Hiking Gear For Kokoda

There is quite a lot of specific hiking gear which you’ll need to get for Kokoda. As we were not experienced hikers, we had to get EVERYTHING! If you already have some hiking gear, you’ll probably only need to get a few things.

Here is a brief overview of what gear you need and what is supplied (double check with your trekking company, if they also supply these items).

Already supplied:

• backpacks and daypacks are supplied by trekking company
• tents are supplied by trekking company
• all cooking equipment is (pots, pans, etc) is supplied by trekking company
• foam mats for sleeping

What you need to get:

• Clothing: 2x pants, 2x tops, 1 pair thermal underwear, 3x socks, normal underwear, non-chafing pants if you want
• Shoes
• Hat (for sun protection and rain protection)
• Rain jacket
• Sleeping bag and therma-rest (inflatable mat for sleeping)
• Dry bags (to keep your backpack contents dry)
• Plate, cup, bowl, cutlery
• Camel Bak and water containers
• Quick dry towel, toiletries
• First aid kit, including blister tape and water purifying tablets
• Camera, pocket knife, snacks, etc

Here is what we got:

Hiking Gear Clothing

Pants and tops

Janna found out the hard way – cotton, whilst breathable, gets heavy and sodden. It doesn’t dry well. You will sweat which will wet the clothes and then your skin. If it rains you have the same problem. Also at night, you want the clothing to dry as soon as possible, as you will be putting it back in wet the next morning. The best type of clothing we found was:

• Long sleeve: To protect from cuts and scrapes, to protect from bugs and insects and also sunburn
• Quick drying: As soon as the breeze or sun hits the material, it must start drying out
• Lightweight: Every gram counts. If your clothes are soaked, they will weigh you down.
• Non-chafing: They must not rub the skin, especially when wet e.g. between the legs. Otherwise your every step could become a painful exercise.

Adam found this Columbia shirt met all his criteria (women’s version here).

Pants must also be long-legged as well as the above points. Here are links to pants where you can remove the portion below the knee – Janna found this extremely useful. Why? For the times when it is hot, plus it saved her carrying an extra pair of short pants. (Men’s; Women’s).

You’ll notice there is a big difference in price when buying hiking gear online or in stores like Anaconda, Columbia, or other hiking stores. If you know your size you can save hundreds of dollars by buying online.

Underwear

We recommend that you obtain a pair of longer-style figure-hugging compression bike shorts or Skins. This may have been the best investment Adam made for the trek. They are made of synthetic material (nylon/elastane), are breathable and super comfortable. It avoids chafing on the inner thigh, especially when you get wet. Unfortunately Janna chose not to take any and paid the price with some nasty chafing. (Women’s Skins here.)

Rain Jackets

We took rain jackets, but they were pretty useless. The only time there were useful was on a freezing day on top of Brigade Hill, as the rain jackets tend to do one thing. Hold heat in. However, when you are moving you are sweating, so even if it is raining, you are saturated underneath, so you don’t stay dry anyway. And because they are made of plastic or synthetic materials, they don’t breathe well. We also had to throw out our rain jackets, as they had holes from all the twigs and trees along the way. A better option would have been a wider rain cape that also covers the pack and lets some heat out underneath.

Hats

Janna took a Panama hat, and whilst it looked nice, it got dirty quickly. Take a good hat that won’t fall to bits. Through a combination of your sweat, rain, heat and sun, cheaper hats just won’t stand up to the punishment. Ideally the hat should also have a tie so you can fasten it underneath your chin. It may be moving due to wind or your walking rhythm and you won’t necessarily have a hand free to adjust it.

Adam took his Akubra that he has had for years. He loves it. It’s called ‘The territory’ because it has the widest brim. This is useful for 2 things: it keeps the rain away from your face and the sun as well! Ironically, Brad, a fellow trekker, also had a ‘Territory’, so that made two of us…

Shoes

This is a very personal choice. We took a long, long time to search through different stores to find our boots. Adam travelled from Sydney to Newcastle to try a certain pair, just to decide it wasn’t right after all…. Most trekking companies do not recommended that you get all-leather closed boots (although our trek leader had them!) as they only fill with water and can’t drain. There will be plenty of creek crossings, and, yes your feet will get wet. On the first day we had a massive downpour and were sloshing through small creeks and then waist deep through a river to get to our first bivouac. As Kokoda is a treacherous terrain, you should also have boots that have ankle support.

In the end, we both went for Keens, which have served us well in Kokoda and on other tracks. The model we chose were Keens Targhee II Mid Waterproof Hiking boots (Men’s; Women’s). They come on both men’s and women’s styles and proved to be an excellent choice. They are a solid, lightweight boot that is very well made. They also have protective rubber sole that wraps across the top of the boot to protect your toes (similar to a steel cap). This proved invaluable for the inevitable toe-stub! They also dry quickly.

Also, the range from Keen is extensive. We bought in a store in Bondi Junction, but in hindsight if you know your size the internet usually will provide better deals.

