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Notes -
I've finished a four day hike through beautiful Abel Tasman here in New Zealand. This was my first time camping outside probably for over 20 years so it was a bit of trial and error but I am interested in doing more. Some thoughts -
The Walk
The route I took ended up being close on 70km. Abel Tasman has very well maintained paths but just about every beach has a big headland separating it from the next, and while none of them are that high you still end up spending nearly half your time going uphill. By the end I was very glad to be done walking, I had blisters on my feet. The second day was the hardest - I tried to cross the Torrent Bay Estuary in the rain with shoes on, and got them wet, and then had to walk eight hours, by far the longest day. Crossing the Arawoa Inlet was less pleasant - with no shoes the water is very cold and the inlet is covered with sharp, tiny shells, but I had company to share my misery with, which makes a great difference.
The Fauna
At this time of year the park was very empty. I probably saw more weka than humans, and when you see so few people you're genuinely happy to talk to them. The weka are cute, but mostly just pests that hang around hoping you'll drop a piece of food. There are seals at Separation point, lazing around on the rocks. The beaches also have sandflies, which give me horrible swelling. My insect repellent didn't seem to bother them, but I was given a tip - 50/50 Dettol and baby oil. Would that actually work?
The Weather
It is still early spring and so far a pretty cold spring on South Island. Temperatures were a damp 3 degrees at night and going up to 15 in the afternoon, but it still feels very warm going up hills and in the sunshine. Only a light rain on the second morning. Around Whariwharangi the wind is much stronger than elsewhere, since it comes off Golden Bay. I never felt cold past the early mornings, while wearing affordable polyester base layers. My cheap raincoat from my old job and over trousers kept me dry through the rain, but it wasn't much of a test.
The Accommodation
I wanted to try camping, which was my choice - but it was saddening to walk past some very comfy looking huts and pitch my tent. My tent is very easy to set up, but more difficult to sleep in. I am tall enough to brush one end with my toes and the other with my head, and I only had a thin foam mat to sleep on, so slept poorly, though the sleeping bag I got for a song was very warm.
The Food
I elected not to pack a gas cooker and just eat cold dry foods. Cheese, crackers, nuts, chocolate were the menu. I also filled a container with a mix of milk and protein powder and made milk along the way. I had some caffeine and electrolyte powders to have in the morning. I was quite happy with how little I felt hungry. Taps are common in the park, but according to some health and safety regulation, you are officially instructed not to drink from them. I did, and the water was clear and without taste, and suffered no harm.
The Pack
With my tent and mat strapped to the back of my pack and 65l of space, I'd hoped to have plenty of room. Unfortunately my dirt cheap bedroll took up a vast amount of that space, forcing me to squash nearly everything down the sides.
The Lessons
I think I definitely need some kind of inflatable mat, and maybe a more compact bedroll. This would free up space for a book and travel chess set. Everything else I think I'm happy with. I will definitely take more advantage of huts in the future - perhaps one per walk.
I pooh-poohed inflatable mats for a while, but they're a significant upgrade. Weirdly expensive, however. They both insulate and cushion. An inflatable pillow is also an amazing luxury.
A hot meal during a cool night in shoulder season is amazing. I splurge on the dehydrated foods bags that are like $14US, but provide an immense amount of calories and protein for multi-day treks. You can also just do Ramen or instant mashed potatoes.
I really didn't miss hot food and certainly didn't miss the hassle of cooking and washing up. Maybe I will try some overnight oats or something more substantial.
The big issue with inflatable mats is that they're very prone to leaks.
I definitely believe you. For a 1-2 night thing in good weather especially.
The meals I use are like so and require only a spork and boiling water, no cleanup. However you can see the price is... Not great and they can be bulky. After a 4,000 calorie day in the cold they're a treat for me.
The inflatable pads I've used do not leak in the many nights I've used them, but are also expensive and I HAVE destroyed one quickly with a rolling bike tire while bikepacking. I don't think a $200 model is necessary, my $70 equivalent was more than up to the task even if it didn't pack down as tightly.
In any case each person's camping gear journey is their own. Camping enough with basic gear and food will lead you to appreciate the improvements you make in the future, if any. Today's compact comfort technology is absolutely insane.
Yeah, I think every person needs to iterate to find what they can and can't live without. To me food has never been a real treat, just a chore. If anything, it's quite liberating to have an excuse not to cook hot food and just eat like a degenerate student again.
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Nice. I think a self-inflatable mat, a bigger tent and a fancier sleeping bag should help you feel more comfortable next time. I would also pick a zip stove if I were you. They are much more lightweight than gas stoves, burn wood debris and I can't imagine myself hiking in cold weather without some hot food to eat after I set up camp.
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