Tramping Food: Nongshim Udon Soup

 ...prepacked Udon for tramping meals...

Here is another potential meal idea for when you are out on a outdoor adventure. These are the Nongshim brand prepackaged Udon Noodle Soup meals. 

Nongshim Udon Noodle Soup

There are a multitude of pre packaged meal options available in Asian food stores and this is a good example. It contains everything you need to make a decent noodle meal with the simple addition of boiling hot water. 

A look at the Udon pack:

The Nongshim Udon soup is a self contained meal wrapped into one package. Inside the package you will find :

Udon noodle pack

Liquid soup mix

Dried flakes pack

A plastic serving dish

Udon noodles are pre-cooked so they just need a short boil (2 minutes is sufficient) or a longer soak (5-10 depending on brand) in boiling water to be ready to eat.  Adding the soup mix and dried ingredients package brings the flavor. 

Front of the Nongshim Udon Soup packet

Nongshim sounds Japanese but it is actually a Korean company and this pack is produced in Korea. Korean people eat a number of dishes that are similar to Japanese food due to their interactions over centuries past. They make some good food including snacks, Ramen, Udon and packaged all in one meals. 

Nongshim include a liquid soup mix and dried flavor pack

Most people know what Udon are but if you are new to them they are thick wheat noodles about the size of a pencil around. They are soft and often come as part of a thin soup (like a consume) with vegetables added to it for flavor. Common vegetables used are onions, mushrooms, carrot and radish.

...best cooked and eaten from the pot...

These Udon packs are perfect as they are but if you wanted to make them a bit tastier and more nutritious you can add items to them. Off the top of my head I would think about adding cooked meat or fish, cheese, fresh and dried vegetables and condiments like garlic, ginger, soya sauce, vinegar, pepper and chilli sauce. A small packet/spoon of Miso paste will also make for tastier noodles. 

Udon Soup pack and cooked soup

I always added a small measure of Soya Sauce when I am eating these Udon and a small shake of S&B brand chilli powder. One of those small soya sauce fish you get with a sushi meal is enough for a single bowl of Udon. Add soya to taste but just remember soya sauce is very salty so I would taste it as I went. 

...a small fish of soya sauce is a good additive...

Anyone who is a fan of Ramen or Udon will know what S&B powder is...it is an essential addition to both these noodle dishes. S&B is a Japanese brand of powder specially manufactured for soups. It has a mix of ground chilli, garlic, seaweed and other herbs and spices meant to improve the flavor of your soup. A good Ramen shop will have S&B powder readily to hand for their customers. 

S&B brand chilli powder for noodle dishes

You can buy your own S&B at most Asian food stores have a look in the section for Japanese food or the sauces section. I brought mine from the Japan Mart in Riccarton Mall. Decant it into a small bag as the bottles are glass and quite heavy. 

Dont add too much as it is a bit spicy...just a pinch on top is good!

...just a dash of S&B enhances the flavor...

Nongshim include a plastic tray for mixing your Udon in but I would tend to leave this at home. It is just extra rubbish to haul around for the rest of your tramp.  I just put all the packets into a sandwich sized Ziploc bag and cook it in my cook pot. Udon is much better eaten from a bowl or pot. 

Try the Nongshim Udon Soup out for yourself!

You are going to need either a fork or chopsticks to eat the noodles. 

Where can I find these?

You can find these noodles at good Asia supermarkets and shops selling Asian and Japanese food items. I brought some from the Japan Mart at Hornby Mall but I have also seen them at Kosco Shirley, Ken's Mart on Colombo Street and at V-Mart in the Bush Inn Centre. 

Kosco Asian Supermarket in Shirley, Christchurch 

I love noodles and this pack is a pretty good riff on a bowl of Udon. With a few ingredients added they make an excellent lunch or dinner meal and they are tasty and filling. Keep an eye out for them the next time you are in a good Asian Supermarket. 

