Hiking stilettos?

And in other (not so new) news... you've gotta be kidding me!

Teva stilettos? Was someone trying to make a statement or some kind, because I can't imagine what that might be. How about "hiking clothes have gone so mainstream that we can sell something that's actually unusable when actually hiking"?

And for the same $330 I could buy a mighty fine pair of hiking boots AND a decent pair of stilettos for city wear.

Read the full story on Treehugger.com. OK, there's not much more to the story, but there are more photos to giggle at.

Guest Post: Lingerie in a Tent

Photo: Jockey Underwear

Sorry for the long absence! Today I'm happy to say we have a special guest post from Maggie Ewles, who runs an informational website about swimwear and lingerie - two great things to take camping! You can visit her site at: www.swimwearandlingerie.com. Her post reinforces a lot of the advice in "Sex in a Tent", so it's nice to see more of us outdoorsy girls thinking along the same lines!

When hitting the great outdoors with your loved one for a little rest and relaxation, the authentic outdoors person will have a tried and true list of camping essentials. Topping the list will be all the survival basics such as a tent, hiking gear, cooking paraphernalia, knife, flashlights and bug spray. However, what if you were planning on surprising your partner with a little loving in the evenings? Nature lovers will shout out that true backwoods types don’t need props or foolish luxuries to get jiggy in the tent. However, I have found that a few tiny, pre-planned items included in your backpack can pack a heck of a wallop!

First things first…. We all know that bathing in the great outdoors isn’t always a sure thing. We also know that canoodling tends to involve the parts of our bodies that begin to smell rank right off the bat. You may be swimming every day, but quite frankly the things you have planned require a little more attention than a splash around four hours ago can provide. What’s a girl to do? Voila, to the rescue: baby wipes! Seriously, these little wonders offer more cleaning power and durability than your standard wet wipe napkin and they not only clean and freshen, your nether-belows, they also make pretty good kindling once they have dried out. Multifunctional and nice smelling things definitely deserve a little room in the pack, just be sure to pack them in a reseal-able bag or container.

How about your undies? Are you wearing the standard non-cotton (so they will dry overnight and not stay full of congealed sweat for the whole trip) underwear? Camping undies have come a long way in recent years. Backpackers can choose from a ridiculous amount of colors, patterns and styles and even find some that will double as swimwear which leaves more room in the bag for…yup a little lingerie.

We all love the look and feel of silk but let’s face it, silk really doesn’t pack or travel well. You want your fellow hiker staring in stunned awe at your curves and not your crinkly wrinkly whatever-that-thing-is hanging off your shoulders. So maybe now is the time to break out a little mesh slip or teddy that is completely inappropriate for the great outdoors. Seriously, the surprise factor here and the idea that you have planned this will be more than enough fuel to get your buddy fired up.

Next up, we have some important considerations for your body. If you are the type to shave/wax/depilate, consider changing the design of your bikini area. Like a gift being unwrapped, each layer provides a new surprise and thrill. If you are not the de-furring type, pat yourself on the back for not having to waste a good chunk of your life worrying about this crap.

Along with keeping your body clean and potentially less hairy, having visible chafe marks or grooves left from your standard daily underwear is pretty high on the not sexy list. Nothing like a massive welt running up each side of your hip to scream out; “I was wearing ill-fitting granny pants that reached up to my rib cage the whole day.” A likely mood killer, so, why not shop with an educated eye for a good fit and long term comfort when you are grabbing your camping gear?

Now is not the time to be overly eco-concerned. Bamboo and cotton are replenish-able resources, however, in a high humidity and sweat inducing environment, these are not the best choices. You could either bring a pair of cotton undies for each day of your trek with a few extras for those just-in-case scenarios, or you could bring two pairs of nylon/spandex or wool underwear and simply give them a good wash each evening and allow them to dry overnight, poof, so much more room in your pack for all of the little extras right? But don’t just grab the first pair of nylon briefs you see. Take a look at your body and decide what style is the most flattering; brief, bikini, thong or boyshort? Thank goodness the Tilley high-waist travel panties aren’t the only option any more. Once you have the style down, make sure they have no-chafe flat seams, are wedgie proof through all motions and are truly moisture wicking. If you are feeling fancy, by all means invest in some of the cooler high-tech options such as the inclusion of silver ions in the fibers for their anti bacterial/microbial action, sun blocking fabrics or the new no seam styles.

