Journal

Collection of our favourite stories, camps and general notes.

Just Peoples - A great initiative with a big impact - Common Goods
Just Peoples - A great initiative with a big impact
Just Peoples uses a crowd-based approach to raise funds from businesses and everyday New Zealanders to make a direct impact on global poverty. Started in 2015, they have already successfully... Read more...
Introducing Helko Werk - Premium German Made Axes - Common Goods
Introducing Helko Werk - Premium German Made Axes
Founded in 1844 by the Helsper family and originally known as the ‘Helsper Werezeugfabrik’. Hello Werk quickly earned a reputation as a manufacturer of premium quality axes, hatchets and forestry... Read more...
Knife Making in Barrytown - Common Goods
Knife Making in Barrytown
Thirty years ago, Robyn and Steven Martin chose Barrytown as their home and 15 years later they started offering workshops for people to make their own knives out of a... Read more...
How to Season a Forged Iron Pan - Common Goods
How to Season a Forged Iron Pan
Just like a cast iron pan or skillet, a forged iron pan must be seasoned before use. Seasoning an iron pan is absolutely essential, it prevents the pan from rusting... Read more...
Feuerhand Lanterns - The Story - Common Goods
Feuerhand Lanterns - The Story
The Feuerhand story begins in the 1870s in the Saxon Ore Mountains in Eastern Germany. Here, Hermann Nier, operating out of a small silverware workshop, made miners lamps and household... Read more...
Where we would rather be this long weekend - Common Goods
Where we would rather be this long weekend
New Zealand is officially two weeks into its nationwide lockdown and it’s exciting to see how well we’re flattening the infamous curve. Gratitude to Jacinda aside, we’re still a little... Read more...
The origins of the Rucksack - Common Goods
The origins of the Rucksack
Simple, durable, and steeped in heritage, the rucksack is more than a bag - it’s a symbol of adventure. Read more...
Vegetable Tanned Leather - and why we love it - Common Goods
Vegetable Tanned Leather - and why we love it
Vegetable tanned leather has been gaining awareness and popularity in recent years for a number of reasons. but the thing we love about it is the way that it changes... Read more...
Noteworthy tools for planning your next adventure - Common Goods
Noteworthy tools for planning your next adventure
There's a certain satisfaction in pouring over a worn old paper map, imagining yourself exploring valleys and crossing rivers. However, you can get a whole lot more information from a... Read more...
The Very Best DOC Campsites in the South Island - Common Goods
The Very Best DOC Campsites in the South Island
Living in New Zealand, we’re incredibly fortunate to have somewhere with such varied and spectacular landscapes to call home. However, the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) takes things further... Read more...
Choosing Better Campfire Cooking Sticks - Common Goods
Choosing Better Campfire Cooking Sticks
It’s no secret that we love campfire cooking and it's often the highlight of our adventure. However, it’s not just the deliciously crispy outer and smokey flavour of food cooked... Read more...
Father's Day Gift Guide - What to get the outdoorsman - Common Goods
Father's Day Gift Guide - What to get the outdoorsman
Fathers day is just around the corner and some will be starting to panic. What to get to get for dad to make up for all the for all the... Read more...
Why Waxed Canvas - Common Goods
Why Waxed Canvas
We field a lot of questions about waxed canvas and why we’re so keen on it. Sure we may be a little biased but there are many reasons why it's... Read more...
Finding those perfect secluded camp spots - Common Goods
Finding those perfect secluded camp spots
For us the enjoyment of camping depends entirely on finding the right spot - though often a challenging task, it is certainly worth the extra effort. While we’re not going... Read more...
Campfire Beer Damper on a Stick - Common Goods
Campfire Beer Damper on a Stick
Being big fans of campfire cooking, we were determined to once and for all work out the ultimate campfire damper recipe. After a multitude of campfires and meals cooked on sticks,... Read more...

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