Icebreaker - Pure Merino

During my time at Snowgum (an Icebreaker dealer in Australia) I’ve succumbed to an addiction so many people share. I can’t stop buying Icebreaker.

As an elite athlete the equipment you use becomes as habitual as the training routines you follow. This usually means that when I buy something to train with I use it until it truly dies. Thankfully I’ve managed to save quite a bit of money by using the seemingly invincible Icebreaker shirts, socks and jocks. Except now I am spending more money than ever before because my Icebreaker clothing is being “borrowed” by the people I train with.

It usually happens when I get to an event and it is pouring with rain and my “friends” haven’t brought proper clothing, or when there is a minimum requirement for safety gear and it hasn’t been met.

“Callum would you mind if I borrowed that shirt again? I forgot my warm gear”.

“Oh yeah cheers for lending that top Callum I’ll give it back after I wash it”…

“Lucky you had that jumper spare Callum. They wouldn’t let me run without it”.

These are just a few of the quotes I can remember from occasions when I have permanently lent my Icebreaker gear. The kind of thing I compensate for now by bringing along extra clothing wherever I go.

So now I have very little Icebreaker and a severely depleted bank account from constantly trying to replace gear that “must of gotten lost in the wash”. I’m going to have to give up endurance sports or win the lottery soon just to satisfy my addiction and the one my running mates now share.

I live and train in Squamish, BC, Canada. It is claimed “the outdoor recreation capital of Canada”, and I am about to tell you why. I am a Junior Canadian biathlete (cross country skiing and shooting) training as a member of the Biathlon BC High Performance Team. With minimal funding for sport in Canada, our team is constantly searching for inexpensive but effective training opportunities.

Every fall season, the biggest struggle for our sport is to get as many on-snow training hours as possible. The benefits of skiing on snow at this time of year have to be considered against cost and difficulty to get there. I think we found the perfect solution.

The access road started about 2 km from my house, and travels straight into the surrounding mountains. It was foggy when I woke up, and no snow on the ground. In a matter of about 2 hours, my coach and I were hiking thru ankle deep snow, with our ski equipment and clothes for three days.

I’ll let the pictures do the talking, but it was about a 13km hike to Elfin Shelter (where we stayed for 2 nights). It was another 6 km to Bishop Glacier, where we found near perfect crust skiing! It was the biggest open glacier I had ever seen, and provided hours and hours of exploring.  After the morning session, we would stop for lunch, and hang up our clothing to dry, before heading out again for the afternoon. I was so thankful to be wearing my Icebreaker Alpine socks. I would take them off from a two hour ski and in 20 minutes in the sun, they were dry and ready to be skied in again. I had more than one pair, obviously, but I used them for everything. The compression around the shin and calf lead for better muscle control during skiing. While on break, the same compression actually helped in quicker leg recovery.  Try, if you don’t believe me!

Back to my story, it wasn’t so much as ski training as it was an adventure! It felt amazing to be the only people in the mountains, and still only 30 km out of Squamish. My coach and I trained there for three days before making our trek back down to the real world. I went on that season to win three gold medals at Canadian Championships and attend my first ever World Junior Championships.

- Matt Neumann, Biathlete

I have just finished 7 weeks of straight ski racing that took me through 6 different countries around the world.  Icebreaker was with me the entire time whether it was for my morning warm up jog or keeping me warm while hitting jumps at 50 MPH.

To go my fastest while racing I strip down to my team jersey, if I didn’t have Icebreaker on as my baselayer I don’t think my head would be half as clear, because it allows me to focus on the task at hand rather than the freezing temperatures.  After a long day training or racing I can put on a clean layer and wear it to team dinner or media conference because the styles are just that cool.

Thank you Icebreaker!

PS:  If you want to win a trip to Whistler click here to enter the Langley McNeal Ski Cross Challenge!

- Langely McNeal

I am writing to thank Icebreaker for making high quality clothing that also looks great.I graduated from the College of Charleston in South Carolina last summer and on July 4th made the decision to pack up my car and tour the USA. One month later I was standing on the side of the road in San Jose, CA staring at my totaled car wondering how I was going to continue my travels. How would I get there? What was I going to do with everything I had packed for the journey?

I decided to sell my things, buy a backpack, and keep going. I knew that if I was going to keep going with no clear plan, I should travel as light as possible. While researching travel clothing, I read a review on Icebreaker products and decided to take a chance on a Long Sleeve Bodyfit 200 shirt.

When I tried it on I was pleased to find that in addition to not being itchy or hot in the summer weather it also looked great on me. After wearing the it for only a week I had already received many compliments on how nice my shirt looked.

One month later, the shirt was keeping me warm when it was cold and comfortable when it was warm, whether I was standing at the top of Mauna Kea in Hawaii or walking down the street in Savannah, GA.  When I got drenched at Niagara Falls, I found that the warmth didn’t leach out of my body like it would have with a cotton shirt. An additional benefit was that it dried incredibly quickly.

One year later, I had traveled across 25 states, 4 Canadian provinces from September 2008 to September 2009 and worn my Icebreaker shirt every day. Despite the long and frequent wear and washings, the shirt still fits like a glove, looks good and is in great shape.