You Tube: Nongshim Udon Soup

Tramping Equipment: Soto Windmaster stove

 Review of the Soto Windmaster Stove

So...I bought a new outdoor stove last week...it is the Soto Windmaster. I have read some good things about this stove and felt the need for some retail therapy so...! I am a big fan of canister stoves and I’m not alone – the overwhelming majority of trampers I come across use them. For price point, ease of use and efficiency they are hard to bet.

BTW: this is my tenth outdoor stove...I think I might have a problem! 

Soto Windmaster fixed to a medium sized gas cannister

There are a large number of models available on the New Zealand market and a huge number more available from overseas. There are a handful of well known brands and models that dominate – the Soto Windmaster is one of those.

Some of the Soto Range of outdoor stoves

 At NZD $135  this model sits at the upper end of the price range for canister stoves. Having said that there are good reasons for this. Firstly all stoves sold on the New Zealand market have to meet the requisite gas standards and this does add to the price but also increases the safety. 

...the box your new Windmaster comes in...

Soto is a well known and highly regarded outdoor equipment manufacturer with a wide following around the world. The Soto Windmaster has a large range of features and a high level of performance that many of the cheaper stoves lack. All this amounts to a more expensive stove but given the features it is very good value for money.  

So let’s look at the features on this great little stove unit.

Some of the main features on the Soto Windmaster

This stove is called the ‘Windmaster’ for a reason and that’s because it copes very well in windy exposed conditions. The stove has a piezo-electric starter so it is a self contained unit and is easily started even when windy where matches or a lighter don’t work. This starter works a charm and one press is all you need to spark a flame.

Centrally located ignitor on the Soto Windmaster

 At 89 grams for the stove unit itself and 100 grams including the small carry bag, this stove isn’t the lightest in the stove market but doesn’t weigh that much. It compares favourably with its contemporaries like the Kovea TI stove, MSR Pocket Rocket and my Fire Maple TI stove which all weigh around 70-80 gms. 

Windmaster comes with a nylon carry bag

To be fair when you compare this to all in one integrated stove types you do need to include other items such as a pot, gas canister and canister stabiliser which will increase the weight. I will be using my standard Toaks 1.3 liter Titanium pot on this stove but it will also work with my other cookware. 

My Toaks 1.3 liter pot i usually carry

Being able to buy a cannister stove as a standalone unit allows trampers to mix and match to get the system they want and the opportunity to change the pot choice depending on your needs. Sometimes you will be fine with a small cup/pot or you might need a big 2 liter pot or a frying pan. Flexibility in gear choice is ideal when buying outdoor equipment. 

Soto Windmaster with pot stand attached

The head on this stove is large as far as canister stoves go and and sits very, very close to the pot allowing just enough airflow to provide oxygen to the head but not so much to impact the flame. In fact the burner head is slightly recessed providing additional wind protection. Most canister stoves need a windshield  to operate well in windy conditions and while this will benefit any canister stove it is not essential for the Windmaster. 

Burner head designed to resist wind...Windmaster

This stove has been tested and it will boil 500 ml of water in less than 2 minutes and 45 seconds with a light breeze. This is slower than an integrated stove but not by a great deal. FYI: Integrated stoves are all in one packages and include ones like the JetBoil and MSR Windburner range. If you are using the Windmaster (or for that matter) any other stove during windy weather the boil time is going to be slower.

The MSR Windburner is one type of integrated stove system

This unit is unique compared to most other canister stoves in that the pot stand is not attached but comes as a separate unit. This does make it more fiddly to use because you have to attach it to the stem of the stove itself. This can be overcome as the pot support can be permanently attached to the stove and will still fit inside the provided storage bag. 

Pot stand comes separate from the stove itself

 It’s a reasonably wide pot support, larger than most, so will cope with larger pots and saucepans provided you have a canister stabiliser attached. One of the big benefits of canister stoves in general is that they simmer food really well so if you are going to be cooking rather just boiling water then they are a great option.

Wide stand arms will accommodate larger pots/pans

A feature I like is the ignitor...it makes the stove much easier to light. Even my $300 dollar MSR Windburner does not have an ignitor on it so I appreciate its inclusion. I would still carry a lighter or matches as ignitors can wear out after heavy use. A stove is useless if you cannot light it so an alternate means of ignition is a good idea. 