Now that we have your day to day stuff worked out and guaranteed not to leave unsightly wear and tear marks on your body, let’s talk about lingerie. A matching set definitely has a wow factor, but only if there is light in the tent. In which case, you will also be putting on quite the puppet show for all the forest animals and any intrusive camping neighbors. How about texture? Will you bring along something that is satiny smooth or heavily embroidered? Little ribbons and bows are really cute…until they get caught on the zipper of your sleeping bag and you end up needing to be cut free from the metal teeth. The lesson here is don’t bring something you don’t mind losing or destroying. Think of the shock and awe philosophy; after all you aren’t looking to get some real wear and tear out of it, just stimulate some interesting conversation.

We can move on to the third consideration; scarves. Lovely, long, silk or organza scarves can be used in so many different ways. Like… to hang up your every-day undies while they dry, restrain and immobilize an over extended… ankle that you sprained while distractedly daydreaming during your hike or even to tie up… a pulsating wound in a tourniquet when someone overestimates their lumberjack abilities. See? Scarves can be justified for a multitude of uses while also being exceptionally light and easy to pack and quite frankly an excellent source of entertainment, limited only by your imagination.

Whatever you decide to pack in your bag, just remember that confidence is truly the most titillating part of any lingerie set. Now stand tall and show off those sequins, just remember that Park Rangers seldom have a sense of humor so don’t try to pull any streaking Yeti jokes.

Maggie Ewles is the type of person will forgo that extra emergency food ration in order to pack a sexy little camisole set. She is an avid hiker and believes that women have sacrificed comfort for style for far too long. There is no good reason that stylish swimwear can’t look good and be wearable at the same time.

Hopelessly Devoted to Your Gear?

A girl and her pack - a love story?

Recently I was reading an issue of New Zealand Wilderness magazine, and came across an article which mentioned a postgraduate student trying to determine whether Kiwis are emotionally attached to their tramping gear.

To me, the answer was a no-brainer. Of course we are!

I expect that any non-tramper would question why. After all, we're just talking about practical "stuff". But I also expect a number of those same people are a little too fond of their cars, or their i-phones, or whatever they spend their time with.

As humans, we tend to create stronger bonds with one another when we've been through something challenging or life-changing together. The more challenging or life-changing, the stronger the bond is likely to be. This is why war buddies are often life-long friends. They've been to hell and back together, and the bond is about as strong as it gets!

This is one of my selling points for tramping as a couple. You face challenges together while tramping, and come out with a stronger bond at the other end of it. Many of the couples I surveyed while writing Sex in a Tent confirmed that this one of the best things about their outdoor adventures together.

So if this works between people, why not (to a lesser degree) between a person and his or her gear? My backpack has been there with me through a lot. I've thought about shopping for a nice, new one - maybe with some more hi-tech features, or lower weight - but I've grown rather fond of mine.

It was lent to me by my Aunt Judy for my first multi-day jaunt into the wilderness some six years ago. When I told her how well it had worked for me, she let me keep it since her backpacking days were pretty much behind her. It moved with me to New Zealand, and has been on every tramp I've been on since.

Perhaps that's an extreme example, since most gear is not a family heirloom. But even things like hiking boots are difficult for me to throw away when the time comes. They've walked the miles, and it's sad to see them go.

I'm not sure how far this extends. I guess it depends on your personal experiences. If your life once depended on your camping knife, or your headlamp, or some other item that might otherwise seem pretty impersonal, you could find it hard to part with.

Of course this is the sort of thinking that drives retailers and manufacturers nuts. They would prefer we got quickly tired of our gear and excited about the latest marvel of technology they're selling. Instead, some of us wander into the shops lamenting how they "don't make 'em like they used to".

