My trusty MSR cooker must have boiled thousands of litres. A brush with immolation in 2006 meant it sported a slightly melted pump handle but I viewed this as a useful theft deterrent rather than a disability. Annual servicing maintained its reliability, as well as giving me the ability to reassemble its impressive array of tiny pieces.
So I was pretty surprised earlier this month when it experienced sudden and terminal failure. Blearily attempting to light the cooker on a Saturday morning at Atiwhakatu hut, I soon realised that fuel was flowing somewhat too liberally and in the wrong directions. Closer examination revealed that the plastic thread onto which the check value screws had snapped off, meaning it was impossible to get a seal between the pump and the fuel line. Most gear failures can be macgyvered away but not this one.
The silver lining was the presence of Hans’ Medium group in the same hut that morning. Without too much arm twisting, they agreed to loan us one of their two cookers. Even though, to Harry’s undoubted disappointment, we didn’t have enough fuel for multiple cups of tea that afternoon, spent listening to the rain come down on Mid King biv, we at least had a hot dinner.
Back in civilisation, I priced up a new pump but started to wonder about its “life-time guarantee”. I emailed Ampro, MSR’s New Zealand reseller, to relate my tale of faithful service and unexpected demise (perhaps usually I would have tried the shop first but the cooker had been purchased from the sadly departed Mainly Tramping). The next day I received a reply asking me to send them the pump. I enclosed a note explaining the long-standing but harmless nature of the melted handle and its lack of relationship to the current problem. But it’s fair to say I was not overly optimistic about a happy ending. I just hoped that, if rejected, they would send the pump back so I could cannibalise its parts.
Two days later, a new pump turned up on my doorstep, to my delight. And when I examined the packaging more closely, I saw they had thrown in a new heat shield as well. There are a few stories around at the moment of people returning faulty gear to certain shops and being told it must be sent back to Australia for assessment, adding frustrating days (even weeks) to the process. Service like Ampro’s reminds me that it’s not only where your gear is made, but who sells it to you and whether it is distributed by a New Zealand-based reseller that can make a difference.
Winter is here but that doesn’t mean hanging up your boots. We’ve got some interesting trips during the next month:
| 17-19 Jun Ruahine FP – Kashmir Rd | ||||
| Tramp | EM | Daphne hut | Jo Boyle | |
| Tramp | M | Howletts hut | Hans Wiskerke/ Mika Verheul |
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| Tramp | MF | Tunupo – Leon Kinvig | David Jewell | |
| Tramp | F | Black Ridge -Sawtooth – Howletts | Bernie Smithyman | |
A chance to check out the Eastern Ruahines, and possibly even some snow if you’re lucky, from the comfort of well-maintained and cozy huts.
| 24-26 Jun Lodge and Rimutaka FP | |||||
| Social | All | Lodge Solstice party | Donna Maher | ||
| Day | All | Lodge-based | Leader required | ||
| Family | All | Paua hut overnight | Rene Van Lierop | ||
Don’t miss the annual solstice party at the club lodge on Ruapehu – unless you want to stay at our other lodge-like hut in the Orongorongos.
1-3 Jul Kahurangi NP and Tararua FP
| Tramp | EM | Waitewaewae | Megan Banks | |||
| Day | EM | Butterfly Creek | Barbara Keenan | |||
Take a classic all-weather Tararua trip to the spacious Waitewaewae hut or head into the Eastbourne hills for the day.
The Heaphy MTB trip down on the schedule for this weekend has been put off till late September, due to a lack of early interest (bookings are needed well in advance). Get in touch with Pete Gent if you want to sign up, sooner rather than later.
| 8-10 Jul Ruapehu Lodge | |||||
| Day | E | Photography | Amelia White | ||
| Alp1 | M | Tongariro Crossing | Spencer Clubb | ||
| Instr | MF | Alp1 and Alp2 alpine refresher | Sharron Came | ||
| Family | All | Rimutaka Incline walk/MTB | Sarah Young | ||
| Family | All | Colonial Knob | Constanze Schwind | ||
Head to the lodge again for some photography or to sharpen your ice axe, climbing or crampon skills; family day trips offer more gentle adventure closer to home.
To book onto any of the trips above, come down to club on a Wednesday night to sign up on the board.