My clothing list

The topic of what to wear is an impossible one to give a definitive answer to. In this case the list is based on the personal experiences of myself and fishing friends who have made numerous fishing trips into mountainous terrain with backpacks and full camping equipment. For this trip, there will not be so much transportation on foot but there will be occasions where day treks will be made. We will be in New Zealand during the summer and if it is like that of 2001 finding the right clothing will be easy. However, one should always prepare for both good and bad weather.

Clothing list 2003:
Underwear - 6 pairs -comfortable
Thin socks - 5 pairs
Wool socks - 1 pair
T-Shirts - 3 pcs (Moisture wicking highly recommended, one with long arms)
Trousers (not jeans!) -2 pairs
Shorts - 2 pairs (one can double up as swimming shorts)
Thin fleece  - 1 pc
Sweater or thicker fleece - 1pc
Waterproof trousers - 1 pair (can be worn over shorts on hot rainy days)
Waterproof, windproof, breathable Jacket (with hood)
Belt - 1pc
Brimmed hat - 1 pc
Long-sleeved shirt - 1pc (for evenings when the sand flies bite, or days where the UV levels are high)
Goretex hiking boots - 1pair
Shoes - 1 pair
Sandals - 1 pair

Experiences 2003:
The packing list was pretty good but there were a few things I would like to change. Why? We travelled by car and space/weight were not the most important criteria. One long armed shirt was not enough. Two were a necessity. (Wear one whilst one was drying). We did have unusual weather with some days of extreme cold and snow. On the West Coast the sand flies were a nuisance and short armed shirts are not recommended. The bites itched for days. As planned, I bought a hat in New Zealand. It was a traditional hat in oiled cotton and the most important feature was the string. It was very windy just about everywhere and the others kept losing their hats. We all used our boots for wading, which is certainly not what the manufacturer designed them for. It was an absolute necessity to dry them out as far as was possible every night. Stuffing them with newspaper was effective. In the end a few pairs were donated to the needy in Christchurch to save weight and smells on the flights home.

Modifications 2005:
The above list is primarily related to a fishing trip only. On my 2005 trip I will combine a visit to New Zealand with a visit to Australia followed by parts of South America. I will also do some business and expect, therefore, to need some business attire as well. Clothes needed for business and adjustments to the previous trip’s list are shown below.

Blazer - 1pc
Short-sleeved shirts - 3 pcs
Tie - 1pc
Bandana or buff - 1pc
Gloves - 1pair