Soto Windmaster in use

Overall the Soto Windmaster is a great stove with plenty of wonderful features and while on the upper end of the price range, it is well worth considering if you after a canister stove.

The Windmaster in Use:

The windmaster will be coming on my tramp around the St James Walkway next week so look back for some photos of the stove in use...

Heating water for breakfast at Ada Pass Hut

Cooking bench at Anne Hut on the St James Walkway

Man...this stove is a cracker. It worked really well on my recent St James Walkway trip and I think it might become my go to stove for most of my tramping trips. It is fast, efficient and easy to use all things you really want in a camping stove. Time will tell how it performs over the long term but I really like it. 

Tramping Food: Real Meals

 A look at the Real Meals range of entrees

Tramping food is one of the most important items you will carry with you when you are venturing into the outdoors. To perform at your best you need the right type and amount of food to keep you moving. One option is the use of freeze dried and pre packaged meals. 

Classic packaging for a Real Meals

I often use freeze dried meals when I am out by myself...they are the easiest and most efficient way to provide yourself with sustenance. One of my favorites at this time are the Real Meal range. Many trampers believe they are the best freeze dried meals available here in New Zealand. 

Real Meals...some history:

Real Meals as a company has only existed for a couple of years but its history is much longer than this. Originally the company was called Absolute Wilderness and they were a fixture in the South Island and especially Nelson region for over a decade. If you could find their products you would be using them as they were quality meals.  

Absolute Wilderness meals...basic black packaging

Absolute Wilderness traded right through the 2010's up to 2021.  While their products were always difficult to find in the shops the full range could always be ordered online from their Nelson headquarters. Starting out with only a couple of meals they eventually increased their range until they had about 15 different meals available covering breakfast, lunch and dinner options. My favorites were the Creamed Rice, Wilderness Stew and Chilli Con Carne. 

Homemade ration pack for the Paparoa Track in 2020

A couple of years ago the company was brought out by Nathan Fa'avae the well known adventure racer and educator. Nathan was a fixture of most of the multi discipline events through the 2000's including the Coast to Coast,  New Zealand Adventure Racing Team and GODZone. His purchase of the company has seen its fortunes revived and it is now available in many outdoor sports and hunting stores right across the country. 

Nathan Fa'avae

I am hoping that the company will continue to increase their menu range over time as they gain market share and recognition. All of their products are delicious with some of the original Absolute Wilderness range still manufactured and the addition of many new and innovative entrees. 

A look at the Real Meals range...

Real meals have menus for breakfast through dinner with additional desserts and drinks. They regularly swap out items from the range and bring in a couple of new items every six months or so. At the time of this blog this is their complete range of meals:

Breakfast

Bircher Muesli

Banana Oat Porridge

Honey Yoghurt

Boysenberry Yoghurt

Eggs, Cheese & Chives

Lunch

Couscous Salad

Mexi Nachos

Bacon Mash

Cheesy Mash

Dinner

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

Wilderness Stew

Tom Kha Gai

Macaroni and Cheese

Beef Stroganoff

Moroccan Tagine

Dal Makhani

Desserts

Apples with Creamed Rice

Tropical Pudding

Chocolate Cake Pudding

Others

Berry Smoothie

Mango Lassi

Baby Beetroot

Fruit Trio

Basmati Rice

The dinner meals are equally good for lunch or a savory breakfast and the Apples with Creamed Rice is one of my favorite breakfast meals. I'm not big on powdered milky drinks but I'm sure their Lassis and smoothies are going to be as good as any of the main entrees. 

Jon's personal picks...

I have yet to try a Real Meal that I do not like...they are all delicious. That said there are a couple which I really enjoy and buy often. I have four that I would like to talk about...the Apples and Creamed Rice, Sri Lankan Chicken Curry, Beef Stroganoff and Cous Cous Salad.

