FIELD MANUAL63 ITEMS · 8 CATEGORIESFREE PRINTABLE PDF
THE TAHR
PACKING LIST.
A field-tested gear list for tahr hunting in the Southern Alps. Tried and true brand recommendations, realistic weights, indicative price ranges. Read it on the page — or drop your email and we'll send the printable PDF.
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/i8 CATEGORIES · 63 ITEMS
THE LIST
/01
CLOTHING
14 ITEMSESSENTIAL
Merino base layer (top)
Next-to-skin layer at 200-250 gsm wool. The foundation of warm-and-dry on the hill; rotate two pieces.
Icebreaker BodyFitZone 200, Smartwool Classic All-Season, Stone Glacier Helio
Bring two so you can dry one
230 G
NZ$180–320
ESSENTIAL
Merino base layer (bottoms)
Wool tights under softshell trousers. Same logic as the top — manages damp and stays warm wet.
Icebreaker BodyFitZone 200, Smartwool Classic, Stone Glacier Helio
200 G
NZ$160–280
ESSENTIAL
Mid-weight fleece or grid hoodie
Active insulation under the shell on the hill; doubles as camp warmth. Hooded grid fleece beats plain fleece for damp.
Patagonia R1 Air Hoody, Stone Glacier Cirque Lite, Sitka Core LW
380 G
NZ$180–330
ESSENTIAL
Down puffer jacket (hooded)
Static warmth for glassing sits and camp. 800-fill goose down, hood non-negotiable.
Patagonia DAS Light, Stone Glacier Grumman, Western Mountaineering Flash
350 G
NZ$400–750
LATE SEASON
Down pants
Late-season camp + glassing layer. Side-zips so they go on over your trousers without removing boots.
Stone Glacier Grumman Pant, Western Mountaineering Flash Pant, Mountain Equipment Triton
June-July only
420 G
NZ$300–550
ESSENTIAL
Gore-Tex shell jacket
Three-layer Gore-Tex Pro (or eVent equivalent). Pit zips strongly preferred. The weather guarantee.
Sitka Stormfront, Stone Glacier M5, Kuiu Yukon, First Lite Vapor Stormlight
550 G
NZ$400–1100
ESSENTIAL
Gore-Tex shell pants
Full side-zip so they go on over boots. Bibs are an upgrade if you can stomach the weight.
Sitka Stormfront, Stone Glacier De Havilland, Kuiu Yukon
450 G
NZ$300–800
ESSENTIAL
Softshell hunting trousers
Worn most days. Quick-drying, brush-resistant, articulated knees.
Sitka Mountain, Stone Glacier De Havilland, Kuiu Attack
680 G
NZ$250–500
ESSENTIAL
Wool beanie
Cold-weather head layer; close-fitting so it sits under a hood.
Anything Merino
60 G
NZ$30–80
ESSENTIAL
Brimmed cap
Sun protection and glare reduction while glassing.
Your favourite hunting cap
80 G
NZ$30–70
ESSENTIAL
Neck buff
Multifunction wool/synthetic tube — warmth, dust, sun.
Buff Original, Buff Merino
40 G
NZ$20–40
ESSENTIAL
Liner gloves
Thin merino under everything; can still work the binos and rifle.
Smartwool Liner, Outdoor Research PL Base
60 G
NZ$30–70
ESSENTIAL
Insulated gloves
Mid-weight insulated for cold sits and the morning walk-in.
Sitka Mountain WS, Black Diamond Soloist, Stone Glacier
180 G
NZ$80–200
LATE SEASON
Waterproof overmitts
Shell mitts to go over insulated gloves in storms.
Black Diamond Soloist Mitt, Outdoor Research Revel
140 G
NZ$60–180
/02
SLEEP & LOAD
7 ITEMSESSENTIAL
Sleeping bag
Four-season down rated -7 to -12 C. 800-fill+ down keeps weight down.
Sea to Summir Spark Pro -9/-18, Stone Glacier Chilkoot 0F, Quality quilt will do but can be cold in high winds
1200 G
NZ$800–1700
ESSENTIAL
Inflatable sleeping mat
R-value 5+ for snow ground; insulated air mat. Carry a foam sit-pad to back it up.
Therm-a-Rest XTherm NXT, Exped Ultra 7R, Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Extreme
450 G
NZ$250–500
ESSENTIAL
Inflatable pillow
Tiny luxury for the cost. Sleep matters; carry it.
90 G
NZ$40–90
ESSENTIAL
Hiking pack 75-95 L
Internal-frame load-hauler. Cape and horns come out heavier than they went in.
Stone Glacier Sky Talus 6900, Exo Mtn K3 6500, Kifaru Reckoning
2400 G
NZ$800–1800
ESSENTIAL
Pack liner / dry sack
Heavy-duty liner inside the pack so the bag and clothes stay dry.
