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Gear I Packed for the Slope Point Southernmost Walk in New Zealand
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items Planning a trek to Slope Point and wondering what to actually bring? The wind down there is no joke. It nearly ripped my hat off my head within 30 seconds. I spent weeks researching gear before my trip and made some great calls and some terrible ones...
Sections
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Wind-Proof Layers That Actually Held Up at Slope Point
Footwear That Survived the Muddy Sheep Paddocks
Camera Gear Worth Hauling to the Southern Tip
Snacks and Drinks for a Remote Catlins Day
Navigation and Planning Tools for the Catlins Coast
Comfort Items That Made the Long Catlins Drive Better
Wind-Proof Layers That Actually Held Up at Slope Point
Nothing prepares you for how horizontal the wind blows at the southernmost tip. I watched a guy's poncho turn into a sail. These layers stayed put and kept me warm without turning me into a sweaty mess on the walk in.
Throw this on the second you step out of the car. The wind hit me sideways within ten steps and I was grateful this thing sealed tight around my face. Perfect for anyone who runs cold in coastal gusts.
Men's Torrentshell 3L Rain Jacket
Wore this under my shell and stayed toasty the whole walk. Light enough that I didn't overheat on the 20-minute trek through the farmland. Grab one if you hate bulky mid-layers.
Arc'teryx Atom Insulated Hoody - Women's | REI Co-op
Keep this as your base layer and you won't regret it. Merino handled the sweat on the walk in and the chill at the point without any clamminess. Worth every dollar for anyone doing multi-day South Island trips.
Women's Merino 200 Oasis Long Sleeve Crewe Thermal Top
Pulled this over my ears when the wind was screaming. Way better than a beanie because I could adjust it to cover my neck too. For anyone whose ears ache in cold wind, don't skip this.
Multifunction Headwear Buff Original EcoStretch Neckwear
Wore these instead of hiking pants and they blocked wind surprisingly well. Stretchy enough for climbing over the stile fences along the route. Pack these if you want one pant that does everything.
Men's Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pants Review
My feet stayed dry and warm the entire time, even walking through damp grass. Switched to cotton socks the next day on another hike and immediately regretted it. Lesson learned the hard way.
Smartwool PhD Outdoor Light Crew Sock Reviews
Footwear That Survived the Muddy Sheep Paddocks
The walk crosses working farmland and the ground was soggy in places I didn't expect. My partner wore trail runners and spent the rest of the day with wet feet. Don't be my partner.
These kept my feet bone dry walking through sheep paddocks that were basically mud soup. Ankle support was clutch on the uneven ground. Get these if you've ever twisted an ankle on a casual walk and felt ridiculous.
Salomon X Ultra 5 Mid GTX
Swapped the factory insoles out before the trip and my arches thanked me. The walk itself is short but if you're doing a full day of South Island stops, your feet need this. Wish I'd started using these years ago.
Superfeet All-Purpose High Arch Insoles M 2.5-5
Treated my boots the night before and they repelled mud and moisture like nothing. Takes five minutes and saves you from squelchy socks. Do this before any wet-ground hike, not after.
Nikwax Waterproofing Wax for Leather Glove maintenance
Doubled up on good socks because I'm paranoid about blisters. These stayed snug, didn't bunch, and dried fast when I rinsed them that night. For anyone doing back-to-back hiking days in New Zealand, stock up.
Men's Hiker Boot Midweight Cushion Hiking Socks
Tossed my dry socks and phone in here during the walk. The grass was wet enough that anything in my outer pockets would've gotten damp. Weighs nothing and saves you from that soggy-everything feeling.
Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Bag | REI Co-op
Used this back at the campervan to get sheep paddock mud off my boots before the next day. Took two minutes and my boots looked almost new. Pack a small bottle if you care about your gear lasting.
GEAR AID Revivex Boot and Shoe Cleaner for Leather
Camera Gear Worth Hauling to the Southern Tip
The bent trees and raw coastline at Slope Point are wildly photogenic. I almost left my camera in the van because it was “just a short walk.” Would have kicked myself for weeks.
Light enough to carry on a quick walk but the photos looked incredible. Got some shots of the wind-bent trees that people keep asking me to print. For anyone who wants better-than-phone photos without lugging a full-frame body.
Sony Alpha a6400 Mirrorless Digital Camera with E PZ 16-50mm f3.5-5.6 OSS II Lens (Black)
Use this to capture the dramatic scale of the landscape. The wide angle made the bent trees and coastline look as epic as they felt in person. Couldn't have gotten those shots with a standard lens.
Sony E 10-18mm f/4 OSS Lens
Clipped my camera to my jacket strap so both hands were free for the fence stiles. Way better than a neck strap flapping in that insane wind. Grab one if you hate fumbling with your camera on walks.
Capture Camera Clip
Brought a fresh card and shot about 400 photos in 30 minutes because I couldn't stop. Fast write speed meant zero lag between shots. Always carry a backup, I've been burned before on trips.
Sandisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-II Card V90 128Gb 300MB/s
Slowed my shutter speed down to blur the grass moving in the wind. Added a moody, dramatic feel to photos that a phone just can't replicate. For anyone who wants those smooth, cinematic landscape shots.