Apples with Creamed Rice:

To start the Apples with Creamed Rice is meant as a dessert but I most commonly use it as a breakfast meal. I love Creamed Rice and the Real Meal version is top notch. It reconstitutes really well, is sweet without being overly sweet, the fruit is delicious and it is filling. 

Real Meal: Apples and Creamed Rice

I get VERY sick of eating porridge (Oats/Oatmeal) all the time and I'm constantly looking for something else for breakfast. I pair this with some protein...cheese, salami or other dried meat as this meal is light on protein.  I sometimes add extra raisins to the pack because I love raisins and nuts are also a great addition.

It can be eaten cold but is best warm....

Couscous Salad:

I notice this is no longer on the Real Meal website but still available in shops. I was turned onto this by Marlee one of my tramping companions on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track back in October. She was eating these for lunch and I really liked the look of it.  It is lovely with a nutty, spicy flavor with a subtle under current of lemon and mint. This is an excellent dinner meal but it is really good for lunch as well.

Real Meal: Cous Cous Salad

 Couscous Salad is a vegetarian meal but you can pep it up with the addition of fresh/dried vegetables, stock cubes, dried meat or fish. I like this for dinner with some Backcountry dried vegetables, chicken stock and a tuna packet.

Yum!!!

Sri Lankan Curry:

This is my favorite curry from the range and I am always impressed whenever I tuck into one of these. It reconstitutes really well and the taste, consistency and appearance is just like a takeaway curry. It is mildly spicy without being hot and the flavor is deep through the vegetables and chicken in this meal.

Real Meal: Sri Lankan Curry

The meal as it stands is low on carbs so I always have this with some freeze dry rice, mash potato or a Naan bread. I just add this to the meal pack with the requisite amount of hot water and hey presto a power packed dinner meal. 

Beef Stroganoff:

This is my second favorite in the Real Meals range of freeze dried entrees. I initially ignored this one but I took a pack with me on a tramp earlier this year and it is really good. As well as the classic sauce it has pasta so this is a complete meal which requires no additional items. 

Real Meal: Beef Stroganoff

The sauce in this meal is rich and savory and it has nice chunks of meat, vegetables and spices. The pasta is a flat sheet pasta that rehydrates well. It is as tasty as any Stroganoff I could make at home and is now one of my go to meals for tramping. 

Honorable mention goes to the Wilderness Stew, Cheesy/Bacon Mash and Dal Makhani which are all good and worth a try...

Where can I buy these..?

So you ask...these meals are good but where can I buy them?

They seem to be widely available in most of the better outdoor and sports stores that sell camping/tramping equipment. Since the company changed hands they are much more visible and I have seen them in stores right across the South Island. I'm not sure about coverage in the North Island...

I like Apples with Creamed Rice for Breakfast

Here in Christchurch they are available at Hunting and Fishing, Bivouac, Macpac and Kathmandu shops. Hunting and Fishing have the widest selection and they have almost all the menu items. I have also seen them at Further Faster a really excellent independent outdoor shop. 

Real Meals have a range of entrees

They sell Real Meals in the Torpedo 7 in Nelson but not the one here in Christchurch. Some supermarkets in smaller towns like Hanmer, St Arnaud, Motueka, Te Anau and Lake Tekapo also stock them. There is a list of retailers on the Real Meals website with locations and website addresses. 

There is a list of retailers here

As with Absolute Wilderness the complete range is available online and you can order them for delivery through the Real Meals website. If you cannot find them in your local area this is your best option.

Real Meals Homepage

If you are thinking about taking some freeze dried meals on your next adventure you should really consider using a Real Meal. They are tasty, nutritious and much better than the other brands available here in New Zealand. The next time you visit your local outdoor retailer have a look at their food selection and see if they sell Real Meals. 

NB: I am not associated with this company I just really like their meals.

New outdoor gear for 2021....updated!

 New Tramping Equipment acquired in 2021

I am a total outdoor gear head...I like new gear, I am interested in new outdoor innovations and like to read about gear other outdoor enthusiasts are using. Can you have to much tramping equipment? No...I don't think anyone can have too much tramping equipment provided you are actually using it. If you buy equipment and it sits in a cupboard gathering dust then yes you have too much. 

