This will be the last gear highlight for our Hardangervidda crossing. Navigating the unknown terrain safely and limiting risks as far as possible is a priority for us. Much like Amundsen, we want to plan the adventure out of our expedition. Here’s what we are bringing for navigation, personal safety, risk mitigation and some other tools and gadgets.
Polar exploration isn’t all about skiing for hours on end. We will spend the majority of our time inside or around our tent. Getting our camp routine and equipment right is just as important as being a capable skier. This gear highlight is going to be a big one. We are going to go over the majority of kit we need when we’re not on the move: the tent and tent equipment, sleeping gear, cooking equipment and food and drink.
We’re done with our clothing now, and we are moving on to our primary means of transportation: skiing and man-hauling. It’s much easier to use a sled to carry our gear than putting it in a rucksack, as we’ll likely have around 35kg of equipment. This gear highlight will tell you what skiing and pulk equipment we have.
Following the layer principle, this time we are going to talk about our outer layers. There are two types of layers to add above the mid-layers: windproof shells, and warmth layers. The shells protect us from the elements and help to stop wind and snow, basically like a rain jacket. They are usually lightweight and don’t add any insulation themselves. While we are on the move, we will usually not wear any additional layers, but once we stop, we need to at least add a down jacket to prevent us from cooling down too fast. The head and hands are our body parts requiring the most additional protection from the elements. Our head, because you lose a lot of heat if you don’t cover it, and of course because our eyes, mouth, and nose sit there. And our hands, because they are exposed to the wind and snow a lot and thus freeze most easily.
In this week’s gear highlight, we are going to cover our mid layers used for skiing and camping. Usually, while skiing, we will not wear that many insulated layers, likely only a fleece jacket over our merino base layers. That’s because we want to avoid sweating too much at all costs, since sweating means you have to dry your base layers. After pitching the tent, the mid layers become a different story, though. We are usually throwing on at least a heavy wool jumper and maybe insulated trousers, because we won’t be moving that much, and thus will freeze more easily.
Today we are starting a weekly series to present the kit we are going to use on our Hardangervidda crossing at the end of January. Each week’s post will deal with one (more or less) well-defined category of gear. We will explain why we are bringing it, and why we are choosing that particular brand, if there is a specific reason. This weeks post will deal with base layers and socks.
A well-prepared first aid and emergency kit should be part of every single one of your trips. Seriously, never go out without one. Of course what exactly you take is not always the same, and needs to be adjusted to the nature of your adventure. If you do not have a first aid kit, yet, a good starting point is to look at ready-made kits, which are available from many brands. You should seek to get a kit tailored to your activity. If you are going hiking, get a hiking kit. Climbing? Get a climbing kit. You get the idea. Potential injuries and their respective treatments are particular to your activity, as are requirements for kit access and weight. If you can’t find one, get a general outdoors kit.