About our Sponsors
We are not gear testers. This is not a gear testing expedition. We didn't go out shopping for free gear. We knew exactly what we wanted, and are accepting no compromises simply to save a buck here and there on mediocre equipment or "do favors" for manufacturers in the interest of publicity for them. The gear you will read about below has already proven its worth by us in the field. Now it's time to put it to use when it really counts.
The companies we recognize below are not expedition sponsors in the usual sense. They are providers of goods and services that are among the very best in their industry. We're not here to endorse "brands" or companies, because, hey, even the companies listed below make some products that aren't quite, how shall we say, up to par... But the specific products we have selected, and the companies that make those products, certainly deserve to be mentioned as "best in class".
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Backpacking Light Magazine Backpacking Light Magazine provides ONLINE and PRINT magazine subscriptions to reviews, commentary, technical education, and narrative features about lightweight hiking and backcountry travel. Backpacking Light is providing editorial, satellite publishing, and public relations support to the expedition.
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| Key Sponsors |
National Public Radio (NPR) National Public Radio (NPR) will be providing coverage of and commentary about Arctic 1000. Alex Chadwick of NPR's Day to Day will be interviewing Ryan Jordan prior to and following the trek. In addition, Ryan will be checking in with Day to Day once or twice during the trek, to provide a summary of expedition progress in a live interview with Alex.
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Bozeman Mountain Works Bozeman Mountain Works manufactures ultralight clothing and sleep systems, and is providing custom expedition gear, including synthetic insulating clothing (hooded pullovers and pants), synthetic quilts, and reinforced-mylar tarp shelters.
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Alaska Pacific University Alaska Pacific University is a private, liberal arts university in Anchorage that supports the GIS research conducted by Geck and Dial used to map and analyze America's most remote wilderness. Part of the research including the identification of the precise location of America's most remote spot, as measured by its distance from a road or habitation. The expedition party will traverse this exact spot, locating in the interior of Alaska's North Slope of the Brooks Range.
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ULA Equipment ULA Equipment manufactures lightweight backpacks in Logan, Utah. Brian Frankle worked with the expedition crew to design and manufacture custom internal frame backpacks that weigh less than 1.5 pounds while integrating with a dry bag for the packbag, required for river crossings, and capable of carrying a 50 pound load.
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Cuben Fiber Cuben Fiber makes ultralight fiber-reinforced mylar racing sails. Interestingly, the fabric is waterproof. The expedition will be using two custom shelters manufactured by Oware USA made with Cuben Fiber fabrics, including a 14-ounce pyramid shelter (Jason & Roman) and a 9-ounce "half-pyramid" (Ryan).
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Smart Wool Smartwool manufacturers merino wool socks and base layer apparel. Smartwool has provided the expedition with lightweight hooded torso base layers that will be worn 24/7. Roman Dial and Jason Geck will be using Smartwool socks en route.
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GoLite GoLite manufactures clothing and gear for lightweight hiking and other adventure sports. GoLite is providing the expedition's raingear, the new 6.0-ounce full zip, hooded, Virga jacket.
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Pacific Outdoor Equipment Pacific Outdoor Equipment (POE) manufacturers RF-welded outdoor gear, including sleeping pads, dry bags, and packing systems. POE is providing the ultralight, 50-L dry bags that will serve as our backpack packbags (integrated with the ULA-Equipment pack frame-and-harness systems) that will protect our gear in the sustained rain and river crossings/swimmings.
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Patagonia Patagonia makes lightweight backcountry clothing, including the French Roast soft shell pants and Specter rain jackets worn by some of the expedition members.
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| Other Sponsors |
Darn Tough Darn Tough is the only company to provide a lifetime warranty for their socks. Based on our testing, we can see why. Ryan Jordan will be using Darn Tough Socks on the expedition and has every intention of only taking a single pair for the entire trek.
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Headsweats Headsweats manufactures ultralight polyester race caps that focus on moisture/sweat management.
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Hewlett-Packard HP manufactures personal digital assistants, a.k.a. "palmtop" computers, including the popular iPAQ series, which are considered to be the only expedition-worthy PDA on the market due to its temperature and moisture resistance. The expedition will use an iPAQ 2400 series PDA with an Iridium satellite phone and Pentax Optio WPi digital camera to report live updates and photography en route.
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Hydropel Hydropel is the only lubricant based on a formulation of 30% dimethicone, and thus, it's the only lubricant with the longevity required to control blister formation and maceration in the continually wet and cold conditions of the Alaskan bush.
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Inov 8 Inov-8 manufacturers ultralight trail racing shoes, used by Ryan Jordan during his training for the expedition.
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Iridium Iridium provides the most reliable satellite phone service on the North Slope, and will be used in conjunction with an Iridium satellite phone to deliver live dispatches and photography en route.
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Light My Fire Light My Fire makes firebuilding supplies, which the expedition will use (firestarters and firestarting material) to start cookfires in the severely wet and saturated conditions of the North Slope of Alaska.
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Montane Montane makes ultralight clothing, including the lightweight Montane Lightspeed wind jacket that Ryan Jordan will use on the trek.
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Montrail Montrail makes endurance trail footwear for ultrarunners and long distance hikers. Ryan will be using a single pair of Montrail Vitesse trail running shoes for the entire journey.
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Platypus Hydration Platypus makes ultralight hydration systems, including the veritable Platypus bottles that will be used by expedition members for durable water storage.
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Sea-to-Summit Ryan will be using Sea-to-Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Sacks inside his main packbag as an additional layer of protection for his sleeping quilt, insulating clothing, and satellite phone / PDA electronics.
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Suunto Suunto manufactures wristtop computers, including the Suunto T6 (used by Ryan Jordan during training) and the Suunto S6, to be used on the expedition.
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Topo! Pro National Geographic's Topo!PRO software is used by Ryan Jordan in GIS research on contiguous wilderness modeling, and is being used for route and geographic information analysis of the expedition area for Jordan's upcoming book on long distance trekking.
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TypePad Typepad is a provider of hosted blogging services, and is hosting the Arctic1000.com website.
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UDAP UDAP makes bear spray in Nice Big Cans.
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Good luck, fellas. Have a safe trek.
Posted by: Bill McGrane | June 08, 2006 at 10:49 AM
Wooohooo, you guys rock. Good luck with the trek.
Posted by: | June 08, 2006 at 07:22 PM