If your New Year resolution of 'walk more' needs a November reboot, Wilderness Magazine has rounded up a batch of walking-friendly gear from its Walk1200km partners — and a couple of the picks are worth knowing about even if you're just planning a hiking holiday.
First up is food. Bushline's ready-to-eat Bircher Muesli (NZ$20.99 for a two-pack) packs nearly 20% protein, making it a solid option for mornings when you want to eat quickly and get on the trail. It's the kind of lightweight, no-cook breakfast that works as well on a multi-day tramp as it does before a dawn start on a day hike.
Socks get their moment too, with the Bridgedale Hike Midweight Merino Comfort at NZ$56.99. Boot-length merino hiking socks are one of those unglamorous purchases that make an outsized difference — blister prevention, temperature regulation and all-day cushioning, especially on longer walks where your feet are doing the heavy lifting.
The wider idea behind the roundup is Walk1200km, a challenge encouraging people to walk 1200km over the year — roughly 100km a month. Gear partners contribute kit suggestions each month, and November's edit leans towards practical comfort: fuelling well, looking after your feet, and removing the little frictions that stop people lacing up in the first place.
Why does this matter to travellers? Because the same logic applies whether you're training at home or walking a section of the Milford Track, the Queen Charlotte Track or any long-distance trail abroad. A high-protein, no-fuss breakfast and a decent pair of merino socks are two of the cheapest upgrades you can make to a hiking trip. Neither weighs much, neither needs breaking in like boots do, and both earn their space in a pack.
For anyone visiting New Zealand with walking in mind, November is early summer — long daylight hours, trails mostly clear of snow at lower elevations, and fewer crowds than peak January and February. If you're building a walking holiday around the Walk1200km-style philosophy, the formula is simple: comfortable feet, easy nutrition, and a distance goal that keeps you honest.
