Arctic 2010 Exped attendees discussions

[gingerscot]

Thanks guys,

Belt: I didn't think of that yeh, okay that makes sense as well as the knives and link. You can tell we've never had much experience with knives!

Bivvi bag: There's no problem getting a bivvi bag (which one yet i'm not sure) but I was under the impression that we'll be sleeping on reindeer skins on the floor, then our down mats, then our sleeping bags so presumed we didn't need them in the tent. Is it the floor surface thats the issue (i.e no or just general knocks, dirty etc from being used all week, or extra warmth?

Would it be wise to get a army bivvi which is massive so that the down mat can fit inside then? Being tall (6ft 3) very few more mainstream bags (Rab, Terra Nova) seem long enough for my sleeping bag nevermind getting a down mat in.

Woody: I may have missed a response but is it still okay to hire one sleeping bag for the week? I think you said you were waiting for other responses and supply.

Thanks again,

Dave

[Chris the Cat]

Dave,are you ok for a knife mate!?
My best.
Chris.

[Woody]

Thanks guys,

Woody: I may have missed a response but is it still okay to hire one sleeping bag for the week? I think you said you were waiting for other responses and supply.

Dave

All,
please see attached pdf .. this is every one that we have on record who wants to rent kit (apologies Dave, I did say I would post this a while ago) if you now require only the one bag, this is equally OK

If any one is missing from the list please drop me a line.

Although most have asked about needing larger boot sizes to fit big socks etc I wouldn't lose any sleep over it, we have loads out there if the first pair you try doesn't fit the bill

Woody

[wolf man]

Quick question guys and gals

what are you folk doing for waterproof layers? are you going down the old and abused/army surplus or the latest goretex incarnations?

I'm not really keen about taking my mountaineering jackets, and am considering some army surplus seconds. Can you kind folk offer some advice and recommendations please.

But then what are the chances of rain? pretty slim i would say.

[Chris the Cat]

Ventile covers all bases mate,if not,army surplus should do you!
( It did me last year!)
Gortex doesn't work very well if it gets realy cold.
Chris.

[GearGuru]

is 200g woolpower the mid weight or 400g?

cheers chris

[Chris the Cat]

mid weight is 200g mate.
Wool jumper over that will be fine.
( mid layer is great but expensive! )
C da C.

[Chris the Cat]

Sorry,I meant mid-weight is 400g!!!

[Chris the Cat]

My base layer,or one of them is the 200g.
I shall wear wool over that ( thick wool shirt,or jumper,maybe a thin lambs wool jumper first,if it is very cold. ) Followed by a double ventile smock type jacket.
C da C.

[barryasmith]

Quick question guys and gals

what are you folk doing for waterproof layers? are you going down the old and abused/army surplus or the latest goretex incarnations?

I'm not really keen about taking my mountaineering jackets, and am considering some army surplus seconds. Can you kind folk offer some advice and recommendations please.

But then what are the chances of rain? pretty slim i would say.

Wolfman,

I am taking Used army goretex jacket and trousers just in case it rains. Otherwise I will be wearing a windproof snow smock and trousers as my outer layer.

Under the outer shell I will wear 200gm Woolpower base layer and a thick wool jumper when active. if its really cold I will or when we are in-active I'll stick a fleece or duvet jacket on.

I wore this on my last trip as was fine in temps similar to what we are expecting.

Barry

[Woody]

But then what are the chances of rain? pretty slim i would say.

Ooooh you dont want to go saying things like that!!

It can easily go from -10 to + 10 in the space of an hour - rain/sleet is always a possibility Wolf man ….

Never underestimate the power of nature - or its ability to screw up all your plans!!

Ventile covers all bases mate,if not,army surplus should do you!
Chris.

Be aware Chris, if it does rain (or you get too close to the fire when its snowing!!) and then the temperature drops again rapidly - cue suit of armour/tin man impressions!

A good set of waterproofs are invaluable.

This goes for any one planning on taking just natural fibre mukluks - if they get wet - you (they) will freeze – solid and your toes with them!

