Picks checked on Amazon on 6 October 2026, for the 2026/27 Great Walks season.
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Quick answer: you always need a sleeping bag. You only need a mat if you are camping, because Great Walk huts have mattresses. The Kelty Cosmic 20 is a warm, light down bag at a sensible price. For campsites, add the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT.
Hut fires or heaters run in the evening, and a full hut warms up. By the early hours the fire is out and alpine huts in particular get cold. Luxmore Hut on the Kepler sits above the bushline, and Mackinnon Pass on the Milford sees snow in summer. Bring a bag rated to around freezing for summer, warmer in the shoulder season, and you will sleep well.
Down is warmer for its weight and packs smaller, but it stops insulating when it gets wet. Synthetic keeps working when damp but is heavier and bulkier. Down is the better choice for hut walkers as long as you keep it in a waterproof dry bag inside your pack. See our backpack guide for the one we use.
A down mummy bag rated for cold nights that compresses small enough for a 50 litre pack. Long a favourite for value among down bags.
Skip it if: you know you will be camping somewhere very wet with no way to keep the bag dry. Choose synthetic.
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An inflatable pad that is very warm for its weight and packs to the size of a water bottle. Insulation from the cold ground matters as much as your sleeping bag.
Skip it if: you are staying in huts. The mattresses are provided.
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Most Great Walks sell out on opening day, and DOC keeps no waitlist. Cancelled hut nights go back on sale all season. See how cancellations work or set a free cancellation alert.
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See current availability across the Great Walks and plan your trip.
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