Sea to Summit Big River, Hyperlite Roll-Top
180 G
NZ$40–90
ESSENTIAL
Spare dry bags
Smaller dry bags for food, electronics, cape after the kill.
Sea to Summit Lightweight, Granite Gear
120 G
NZ$30–80
SITUATIONAL
Tent (4-season or solid 3-season)
Two-pole geodesic or robust dome rated for winter wind. Provided in our spike camps; bring your own for DIY.
Quality 3-4 season tent: Durston XMID Solid, Standard or Pro with extra guy lines, Hilleberg
We supply on guided trips
2200 G
NZ$800–2200
/03
FOOTWEAR
5 ITEMSESSENTIAL
Mountain boots (B2 crampon-rated)
Stiff-shanked, broken-in, full-grain leather. The single most important purchase.
Crispi Briksdal, Lowa Tibet Evo GTX, Meindl Perfekt, Hanwag Alaska, Kenetrek Mountain Extreme, Schnees Beartooth II
Break in over months not weeks
2200 G
NZ$650–1300
ESSENTIAL
Lightweight gaiters
Keep snow, scree and matagouri out of the boot.
Outdoor Research Crocodiles, Black Diamond GlideLite
340 G
NZ$80–200
ESSENTIAL
Camp shoe
Crocs or down booties for evening warmth at camp.
Crocs Classic, Sitka Stratus Down Booties, Therm-a-Rest Mountain Booties
380 G
NZ$30–250
ESSENTIAL
Merino hiking socks
Two pairs in rotation; mid-weight, cushioned shin.
Darn Tough Hiker Boot, Smartwool Hike Full Cushion, Stone Glacier Cirque
Two pairs
180 G
NZ$30–40
ESSENTIAL
Sealskinz waterproof socks
Layer over merino for wet creek crossings or sustained rain.
Sealskinz Waterproof All Weather Mid
One pair
120 G
NZ$80–140
/04
OPTICS & FIELD
10 ITEMSESSENTIAL
Binoculars 10x42
The workhorse. Quality glass finds animals at first light. Carry in a chest harness.
Swarovski NL Pure 10x42, Zeiss Victory SF 10x42, Leica Noctivid 10x42, Vortex Razor UHD 10x42, Maven B1.2 10x42
780 G
NZ$1200–5000
ESSENTIAL
Spotting scope 65-85 mm
Used to age bulls and judge horns at distance. Saves enormous walking.
Swarovski ATX/STX 85, Kowa TSN-554, Vortex Razor HD 27-60x85, Leupold SX-5
1700 G
NZ$2000–5500
ESSENTIAL
Carbon tripod
Lightweight tripod for the binos and spotter. Ball head with quick-release.
Two Vets No.2 Carbon, Spartan Davros Pro, Outdoorsmans Carbon
950 G
NZ$500–1500
ESSENTIAL
Rangefinder 1500m+
Angle-compensating rangefinder for steep alpine shots.
Vortex Razor HD 4000, Sig Sauer Kilo 5K, Leica Geovid R 10x42, Maven RF.1
230 G
NZ$500–2500
ESSENTIAL
Trekking poles
Save your knees on the descent and steady you on creek crossings.
Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z, Leki Cross Trail FX
470 G
NZ$180–450
ESSENTIAL
Sitting / glassing pad
Foam pad for glassing sits; doubles as extra insulation under your sleeping mat in extreme cold.
Therm-a-Rest Z Seat, Stone Glacier Rezi-PAD
90 G
NZ$30–70
ESSENTIAL
Headlamp + spare batteries
High-output LED with red mode; USB-C chargeable
Petzl Actik Core, Black Diamond Spot 400-R, Fenix HM65R-T
110 G
NZ$80–180
ESSENTIAL
Power bank
20,000 mAh USB-C; keeps phone, headlamp, inReach, rangefinder going for a week.
Prefer 2x10k banks
350 G
NZ$80–180
ESSENTIAL
Sunglasses
UV protection on bluebird days and snow.
Smith Optics, Julbo, Oakley Holbrook
30 G
NZ$150–400
ESSENTIAL
Knife + sharpener
Replaceable-blade or fixed; small sharpener.
Rn Blades, Havalon Piranta, Montana Knife Company
180 G
NZ$80–400
/05
KITCHEN & HYDRATION
6 ITEMSESSENTIAL
Water bladder or bottles (3 L+)
Bottle on body for cold nights; bladder for daytime ease. Mix as you prefer.
Hydrapak Force, Nalgene 1 L, CamelBak Crux
250 G
NZ$30–90
ESSENTIAL
Water filter or tablets
Sawyer Squeeze for daytime refills + a strip of Aquatabs as frozen-filter backup.
Sawyer Squeeze, Katadyn BeFree, Aquatabs (chlorine dioxide)
90 G
NZ$30–80
ESSENTIAL
Personal cup, bowl, spork
Single-pot eating and a cup for hot drinks. Provided on guided trips.
