots and
stays in place when in the up position. If possible practice putting on your crampons
before your trip.
We recommend: Petzl Charlet Vasak Crampons (Pictured) NZ$265.00
A wide range of good ice tools are available so it pays to know what you will
be using it for when purchasing one. Some tools are brilliant for vertical ice and useless
for climbing snow and vice versa. Some tools are acceptable for both.
For general alpine climbing you need a straight shafted axe between 60
cm to 70 cm long depending on your height. A longer tool is more helpful on
moderate ground and even the most difficult climbs have approaches and descents
for which this is helpful. Short axes with curved shafts and moulded hand grips are
fine on hard technical ice climbs but not so suited to most alpine climbing.
The head of the axe should be comfortable to hold when using the axe as a walking
stick and not have any protrusions which will dig into your hand.
The pick can be a normal curve or a ‘reverse curve’. The steep picks and reverse
curves hold better on steep ice, although they are more difficult to self arrest with.
Many tools come with replaceable picks so check that the bolts are tight before each
climb.
The adze is still used a lot for chopping steps in ice and snow and must be of a good
angle to do so. Some adzes are too dropped to chop steps easily and instead are
designed for climbing steep unconsolidated snow.
Shafts are either metal, wood or glass composites and some have rubber hand grips.
A rubber grip at the base of the shaft makes it easier to hold when self arresting or
climbing steeper ground as well as keeping your hand warmer. The shaft must be
smooth enough to be forced into the snow and should not have protrusions which can
get caught up on a crusty snow surface.
The spike at the bottom of the tool should be sharp enough to penetrate hard snow.
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A wrist loop is needed for support when climbing on steeper ground. The correct length
allows you to hold the bottom of the shaft with the sling tight.
We recommend: Petzl Charlet Guide Axe NZ$260.00 and Petzl Aztar Axe NZ$337
This can be a shorter than the axe (45 cm to 60 cm) as it is often only
used on the steeper sections of a climb and for hammering in stakes and ice screws.
Some people find it easier to have axe and hammer the same length when climbing on
steep ice but for most mountaineering terrain a walking axe with a short hammer is the
best combination. The head of a hammer receives quite a lot of abuse on a climb and
must be very secure with a good striking surface. The pick is generally a reverse curve
at a steeper angle. Most climbers opt for a short technical tool with a bent shaft to
protect the knuckles on steeper climbs.
We recommend: Petzl Charlet Aztar Hammer NZ$337.00
Petzl Charlet Guide Axe Petzl Charlet Aztar Hammer
The plastic helmets designed for
climbing are lightweight and designed to deflect
falling ice and rocks. They also protect the head in
the case or a fall. ‘Construction’ style helmets are
not designed for sideways protection so are not
suitable. Plastic becomes brittle as it ages so if you
are borrowing a plastic helmet then it should not be
more than 4 years old. Composite
(fibreglass/carbonfibre) helmets are also available
but are generally quite heavy or else expensive.
Check the harness size and make sure that it is
easily adjustable for when you are wearing your
hat or balaclava underneath.
We recommend: Petzl Elios Helmet NZ$99.50
Petzl Elios Helmet
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Petzl Corax Harness
The sit harness type is used for
most mountaineering situations. These should
be lightweight, comfortable and adjustable
around the waist and legs. A specially
designed alpine harness is easier to get in and
out of (which is important when nature calls)
and soon can be put on even when you have
boots and crampons on. Many rock-climbing
harnesses have fixed leg loops and hence
cannot be adjusted for different clothing
layers. We recommend: Petzl Corax
Harness NZ$160.00 or Petzl Calidris
Harness NZ$173.00
(3 x Screw-gate & 5 x Snap-gate caribiners)
Bring 1-2 ‘Pear’ and 1-2 `Oval' shaped locking carabiners and 5 snap-gate carabiners if
possible.
We recommend: Petzl Charlet William Screwgate Caribiners NZ$34.50 & Petzl Spirit
Snapgate Caribiners NZ$24.50
Petzl Charlet Spirit Snapgate Caribiner
Petzl Charlet Laser Ice Screw
Petzl Charlet William Screwgate
Generally 6 mm kermantel cord. You will need at least 3 of these.
They should be tied from a 2.75m length, a 2.25m length and a 1.5m length. A double or
triple fisherman's knot is generally used to join the ends and create the loop. If in doubt
bring 8m of cord and your guide will teach you how to tie them.
We recommend: Bluewater Ropes, sling and cord
These range in quality and price. The two things to avoid are cheap
screws and titanium screws. The rest are good quality strong ice screws. Ice-screws are
available in a range of different sizes. From 12cm to 22cm in length. Make sure you have
one to two long screws 22cms in length, these will be used for anchors. Some ice screws
have winders for fast placement, which are fantastic for quick placement but be aware
some winders can take up room on your harness
We recommend: Petzl Charlet Laser Ice Screws NZ$106.00 & Black Diamond
Express Screws NZ$119.50
Again these range in quality and price. The most commonly used stakes
are the T shaped stakes and the V shaped angle aluminium with a tape sling at the top.
They are commercially available some with a wire anchor point at mid length which
provides more versatility.
We recommend: MSR Coyote Snow Picket NZ$44.00
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The best type are made from Gore-Tex or a similar waterproof breathable
fabric. Some models use non-breathable fabrics or ripstop nylon on the bottom and these
tend to cause some moisture build up. Some designs are intended for use in the bush so
will have mosquito netting built-in. These are still suitable, just a little heavier.