Socks

Take several pairs. They will be wet at the end of each day and need to be washed in the creek or river. You can then hang them over your hiking gear to dry out as you walk along. We took 3 pairs each. Unfortunately good trekking socks are not cheap, but you have to pay for quality, otherwise they will fall apart. Remember you’re on your feet everyday, and you DON’T want blisters. The best socks are a mixture of wool, nylon and lycra.

Camping and Carrying Gear

The benefit of booking with a reputable trekking company? They have all of this gear provided for you. That’s right, no purchasing of tents, stoves, cooktops, pots and pans, and backpacks. As part of your fees, they will arrange locas to carry in all of this gear ahead of the main group. They start off early in the morning to set up the company-owned tents, carry the food and cooking utensils. There will be a warm fire and a hot meal waiting for you that evening as you walk wearily into camp.

So don’t buy a backpack unless you have been specifically told to do so. You will be responsible for purchasing the following:

Sleeping bag

It doesn’t need to be expensive, and certainly not a sub-zero bag. We had +5 degree bags that were lightweight and not valuable. They will get dirty and smelly, so make sure you can wash them when you get home.

Therm-a-rests and Pillows

Are really invaluable for providing a certain level of comfort when you lie down after hiking gear all day. We had ¾ mats which saved on weight, but which we would not recommend. Get the full size so that your feet are not resting on the ground. Once again, it’s cheaper to buy these online than in-store.

Foam mats

We had one of these each below our therma mats. They are lightweight and add another layer of protection from the ground. Ask you trekking company as our company provided these along with a backpack.

Dry bags

Another fantastic investment were the dry bags. We bought quite a few. Be warned: the last thing you want is to get into camp, tired and cold and then have to climb into wet clothes to go to sleep in a wet sleeping bag. Painful! So make sure you buy enough to keep all your night gear dry. The brand that we bought were ‘Sea to Summit’ available at Anaconda camping stores. They come in varying sizes – we bought two larger ones each (one for the sleeping back, one for the thermal underwear and dry change of clothes), as well as one small one each for camera and other valuables.

Walking poles

Walking or trekking poles also a personal choice. We were told before we set off on the track, that it would be difficult to walk with two poles, as you would always need one hand to hold on to something on the ascents and descents. So we took one set of poles between us thinking we could use one pole each.

In the end, Janna used both poles, as she needed them to manage the steep ascents and descents (see lack of strength training!) Trekking poles they take a lot of strain off your legs as you can ‘load’ your upper body to assist. They can steady you significantly and give you something to lean on. So if you feel as though your core strength is not 100% or that you are not a mountain goat, then poles are a good investment.

Luckily Adam was in great shape and didn’t need any poles for assistance. He tried the poles in between but found they were hindering him, especially as he usually had a pretty quick walking rhythm. When he needed help for ascents or descents, he was more inclined to use the surrounding terrain to assist (roots, rocks or tree branches) rather than rely on poles.

Miscellaneous Hiking Gear

Camel bak

The greatest invention ever! Make sure you protect your bladder and don’t overfill it (they can spring a leak if you’re not careful and wet your bag). You will be sipping from this all day, with the tube running across your shoulder to sit near your mouth.

Check with your trekking company as some backpacks have a compartment for a bladder only, which you can slip into your day pack or rucksack.

The other option is to get a bladder with protective covering for added protection. This is in the case that you don’t have a compartment in your day or backpack. You can therefore just put it into the main compartment or clip it to the side of your pack (this is what Adam did).

We bought one bladder and one normal Camel Bak. In hindsight it would have been better to buy two normal ones, as we haven’t been able to use the bladder much since the track.

Water bottle

We had stainless steel canteens for rest stops and additional water (you would carry an average of 3 litres of water, 2 in your Camel Bak and 2 litre in water bottle. You use the water bottle to purify additional water before you add it to your Camel Bak.

Digital camera

Adam had his Canon EOS 400D which took all of the amazing photos you can see on the website. Make sure you take a camera that can stand a beating and has GOOD battery life. The small instamatic cameras usually gobble up batteries and you will be left feeling cheated and annoyed if you can’t capture that magical moment on top of Isurava. The Canon managed the whole trek on 1 charge of the basic battery (although I would recommend taking a spare in case – they are not expensive). A truly wonderful camera.

Pocket knife

Get a good one, it will last you for years. Adam took his 10-year old Swiss Army knife which proved handy in some situations. Cheap imitations tend to break down at inconvenient times.

Quick dry towel

The type of towel that is small and compact, easy to stow and dry.

First aid kit

Blister tape, paracetamol, aspirin, Ibuprofin, Imodium, anit-biotics, bandages, water purifying tablets, sunscreen, lipbalm, etc. Your trekking company will also have their own very extensive first aid kit.

Toiletries

Wet ones, face wipes, toothbrush, soap (biodegradable if possible), small hair brush for ladies, small shaving knife if you can’t go without shaving, hand sanitiser.