My Vaude Breta 50l pack on the Nina Valley Track

 This is a post about tramping gear I may acquire over the rest of this year...this will be an annual feature. I will start the post in January and note any new acquisitions over that year, I may possibly comment upon items and in some cases review how it is working for me. There may be an accompanying post in more depth on certain pieces of gear which I think you might be interested in. 

My post about the MSR Windburner stove...

As far as my outdoor gear cupboard goes I am more or less supplied with all of the basic equipment I need to under take my varied outdoor adventures. There are no new big ticket items I hunger for so any new purchase's will be replacements for broken gear, gifts or necessary upgrades.

My ACR ResQLink beacon is due for replacement in 2021...

Right-o...so lets us look at some new gear I have acquired so far this year...

Tents:

Coleman Camper 2 tent:

Karen and I recently went for a camping trip to Hanmer where we were using my Coleman Coastline  three person tent to sleep in. After using it for this trip I decided it might be too difficult for me to set up on my own when I go for car camping or base camp trips.

Coleman Coastline 3 person tent at Hanmer holiday Park

Plenty of space for two people in the Coastline 3.....

I happened to be in Hunting and Fishing the week after we returned and saw they had Coleman Camper 2 dome tents for sale for $99 so I brought myself one. I intend to use it to fill the role of single person base camp tent. I used it on my recent visit to Nelson Lakes NP where I was walking some of the day tracks like the Mt Robert Circuit. It worked well and will become a piece of kit you are likely to see again on these pages.  

My Coleman Camper 2 set up at Kerr Bay Campground, St Arnaud

The Camper 2 is a freestanding dome tent...

The tent is a two person version but is better utilised as a single person car camping tent. It is 2.4 kg's with a 8000mm PU floor and 2000 mm rain fly. Dimensions are 2.6 (L)x1.6 (W)x1.2 (H). It is a free standing design so I can easily erect it on my own in less that three minutes.  

Plenty of space in my Camper 2 for myself and base camping gear

Kerr Bay is a great base for tramps in Nelson Lakes NP

This tent will get a bit of use in the future as I have several places where I would like to go for base camps.  It would even be good for a trip to places like the Abel Tasman Coast Walk for an overnight visit to one of the beaches accessible by water taxi. I just don't want to be carrying this sucker for more than 100 meters...

Sleeping Mat:

Roman King Single Air Mattress:

I have a multitude of air mats and mattresses but I didn't have a single person car camping air mattress to use on my recent trip to Nelson Lakes NP. I had a bit of a look around and settled on a Roman brand King-Single air mattress. 

Roman King-Single air mattress

Roman is a well known Australian camping brand here in New Zealand and they sell mattresses, tents, sleeping bags and ancillary camping gear. This mattress cost me $60 NZ dollars (in a summer sale...) at Hunting and Fishing and I found it to be comfortable to use and more than wide and long enough to accommodate my carcass. It is 1.9(L)x1.1(W)x30cm(H) and weighs approximately 3 kg's. 

The Roman air bed set up in my tent at Kerr Bay

 

I put an closed air mat under it to better insulate it from the ground and this seemed to work well as I was still warm even in -2 degree weather. You are going to see this beast in posts in the future...

Camping Stoves:

MSR Windburner stove:

Lovely Karen brought me an excellent MSR Windburner stove for Christmas and it is awesome. I have long coveted a personal cook system by they are heinously expensive ($300...) and I just could not justify the cost. I am very lucky to have such a lovely thoughtful partner...thanks love!

The complete MSR Windburner stove system...

MSR are a well known and respected brand and these stoves have an excellent reputation for boiling speed, gas efficiency, quality and robustness. It will boil a 1 liter pot of water in half the time of my other stoves and it can heat 500ml in just over a minute. 

The Windburner in action near Wainui Hut

The stove has gone on one trip so far to the Abel Tasman Inland Track and will mostly be used if I am camping or in an alpine area as they are very wind resistant. They are also excellent on ice and snow but I am not a mountaineer or heading to Antarctica so the stove is unlikely to find itself in those environments. 

