Icebreaker - Pure Merino

Icebreaker is supporting the 2010 Czech Seakayak Expedition which sets off on the 24th of July to East Greenland. Here is a short update from the team prior to their departure:

The first Czech seakayak-expedition in the coastal areas of East Greenland has the ambition to journey about 200-kilometers in the system of local fjords and islands.

Greenland is a place where local residents (Inuits) have been using kayaks as an aid in hunting whales and seals for over two thousand years. We’d like to meet them and compare our experiences. For this purpose, we developed a completely new type of sport seakayak.

Areas that we´d like to visit are some of the most photogenic parts of the planet, so the whole project is designed not only as a sport, but also  as an ethnographic and documentary expedition. The expedition has already had lots of media interest in magazines, newspapers, and for talks on radio stations.

Icebreaker has provided us with premium quality merino underwear to keep us toasty warm in severe conditions of the Greenland. BF150 and BF260 tops and leggings paired with brand new RealFleece jackets and super, super warm and comfortable Hike socks will be our best fellows on the trip.

The three experienced paddlers on the team are:

Petr Novotný: photographer and journalist (more than 200 professional travel and outdoor publications in several journals in the country); organizer and popularizer of many first sea kayaking expeditions (including I. Czech expedition to Iceland 2002, as many others – almost always the first ones – trips to the region Skagerrak, Stocholm skargard, Aland – Sweden, Sardinia, Corsica, Cyclad islands – Greece, Costa Rica, Panama, Tasmania, Madeira). A former contestant on a wild Water (USK Praha Dukla Brandys), an international instructor rafting and canoeing IRF trip leader.

Standa Klokočník: Author and designer of the Czech-art prototype sea kayak. Instructor Guide and the sea kayaking, since 2003, passed 22 missions.

Jan Kolanda: Long-term representative of the Czech Republic in the many water sports; Canoe racing – multiple champion and participant in the World Cup marathon, the participant surfski Ocean Racing Australia, quadriathlon – world champion and winner of several World Cup races. Participant in a number of sea kayaking expeditions. Professional guide in Australia and the Pacific.

Check out the photos below of preparations and stay tuned for an update on their expedition.

I was lucky enough to have dinner last week with the inspiring Robert Swan OBE, the first man in history to walk to both the South and North Poles.  Robert is doing amazing work internationally raising awareness around the issues of environmental responsibility and global warming.  He is heading back to the South Pole in 2012, and will be testing our Icebreaker gear over the next wee while to find the best garments to wear on his journey.

Robert was very inspiring, a real leader who has shown that individuals have the power to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals through perseverance, determination and commitment.  He told us tales from his travels, about his adventures in the North Pole and how it was much more treacherous than the South (as the ice was full of holes and he had to be very wary of the Polar Bears).

We discussed how the effect of the North Pole melting would not raise sea water levels (as it is floating ice and therefore already displaced).  And that the real threat was the South Pole, which could raise levels catastrophically – hence the reason for his 2012 trip.

Over the course of dinner we found out that Robert studied ancient history, so we decided it would only be fair to drink some whilst we were dining.  Our host environmentalist expert and wine buff Rob Morrison, produced a 1947 Chateau Latour, which wine buffs will know was a very good year from one of the leading cellars in Bordeaux.  I’ve never drunk anything older than myself, and it was quite an experience… one which I can’t quite afford to repeat just yet, so it’s back to selling more merino for me.

We’re proud that Robert will be wearing Icebreaker on his expedition back to the South Pole and will keep you all posted on his journey.

Jeremy Moon, CEO & Founder – Icebreaker

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