Outdoor Gear Best Sellers: The Lifejackets, Machetes and Work Lights Kiwis Are Buying Now

Spring is here, the days are stretching out and plenty of Kiwis are getting the boat, the bach and the section ready for summer. So we went back through the last 90 days of real orders in our Outdoor Gears range to see what people have actually been buying. This time the list splits neatly in two: lifejacket gear for the first trips out on the water, and tools and lighting for clearing scrub and working on into the evening. Here are five genuine recent best sellers.

1. Response Manual Inflatable Life Jacket 150N - Red/Black

This is the top seller across the whole Outdoor Gears range over the last three months. The Response Manual Inflatable is a lightweight, low-profile 150N jacket built for everyday boating, fishing and family outings. One pull on the toggle inflates it, there's a backup oral inflation tube, and a single-point indicator lets you check it's ready at a glance. A neoprene neckline keeps it comfortable for long days on the water, and the fabric is made to stand up to rope, tackle and general knocking about. It's a universal size for anyone 40kg and over. Boaties, kayak fishers and families buy it because it's the kind of lifejacket you'll actually keep on all day.

Price: $129 - Response Manual Inflatable Life Jacket 150N. Browse all Life Jackets & Vests.

2. Response 33 Gram Lifejacket Re-Arm Bottle

The quiet achiever on this list. This is a 33 gram CO2 gas bottle for re-arming manual 150N life jackets. If your jacket has been fired, whether it was a real dunking or a test pull, it needs a fresh cylinder before it's ready to go again. A lot of people pick one up at the start of the season while they're checking over their gear, and it's well worth having a spare in the boat bag. Check the cylinder size on your own jacket before you order.

Price: $22.49 - Response 33g Lifejacket Re-Arm Bottle.

3. Lasher 368 Pattern Machete with Poly Handle

Machetes are always strong sellers here, and the Lasher 368 is the well-priced all-rounder people keep choosing. It's a curved, general-purpose machete made from 2mm hardened and tempered carbon steel, 420mm long, with a durable polypropylene handle moulded straight onto the blade so there's nothing to work loose. Gardeners, growers, lifestyle block owners and campers use it for scrub clearing, horticulture and general cutting back, and it's a handy everyday tool for families in the Pacific Islands too. Made in South Africa.

Price: $39.99 - Lasher 368 PTN Machete. More in Household & Garden Tools, Axes & Machetes.

4. GoLock Jungle Machete 13 inch with Beechwood Handle

For those who want something heavier, the GoLock is a 13 inch heavy-bladed jungle machete with a German beechwood handle. Wooden handles are light and warm in the hand, give a good grip, and you can shape them with a sander to suit your own grip. It's well suited to agricultural work and the tougher clearing jobs where a lighter blade would bounce off.

Price: $69.99 - GoLock Jungle Machete 13 inch.

5. KickAss Ultra Bright Magnetic LED Work and Camping Light 1800 Lumen

Rounding out the list is a light that earns its keep at the campsite and the workshop. The KickAss puts out 1800 lumens, sits on a 360-degree adjustable stand, and has a strong magnetic base that sticks to metal for hands-free lighting under a bonnet, on a trailer or inside a shed. There are several brightness settings plus an SOS mode, it's tripod-ready, and the built-in 8000mAh battery charges over USB-C and doubles as a power bank for your phone. It's IPX4 rated, so splashes and light rain aren't a problem.

Price: $117.99 - KickAss 1800 Lumen Magnetic LED Light. More camp gear in Camping & Outdoor Equipment.

Also popular

Machete fans should also look at the Martindale #F227 jungle machete ($55.99), with its 4mm British steel "Crocodile" blade first designed in WWII, and the Xcel 400mm stainless machete ($46.99). Caravanners have been picking up the Milenco MGI giant double step ($160.99) as well.

Browse our full range at actionoutdoors.kiwi.