I do have a pair of boots that are at the end of their usefulness. By the time summer is over, I will have to bid them a fond farewell. They've served me well, and I will lament their passing.

Success for South Pole Women

Way back in July 2008, I blogged about a planned expedition marking the 60th anniversary of the British Commonwealth. They were looking for fit and adventurous women from 8 different countries to head for the South Pole on skis, and arrive in time for New Year's Eve 2010.

Well, I'm pleased to report that the team did arrive at the South Pole, on December 29, 2009.

The 8 members were from the UK, Jamaica, Singapore, New Zealand, Cyprus, Brunei Darussalam, and India. (Two were from the UK, as the member from Ghana had to pull out at the last minute due to malaria!)

Actually only 7 members made it to the Pole. The Jamaican member of the team unfortunately had to pull out right at the beginning on medical advice, due to severe frostbite on her fingers. It must have been terribly disappointing to come all that way and not even get to begin the expedition!

It took the ladies 37 days to ski from the "Messner Start" to the geographic South Pole, hauling 80kg sleds behind them. They covered an average distance of 24km per day.

You can find out more about the trip on the official website - Kaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition.

Now that it's all over, it's back to reality. As Kylie, the team member from New Zealand, said: I'm really looking forward to a shower and a cheese sandwich.

Go on Kylie - you've earned it!

Cool idea - the rain skirt

Photo: Craftzine.com

One of the least used items in my outdoors wardrobe is my pair of rain pants. They are a pain to put on once I'm on the trail because they don't go over my boots. They make me so sweaty that I end up soaked through anyway. They are, generally speaking, not worth the bother unless it's absolutely pouring.

Craftzine, a blog for the sew-it-yourself crowd, recently put up a post on how to make yourself a rain skirt out of an old raincoat. This is quite brilliant! You can put it on over your hiking pants and shorts, and take it off again, easily and without removing your boots! The open bottom makes it much less sweaty than rain pants too.

I can see that in rough terrain, where scrambling is necessary for instance, a long skirt would not be practical. But for other hikes where the trail is fairly flat or well benched, this could be an awesome solution.

In fact, I'm surprised none of the outdoor clothing manufacturers have tried this yet. The only change I would make to the suggested method on the Craftzine blog is that I would put snaps all the way down the opening. That way you can put it on and take it off easily, and you can have them closed up for more protection, or open some for more freedom of movement.

Now all I need is a sewing machine...

One for the Ladies

Hanging out with Sir Ed Hillary (in statue form) reminds me that we need more hiking role models for women

There are lots and lots of resources out there for hikers and backpackers - but very few are aimed specifically at women. Now there is a new chick on the block - Hiking Lady.

This site has the makings of a good resource, but is still looking like it's just getting off the ground with just a few bits of gear and clothing listed so far.

I was a little disappointed that the books featured on the "Book of the Month" list are all by and about male adventurers. Come on - if you're going for the girl market, give us books about women, by women, or at least acknowledging the existence of women! Perhaps I need to send over a copy of "Sex in a Tent" for review ;o)

I'll be keeping an eye on this site to see if it lives up to its potential. Sadly I'm just a bit too lazy to set up such a resource myself. Maybe I'll get around to it eventually! I've already done most of the research - I just need to build the website to put it on.

Meanwhile I hope the Hiking Lady keeps building up her site and gets support from the outdoor women's community.

Bear Offers Survival Wear for Men - Autographs for Women

The face of survival. No girls allowed.

Bear Grylls, for those who don't know him by name or reputation, is the host of "Man vs Wild". He's a former British SAS dude (who had to quit after three years because he broke his back in a parachuting accident) who has become the pop culture face of wilderness survival.

His show has had some flack for being "faked". Yes, there is a camera crew with him at all times. Yes, they scout out the best locations in the area to illustrate various techniques rather than Bear just finding his way out blind. Yes, he's probably not in any real danger during the taping of the shows. It's TV folks. Nobody said stuff on TV really happens the way they show it. If you're entertained, and understand that you shouldn't try most of this stuff if you really are lost, then he has done his job.

