Icebreaker - Pure Merino

Hi everyone my name is Randy Schultz and I am writing to tell of an amazing adventure I have recently been on.

Two months ago a dream of mine came true. I was invited to join a team of elite athletes to go north of the Arctic Circle to spend 28 days living in tents on ice and climbing mountains to reach the summits so that we could jump off!

I am a Canadian BASE jumper and this wonderful area was not only one of my highest priority destinations but also a very rare opportunity to explore a northern region of my incredible home, Canada.

The trip by no means was easy or very comfortable, but more than anything it was completely amazing and fulfilling.

The trip started as such, Kamloops to Ottawa then private charter to Iqaluit and onto Clyde River, one of the last most northern habitations in Baffin Island. We spent a quick night there setting up tents on the frozen tundra, with a slap in the face realization of where we were. Two tents with bags in them lifted off the ground and flew a couple hundred feet away twirling like leaves in the wind. This wonderful place is truly rugged.

With an early rise and some boiled snow and dehydrated food we were on the snowmobiles and Kamoteks (special Inuit sleighs). A five to six hour ride across the tundra and ice fields guided at this point by wise Inuit guides. We stop for an excellent lunch of Arctic Char and Bannock right beside my first iceberg, beautiful and blue looming thirty feet out of the frozen ocean.

A couple hours later we arrived, mind blown, as the land had gone from flat to five thousand foot shear walls of glorious proportion. I have lived in the mountains most my life and travel to mountainous regions often but I have never seen such a display of our ice age, smooth paths carved into the mountains straight to the ocean. And not just a few - as far as you can see all around you. I was in a living piece of my own heaven.

We joined up with the other half of our team who had arrived the day before due to the amount of gear and size of group. We set up our tents and the team shut down, we all know tomorrow is jump day.

Our camp is situated right below some amazing 3500 foot cliffs with summits not far off, just a few hours to reach. As I lay going to sleep I realize how truly stoked I am to have geared myself the way I did, the wind blowing, the freezing cold setting in, and me comfy in my tent warm and safe from the elements.

For this I need to thank Icebreaker for my base layers, as well Taiga for my outer layers and sleeping bag, and Hillsound crampons for grip on ice later in the trip (so necessary for safety), and all my friends and family that helped me so much to make this trip a possibility. Thank you all for believing in your friends and sons dream.

In total - I climbed 18 mountains, 70000 vertical with 17 flights! This trip brought me so much, I am extremely grateful for my safe experience of this truly amazing rarely touched piece of our country and world…..YAHOO FREEDOM!

Below I have attached a link to our groups slide show compilation of our trip, put together by a fellow jumper and personal friend Douggs, it gives a view of our adventures, experiences, friendships, hikes, flights and camp site.

I hope it finds you all entertainment.

Baffin Island Photo slideshow 2010 from douggs on Vimeo.

-Randy Schultz, Canadian BASE Jumper and Icebreaker fan

Icebreaker was featured on Shaw Television’s (Vancouver) show Urban Rush on November 17, 2009. On the show the Fall Winter 2009 clothing line was presented. Director of Marketing, Deb Boswell, speaks about the benefits of Merino clothing and the superior fabric that is chosen for Icebreaker clothing.

We asked the Canadian team to take a photo of themselves - here they are clowning around in some of our latest garments. The guys are wearing Bodyfit+ from our Winter 2009 collection, and the girls are sporting brand new Superfine tee’s from the upcoming Summer collection (2010).

A pure-bred Icebreaker baby, 16 month old Mila Poppy Culpitt (born to Rosie and Jem - both long term Icebreaker New Zealand employees) was seen sporting her Icebreaker Kids Rascal Hoodie in the car park at the Treble Cone opening day on Saturday 27^th June.  Don’t worry about the apparent lack of snow in the photo - there was PLENTY and heaps of Icebreaker to be seen on the bodies of the people enjoying the sun, fresh air and the snow!  At any time of the day, Mila can be found racing across the lawn, living room or lakeside path on her blue car… her favourite mode of transport, and the best thing is she’s both warm and comfy wrapped in her Icebreaker.

More adventures of Mila in Icebreaker to follow soon…

At Icebreaker, we know how to party. So it’s no surprise that a recent launch event held for New Zealand media in Auckland was noisy, raucous and action-packed.

Our models hammed it up on stage, throwing killer “blue steel” looks from the catwalk and treating guests to outrageous twirls, spins and dips. They even formed a human pyramid to show their commitment to Icebreaker’s athletic, outdoor image.

CEO Jeremy Moon had a great time telling everyone about Icebreaker, and a grower had a yarn about his merino sheep.

Guests were given a cool new Bodyfit+ top, and used our online traceability programme, Baacode, to trace the merino fibre in their new garment through the supply chain and right back to the farm where it was grown.

The Ramatour - our sexy mascot - was a hit with female guests, and everyone loved watching Junior range models Leo (five) and Scarlet (six) strut their stuff on the catwalk. We also showcased our Bodyfit+ and Icebreaker_GT ranges at the event.

Guests enjoyed snacking from their bags of sheep poo - which, you’ll be relieved to hear, were actually chocolate-covered raisins. Equally delicious were cocktails from 42Below canapés from Mint Kitchen, and the models serving them (all clad in our Nature and Beast underwear ranges).

Check out the pics of the event - you’ll love them.

We love being the first people to wear our new garments, so it was no surprise there was a bit of an uproar when the new Fall/Winter 09 Bodyft+ range hit our warehouse last month.

There’s always a bit of a race to see who’s the office trendsetter for the season, and this time was no different. Camo is definitely in, and Brooke and Jacob showed us how cool the gear really is.

We get to head away to some pretty exciting places when we shoot our new clothing ranges. And for the last couple of years we’ve managed to take some nice footage along the way.

We’ve had some memorable experiences on these trips, including a car crash in the back blocks of India, photographing our models surrounded by bodyguards in Sao Paulo, and climbing up tree’s to relieve ourselves on the shores of the Amazon so the infamous ‘penis fish’ didn’t make their mark on our journey.

Icebreaker Superfine Journey - Brazil Summer 09

Our Spring/Summer 09 Journey to Brazil is worth checking out.  We were amazed by the breathtaking landscape and wildlife of the Amazon, not to mention the copious amount of cheap caprihana’s we drunk along the way.  Maybe you can tell by the shakiness of the camera in some of the shots!

Icebreaker Photoshoot - Mt Aspiring Winter 09

We shoot our Fall/Winter ranges in the home of Icebreaker clothing - the Southern Alps of NZ.  Take a look at some of the crazy locations we have to shoot in this video - we’re on the edge of cliffs, sleeping in sheep station woolsheds over night, and even have our models swimming in ice cold water just so they can get another top to keep (dedication!).

Join us on our journey’s.