By Seth Brown – Resilient Hunter NZ
Introduction
Every hunter builds their own system over time. Gear isn’t about what looks good laid out on the floor — it’s about what you actually carry, and more importantly, why. This article breaks down the loadout I take into the New Zealand backcountry: the pack, the shelter, the optics, the food, and all the small details that make multi-day hunts efficient and sustainable.
Pack System
- Kuiu Pro LT 5500 — my workhorse pack for nearly a decade. Originally paired with an Icon Pro bag, I swapped to the Pro LT bag in 2019. The frame is still original, and Kuiu’s customer support has been excellent — sending retrofit kits and replacement straps when needed.
I’ve had this pack with me for some serious hauls. Back in January 2018, I was solo in the Kaimanawa. After four and a half hours from the road end, I shot a massive red/sika hybrid spiker in velvet on the tussock tops. Young, dumb, and hungry, I loaded both hind legs and the backsteaks — close to 40 kg — into the Kuiu. As I clawed my way up the near-vertical track out of the river, one of the velcro stays holding the shoulder strap tore loose. The pack limped on lopsided, but it held. Kuiu replaced the entire strap assembly free of charge, no questions asked.
Since then, I’ve cut out the interior mesh pockets — they only caught gear and were never useful. This pack has history, scars, and fixes, and that’s exactly why I still trust it.
Shelter & Sleep
- Mont Moondance 2P FN Tent — a recent upgrade after years with MSR tents.
Most of my hunting career I’ve used MSR tents: Hubba Hubbas and a Carbon Reflex. They’re light, but the mesh inners made for cold nights at altitude. After spending seven nights in a Mont Supercell tunnel tent, I realised how much warmer a full nylon inner could be. I even bought a new Hubba Hubba, then sold it before using it. The Moondance gives me the best of both worlds: a dual-nylon inner for warmth, plus the option to swap in a mesh inner if I want more airflow in summer.
Compared with the MSR Hubba Hubba, the Moondance is heavier (~2.05 kg vs 1.72 kg) but sturdier, with a slightly smaller footprint (2.86 m² vs 2.7 m²). That extra weight is worth it for the security of a stronger pitch — and unlike MSR, Mont includes all the guy lines and pegs you’ll actually need.
- Rab Mythic 600 Sleeping Bag — my alpine sleep system.
- Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite — light, comfortable, and patched three times (most recently May 2025). Not once has a patch failed. That mat has earned my trust.
Clothing & Protection
Rab Generator Alpine Jacket (synthetic down, discontinued) — a clutch piece of gear. As warm as down, but crucially, it stays warm even when wet. On the West Coast, that’s a game-changer.
Mac in a Sac Origin 2 Rain Jacket — I’ve owned two Arc’teryx shells, and I honestly can’t see the value in expensive Gore-Tex. No membrane I’ve used breathes under heavy load. You end up wet — from the inside or the outside. This jacket costs a fraction and does the same job.
- Kuiu Kenai Mountain Hat — a staple for cold nights.
- Twin Needle Putties — durable, Kiwi-made, and hard to kill.
- Mechanix Rawhide Work Gloves — $20 from Bunnings. I wax them with Grangers G-Wax for water resistance. They’re not fancy, but they work.
Water & Food
- Nalgene Sustain 1L Narrow-Mouth — my mainstay bottle.
- Nalgene Sustain 500ml Wide-Mouth — reserved for electrolytes, usually Aqualyte, so my main bottle stays clean.
- Sea to Summit Watercell X 5L — not just for summer tops where water is scarce. I’ve carried it often at huts with no tank or running source. Lugging water back makes life a lot easier in those remote South Island valleys.
- Radix Ultra 800 Meals — calorie dense and foolproof.
Cooking
- Jetboil Zip — all I need to boil water and rehydrate meals.
Optics & Shooting
Leica Geovid HDB 8×56 Binoculars — world-class glass with ballistic rangefinding.
Swarovski ATC Spotting Scope — my previous Leica APO Televid 65 was brilliant, but too big to justify. When the ATC released, I bought it immediately. Limited to 40× mag, yes, but the fact I actually carry it means it’s the right scope.
- Kuiu Bino Harness (older model) — still going strong.
- Ollin Phone Scope Adapter — both professionally and recreationally, I’ve had plenty of moments where an image was needed right now. Animals don’t wait while you adjust set screws. With the Ollin, I can lock my phone on in seconds and capture what I need before the situation changes. With the phone attached, I don’t even need to crouch over the eyepiece — I run a tiny 200 g tripod and can view comfortably off-screen. And with others around, it’s even better: everyone sees the same animal, no need to “talk them onto it.”
- Kestrel 5700 — I don’t stretch shots past 500 m, but the Kestrel gives peace of mind with wind and angled shots.
- Ammunition — I carry only 8 rounds. Enough to do the job, no dead weight.
