Author Archives: David Newstead

Rab is an English outdoor clothing and equipment company. Started in 1981 by climber Rab Carrington to design and manufacture down clothing and sleeping bags, the brand has never had a huge share of the outdoor market, especially in this part of the world. But those in the know, including a few climbing friends ofContinue reading “Rab Microlight Alpine Jacket Review”

My wife Shelley and I recently headed up to my hometown of Whangarei, to visit my father and chase a few waves in the winterless north. While there, we decided on a climb at Ngahere Drive, a local crag of oversized limestone boulders that I helped develop many moons ago. Walking down the driveway to TopContinue reading “Born Again Bolting – A Discussion On Ethics (article in Climber)”

The waves are like pit bulls – not particularly big but meaty and bristling, fracturing noisily under a listless, sepia-toned sky. Despite it being summer, there’s a bite to the air. The surf isn’t perfect, certainly not for here, but it’s still good enough for my mate Paul and I to head out.This place usedContinue reading “‘Almost’ – article in latest ‘White Horses’ magazine”

I’ve always been a fan of American company Black Diamond’s technical climbing hardware. My BD ice axes, ice screws, crampons, nuts, cams and first light tent rate among my most used and most loved climbing gear. But, up until now, I’ve never had much to do with the BD packs. My mate Jamie has oneContinue reading “Black Diamond Speed 55 Pack Review for Wilderness Magazine”

HIGH MISADVENTURE New Zealand mountaineering tragedies and survival stories. By Paul Hersey. Reviewed by Pat Deavoll. CHRISTCHURCH AUTHOR and climber Paul Hersey has his second book in as many years in the bookshops. But unlike the strictly ‘climbing’ appeal of Where the Mountain’s Throw Their Dice, this offering, High Misadventure, is a read for anyoneContinue reading “High Misadventure – book review by Pat Deavoll”

At about this point I have a profound thought: ‘Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.’ Glancing at Zim, intimately trussed up next to me in the back seat of what could best be described as the Russian version of a Unimog, I can tell he’s thinking roughly the same thing. Zim’s normallyContinue reading “Kyrgyzstan 2008”

What the fuck’s happening with the world? I’m watching the source of so much of my inspiration smash the shit out of coastal Japan. Buildings are popping like matchsticks, countless people dying right in the midst of a this could be your life televised event. There is no sense of reality, no scale to theContinue reading “Escape To Where? – Article in latest White Horses Magazine”

I grew up surfing Pataua, a slick little river bar 100 metres off the coast of a drowsy settlement with the same name. There is a steep-sided hill at the entrance to the estuary, grass covered and with gnarled pohutukawa trees rooted to its clay slopes. The hill is an ancient pa site, or MaoriContinue reading “‘Gone’ – Article in ‘White Horses’ Magazine”

I am happy to admit that I don’t have much in common with gun American climber Mark Twight. While his attitude to alpinism is something akin to ‘go hard or die’, mine is more along the lines of ‘tread extra cautiously’. But I do buy into his ‘climb light, climb fast’ approach. In fact, tryingContinue reading “Arc’teryx Atom SV Hoody Review”

This is the second trailer for our ‘Backyard and Beyond’ climbing and video project. It profiles team member Shelley Hersey. The full video will be completed next year. Troy Mattingley and Tony Rac filmed and Tony did the editing. I did the writing and directing, and the music is by Joss Weatherby. ‘Backyard and Beyond’Continue reading “‘Backyard And Beyond’ second trailer”