The Tramping Report

Merino

I don't have anything with merino wool in it. I know there are people who rave over it. Well good luck to them. To me merino is just grossly over hyped.

There are disadvantages too.

It's not an easy care fabric. I just don't have the time to waste on careful washing and drying routines when I'm cleaning my gear after a trip.

Another thing is the merino wool growers in New Zealand include some of the worst farmers for restricting access to mountain lands. They want outdoor people to buy their stuff but then lock the gate when we want to cross their place to go tramping or climbing.

I just noticed something else some people might want to take into account.

Follow this link to see a BBC report on the practice of mulesing. The report is looking at what's being done in Australia but I understand this cruel practice happens in some areas here too.

End of the Topomap 260

Land Information NZ (LINZ) has decided to change the way they put our maps together. This means the end of the 260 series topo maps. A new map series NZTopo50 will be introduced during 2008/2009.

For the record it's because they've switched from something they call NZGD49/NZMG to something they call NZGD2000/NZTM. But when they start talking about 'spatial reference systems' my eyes glaze over.

If you're interested here's the link to the LINZ announcement:

http://www.linz.govt.nz/docs/topography/topo_info_strategy_2005_2010.pdf

A year ago LINZ ran a survey to see what should be done about the topo maps. The feedback they received was that a high quality printed topomap was essential.

I've heard GPS fans saying printed maps were finished. Yeah sure. Of course these are the ones who never bothered learning how to read maps to start with. And I still hear of them getting themselves navigationally embarrassed even with their gadgets.

I'm happy anywhere with a topo and my $25.00 compass.

I'll be upgrading early on, but I've got more than 100 topos so I won't be replacing the whole lot on day one.

I guess for most people there'll be a drawn-out changeover. When I joined the CTC in the early 90s I was surprised at how many were still using their old 'Inch to a Mile' maps. And I occasionally see them being used even now.