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Gear I Wish I Had Before Hiking Muriwai Gannet Colony Walk
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items So you booked Auckland and someone told you about the gannet colony at Muriwai. You Googled it, saw the cliffs, and thought ‘I’ll just wing it in sneakers.' That was me two years ago. Mud-soaked jeans, dead phone battery, sunburn on one ear somehow. ...
Sections
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Footwear and Layers for Muriwai's Coastal Weather
Camera and Phone Gear for Gannet Colony Photos
Snacks and Hydration for the Muriwai Trail
Navigation and Safety on the Muriwai Coastal Walk
Post-Hike Recovery and Muriwai Beach Essentials
Footwear and Layers for Muriwai's Coastal Weather
The wind off the Tasman Sea is no joke, and the trail gets slippery after rain, which is basically always. I went from shivering in a hoodie to actually enjoying the clifftop views once I packed right.
Swap your sneakers for these before you hit the Muriwai track. I slipped three times on wet clay in running shoes. These grip like they're angry at the ground. Perfect if you're someone who hikes maybe twice a year and needs one solid pair.
Women's Moab 3 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots
Wear these under your boots and forget about blisters. I did the full loop from the carpark to the gannet viewing platform and back without a single hot spot. Merino keeps your feet dry even when it's humid and gross outside.
Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Cushion Socks - Men's
Keep this in your daypack even if the forecast says clear. Muriwai weather flips in twenty minutes. I got caught in sideways rain on the cliff edge and this thing held up without turning me into a sweat bag underneath.
Men's Torrentshell 3L Rain Jacket
Use it as a neck gaiter when the wind is cutting across the headland, then pull it up over your ears on the exposed sections. Weighs nothing, packs flat. For anyone who refuses to look like a tourist in a beanie.
Multifunction Headwear Buff Original EcoStretch Neckwear
Throw this on as your base layer. It regulates temperature so you're not freezing at the lookout and then sweating on the uphill. I wore mine three days straight in New Zealand and it didn't smell. My travel buddy confirmed.
Women's Merino 200 Oasis Long Sleeve Crewe Thermal Top
Zip the legs off when the sun comes out, zip them back on when the wind picks up near the colony. I used to pack both shorts and pants for day hikes. These killed that problem entirely.
Women's Silver Ridge Utility Convertible Pants
Grab this if you burn easily. The gannet viewing platform has zero shade and you'll stand there longer than you planned because the birds are weirdly hypnotic. UPF 50, chin strap for wind, doesn't look ridiculous in photos.
Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Review | Tested & Rated
Camera and Phone Gear for Gannet Colony Photos
The gannets nest right on the cliff edge and you can get surprisingly close. I wasted my first visit squinting at a phone screen in direct sunlight with 8% battery. Never again.
Bring a real camera if you care about the photos at all. Phone zoom turns the gannets into white blobs. This body is light enough for a day hike and the autofocus tracks the birds mid-dive, which is the shot you actually want.
Sony Alpha a6400 Mirrorless Camera 18-135mm
Pair this with the a6400 and you can fill the frame with a single gannet from the viewing platform. I tried a 200mm first and the birds were still too small. This reaches without weighing down your pack like a full telephoto.
E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS
Keep this charged in your bag. Between GPS maps, photos, and the inevitable ‘let me just check one thing’ stops, your phone will die before you're back at the carpark. I learned this at the worst possible moment, stranded without directions.
Anker 737 Power Bank (24000mAh, 140W, 3-Port)
Switch to this from whatever strap came with your camera. The trail has some scrambling sections and a regular strap lets the camera swing into rocks. This one cinches tight against your body when you need hands free.
Slide Lite Camera Strap
Toss this in your bag for fun prints on the spot. My partner and I took instant photos at the cliff overlook and stuck them in our travel journal that night. For anyone who actually prints photos instead of letting them rot on a hard drive.
Zink Polaroid Snap Instant Digital Camera (White)
Use this if you stay for sunset at Muriwai Beach after the colony walk. The black sand beach at golden hour is ridiculous. This filter cuts light pollution and haze so your long exposures actually look like what your eyes saw.
Nisi Natural Night 67mm - Light Pollution Filter
Get a bag with actual padding. I shoved my camera in a backpack pocket once and the lens cap popped off against my water bottle. This fits a body plus one zoom lens and clips to your hip belt so it's always accessible.
Adventura SH 140 III, Black - LP37451-PWW
Snacks and Hydration for the Muriwai Trail
There's no cafe on the trail itself, and the walk plus time gawking at gannets takes longer than you think. I bonked hard on the return climb because I packed nothing but a granola bar and vibes.
Bring more water than you think you need. The coastal wind dehydrates you without you noticing. I drained 32 ounces before I even reached the colony platform. Wide mouth means you can add ice at your accommodation before you leave.
32 oz Wide Mouth with Flex Chug Cap - Palmer Green
Toss two or three in your pack for the walk. They're dense enough to actually fill you up between meals and they won't melt or crumble in the heat. For anyone who gets hangry on hikes and takes it out on their travel companion.
RXBAR Protein Bar Variety Pack
Drop one in your water bottle before the walk. Even on cool days, the wind and exertion pull electrolytes out of you. I got a headache my first time and blamed altitude before realizing I was just dehydrated on a sea-level trail. Embarrassing.