Knives & Kill Kit
- Cold Steel Pendleton Mini Hunter — small, cheap, but effective.
- Eagle Hawk Knives Talon — another excellent, lightweight alternative.
- Kill Kit:
- 1 m roll of cheesecloth.
- Two Moroka 30 Game Bags — fit an entire venison quarter.
- Sagen Bone Saw — carried only on meat hunts. I’ve used it to split a pelvis for cooling, or cut ribs for a rack of venison.
Storage & Organisation
- Patagonia Mini Hip Pack — my catch-all pouch. Usually my phone, lighter, and chapstick go here. Sometimes I’ll throw in a couple of rounds or drop used brass after a shot. If I’m breaking down an animal, my knife often ends up here between trips. It’s short-term, on-the-go storage.
- Zpacks Cuban Fibre Dry Bag (Medium) — ultralight waterproofing.
- Past Outdoors Packing Cubes — rugged ultralight organisers.
Honourable Mentions (Rotational Gear)
- Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Short — my summer mat. Saves weight when conditions allow.
- Katabatic Down Quilt — warmer months only.
- Kahtoola Microspikes — not just for ice. They’ve saved me climbing steep, wet tussock and snowgrass on the West Coast.
Philosophy
Gear is personal. I don’t carry something because it’s trendy or because a catalogue says I should. I carry it because I’ve tested it, broken it, patched it, and still trust it.
A smaller knife that gets used beats a “Rambo blade” that never leaves the sheath. A lightweight spotter I’ll pack every time is worth more than a big optic that stays in the cupboard. And a tent that adds 300 g is worth it if it keeps you warm and standing through a storm.
The best gear is the gear you actually carry.
Gear List (Quick Reference)
| Category | Item & Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pack System | Kuiu Pro LT 5500 | 9 years old; carried ~40 kg red/sika hybrid spiker in Kaimanawa (2018); shoulder strap tore but Kuiu replaced free; cut out mesh pockets. |
| Shelter & Sleep | Mont Moondance 2P FN Tent | Warmer than MSR Hubba Hubba; sturdier pitch; slightly heavier but includes all pegs & guy lines. |
| Rab Mythic 600 Sleeping Bag | Cold-weather sleep system. | |
| Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite | Patched 3× (latest May 2025); patches never failed. | |
| Clothing | Rab Generator Alpine Jacket (synthetic, discontinued) | Warms even when wet; essential on West Coast. |
| Mac in a Sac Origin 2 Rain Jacket | Cheaper than Gore-Tex; same result — wet inside/outside under load. | |
| Kuiu Kenai Mountain Hat | Cold camp essential. | |
| Twin Needle Putties | Durable NZ-made gaiter replacement. | |
| Mechanix Rawhide Work Gloves | $20 Bunnings gloves; treated with G-Wax for water resistance. | |
| Water & Food | Nalgene Sustain 1L Narrow-Mouth | Main hydration bottle. |
| Nalgene Sustain 500ml Wide-Mouth | Used only for mixing electrolytes (Aqualyte). | |
| Sea to Summit Watercell X 5L | Used at huts without water sources; key for alpine tops in summer. | |
| Radix Ultra 800 Meals | Calorie-dense; staple meals. | |
| Cooking | Jetboil Zip | Compact, efficient boil system. |
| Optics & Shooting | Leica Geovid HDB 8×56 Binoculars | Excellent glass with ballistic rangefinding. |
| Kuiu Bino Harness (older model) | Still going strong. | |
| Swarovski ATC Spotting Scope | Replaced Leica Televid 65; compact so I actually carry it. | |
| Ollin Phone Scope Adapter | Professionally & recreationally invaluable for fast imagery; 200 g tripod setup; multiple viewers at once. | |
| Kestrel 5700 | Peace of mind for wind/angled shots; shots under 500 m. | |
| Ammunition | Only 8 rounds carried. | |
| Knives & Kill Kit | Cold Steel Pendleton Mini Hunter | Small but always enough. |
| Eagle Hawk Knives Talon | Interchangeable; lightweight option. | |
| Moroka 30 Game Bags | Large enough for full venison quarters. | |
| Sagen Bone Saw | Carried only on meat hunts; used for pelvis splits and racks of venison. | |
| Storage | Patagonia Mini Hip Pack | Phone, lighter, chapstick, brass, ammo, or knife — short-term storage. |
| Zpacks Cuban Fibre Dry Bag (Medium) | Ultralight waterproof storage. | |
| Past Outdoors Packing Cubes | Organisation and rugged ultralight build. | |
| Honourable Mentions | Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Short | Summer-only mat. |
| Katabatic Down Quilt | Warm-season sleep system. | |
| Kahtoola Microspikes | Used for icy conditions & steep, damp tussock/snowgrass. | |
| Sagen Bone Saw (duplicate for meat hunts) | Used selectively on venison harvest trips. |