The Windburner packed ready for transport...

I look forward to using this stove for many years to come....

Campmaster backpackers stove:

I was in Bivouac Outdoor one day and I saw the stove below on sale for $29 dollars and I thought...hey...I really need another tramping stove. I mean honestly...how can you go past a sub $30 camp stove? You can find these cookers in many different shops including Bivouac Outdoors, Torpedo 7,  Mitre 10 and Bunnings. 

The Campmaster backpackers stove...

I haven't used it except to trial it at home and it works a treat...a little faster to boil a 500ml pot of water than my Firemaple Ti stove slower than the MSR. It is always good to have a variety of tools to complete a job of work as nothing can fulfill every role at all times.

My Firemaple Ti stove...only 48 gms!!!!

I recently loaned this stove to my sister as she was walking the Abel Tasman Track with some of her nursing buddies. I also loaned her one of my older stoves ( a Kovea backpacker...brought in 1990 and still going strong) as one of her companions did not have a small tramping stove to use.

 

The Campmaster stove has a plastic storage box...

I will ask her how the Campmaster backpackers stove performed out in the field...BTW: I will be taking the stove on some tramping trips this year. 

Outdoor cooking kit:

Sea to Summit X-Mug:

Karen brought me a MSR Windburner stove for Christmas and I found that my Sea to Summit Delta mug I brought last year made the package too bulky in my pack. I needed a smaller (...or better yet flatter...) cup so the package was smaller. 

I brought myself a collapsible Sea to Summit X-Mug.

Sea to Summit X-Mug...mine is orange!!!

The X-Mug has been around for a couple of years now and they have quite a good reputation for durability. The base and rim of the mug are hard plastic but the main body is folding silicone. When flat it is about 8 mm thick and fits very nicely onto the top or bottom of my stove system. This has cut a good 8-10cm or more from the overall size of my packed stove.

The Sea to Summit X-Mug in the collapsed state

I have taken the X-Mug out with me a couple of times and it works really well...it is easy to fold/unfold, lite weight and insulated enough that I do not burn my hands. All in all it is a very fine bit of kit and given it cost me only $15 very economical as well. There is a whole range of this Sea to Summit folding cookware including cups, bowls, plates and even metal bottomed pots & kettles. 

There is a variety of different X-Series cookware...

I will continue to use my Delta mug with my lite weight Ti stove as I can pack my gubbins inside the mug which then fits into my cook pot. 

Outdoor Clothing:

Bridgedale Socks:

I have to replace my tramping socks about every two years or so as they start to glaze and begin giving me sore feet, blisters and other feet complaints. I have been exclusively using Bridgedale mid weight tramping socks for the last five years as they are comfortable quality for your feet.

My preferred Bridgedale socks...

I brought another two pair of these socks during a summer sale in January and wore them for the first time on my recent tramp of the Paparoa Track. They were $29.50 down from $39.50 which considering how good they are is a magnificent price. I would have brought more but they only had two pair in my size (XL=13 UK or 14 US/48 Euro)

I have several pair of these Bridgedale Hike socks...

The Mid Weight Trekker/Hike are a Merino/synthetic mix and sit mid calf on my legs...they are good at heat management (not too cold/hot) and have great durability. I normally wear the XL size which is good for feet from 13-15 UK or 47-49 European sizing. I carry two pair on a 3-7 day trip and use one pair for wear (..I wash them every two days...) and one spare. 

There is lots of technology in these Bridgedale socks

I have always brought these from Hunting and Fishing but I noticed recently that they do not have as good a selection as previously. Hopefully it is just a Covid supply chain problem as I really like this brand and would like to keep using them. 

Mountain biking:

Merida Big Nine 20 (XL frame):

I was super frustrated by the the Covid -19 lockdown last year as it meant I could only go for limited walks within my suburb. In New Zealand you had to stay within an hour of your home although I don't think anyone outside of Auckland (...the New Zealand Covid epicenter...) was prosecuted for going further than this. I cast covetous eyes on all those people blasting around on their bikes when I did not have a road worthy one to use. 