Nuun Sport Electrolyte Tablets Mixed Flavors
Squeeze this straight into your mouth at the halfway point. More calories per ounce than a bar and it tastes like pancakes. My hiking buddy called it ‘adult gogurt’ and now our whole group brings them.
Trail Butter - Lil' Squeeze - Maple Syrup & Sea Salt
Keep this in your pocket for post-hike coffee at the Muriwai Surf Club. It folds flat, weighs nothing, and means you don't have to buy a disposable cup. For the person who already feels guilty about their carbon footprint from the flight over.
Sea To Summit X-Cup Lightweight Collapsible Cup - Lime
Pack your snacks in this instead of ziplocks. It seals tight so crumbs and smells don't leak into your bag. Also works for carrying out any trash from the trail, because there are no bins on the walk and you should leave nothing behind.
Stasher Reusable Half Gallon Silicone Bag
Grab a pack of these for quick energy on the steep climb back from the beach. They're salty, slightly citrusy, and hit different when you're winded on an uphill. I ate an entire sleeve in four minutes and regret nothing.
Tropical Punch - CLIF BLOKS ENERGY CHEWS
Navigation and Safety on the Muriwai Coastal Walk
The trail is well marked but cell service drops in spots, and the cliff edges are genuinely dangerous. One section near the Maori Bay descent made my palms sweat. A little prep goes a long way.
Bring this if you're hiking solo or going late in the day. Cell service vanishes near Maori Bay and the cliffs are not forgiving. I carry one on every remote walk now, not because I'm paranoid but because I slipped once and it changed my perspective ...
Garmin inReach Mini 2 Satellite Communicator
Download the Muriwai Gannet Colony trail map offline before you leave your hotel. The app shows your GPS position even without service. I missed a trail junction once and ended up bushwhacking through flax bushes for twenty minutes.
Learn about Plus
Toss this in your pack in case the walk takes longer than planned. Sunset sneaks up on you in New Zealand, especially in winter. I nearly walked back in full darkness once and the trail has unfenced cliff edges. Not a fun surprise.
ACTIK® CORE - Multisport Headlamps
Keep this at the bottom of your daypack and hope you never open it. The trail has some rocky sections and a twisted ankle out there means a long hobble back. For anyone who thinks first aid kits are overkill until they need one.
Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight/Watertight .7 First Aid Kit
Wear these on the exposed cliff sections if you burn easily. Your hands are out in direct sun the entire walk and sunscreen wears off fast in the wind. I got a weird tan line from my watch band that lasted weeks. These prevent that.
Outdoor Research ActiveIce Sun Gloves | REI Co-op
Use this on your ankles and neck before the walk. The bush sections near Maori Bay have sandflies and they bite hard. I ignored the warnings and spent three days scratching my legs raw. Picaridin works better than DEET in my experience and doesn't st...
Sawyer Picaridin Insect Repellent Lotion 4 oz Twin Pack
Carry a real compass as backup. Sounds old school, but when your phone dies and the fog rolls in off the Tasman, knowing which direction the carpark is matters. Took me one scary experience to start carrying analog navigation again.
Suunto MC-2 Compass Review (and Giveaway)
Post-Hike Recovery and Muriwai Beach Essentials
After the colony walk, most people head down to the black sand beach. The surf is wild, the wind sculpts the dunes, and your legs will be telling you about every step. These made the cooldown part of the day just as good.
Spread this on the black sand and sit down with whatever snacks you have left. It's warmer than a towel, sand shakes right off, and it packs into its own stuff sack. For anyone who wants to linger at the beach without freezing once the sun dips.
Original Puffy Blanket - Deepwater
Set this up near the dunes and watch the surfers. After two hours of walking, sitting on the ground feels like punishment. This chair sits low enough that the wind doesn't knock it over and it fits two people if you're friendly.
Kelty Low Loveseat Nest –Two Person Camping Chair
Fill this with something warm before you leave your accommodation. Hot coffee on a cold beach after a long walk is one of those small pleasures that sticks in your memory. The chug cap means you won't spill it in the wind.
Rambler® 26 oz (769 ml) Bottle
Bring this for drying off if you dip your feet in the surf. Muriwai's water is cold year-round and you don't want to hike back to the car with wet, sandy feet. Dries fast, packs smaller than a sandwich.
Matador Nanodry Packable Shower Towel - Large
Roll this on your calves and knees after the walk. The descent to Maori Bay and back is steeper than it looks in photos. I could barely walk the next morning my first time until a fellow hiker handed me one of these in the parking lot. Life-altering.
Biofreeze Pain Relieving Roll-On - 89ml
Wear polarized lenses on the beach. The black sand reflects light differently than white sand and the glare off the water is intense. I squinted for an hour before putting mine on and instantly wondered why I'd been torturing myself.
Shwood Canby Redwood Burl Polarized Sunglasses
Snag a mid-range wetsuit if you actually want to get in the water. Muriwai surf is powerful and the water hovers around 15 degrees Celsius even in summer. I watched someone try to bodysurf in board shorts and they lasted about ninety seconds.
Dawn Patrol 2mm Long Sleeve Chest Zip Springsuit - Black