Guys - if you have any questions/queries please ask before you go - don't find out the hard way! - better still, ask publicly on here so all can see the question and the answer - there are no dumb questions

We never stop learning - all of us

Woody

[GearGuru]

what sort of food will we be getting please?

do we need to bring our own top up rations like chocolate etc..?

cheers

[Gailainne]

Ooooh you dont want to go saying things like that!!

..........cue suit of armour/tin man impressions!

Woody

Like it, I do remember my BCUK ventile being rather eh obstinate in the mornings on my last winter course , but then again I was stuck to the tent wall with ice most mornings. (btw we need a snow digging smilie..Tony ?)

Woody do you have available or is there a local resource for reindeer skins ? again on my last course with a 12mm pad and a reindeer skin I was very comfortable, I'll bring my exped anyway, but I'd like to try the reindeer skin again, and take a "few" home with me.

Stephen

[Chris the Cat]

Here goes then Woody! Would it be the case that rain is a higher possibility as we are nearer the coast?
( Than,for instance,when I was in the north of Sweden. )
Cheers.
Chris.

[Gailainne]

what sort of food will we be getting please?

do we need to bring our own top up rations like chocolate etc..?

cheers

I'm going to do that anyway, nothing extreme, a "few" snickers bars perhaps

[Chris the Cat]

P.s I could do with a Skin! I have an old thermarest!!
C da C.

[vinnyp68]

If there is supplier locally for reindeer skins I would be really interested in buying one.

[Tor helge]

Here goes then Woody! Would it be the case that rain is a higher possibility as we are nearer the coast?
( Than,for instance,when I was in the north of Sweden. )
Cheers.
Chris.

Yes, very much so.
Today weather forecast says 4 degrees Celsius in the Øverbygd/Dividalen area. Friday the forecast is -8 degrees celsius.

Tor

[Chris the Cat]

Thats a shame!
C da C.

[Woody]

what sort of food will we be getting please? do we need to bring our own top up rations like chocolate etc..cheers

Good wholesome fare prepared by yours truely! - extra rations shouldn't be required unless you are prone to the midnight munchies!

Here goes then Woody! Would it be the case that rain is a higher possibility as we are nearer the coast? Cheers. Chris.

I think Tor Helge has kindly answered this one above mate. If you take a look at these two sites you will get an idea of whats forcast and better still, with the second one you can flick through historical data over the years to see what February is normally like there.

http://www.yr.no/place/Norway/Troms/...bygd/long.html

http://www.wunderground.com/history/....html#calendar (scroll to the bottom of the page)

(Both sites are pre-set for the local area)

Woody do you have available or is there a local resource for reindeer skins ? again on my last course with a 12mm pad and a reindeer skin I was very comfortable, I'll bring my exped anyway, but I'd like to try the reindeer skin again, and take a "few" home with me.

Stephen

I will look into the possibility of getting some skins, the local Sami community should be able to help us out there - be warned they will be air dried/un treated ...... and probably not cheap!! .... if I can get them to come down I will let you haggle with them directly to try to get the price down - Ula Matis is the small bear on the right (below) whom you will be dealing with .... Good luck!!

[peds8045]

I may be wrong but i can recall reading somewhere a while ago that bringing untreated skins into the UK is not permitted. It's worth checking up on this before you part with your cash for something you may have to leave behind

Anyone else heard of this?

[Gailainne]

I will look into the possibility of getting some skins, the local Sami community should be able to help us out there - be warned they will be air dried/un treated ...... and probably not cheap!! .... if I can get them to come down I will let you haggle with them directly to try to get the price down - Ula Matis is the small bear on the right (below) whom you will be dealing with .... Good luck!!

If thats the case don't worry about it, I'll check them out in Oslo before I go home.

Stephen

[coln18]

How has everyone else that bought one of the exped 7 dlx pump mats found it went size wise with their bivi bag and sleeping bag.

I tried the 7 dlx in my terra nova bivi with my north face inferno sleeping bag and found it a bit too tight, every time i moved i sounded as if i was on a fart fest, so i am now going for a plain old 7 pump version.