Walkers and cyclists during lockdown but no cars....

As soon as the shops opened I went and brought a brand new Merida Big Nine 20 MTB and some gear to go with it. It cost me $1000 (down from nearly $1200) and it is fine for all of the possible cycling adventures I might want to use it for. It has a lite weight aluminum frame, front shocks, Shimano gears/disc brakes, 29" wheels and quality components so it will be good for some cycle touring, road rides and easier MTB tracks. 

Merida Big Nine 20 (2019)

I was a total MTB nut back in the 1990's and used to get up to all sorts of crazy adventures back then. The bike I was riding at the time cost me over $4000 ( a heavily modified Bauer hard tail with uber expensive tires, brakes and Rockshox's fitted...). I was especially into the hard core downhill stuff, rough trail riding and long distance road riding. I would like to get back into these sort of activities if not at the pitch I pursued them at that time. 

I rode down the Bridal Path a couple of times...sporty!!!

I have my eye on some cycle trails...Otago Rail Trail, Alps to Ocean, West Coast Wilderness Trail, Timber Trail, Old Ghost Road etc. Eventually I am going to get too old to swing a pack and I'm going to head into kayaking and cycling as an alternate. 

Im keen to experience the Old Ghost Road Track...

I will need some gear for these tracks...MTB clothing, spares, racks, bags, a better seat etc.

Ancillary Equipment:

Leki Eagle trekking poles:

I have been on the lookout for a new set of trekking poles for quite some time now but to no avail. One of my Leki Makalu poles broke while walking the Travers-Sabine Circuit back in 2018 and the second pole is getting a disturbing bend in the smallest of the sections. I basically wanted something similar to my existing poles...Leki brand, basic in design, soft plastic handle, robust and not too expensive.

My old Leki Makalu pole up the Hawdon Valley in 2020

I brought Karen a set of walking poles last year for her birthday and I liked the design of them so much I went out and brought myself a set of the exact same poles. These are Leki Eagle trekking poles which I purchased from Torpedo-7 here in Christchurch on sale for only $119 a pair. 

Leki Eagle tramping poles

I have already used the trekking poles on a number of tramps...a recent visit to Godley Head Coastal Track and my Paparoa GW trip a couple of weeks ago. They performed very well and I am impressed with the quality and workmanship of these Leki products. They are much lighter than my previous poles as they do not have the the older style shock system those poles used. 

A Leki pole at the Upper Pororairi River bridge...

They will be going with me on the Kepler Track next week and will be my main trekking poles going forward. You are sure to see them in a number of photos over the next couple of years. 

My Leki Eagle pole on the Croesus Track last month

Eagle trekking pole stowed on the recent Godley Heads day trip

I had my previous poles for over 15 years...we will have to see if these ones can match that level of longevity!

Pack cover, Tatonka 50-65l:

I lost the iconic orange color Vaude pack cover I have been using for many years on my recent tramp of the Paparoa Track. I had it tied to my pack with some cord but a massive wind gust literally ripped it off my pack and over a massive bluff never to be seen again. 

Poop.....

My pack with cover fitted on the Lakehead Track, Nelson Lakes NP in 2017

I am often walking in rain so I had to find an alternate...the obvious solution would be an Osprey cover but there is zero stock in New Zealand due to Covid 19 issues. In the interim I have brought a cheap Tatonka pack cover as a stop gap...it cost me just $25.   

The Tatonka 40-55l pack cover.....

If it performs ok it will probably continue in service but otherwise I will replace it with a Osprey cover specifically designed to fit my Osprey Atmos AG 50 pack.

The Tatonka pack cover is elasticated top and bottom...

My pack cover looks the same as this red one but it is a light yellow color. I suppose the color is good for safety...obvious to SAR searchers and it will help me to not get blasted by some novice hunter during the Roar! 

