This gear guide outlines exactly what you’ll need for a safe and comfortable trip. Pack the essentials, and you’ll be ready for whatever the mountains deliver.
Temperatures are colder at night, even during summer. If your trip involves camping out, go for the warmest possible combination of clothing.
Winter Gear (July - October)
Winter Guidelines:
Avoid using drinking bladders and hoses during winter - they are prone to freezing even when insulated.
Summer Gear (November - April)
There is a variability of temperatures through summer. Be prepared for cold temperatures during storms and at night.
Summer Guidelines:
December through to February, bring "cooling" garments that will reflect UV. For example; “glacier shirts” (light colours/quick drying), legionnaire hats, scarves, and neck gaiters (e.g. "Buff").
A warm jacket for use in cold alpine environments. Bring a lightweight down or synthetic model. A hooded jacket is ideal.
A waterproof and breathable shell jacket and pants are essential for alpine conditions. Your jacket should fit comfortably over your base and mid-layer garments, with room to move freely. Mountaineering jackets come to just below the waist, allowing easy access to your climbing harness.
Choose a jacket with:
• Full-length front zip
• A full-sized hood - capable of wearing over a helmet
• Zipper flaps
• Storm cuffs
Waterproof breathable overtrousers for extreme weather days. Full lenth leg zippers are best.
Synthetic softshell pants are ideal. You'll spend most of your time in these. They should be breathable and water resistant.
Bring two changes of standard underwear. We recommend polyester, or super-fine merino underwear. Avoid cotton underwear as these can be cold and clammy.
Bring: *2 long-sleeved tops *One pair of "long johns". For winter trips use heavier-grade thermals or 2 complete sets. Your base/thermal layer should keep you warm, and just as importantly, wick moisture from perspiration away from the skin. Polyester based fabrics dry fast and have good wicking qualities. They also last longer, and do not attract body odour like polypropylene ("polypro") fabrics.
We recommend polyester-based fabrics for highly aerobic activities. Modern ultra-fine Merino wool thermals are more popular. Merino will keep you warm even if damp. However, merino does not dry quickly and will absorb a lot of moisture (up to 5 times its own weight).
For summer, avoiding UV is all-important. A hooded silk-weight synthetic layer with UV rating is ideal.
Wear a warm layer, over your thermals. Choose 100-200 weight micro-polar fleece or heavier-grade Merino garments. Alternatives are wind shells, and lightweight micro polyester multi-sport jackets, with a microfleece lining.
Softshell Jackets offer excellent wind protection, breathability, resilience, and range of movement. These are worn over your mid-layer or thermals. Different weights of softshells are available to suit the season of your trip.
Boots are your most important piece of gear — a bad fit can ruin your trip. You only need one pair of mountaineering boots. If bringing your own, make sure they fit well, belong to you, and are properly broken in. New boots should be worn on a few solid walks before joining us.
Mountaineering boots are a big investment, so buy from a reputable store with expert advice. If you’re unsure, renting ours is much cheaper, and is a great way to learn what works best for you.
Your boots should be rigid, well-waterproofed, and crampon compatible. Trekking boots are not suitable. See our video guide: Alpine Guides Gear Guide, Ep #1 | Boots - YouTube
Bring a pair of lightweight footwear for use while in the hut. They will keep your feet warm and will help your boots to dry out. Hut booties or Crocks are ideal.
Check the equipment list for the trip you are coming on. This will tell you how many items you may need on your trip (e.g. 2 x ice screws). Below are some pointers for bringing your own equipment.
12-point steel crampons with anti-balling plates, suitable for general mountaineering. We recommend a crampon with a strap system on the toes, rather than a metal toe bail.
A lightweight climbing helmet to protect against objects falling on your head.
A 50 to 55 litre pack with gear attachment points is the most useful size for NZ mountain missions. See our video: Alpine Guides Gear Guide, Ep #2 | Backpack - YouTube
A "straight shafted" mountaineering axe (55-65 cm) is appropriate for most climbing trips and instruction courses. The ideal length depends on your height, and the nature of the trip. The axe should have about 10cm ground clearance when held at your side. We recommend choosing an axe marked with "T" (for "technical") - these are rated for use in anchor systems.
The hammer is used for placing snow and ice protection, and when climbing with "two tools" on steeper pitches. Shorter than the ice axe, and normally around 45-55 cm. A curved and aggressive pick shape is standard.
Your harness should be lightweight with adjustable leg loops. Avoid heavily padded models specifically for rock climbing (especially with fixed leg loops).Your harness needs to fit over your storm gear (jacket and over-trousers). Choose a harness with plenty of gear loops.
Simple and lightweight with good gripping teeth. We recommend the Black Diamond ATC Guide.
We recommend screws are at least 17 cm in length. For general alpine mountaineering carry at least 2 ice screws per person 19-23 cms. Winders are great for quickly placing and removing protection. We recommend Black Diamond Express.
