Hiking shoes are a lower cost and lighter alternative to high-cut boots. Apart from the low cut, they tend to have the same construction as boots and therefore offer similar support and comfort. They are best used when carrying lighter packs and on formed trails. Our 2026 guide help you pick the best shoe for you and highlights nine top options.
Missed yesterday’s feature? We interviewed the authors of a new guidebook that highlights 100+ NZ mountaineering routes.
Quiz
This cloud formation:
A - Often produces thunderstorms and hail.
B - Often forms east of New Zealand’s main mountain ranges.
C - Is known as a fair-weather cumulus cloud.
D - Is a cumulonimbus cloud.
E - Is a cirrostratus cloud.
Scroll to the bottom of this email for the answer…
GEAR REVIEW: Norsewear Serious Trekker
Mark Watson takes a look at this good value, generously padded tramping sock.
They are best suited for taller hunting-style boots and regular height tramping boots. The fit is well engineered and balances comfort, breathability and durability with the blend of merino and nylon.
Current Issue - Jan/Feb 2026
50 Great walks for kids, Walk1200km in 2026, new tramping scholarship, the six best trips in Arthur’s Pass, plus trip reports, gear guides and dozens more articles!
The weekend weather at a park near you…
It’s looking like a stunning summer weekends to get out there! 😎
| Location | Today | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angelus Hut |
 5°/9°
|
 4°/14°
|
3°/16°
|
 3°/17°
|
| Aoraki/Mt Cook VC |
 14°/19°
|
8°/22°
|
9°/22°
|
 11°/20°
|
| Arthurs Pass |
12°/15°
|
9°/19°
|
8°/19°
|
8°/20°
|
| Ben Lomond Summit |
5°/12°
|
0°/15°
|
1°/15°
|
1°/15°
|
| Brewster Hut |
7°/10°
|
3°/14°
|
2°/14°
|
3°/13°
|
| Cape Reinga |
17°/23°
|
17°/22°
|
17°/22°
|
18°/23°
|
| Karangahake Gorge |
13°/25°
|
13°/24°
|
13°/24°
|
13°/24°
|
| Kaweka J Summit |
7°/17°
|
5°/14°
|
7°/18°
|
4°/19°
|
| McKinnon Pass |
 7°/12°
|
2°/12°
|
4°/11°
|
 4°/13°
|
| Mt Heale Hut |
15°/21°
|
16°/20°
|
16°/20°
|
17°/20°
|
| Mt Pirongia |
9°/18°
|
10°/19°
|
8°/18°
|
8°/18°
|
| Mueller Hut |
7°/9°
|
6°/10°
|
6°/10°
|
6°/9°
|
| Pinnacles Hut |
12°/22°
|
12°/21°
|
12°/21°
|
11°/22°
|
| Pouakai Hut |
7°/14°
|
8°/15°
|
6°/14°
|
6°/16°
|
| Powell Hut |
8°/11°
|
8°/15°
|
7°/15°
|
6°/18°
|
| Rotoiti/Nelson Lk VC |
10°/19°
|
8°/23°
|
6°/24°
|
8°/24°
|
| Roys Peak |
7°/16°
|
3°/18°
|
2°/18°
|
3°/17°
|
| Tongariro VC |
9°/19°
|
8°/21°
|
10°/20°
|
6°/21°
|
| Waitawheta Hut |
12°/22°
|
12°/22°
|
12°/21°
|
12°/22°
|
| Woolshed Creek Hut |
10°/19°
|
8°/17°
|
7°/19°
|
8°/21°
|
Report created on 29 January, 2026 at 7.11am. For a full forecast of the park of your choice, visit NIWA.
Featured Book
Bushcraft Intentions Book
A reimagining of one of the most iconic backcountry traditions: signing the DOC hut logbook. This creative tramper’s journal invites people to slow down and connect — to record something by hand, in the moment, in the elements.
Subscribers get a 10% discount.
Quiz
Answer E - Is a cirrostratus cloud.
Cirrostratus clouds are high clouds made of ice crystals. They are whitish, veil-like and usually translucent with a smooth appearance. Looking at the sun through this type of cloud a solar halo (a rainbow-like ring around the sun) can often be seen.
These clouds often fill the sky well ahead of a frontal system. As the front approaches it may thicken to altostratus cloud.
Quiz provided by Heather Grady from Outdoor Training New Zealand.
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