Icebreaker - Pure Merino

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

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

Hi guys - another year is ahead of us!  We’re back from a nice restful break over the holiday season, and are planning to make this year one of the best years in Icebreaker history.

We’re all thinking about what we want to achieve in the months ahead, and what new experiences and skills we want to discover not only for Icebreaker, but for ourselves personally.  What’s motivating you this year?  What new things do you want to discover?  And how are you going to make this year memorable and exceptional?  We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Check out a few of our staff members on the Xmas and New Year breaks, we love to get out and experience new and wonderful places, sometimes we even do it together - proving that Icebreaker is not only a great clothing system to wear, but an awesome culture to be a part of.

- Brooke Riley, Global Web Project Manager

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 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)

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the band new Icebreaker office in Germany and the also relatively new office in Czech Republic.

The main aim of the trip was to meet and train the finance managers…however it quickly became clear that the actual aims of the trip were to eat as much chocolate as possible as fast as possible, substitute water for beer and ride bikes.

On the first day at the office we had challenged each other to beat the world record Ferrero Rocher’s consumed in a minute. We needed to consume 8 to beat the record. Priding ourselves on being massive chocolate fans we thought this challenge would be effortless. In fact it is not! However it proved to be a very entertaining exercise.

Martina, the German Marketing Manger, and I fronted up to the touristy tour of Munich in the spring rain. After a strenuous 5km 3hr tour of Munich we found ourselves downing Weißbier like it was water…and with the tour guide who had made a habit extending the tour for Icebreaker girls into a German pub crawl.

The following morning, feeling a little under the weather I needed to rid myself of the evil jagermeister toxins. So I rode around the very picturesque Lake Stanrberg. It was an honest 50kms on a bike with a basket and no suspension. At the end of the trip I joined the brave few taking the first dip of the summer in the lake. The toxins were nearly gone and I started to feel human again.

For the last weekend in Europe, David the Czech Marketing Manager convinced me to enter a “about 50km” bike ride in the Czech mountains. Not being able to say no to energetic and enthusiastic David, I agreed. How hard could it be?

Let’s just say the next time I take on 70km mountain biking adventure, I might do a spot of training beforehand!

However the pain was more than offset by the amazing experience. The scenery was spectacular, through lush green forests. The views were fantastic from the mountain tops, over the Czech country side and into neighbouring Poland.

The beverages were graciously received, particularly the classic Czech beer at the end. And last but not least the Icebreaker team, encouraging, supportive the whole way. We had a few laughs, nearly a few tears, ate lots more chocolate and all passed the finish line with grins from ear to ear.

- Heidi Anderson, EU Finance Manager

On April 25, 2009 our two-man expedition reached its goal of skiing unsupported and unassisted to the North Pole. We are the first Americans to accomplish this feat, which has been called the ‘hardest trek on the planet.’

We knew that our success might just be dependent on our feet. We chose our socks carefully and loved the socks that Icebreaker provided for us! Our feet have never been happier on an expedition.

Together, the skier hyperlight and skier-midweight sock provided a very versatile layering system for our coldest days and our warmest ones. We had beautiful feet even at the very end.

The expedition took three years to plan. Our testing and research paid off. If we were to do the expedition over again we would have brought 97% of the same equipment.

Our 55-day expedition covered over 500 miles, faced -60 degree F temperatures, endless fields of ice rubble, open water and in the end a ceaseless southerly drift. During the exhausting sprint to the pole we slept only 3 of the final 66 hours of the expedition.

Our website www.northpole09.com contains our complete expedition blog and the most up to date news about the expedition project.

 - John Huston and Tyler Fish, Victorinox North Pole 09, the first American expedition to reach the North Pole unassisted and unsupported

In 2008, my boyfriend and I attempted a climb of Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe at an elevation of 5,642 metres. We had layered up in synthetic “quick dries”, down and waterproof shells. BIG MISTAKE! Soon after starting out on Summit day I was overheating like crazy. A violent storm blew in and ruined any hope of summit success that day.A year later, August 2009, the mountain called us back! Lessons learned - we went shopping for better layers! We discovered Icebreaker wool in a local shop in Calgary. The initial draw was the “no stink” advertising that came with the products so we picked up a couple of t-shirts to try out. During a Snow & Ice Climbing weekend on a glacier in Jasper, Ab we soon realized the bonus of body temperature regulation and quick dry features.

To prep for our second trip to Russia to conquer Ms Elbrus, we stocked up on Icebreaker products ranging from short sleeved t’s, long sleeved super lites, long sleeved heavy weights, pants and even a cute little black dress for nights on the town!

Our summit day started with temps falling below -20 degrees celcius! We summited the mountain shortly before noon and the UV rays were hitting hard! Stripping off the Goretex - our Icebreaker layers were enough to keep our temps regulated and our skin protected from the scorching sun! It’s pretty crazy when you’re praying to just make it below the clouds for some shade!

The products were fabulous! Base camp isn’t exactly the Ritz Carlton so when you haven’t showered for a few days that “no stink” feature really adds the value!

I would highly recommend the Icebreaker line for all athletic and outdoor activities. The range of weight in the products really makes it easy to dress for the elements!

Thanks Icebreaker!

- Shauna Spencer, Icebreaker Fan, Calgary, Alberta

1 month of enough bureaucratic red-tape to stop Genghis Khan in his tracks;

 3 days to get from Hong Kong to foot of the Altai Mountains in Western Mongolia;

 8 days of no showers, no roads, and nomads;

 6 days overland in a Russian minibus;

 3 days on horseback to the foot of the “Holy Five” mountains;

 1 night of drinking homemade goat’s milk vodka to cut the Siberian wind as the temperature drops to -8C;

 11 days far, far away from cities, cars, crowds and “civilisation”.

 …priceless.

- Timo Pape, Icebreaker Fan

I decided this year I wanted to do something completely different than my usual tourist holiday, so after a little searching, a four week volunteer stint in Borneo at an Orangutan rescue centre it was!

My home for the four weeks was in an eco-lodge in an area called Samboja Lestari, a regenerating 2,000-hectare forest reserve located in Eastern Borneo (the forest had totally been destroyed by fire prior to 2001).  As well as being a major reforestation project, Samboja Lestari is home to 52 Sun Bears and 225 Orangutans all who have been rescued from either deforestation or trade.

Not knowing what the conditions were going to be - day/night temperatures, availability of washing machines and how strict the dress code would be for females, Icebreaker seemed like the perfect travel companion.

I was all set for my flight in my cosy Bodyfit 260 and Rio pants.  I also took with me a 150 cami (perfect to sleep in), a Rio Hoodie, an Airport top as well as a couple of pairs of Lite Crew socks.  Why I took more than one pair of socks with me I don’t know, they are fantastic!  I did a little test and even with hot sweaty feet tucked into work boots all day long after eight days straight they still didn’t smell.  I was so impressed with them I gave my other pair to another volunteer, who put them to good test in her Welly’s - she loved them too!

One of the main objectives of our volunteer team was to provide daily enrichment to the orangutans.  The enrichment helps provide mental stimulation as they have to do something to get food and are then rewarded for their effort.  These included a variety of new food options, sometimes frozen into big ice blocks, making food parcels from hessian sacks or stuffing bamboo sticks.  They were fun to make and it was really rewarding to watch the Orangutans enjoy finding their treats.

This was an amazing experience for me and a big thanks to Icebreaker for providing some kiwi comfort.

- Jo Healey, Icebreaker Fan