Used in anchor systems. There are 2 main options for the NZ snowpack: the 60 cm long aluminum angled "V" shaped or "T" shaped stakes. V-shaped stakes perform better in a softer snowpack. T-shaped are better in a firmer snowpack (mid to late-summer).
Larger pear-shaped carbiners with a screwgate. HMS stands for the German word “Halbmastwurfsicherung”, which means 'half clove hitch belay' or 'Munter Hitch'. It refers to carabiners that are designed to have rope run over them.
Snap-locks for general mountaineering should be “D” shaped, with a straight gate. Wire-gates are also fine.
16-20mm wide tubular tape. If you bring your own slings (especially pre-stitched slings) 12mm tape will suffice. These should be rated to 22KN or better. You need at least 2 slings: • “Long sling" is approx 4 metres before tying off • “Short sling" is approx 3 metres before tying off.
5-6 mm width nylon kernmantle cord or spectra. We recommend carrying 2 short and one long prusik for most situations. • A short prusik loop is "nose to navel" length when tied • A long prusik "navel to the ground" when tied.
All the additional equipment you will need on your trip, which are easily to left behind.
Choose a 3-season bag for summer and 4-season for winter. Consider a sleeping bag liner for hygine, or for additional warmth if you are a "cold sleeper". 3-season bags have a comfort rating of approx -5C, and 4-season are rated to -12C
High UV protection sunglasses suitable for snow and glacier environments. Your glasses must fit snugly and give 100% UV A, B, & C protection.
For hands-free work, you need a reliable light source. Headlamps with LEDs are recommended. A bright light is needed for navigating. Adjustable LEDs are perfect for working and reading at the base and extending the battery life. Modern LED only headlamp technology offers brightness almost as good as a halogen bulb.
Knee-high snowgaiters. Made of nylon, canvas, Gore-tex® (or similar). Front velcro closures make them easier to get on and off. Your gaiters should be securely fitting under the boot, so they don’t ride up. Purchasing tip - it pays to try on gaiters while wearing climbing boots, to ensure they fit correctly.
Worn on stormy days with low visibility. Good ventilation and anti-fog features are ideal. You'll keep them at the bottom of your pack until needed.
These gloves can be worn on their own, or inside your heavier gloves for extra warmth and moisture wicking. Lightweight, syntheic and snug-fitting.
Non-insulated gloves, leather or syntheic are ideal for hand protection and ropework.
Insulated gloves for cold conditions or winter trips. Can be leather or synthetic. Gore-tex linings help eliminate moisture.
Neck gaiters (Buffs) offer excellent UV protection. Make sure yours covers as much skin as possible.
A comfortable, warm, snug hat that covers your ears. Make sure it's not bulky so can be worn under a helmet.
Your peaked (baseball) cap protects from the sun, and glare off the snow. Legionnaire-style hats are ideal as they protect the back of the neck and ears. A baseball cap and a bandana/scarf/neck gaiter combination are a good alternatives.
Choose wool, or a synthetic/wool blend (e.g. "Coolmax®", for moisture wicking). Option 1: bring 3 pairs of thicker socks. You wear one pair at a time, so one pair can be drying out as you wear another set. Option 2: wear both a thin “liner” pair and a thicker pair of socks. If you use this combination, then bring just 2 thin pairs and 2 heavy pairs.
Use either a set of dry bags or a large waterproof plastic bag to keep your essentials dry on the inside of your pack.
We recommend you carry a minimum of 2 litres of water. 2 one-litre bottles are ideal. Wide-neck bottles with ‘unbreakable’ materials (e.g. Nalgene®) are the preferred option. A combination of a water bladder system and 1 x one-litre wide-mouth bottle is good for summer trips.
Any reasonable quality compass, such as used for orienteering will do. Make sure it is balanced for this part of the globe. Bring your GPS if you wish.
Help take the strain off your knees when walking on rough terrain, or soft snow. Using one is recommended, especially for walking out of the mountains. Bring snow baskets if you’re coming in the winter or if your trip is run on a glacier.
We'll provide if required. Only used on a bivouac or when snow camping. The huts we use have mattresses. If you are on a course and want to sleep in a snow shelter, please bring your sleeping mat. Choose a medium/lightweight Thermarest type, or closed-cell foam mat, 3/4 or full length.
If you enjoy sleeping in snow shelters or under the stars a bivouac bag is a good investment. If you do not have a Bivouac bag, a survival bag should always be carried for an emergency shelter. These are usually large durable plastic bags.
457 kHz is the international standard. We provide these when conditions require.
Must be strong and lightweight, with a metal blade (usually an aluminium alloy). Models with detachable handles are recommended.
A lightweight collapsible tool used to locate people buried under snow, and to determine their depth. We provide if required.