Also after trying a pair of goggles from the outdoor shop (they sent my the wrong pair, they were like gangsters snow goggles, full of gold bling writing) i have decided to go for a pair of mountaineering glasses, complete with strap and side protectors (look way cooler and hopefully do the job)

Colin

[GearGuru]

How has everyone else that bought one of the exped 7 dlx pump mats found it went size wise with their bivi bag and sleeping bag.

I tried the 7 dlx in my terra nova bivi with my north face inferno sleeping bag and found it a bit too tight, every time i moved i sounded as if i was on a fart fest, so i am now going for a plain old 7 pump version.

Also after trying a pair of goggles from the outdoor shop (they sent my the wrong pair, they were like gangsters snow goggles, full of gold bling writing) i have decided to go for a pair of mountaineering glasses, complete with strap and side protectors (look way cooler and hopefully do the job)

Colin

Not tried it yet colin as I've ordered a US modular system - hope it fits as I prefer the large dlx size - should come tomorrow to test

thats one hell of a sleeping bag u got there!! I dont think you're going to get cold at night

chris

[coln18]

Yeah got lucky with it a few years ago, got it in from usa, didnt get stung for any of the usual add ons....To tell you truth i only get to use it a few times a year, otherwise you end up to hot and unzip the bag and guess what 3 hours later you wake up freezing cold..defo a real cold winter bag.....

Let me know how you get on with your modular sleep system and i hope it all fits
ok.

Have you tried pumping the mat up yet. thats fun i tell you, I was at it for 10 minutes cursing how crap it was, then it dawned on me you keep both hands on and pump with them both at the same time, -yep- fully inflated in 80 seconds, what a donut i can be sometimes, never do read those damn instructions.....

Colin

[GearGuru]

Yeah got lucky with it a few years ago, got it in from usa, didnt get stung for any of the usual add ons....To tell you truth i only get to use it a few times a year, otherwise you end up to hot and unzip the bag and guess what 3 hours later you wake up freezing cold..defo a real cold winter bag.....

Let me know how you get on with your modular sleep system and i hope it all fits
ok.

Have you tried pumping the mat up yet. thats fun i tell you, I was at it for 10 minutes cursing how crap it was, then it dawned on me you keep both hands on and pump with them both at the same time, -yep- fully inflated in 80 seconds, what a donut i can be sometimes, never do read those damn instructions.....

Colin

Haha I did exactly the same !!! It was a dawn of man moment!! you could almost hear Copelands fanfare!!

[GearGuru]

I couldn't fit in the system let alone the 7dlx as well. I felf really constricted - anyone know where you can the xl of the US modularsystem?

[Agile]

Is anyone planning on bringing a shovel etc, or is there a way we can hire/improvise a shovel. I'm just a little reticent to purchase one for about £30, just to have it taking up space when I arrive back to the UK.

Woody - can we borrow shovels whilst we're over there please?

On the topic of waterproof gear - last time I took with me waterproof mitts, which seemed invaluable when we did the ice fishing. There was a layer of water on top of the ice, but within the snow layer, which we had to keep clearing out of the way as we "picked" our way through to see progress and assist with aim etc.

Cheers,

Ag

[nickg]

I shall be bronging a collapsable snow shovel with be - after this last few weeks i dont think it will be entirely out of work!

Cheers
Nick

[Woody]

Is anyone planning on bringing a shovel etc, or is there a way we can hire/improvise a shovel. I'm just a little reticent to purchase one for about £30, just to have it taking up space when I arrive back to the UK.

Woody - can we borrow shovels whilst we're over there please?

On the topic of waterproof gear - last time I took with me waterproof mitts, which seemed invaluable when we did the ice fishing. There was a layer of water on top of the ice, but within the snow layer, which we had to keep clearing out of the way as we "picked" our way through to see progress and assist with aim etc.

Cheers,

Ag

You are welcome to bring your own snow shovels guys but we will be providing them for those that dont.

Waterproof gloves - Tis only cold water - you'll be fine! (but bring them if you would prefer!)

Woody