Outdoor Gear Best Sellers: The Thermettes, Towing Mirrors, Machetes and Dive Tools Kiwis Are Buying Now

The summer holidays are getting close. Caravans are coming out of storage, boats are getting their pre-season once-over and plenty of us are already planning a few days at the campground or the bach. We went through the last 90 days of real orders in our Outdoor Gears range to see what Kiwis are buying to get ready. Here are five genuine recent best sellers, from a Kiwi classic to a tiny gas bottle that matters more than you would think.

1. Thermette Copper Kettle, NZ Made

Our headline pick, and no surprise. The Thermette is a true New Zealand icon, invented and made here. It uses a cone-shaped copper water jacket around a small fire, so a few twigs and a bit of paper get your water boiling in under five minutes. This one is solid copper and comes with a stainless steel cooking ring and a galvanised fire ring. Campers, hunters, fishers and anyone who loves a long lazy picnic buy it because it just works, and it is built to last a lifetime. It also makes a great Christmas present for the outdoors person who has everything.

Price: $199 - View the Thermette copper kettle | More in Camping Equipment

2. Milenco Platinum Grand Aero Towing Mirrors

The busiest seller of these five over the last three months. If you tow a caravan or a wide trailer, you need to see past it, and these mirrors clamp onto your existing vehicle mirrors to give you that view. The Platinum Grand Aero is the larger version of the Aero design, made for the tapered mirror housings on many modern vehicles. Rubber-faced, spring-loaded stainless gripper plates form to the shape of the mirror, the clamp takes housings up to 25mm thick, and the arm has enough reach for caravans up to 2.55 metres wide. Caravanners and motorhome towers getting set for summer road trips are the main buyers.

Price: $230 - View the Milenco Platinum Grand Aero mirrors | More in Milenco Caravan Accessories

3. Response 33 Gram Life Jacket Re-Arm Bottle

A small part with a big job. This is a 33 gram CO2 gas bottle for re-arming manual 150N inflatable life jackets. If your jacket has been fired, or the bottle is part of your pre-season check, this is what you need to get it back in service. Boaties who look after their own gear buy these when servicing their inflatables before summer, and plenty of people grab a spare to keep in the boat. Check your jacket's manual to make sure it takes a 33 gram bottle before you order.

Price: $22.49 - View the Response 33g re-arm bottle | More in Life Jackets & Vests

4. Martindale #14 Jungle Machete, 450mm Wood Handle

A proper long machete for proper clearing. The Martindale "Crocodile" blade is hot rolled British steel, with a tapered section that improves chopping and three grooves on each face to help free the blade from sapwood. It has a straight 450mm (18 inch) blade and a riveted German beech handle, and it is made in the UK. Lifestyle block owners, farmers and anyone cutting back an overgrown section before the holidays buy it because it is light for its size and chops well. Machetes like this are everyday tools across the Pacific Islands too.

Price: $40.60 - View the Martindale #14 machete | More in Garden Tools, Axes & Machetes

5. Sea Harvester Paua Knife Measure Tool

For divers heading out for a feed this summer. This NZ-made plastic tool slides under the paua to break the suction rather than prying it off the rock, so it does less damage than a metal knife. It also lets you size the paua on the spot, so you can check it against the minimum size rules and put undersized ones straight back where you found them. Recreational divers who want to harvest responsibly buy it, and at this price it is an easy add-on to a dive kit. Always check the current MPI rules for your area before you go.

Price: $13.99 - View the paua knife measure tool | More in Diving Equipment & Footwear

Also popular

Just behind these five: the 16 inch stainless steel machete with sheath ($59.99, sold to over-18s only), the Response P100 3XL-4XL yellow life jacket ($98.99) for bigger adults, and the MAF Mad About Fishing cooler bag ($125.06) for keeping the catch cold on the way home. You will find more in our Storage Bags & Backpacks range.

Whether you are towing the van, servicing the life jackets or boiling the billy at the campground, these are the bits Kiwis are actually buying right now.

Browse our full range at actionoutdoors.kiwi