We recommend: Macpac Alpine Cocoon NZ$297.00
SLEEPING BAG: A down or synthetic filled sleeping bag can
be used. Down bags are usually less bulky but harder to dry
when wet. It is a good ideal to store your sleeping bag in a
plastic bag inside a stuff sac in your pack to avoid it getting
wet. A sleeping bag rated as 3 season or better (approx -5
degrees Celsius and containing anything from 550gms –
740gms down fill) is ideal for New Zealand mountaineering
conditions. We recommend: Macpac Sanctuary 700XP
Sleeping Bag NZ$680.00
SLEEPING MAT: You will need a sleeping mat when camping
on snow. A full-length closed-cell foam mat and a medium
lightweight thermarest are warmest.
We recommend: Thermarest Prolite 4 NZ$200.80 and
Thermarest Z-Rest Mat $80.00
HEADLAMP: Petzl make the best headlamps
available. Avoid the `micro' or simple LED models as
they have problems with battery life and light levels.
The combination LED & Halogen bulb headlamps (eg
Petzl MYO3 or MYO5) are excellent and provide a
low level light for use in the hut, which doesn’t chew
through your batteries as well as good light for
climbing with. Bring two sets of batteries for the trip.
We recommend: Petzl MYO3 Headlamp NZ$106.00
BACKPACK: There are many models
available which are suitable. Your pack
should have at least a 65 litre capacity but no
more than 100 litres in volume and have an
expandable lid & compression straps. Make
sure the pack has attachment points for your
ice axe, hammer and crampons and a top
pocket.
We recommend: Macpac Classic Ascent
Pack NZ$340.00 or the Macpac Ascent
XPD Pack NZ$424.00
Macpac Classic Ascent
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!"
Preferably the glacier
glasses style with side protection, or
good ‘wrap around’ ones. Light
reflecting in from the side can cause lots
of damage with the high levels of
sunlight in the mountains. The lens
should be dark enough to withstand the
intense reflection from the snow, and
must filter 100% of UV light. Goggles are
also required for stormy or winter
conditions.
We recommend: Smith Sunglasses and Goggles
The Swiss Army style, Leatherman, or other equivalent.
We recommend: Victorinox Climber Swiss Army Knife NZ$39.00 or Mountaineer
Swiss Army Knife NZ$49.00
Lightweight nylon bags with draw cords to store spare clothes etc. Very
useful for organising gear in your pack or when you’re in a hut. Bring 2 or 3.
Bring a small toilet kit - flannel, small towel, some soap, toothpaste and
toothbrush. If you are going on a week long trip, a small bottle of liquid soap can be nice.
New Zealand conditions are extreme so you will need a bottle or tube of
maximum protection sun block. In addition, lip balm (with SPF 15 or higher) is worth
carrying in your pocket for application during the day. We recommend: Aloe Up
Superblock or Piz Buin Sunscreen
The wide mouth plastic bottles are good. It pays to have sufficient
capacity to carry two litres. You dehydrate easily in the dry mountain air.
We recommend: 2 x Nalgene 1 Litre Wide
Mouth Bottles NZ$25.95
#$%& A
light non-breakable bowl and spoon.
The cup can be stainless steel, tin or
non breakable plastic, though hot drinks
in stainless steel/tin burn your mouth
easily. A thermal mug with a lid is ideal.
We recommend: Lexan Bowl, Lexan
Cutlery Set & Lexan Fairshare Mug.
NZ$10.00 - 26.00
Lexan Fairshare Mug
Lexan TEKK Cutlery
A basic personal first aid kit is necessary. Blister tape, 2nd skin
(optional), gauze pads, crepe and triangular bandages, painkillers. Also any personal
medication required. (Please remember to inform your guide if you are on prescription
medicine). Store the first aid kit in a waterproof container, a plastic bag inside a stuff sack
is often adequate.
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Any compass which is suitable for
orienteering will do. Remember that the magnetic
declination is different in the Southern Hemisphere so
compasses designed for the Northern Hemisphere will
stick if you try to use them here. Dangerous. We
recommend: Silva Ranger 3 LUM Compass NZ$32.00
Generally 1:50,000 topographical maps.
We recommend: Terralink Topographical Maps – Mt Aspiring, Westland & Mt Cook
Wait until you arrive as maps can be purchased from our office along with guidebooks on
these and other areas.
$%& Preferably waterproof paper notebook or wrapped in plastic
bags.
by Adventure
Consultants Guides Guy Cotter & Mark Sedon: To
practice skills already attained and to ensure you are
using the right techniques on the right terrain. This can
also be purchased at our office.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR EQUIPMENT LIST. THERE MAY BE OTHER REQUIREMENTS
NOT LISTED HERE. PRICES MAY CHANGE FROM THOSE ADVERTISED.
Please do contact us if you have any queries at all about the climb or your course.
We look forward to meeting and climbing with you in the summer of 2004 / 2005.
Contact us
Adventure Consultants Ltd
PO Box 97, 58 McDougall St
Lake Wanaka, 9192
New Zealand.
Email: [email protected] Phone: + 64 3 443 8711 Fax: + 64 3 443 8733
New Zealand mountaineering website www.adventure.co.nz
International Expeditions website www.adventureconsulttants.co.nz