That yellow pack cover sure stands out....Brod Bay Shelter

MSR Salt and Pepper Shaker:

While Karen and I were in Wanaka recently we went for a stroll down the main shopping area of Wanaka including several outdoor stores. There are quite a few outdoor retailers in Wanaka as it is in close proximity to tracks in Mt Aspiring, Mt Cook and Fiordland National Parks. 

On Helwick Street in downtown Wanaka

I happened along this item in Southern Wild (one of the shops there)...it is the MSR Salt and Pepper Shaker. I don't really care that it is MSR brand I brought it because I have been looking for a small seasoning shaker like this for some time now. That and it was only $10.00 on sale....

MSR Salt & Pepper Shaker

This tiny unit fits inside your closed fist and weighs only grams...salt at one end and pepper at the other. You could use these for any other type of spice as well...

MSR Salt & Pepper Shaker

I'm a practical man...price and durability usually beats brand name with me. 

MSR Salt & Pepper Shaker

I have been using paper salt and pepper sachets up to now which I justify as the paper can be burnt in the fire after use. I will give this shaker a go and see if it can fill the gap in a more environmentally friendly way. BTW: Southern Wild had a fair selection of Stoney Creek outdoor wear if that is your thing...

Icebreaker Merino Gloves:

The gift shop at the Hermitage in Aoraki/Mt Cook NP had a sale on Icebreaker gear...tops, leggings, hats, gloves and socks. I brought myself a pair of merino gloves as the polypropylene ones I have been using got a hole in them on the Paparoa Track. They were $39 dollars down from $60.

My new Icebreaker merino gloves

They should keep my hands a bit warmer when wet as they are merino wool and they should dry faster if they do get a bit moist while out tramping. I have a set of Outdoor Research gortex over-mitts to wear with these. The mitts got a good amount of use during the cold, windy and wet traverse along the Punakaiki Escarpment recently...

The new ACR ResQLink 425:

I had reached a bit of an impasse as I could not decide what my next step would be...in the end I just brought a new ACR beacon. One of my favoured online retailers Gearshop had a two day sale with over $100 off the price of a new ACR beacon so I jumped at the chance to buy one for a decent price. The new unit cost me a total of $400 including post which is a real bargain as I have seen these units in stores for $500-$600 dollars. 

Some of the features of the 425 ACR ResQLink beacon

I brought a newer ACR model the 425 which has a five year battery life (...good to July 2027 so really six years...) and while it is slightly larger than my previous unit it is one 2/3rds of the weigh of the older model. The 425 model of ResQLink has a digital screen on the front which will show you a variety of messages when it is in operation.

Front of the new ACR ResQLink 425 PLB

  When you push the test button a [TEST] message will appear on the screen to show the unit is functioning correctly. If you activate the SOS function [406 SENT!] will appearing showing that the National Rescue Center has been informed. You will also be able to see your global GPS location. This is a nice feature but not actually vital as there is a light which flashes if the unit is transmitting a rescue message to SAR. 

The digital screen on my new ACR ResQLink

The new beacon is now waterproof down to 20 meters and buoyant which were two of the faults on the older models. Previously I carried my PLB in a sil-nylon drybag to protect it from water but this will no longer be necessary. 

ACR ResQLink: instructions and tech specifications are on the back...

My new PLB came with a couple of accessories...a lanyard to carry the beacon around your neck (not the best way to carry it), a shoulder carry case and an attachment to put the beacon on your belt. I will not use any of these means of carry as all three are prone to losing the beacon when bashing through dense bush or during river crossings. 

ACR ResQLink belt attachment clip...

I will dispose of my old beacon in the proper fashion...they can be handed into some Police offices or sent back to the local supplier so it can be professionally decommissioned. If you are in the market for a new PLB here is a post I wrote about buyers tips for selecting a Personal Locator Beacon. 

My buyers guide post from 2015...recently updated!!!

I hope this beauty will never need to be used but if I do find myself in a situation of peril it is good to know that I have a way of alerting the authorities. 

"...and into the future...."

I will continue to add details of any new gear I buy over the course of 2021 so watch this post for updates....

Every track an adventure...every hut a palace...every meal a banquet...