Split 50 Filter
Small enough to carry on a quick walk but fit my camera body and one lens perfectly. Padded enough that I wasn't worried tossing it in the van afterward. Don't overthink camera bags for day walks, this one just works.
Lowepro Adventura SH 120 III Shoulder Bag (Black)
Snacks and Drinks for a Remote Catlins Day
There's nothing at Slope Point. No cafe, no vending machine, no gift shop. The nearest town with food is a solid drive away. I learned this when my stomach started growling at the signpost and I had nothing.
Toss a few in your jacket pocket before the walk. They survive getting crushed and taste decent even when they're cold. For anyone doing a full day driving the Catlins, these keep you functional between tiny towns.
CLIF BAR Energy Bar, Variety Pack, 2.4 oz, 26-count
Filled this at the last town and it lasted me the whole afternoon. Wide mouth made it easy to refill from streams with a filter later. Bring more water than you think, there's nowhere to buy any.
Nalgene Tritan Wide Mouth BPA-Free Water Bottle
Packed cheese and crackers in one of these and they stayed fresh for hours in my daypack. No plastic waste to deal with in a place with zero trash cans. Works great for anyone trying to snack responsibly on remote hikes.
Gallon Bag 2-Pack
Ripped one open and squeezed it onto a cracker at the Slope Point sign. Quick protein hit that didn't need refrigeration. Perfect for the friend who gets hangry two hours into any road trip.
Justin's Classic Almond Butter Squeeze Pack 1.15 oz
Dropped one in my water bottle because the wind dehydrates you faster than you'd expect. Tasted way better than plain water and kept the headache away. Pack these if windy coastal walks always leave you feeling wiped.
Nuun Sport Hydration Tablets for Active Hydration
Brought a ziplock portion from the big bag and munched on it during the drive between Catlins stops. Good mix of salty and sweet without any weird ingredients. Stock up before you leave Invercargill because options thin out fast.
Kirkland Signature Trail Mix Snack Packs, 2 oz, 28-count
Navigation and Planning Tools for the Catlins Coast
Cell service disappears once you're deep in the Catlins. I missed two waterfalls on my first trip because my phone map just spun. These tools kept me on track the second time around.
Download the Southland region before you lose signal. This app saved me from driving past the Slope Point turnoff, which is easy to miss. For anyone who relies on Google Maps, you need a backup down here.
Download areas & navigate offline in Google Maps
Flipped through this at the hostel and found three Catlins stops I hadn't heard of. The Slope Point section had practical details my online research missed. Grab a copy if you like having a physical reference when your phone dies.
New Zealand's South Island Travel Guide
Carried this for peace of mind since there's no cell coverage at Slope Point. Could send my location to family back home from the literal bottom of New Zealand. Worth it for solo travelers or anyone whose family worries.
Garmin inReach Mini 2 Review
Picked up the Catlins sheet at a Invercargill bookshop and it was genuinely useful. Showed farm tracks and walking paths that don't appear on any app. For the type of person who still loves spreading a paper map on the dashboard.
NZ Topo Map: New Zealand Topographic Map
My phone was at 15% by mid-afternoon from all the photos and GPS use. This little charger brought it back to full during the drive to the next stop. Bring one or you'll be rationing battery all day.
Anker Power Bank, 10000mAh Portable Charger
Jotted down directions, mileage between stops, and notes about what I saw. Regular paper would've been destroyed by the moisture in the air. For anyone who journals while traveling, this thing handles anything.
Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Notebooks 3x5, 3 Pack
Comfort Items That Made the Long Catlins Drive Better
Slope Point is hours from anywhere major. The drive through the Catlins is beautiful but the roads are winding and the van seats aren't exactly luxury. These small things made a big difference in how I felt at the end of the day.
Wedged this behind my lower back during the drive and it saved me from that end-of-day ache. Packs down to the size of a fist. For anyone renting a campervan in New Zealand, your spine will thank you.
Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Neck Pillow
Filled my bottle from a creek near Curio Bay and filtered it on the spot. Tasted clean and saved me from backtracking to find a shop. Carry this if you're spending full days in remote areas with no services.
Sawyer Water Filter Terbaik
Sat on this at the Slope Point sign for a snack break instead of the wet ground. Folds flat and weighs almost nothing. Perfect for the person who always ends up with a damp backside at viewpoints.
Therm-a-Rest Z Seat Cushion Insulated Sitting Pad
Used these sleeping in the van near Slope Point because the wind was howling all night. Slept like a rock instead of lying there listening to the van rattle. Pack these before any Catlins overnight, the wind doesn't stop.
Ohropax Wax Ear Plugs, 3 Boxes (36 Plugs)
Shoved two in my jacket pockets at Slope Point and my frozen fingers came back to life. They lasted the whole afternoon of stops along the coast. Stock up before heading south, especially if you're visiting between May and September.
HotHands Rechargeable Hand Warmers recalled due to burn
Read for an hour at the campsite after a full day of driving and walking. Way lighter than carrying a book and the backlight worked perfectly in the dim van. Bring one if you need to wind down after long days exploring remote coastline.
25+ Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 11th Generation for sale