Fire Maple G3, Toaks Titanium
110 G
NZ$30–150
SITUATIONAL
Stove (canister) and pot
JetBoil-style or simple canister + pot. Provided on guided trips.
Soto WindMaster with Triflex
Provided on guided trips
450 G
NZ$150–400
ESSENTIAL
Sports gels and trail snacks
Bumper bars, gels, salami, hard cheese. Buy in Christchurch or Methven.
Cookie Time Bumper Bars, GU Gels, Tasti, locally bought salami
Buy in NZ
1500 G
NZ$40–150
ESSENTIAL
Dehydrated meals
Calorie-dense backcountry meals. Radix has the best calorie-per-gram in NZ.
Radix Performance 800kcal, Real Meals
Buy per day
1200 G
NZ$12–18
/06
RIFLE & DOCUMENTS
10 ITEMSESSENTIAL
Mountain rifle
Flat-shooting calibre — 6.5 PRC, 7mm Rem Mag, .280 AI, .300 Win Mag. Clean trigger, good action.
Tikka T3X Lite, Sako 85 Finnlight, Bergara B14 HMR, Christensen Mesa, Kimber Mountain Ascent
Or borrow our club rifle
3200 G
NZ$2000–6000
ESSENTIAL
Rifle suppressor
Legal in NZ; reduces recoil and protects hearing. Most outfitter rifles are suppressed.
Hardy SBS, ASE Utra, A-TEC, Gemtech
420 G
NZ$500–1500
ESSENTIAL
Rifle sling
Padded carry sling. Makes long approaches bearable.
Your favourite, just make sure you bring one
180 G
NZ$60–180
ESSENTIAL
Cleaning kit
Pull-through, gun oil, cleaning rag for in-field maintenance.
Boresnake
230 G
NZ$30–80
ESSENTIAL
Ammunition
Commercial, in original box. 40 rounds is plenty for a hunt.
Quality ammo that you have tested and collected DOPE
Original packaging only
800 G
NZ$80–200
ESSENTIAL
Hard rifle case
Locked, hard-sided, airline-rated. Two combination padlocks.
Hard case for your rifle
4500 G
NZ$250–800
ESSENTIAL
Visitor Firearms Licence
NZ$25 application; apply 4 months before flight. Not needed if using guide's rifle.
NZ Firearms Safety Authority
International only
NZ$25
ESSENTIAL
NZ Police firearms import permit
Required to bring your own rifle into NZ. Apply through nzpolice.govt.nz.
NZ Police
International only
ESSENTIAL
Passport + visa documents
Passport bio page, NZ visa or NZeTA, printed and digital.
80 G
ESSENTIAL
Travel insurance
Helicopter evacuation cover and trip-interruption — non-negotiable for international hunters.
Freely, World Nomads
NZ$150–500
/07
SAFETY & COMMS
5 ITEMSESSENTIAL
PLB (406 MHz)
Personal Locator Beacon registered with NZ. The fail-safe.
ACR ResQLink View, Ocean Signal RescueME PLB1
Battery life 5-10 yr
150 G
NZ$400–800
ESSENTIAL
Garmin inReach Mini
Two-way satellite messenger; daily check-ins, weather, redundant SOS.
Garmin inReach Mini 3 Pro is great for sending photos and voice messages!
Carry both PLB + inReach
100 G
NZ$650–800
ESSENTIAL
First aid kit
Real wound dressings — not a band-aid kit. Add personal meds.
Big enough bandage to manage a big would
450 G
NZ$80–250
ESSENTIAL
Emergency bivvy / bothy bag
Two-person bothy or bivvy for unplanned overnights or weather emergencies.
300 G
NZ$40–180
ESSENTIAL
Whistle
Pea-less whistle on the chest harness or pack.
Fox 40 Mini, ACR WW3
10 G
NZ$10–30
/08
TOILETRIES & PERSONAL
6 ITEMSESSENTIAL
Toothbrush + paste
Trim the handle if you're counting grams.
40 G
NZ$5–15
ESSENTIAL
Hand sanitiser
60%+ alcohol; small bottle.
80 G
NZ$5–12
ESSENTIAL
Sunscreen
SPF 50 mineral. Sun off snow is intense even at -5 C.
80 G
NZ$15–30
ESSENTIAL
Lip balm
SPF lip balm; cracked lips at altitude are miserable.
10 G
NZ$5–15
ESSENTIAL
Microfibre towel
Compact pack towel; dries fast.
90 G
NZ$15–40
ESSENTIAL
Personal medication
Bring a fortnight's supply. Declare on the NZ arrivals card.
Declare at NZ Customs
80 G
LAST UPDATED · 2026-05-05
/v · PRINTABLE PDF
TAKE IT TO
THE GEAR SHOP.
Drop your email and we'll send the same list as a branded printable PDF — tick boxes, weights, price ranges, ready to walk into a shop with.
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