As you can see, I find his actions on TV somewhat misleading but defensible. What has really hacked me off though is his new online shop, The Bear Grylls Store. First, there's the tacky factor of a "survival expert" selling outdoor wear of no particularly impressive design. But hey, he's found a way to make some extra cash lending his name to it, so why not.

The problem comes in when you have a browse through the products on offer. For men, there is a range of shirts, fleeces, trousers, jackets etc. Not bad. Then you click on "Women's" clothing. What can the adventurous woman buy from Bear? A t-shirt or a hoodie with his autograph printed across the front! Nothing else. No useful products at all. Apparently survival is not the feminine thing to do. If lost in the wilderness, we should just curl up in a ball and hope that a man (who has been watch Bear on TV) comes to the rescue.

I think it's quite likely that Bear himself has little to do with the shop or what it sells. But when your name is on something, you should be aware of it and make sure it won't come back to bite you in the ass. Bear, if you're out there, fix your shop!

Training for Tramping

Anybody else remember the 20 Minute Workout? I actually used to DO the damn thing - not realising it was mainly used as a free alternative to 80s porn! If I had only known then what damage it was doing to my poor, adolescent knees...

But I digress. At the beginning of this year I did something long overdue - I joined my local gym to get myself into better shape. I figure if I can shape up a little, my tramping trips will be less painful, more enjoyable and I can consider a wider range of tracks because I'll be able to go farther faster.

Good theory, but just what can you do at the gym to achieve that result? Obviously I don't have enough time on my hands to build up to an eight hour slog on the treadmill (or I'd just do it outdoors anyway) so I have to make do with shorter, more intense workouts.

My main machine so far is the elliptical crosstrainer. I figure of all the cardio machines, this one most closely emulates tramping. It's a bit like climbing a hill, and the pivoting arm poles are kind of like hiking poles.

I've also been using a Swiss ball to try to improve the strength in my core muscles, which are the muscles of the abdomen and back. A strong core should improve by balance, and make it easier to carry the weight of my pack.

So far I've been avoiding the group classes. The instructors just seem way too obnoxious, and most of the classes look very hard on the knees.

Anyway, that's me so far. But I'm curious to know what other people do at the gym to make their tramping better or easier. So leave all your tips as comments, and maybe we call all learn a thing or two about getting fit, avoiding injury, and wearing leotards with matching leg warmers. (OK, maybe not that last one...)

Fabulous Feet

Some of Dirty Girl Gaiters' customers

Sometimes with hiking gear, we get so focused on being practical and technologically advanced that we forget about wearing stuff that is just plain fun!

Thankfully there's a gaiter company out there that hasn't forgotten to have fun, and they're spreading a bit of colour around the great outdoors.

Dirty Girl Gaiters use colourful fabrics and patterns to keep rocks and dirt out of your shoes while allowing you to express your most fabulous side.

These are not heavy-duty gaiters to wear on a mountaineering expedition. But if you're a trail runner or lighweight hiker, the stretch fabric may do well enough to keep your feet happy. Or maybe you just want to wear them as a fashion accessory!

Hats of to Dirty Girl for making hiking fun. And thanks to Tom at Two-Heel Drive for bringing them to my attention on his Christmas wish list. (I wonder which fabric he'd pick? I'm all for the "cherry on top".)

Summer Slumber

Another week, another new bit of gear. I really need to stop getting new stuff. But hey, the camera was a gift, and the Platypus was actually necessary. Well, pretty much. Anyway...

So today I finally made up my mind and bought a summer weight sleeping bag. As with most of my purchase decisions, it was based on the fact that the item in question was on sale.

As you may remember, I was undecided as to whether I should go with down or synthetic fill. In the end, I've gone synthetic. It's about 500 g heavier that the equivalent warmth in down, but I'm not really a lightweight backpacker anyway. It was a difference of a $95 sleeping bag vs a $230 sleeping bag. Both on sale.

