We had a decent  list of kit that we wanted to get right for this big trip, and some things that were on our wishlist for a while. This has less to do with all these shiny new gimmicks that we eyed a couple of years ago and more with real gaps and improvements to our gear that we uncovered during previous trips. After all, we have been traveling for a while now.

Although we had some troubles, our decision to go for the Touratech Compañero suit was never much in question. My one fits nicely, but because it is not easy to get and Nina’s first try with the size was miles off, we decided to leave this till we stop by at Touratech Australia and try them on until the right size is found.

Now, about those nutshells: We had two contenders for helmets, based on recommendation and research.

Luckily, a local shop was stocking both of them. For New Zealand, that is like hitting jackpot! After the issues with the suits we did not want to go for anything without trying it on.

Let’s start with the Aventuro then: It is light – oh wow is it light. A carbon shell and full-on adventure helmet, neither one of us felt really comfortable with the shape. Maybe it is the head shape they are designed for or just that they are a bit more basic rather than comfortable. So, amazing helmet, but not for us.

The C3 pro (or C3 pro Women for Nina) on the other hand … ohh … heaven. It fits very snug yet oh so comfortable. The flip front is easy to use, we like chin straps with buckles instead of D-rings and we have not yet met anyone who owns one and is disappointed with it.

That was it, pretty much. Unfortunately, NZ has a real issue with getting Schuberth helmets in stock, so the store could not get us two of the same colour, even with a month and a half lead time. So with a heavy heart, the internet it has to be. This time armed with the right model and size though …