Never in my life have I been so completely satisfied with a clothing purchase. I am now living in Los Angeles and looking for permanent work, so I have to wear working attire but as soon I can get some income together I am going to purchase more icebreaker shirts so that I can be comfortable and look great in my off time.

Thank you so much for making such a great shirt. I don’t normally write to companies about their products, but this purchase experience was so good that I felt compelled to do so in this circumstance. I have never made a clothing purchase that has impacted my life is such a positive manner and I appreciate it.

I am including pictures of myself in the shirt in a variety of the locations that I traveled to. Some of the locations are more urban than your typical client might travel to but I think this speaks to the versatility of the shirt.

- Drew Buzzell, Icebreaker Fan, Los Angeles, CA

Hey guys - we love hearing your Icebreaker stories and checking out pictures of you in our gear.

Feel free at anytime to send your comments, stories, ideas and photos to: blog@icebreaker.com   We’d love to share it on our Blog and with other Icebreaker-ites.

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Hi Team Icebreaker,

In September last year we were the recipients of some Icebreaker garments from your “Share the Love” initiative.  “Share the Love” gives Icebreaker to people who are making a difference to nature and to each other.  We took our two new merino garments to the Californian High Sierra on a 300km long expedition following the ridge of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Our aim was to use the trip as a vehicle to explore and communicate (through an educational package we designed) the many branches of science that can be experienced when spending time in nature.   Both of us have spent years working in New Zealand’s wild places and both feel a strong connection to the physical environment around us.  The dream of creating an educational package where participants learn in a multi disciplinary way while undertaking an expedition was the real nuts and bolts of our trip.

We wanted to say a big thank you for providing the most dependable garment of our wardrobes!  We stayed warm, cosy and happy throughout the trip and especially appreciated the fantastic warmth to weight ratio of our tops.

We have attached some photos from our trip showing the garments in action.

Thanks again for supporting our adventure.

- Andy Clifford and Ness Smith

Dear Icebreaker,We are the band Longital and this is our story which we would like to share with you:

When we decided to focus on music full-time in 2001, we felt like we were going to explore an unknown territory, and therefore our first steps led us to outdoor shops where we bought the “non-music” gear.

Since then we have released 8 albums, started our own music label and toured 12 countries in Europe. We play about 90 live shows annually in different climatic conditions, traveling by trains or plane so we need to pack electronic equipment, CDs and clothes in small suitcases.

A live gig for the musician is something like an extreme sport, with sudden changes of temperature and humidity. One year ago we came across Icebreaker and since then we have got a new piece from the catalogue almost every month!

We played a tour of Czech republic in October completely in Icebreaker underwear and our singer/bass player has based her image completely on Icebreaker.

I secretly tested the durability of an Icebreaker Bodyfit shirt without washing it for the whole month and the shirt was still OK after 20 shows!

Icebreaker has become an indispensable friend at our travels and also during shows. Thank you for that.

Here is our song for you: http://www.longital.com/gloria/zrkadlo.mp3

- Dano Salontay, Longital, Icebreaker Fan

www.longital.com
www.myspace.com/longital
www.facebook.com/longital

The sky has just started to change from totally darkness towards twilight. The morning hours are upon us, and we’ve been climbing through the whole night. We continue up a steep corner covered with snow and loose rocks, before meeting a new area of compact snow and an other endless uphill. There is not much strength left, but after a short break we start again, putting one foot in front of the other. The speed is slow and we are totally exhausted. A few steps and you’re out of breath forced to take a new break.

But suddenly………behind the snow drift……….it emerges……..a massive pyramid of snow covered with beautiful prayer flags stretched out in all directions of the sky.

WE´VE MADE IT….!!!!!!!!! The summit……..just in front of us………a few more yards and we’re at the top of the world…. A feeling so indescribable that there is no words, which can express our emotions. In a great rush of extreme happiness mixed with laughter and tears, we’re fighting our way the last couple of yards towards the summit and hand in hand we’re climbing up standing on top of the world…..

The sun is once again rising in the horizon and fills our smiling faces with warmth and unveils probably the most beautiful view ever seen by humans.

“People need to climb the mountain not simply because it is there. But because the soulful divinity needs to be mated with the human spirit.”
- Dalai Lama

We are forever thankful for all the great Icebreaker products and support given to us and helping us fulfilling this amazing adventure….

Best wishes from Norway
- Petter Nyquist and Lars Oma Erichsrud, Icebreaker Fans

The ultimate fashion faux-pas is wearing the same outfit as someone else.  I thought an Icebreaker top would be a safe choice in Munford, England (an arse-end town in the middle of nowhere). Turns out I was wrong.  We are everywhere.  Fantastic.

- Dave Anderson, Chief Financial Officer (the one on the left, with his new mate Gus)

Keeping active and having fun with good friends is an essential part of life.

I am so fortunate to hang out with a group of adventurous women who enjoy physically challenging activities. These ladies embrace the outdoors– even in cold climates — through hiking, biking and skiing.

The activities are not only fun but contribute to our positive physical and mental health (not to mention good looks).

The group photo taken on a mountain top illustrates the personal pleasure and rewards of an extreme climb.

Playing outdoors at any age is not fun when you are cold and wet. Icebreaker clothing has been a good choice as it is attractive, comfortable and helps to keep you warm and dry.

- Lorna Bailie, Icebreaker Fan, Tremblant Trekkers