The Milford Track — Preparing for an Unforgettable Journey
The Milford Track is one of New Zealand’s most iconic multi-day hikes, but its beauty comes with a reputation for rapidly changing weather and remote, unforgiving terrain. On a trail like this, good gear isn’t a luxury — it’s what keeps you safe, comfortable, and enjoying the experience rather than just surviving it. With four days of tramping through Fiordland’s rainforest, alpine passes, and river valleys, every item in your pack needs to earn its place.
If you’re still in the planning stages, check out my guide for details on bookings and logistics.
Core Packing List for the Milford Track
A reliable pack is the foundation of your trip — it needs to comfortably carry everything you require for four days and three nights on the trail. Most hikers opt for a 50–65L backpack with a supportive hip belt, padded shoulder straps and a well-fitted rain cover. Inside, stick to the essentials: a dry-bag system for clothing and electronics, a lightweight first-aid kit, personal toiletries, a headlamp, and your DOC hut tickets (guided hikers won't need these). Organisation is key. Fiordland weather can turn quickly, and you’ll want waterproof layers easy to grab rather than buried at the bottom of your pack.
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| My Milford Track clothing and equipment |
My pack of choice was the Osprey Atmos AG 50. It’s on the heavier side, but the trade-off is exceptional comfort, thanks to its seamless 3D suspension system—which really shines when you’re carrying a full multi-day load.
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| All that gear squashes neatly into the pack |
Clothing for Unpredictable Weather
Layering and flexibility are essential on the Milford Track. You could (and probably will) experience all four seasons on your trip, maybe during a single day. As a native of the UK, I know this experience all too well — there's a saying; if you only hiked when the weather was nice, you’d never get hiking at all.
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| Full wet-weather gear at McKinnon Pass |
My Milford Track experience included warm sunshine, cooler, cloudy weather and, a day of persistent heavy rain.
The classic hiking layering system uses three main layers for adaptable comfort: a base layer to wick sweat, a mid-layer (fleece or light down jacket) for warmth and insulation, and an outer shell (waterproof/windproof) to protect from elements, allowing you to add or remove layers to match changing weather and exertion levels. This system keeps you comfortable and warm by managing moisture and regulating temperature efficiently, a key strategy for hiking in varied conditions. In persistent rain, it is likely you'll end up getting damp inside your waterproofs so comfort and quick-drying are key.
My system consisted of a couple of synthetic base layers (Montane Dart and MacPac Trail base layers), a fleece jacket (Arc'teryx Delta), an ultralight windproof jacket (Arc'teryx Squamish), a waterproof shell (Mountain Equipment Tupilak), and a lightweight synthetic insulation layer (Montane Fireball Lite).
For legwear, I carried a pair of shorts (Montane Dynamic Lite), soft-shell trousers (Mountain Equipment Ibex), and waterproof over trousers (Montane Cetus). I also packed fleece leggings to wear underneath the waterproofs on days forecast to be relentlessly wet. I find this setup far more comfortable than wearing waterproof trousers over regular pants. Of all the things I packed, the soft-shell trousers were the only item I did not use. Below is a summary of my gear, excluding water, food and electronics.
Footwear
Footwear is a personal choice, so long as it is well broken in and comfortable. The choice will likely be between hiking boots, approach shoes or trail runners. They all have their advantages and all are suitable for the Milford Track. For heavier loads you may want to opt for the tried and tested boot for the extra stability, however, Gore-Tex boots will take much longer to dry if they get wet and there are plenty of places along the Milford Track where you might encounter water that is deeper than your boot cuff with no choice but to wade through. If you’re staying in DOC huts, remember there are no electric boot dryers, so if your footwear gets soaked on Day 2, it will likely stay soaked until the end.
My personal choice of footwear for the Milford Track were the non-waterproof Scarpa Rapid XT, a leather approach shoe intended for summer hiking. They are super comfortable, very grippy and dry relatively quickly.
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| Scarpa XTs in action |
The Lodges
The lodges are generally quite comfortable and you may want to consider a set of lightweight clothes to change into once you've completed each leg of the hike, giving any wet wear that chance to be hung up to dry. Sandals or flip flops (or jandals in local-speak) will allow you to ditch those trail shoes for the evening.
Gadgets and Electronics
Inevitably, most people will be carrying a number of items that require power; phones, smart watches, cameras etc. If you are staying at the DOC huts, you will need a power bank to keep these items topped up. The lodges used by the guided tours have generator power, allowing you to charge your devices at the end of each day, however, the generators are turned off overnight.
Full Equipment List and Weight (Guided Trip)
| Layer | Item | Purpose | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pack | Osprey Atmos AG 50 | Primary Carry System | 1,960g |
| Base Layer | Montane Dart S/S (x2) | Moisture Management | 170g |
| Base Layer | MacPac Trail Pullover | Mid-weight Base | 170g |
| Mid Layer | Arc'teryx Delta Hoody | Breathable Insulation | 210g |
| Insulation | Montane Fireball Lite | Lightweight Warmth | 360g |
| Outer Shell | Arc'teryx Squamish | Wind Protection | 140g |
| Hard Shell | ME Tupilak Jacket | Severe Rain Protection | 500g |
| Legwear | Montane Dynamic Lite | Trekking Shorts | 240g |
| Legwear | ME Ibex Trousers | Technical Softshell | 530g |
| Wet Legwear | Montane Cetus Pants | Waterproof Overtrousers | 320g |
| Base Leg | MacPac Pro Thermal | Cold/Wet Day Liner | 160g |
| Footwear | Scarpa Rapid XT (Pair) | Approach Shoe | 820g |
| TOTAL WEIGHT | 5,580g | ||
If you’re ready to lace up and get moving, you can follow my step-by-step journey starting with Day 1 - Te Anau to Glade Hut. This opening leg is the perfect introduction to the track—a gentle wander through ancient beech forests and along the crystal-clear waters of the Clinton River that eases you into the rhythm of the trail before the bigger climbs ahead.
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