I’ve been collecting gear for the TA over the last few months, and with less than a week to go, I think I’m almost there! There are two approaches to riding the length of New Zealand- carry everything including the kitchen sink, or travel light with a credit card. The hardened unipackers lug an incredible assortment of racks/bags/stuff, but to push 100km+ a day, it doubles the physical effort, so I am going for a minimalist strategy.
That’s not to say I’m not prepared. There are long stretches of NZ with limited food, water and shelter, so I need to be able to camp out in an emergency. Gear has to functional, light, and above all, compact.
It’s a good excuse to go shopping! Here are the highlights:
Outdoor Research Helium Bivvy. My excuse for a tent without a tent. A bivvy is basically a waterproof sack that allows you to sleep inside with your sleeping bag. At 459g, it’s half the weight of the lightest one person tents, and super compact once packed. There is a a light frame that keeps the front off your face, complete with a insect netting, but expect it to look more like a deflated bag than the puffed up structure you see in promotional material. I tested it on a recent camping trip- it’s very roomy for a shortie like me- enough for my pack, and wriggle space to get changed inside. The pertex material is supposedly waterproof, but if it’s raining you best strip off and get inside quickly.
A bivvy is not complete without a sleeping bag. My old down bag is warm but bulky, so I got myself a Black Wolf Hiker 200, which packs down to nothing (800g)!
Next up is a Low Alpine Aeon 35L pack. I needed a pack somewhere between my trusty Osprey Talon 22, which I use for commuting, and the 45-60L packs I use for tramping. A bigger pack risks overloading with unnecessary equipment, but it had to be sufficiently large to carry food/water/clothes and sleeping bag/bivvy. I haven’t used it yet, but it sits comfortably on my back and seems well designed. I’m a little worried about the mesh material used for the side and front pockets- will have to keep the sharp things in the main compartment. It’s mated to a bright orange Macpac rain cover, which I will keep on for regular riding to keep mud/dirt/sun off and to make myself visible on the road sections.
Shoes are one of the most important considerations for a unicyclist. Rotational weight matters a lot- in order to go fast, you have to spin at high cadence, and heavy shoes just don’t. My race shoes, the Merrell Bare Access 2 (360g/pr) and Adidas Terrex 225 (452g/pr) are great for spinning at 150rpm, but would fall apart after the first river crossing. It’s not a race….so I went for beefy footwear instead- Mountain Warehouse Curlews. With heavy duty tread, material and toebox, it felt comfortable and gave peace of mind despite being 876g/pr. As a bonus, they are also waterproof- I tested by standing in a stream- as long as you don’t submerge past your ankles. For $NZ62.99, they seem pretty good value.
Clothing- my trusty NZO shorts are falling apart, so I decided to try some Fox Rangers, along with a cheap pair of Arsuxeo shorts from Hong Kong to see how they compare. I’m liking the Fox Rangers so far, but it’s too early to tell.
Helmet- my Giro Aeon is getting a little worn, and I wanted a peak for my helmet to keep the sun off my face during TA. After trying a multitude of helmets, I went for another Giro (they always fit me best). This time it’s the Giro Radix MIPS helmet. It uses MIPS technology to protect against rotational forces in a crash. Clever marketing ploy or real improvement on older helmets? I don’t want to find out. There are big vents but it would take quite a helmet to beat the swiss cheesy Aeon. I was pleasantly surprised- it felt very light on my head (as feathery as the Aeon), but also breezier. Could be my imagination or the new haircut, but I like it a lot.
On that subject, I found this cool helmet hat attachment, an Ergodyne hard hat brim, for NZ$18. It slips over your helmet and attaches with velcro at the back to keep the sun off the side of your face and neck.
Raingear- having been disappointed with (loss of) waterproofing on my old bulky Gore Tex gear, I got cheery yellow Macinasac jacket. Another very compact and well priced item NZ$102.
I’ve collected a whole heap of other things which I won’t bore you with. The TA will be a good test of my gear choices.