| ESSENTIAL gear |

1

TENT Hilleberg Keron GT 4 with snow valances

£800/5.2 KILOGRAMS

Tunnel tents are quick and easy to pitch and strike, as the poles can be left in situ and the tent just rolled up around them. Hillebergs are spacious inside and have a good reputation for durability in tough conditions

4

BALACLAVA Outdoor Research

Gorilla £30/86 GRAMS With a removable chin-flap and nose piece, this is an extremely versatile bit of kit that protects the face from exposure. It comes in three sizes for men and women: our Jamaican team member needed a larger size to accommodate her impressive dreadlocks

6

BREAKFAST Otter Valley Power

Porridge £3.50/500 GRAMS Power Porridge is a mixture of oats, seeds and whole grains. It provides all the goodies (such as vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and fibre) that are so hard to pack into an expedition diet. Wheat-, nut- and dairy-free with no added salt or fat

2

TOILET BAGS Brief Relief Disposa-John

£2.70/63 GRAMS

A self-contained bag for liquid and solid waste. Double-lined, with a secure zip-lock closure, each bag contains polymers and enzymes that turns faeces into a deodorised gel. The bag can be disposed of in the same way as any waste destined for landfill

TENOFTHEBEST

The Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth

Antarctic Expedition comprised an eclectic mix of eight women from around the world on a 38-day journey through inhospitable conditions to the South Pole. In order to keep this multinational team warm, comfortable and happy, an eclectic mix of clothing, kit and food was required. Here is a selection of the expedition’s essential items,

from tents and toilet bags to timepieces and tasty meals

Don’t forget… ...to take plenty of moisturiser with you. The air in Antarctica is very dry, and dry skin is more prone to cold injury

NEXT MONTH: YUKON ARCTIC ULTRA RACE

3

SLEEPING MAT Multimat Summit XL

£42/355 GRAMS

After a long day hauling sledges, a good sleep is essential. Inflatable mats carry the risk of puncture,

so durable solid-foam mats are preferable. Sleep on two of these mats and you’ll never know that you’re lying on ice

5

WINDPROOF CLOTHING Montane Featherlite smock £45/100 GRAMS This was the item of equipment that the whole team raved about after the expedition. It has been pared down to the basics but is extremely effective. On most days in Antarctica,

we wore just a thermal layer with this windproof over the top

7

WATCH North of Denmark

SubZero GMT

£222/25 GRAMS During the Antarctic summer, there is 24-hour daylight, and the sun simply circles in the sky. A watch is essential to keep track of the hours and days. The watch we used is tested to –40°C, keeps track of multiple time zones and has scratchresistant glass

8

HAT

Chocolate Fish merino-possum beanie

£20/50 GRAMS

These beanie hats – 60 per cent merino, 40 per cent possum fur – are warm and comfortable. They are double layered and long enough to cover ears and the back of the neck. We also also used them to cover our eyes while sleeping to block out the 24-hour daylight

9

DINNER Fuizion freeze-dried food

£7/120 GRAMS

The excitement on seeing a real vegetable after a long day skiing can’t be overstated. These are the best dehydrated expedition meals I’ve ever tasted. I can particularly recommend the Kung Po Chicken. Fuizion is also the only UK supplier of halal expedition meals

72 www.geog raphical.co.uk JANUARY 2011

10

12V SOLAR PANEL Flexcell Sunpack solar charger

£120/500 GRAMS

Being able to recharge batteries is critical, because losing power to a satellite telephone can mean the end of your expedition. The Flexcell Sunpack was easy to use, durable and reliable. It uses a universal cigarette lighter connection

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