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