The one I bought (pictured) is a Macpac Roam 150. Since Macpac are now selling through their own retail outlets, everyone stuck with their old stock is just trying to dump it and move on. That was the case at Bivouac this weekend, hence the $150 sleeping bag for $95.

It's rated to 10 degrees, so it's theoretically going to keep me warm enough if I'm sleeping in huts during the summer. For tent camping, I'll probably stick with my warmer bag unless it's really hot weather. The bag has a hood attached, so that should add a bit of warmth when needed. Also, G has lent me a cotton liner he never uses (since he bought a silk one) which will add another couple of degrees.

So hopefully this means no more sweaty nights in the huts! (And hopefully it doesn't mean shivering all night wondering what the hell I was thinking!) We still haven't managed to get away for a weekend this spring, but with a bit of luck we'll be doing that soon and I'll let you all know how the new gear works out.

It's in the (sleeping) bag

I love my sleeping bag. It has kept me warm and cozy every night that I've ventured outside of the civilized world and slept in a tent or hut, or without either. It has been with me for about 8 years, and shows no real signs of wear and tear. My sleeping bag is an MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop, a Canadian retailer) Cygnet down bag, like the one pictured above except that it's purple. But my wonderful sleeping bag has one drawback - sometimes it's just too darn warm!

Having a sleeping bag rated to -10C seemed like a good idea at the time. After all, better to be too warm than too cold. But now that I stay in backcountry huts a lot, and tend to do most of my camping in the summer, I'm thinking I could use something not quite so cosy.

Yesterday we popped into a few outdoors shops to see what was on offer by way or summer-weight bags. Some were ridiculously expensive ($400? I don't think so!) Others were ridiculously heavy. But a few are real contenders for becoming my next bit of gear.

One that I quite liked was the Marmot Trestles women's bag. It's a synthetic, which means it's cheaper than down but not quite as light. It comes in a delightful 2-tone green look as you can see from the photo below.

But in the long run, I'm thinking that another down bag may be worth the extra expense. Not just to save weight, but also because they pack down so much smaller. This would leave more space in my back for important things like another bar of chocolate, or the mini-tripod for my camera. (I also have to buy a new camera, but that's a whole other story!)

So now the great down vs synthetic debate is occupying my thoughts. In case you haven't had the debate yet, this is how it goes:

The down bags are so much smaller and lighter - and what's the point of getting a summer-weight bag that's just as big and heavy as my warm bag?

Yeah, but the down is expensive, and I already have one. Plus, it's no good if I get it wet. I can get a decent synthetic one for like, $100. Down will cost at least double that.

Sure, but my other down bag has lasted for years - probably way longer than a synthetic fill would last. So that makes up for the extra cost.

I dunno - let me think about it...

And so here I am, thinking about it. What I can say is that it's nice to see more sleeping bags available in a "women's" size, not just standard or long. Of course, they could have just called it "small" instead. Either way, it beats carrying around twice the bag I need for my size.

Stay tuned to find out if I eventually make a decision! (I can waffle for a surprisingly long time about these things. Don't be surprised if the decision takes a while!)

Remember your first time?

As part of doing my research for "Take On Camping", I'm thinking it would be fun to get various women to share their memories of their first wilderness experience, whether it was camping, hiking, paddling, or whatever. We all started out as wilderness virgins - but no two stories of innocence lost are quite the same!

If you have a story to share, please e-mail it to loveinatent AT hotmail DOT com. (You know the drill, make it into a real e-mail address.)

Include your name and where you're from, unless you're keen to stay anonymous. The best stories will show up here on my blog and in the book!

To be fair - I'll start it off with my first experience. Unfortunately, I was only three years old so I don't remember much about it.

We were on a family trip to Vancouver, visiting friends of my parents. They took us into the mountains for a camping trip, and I assume we spent one night out but I really can't remember it. In fact, I have only two memories of the whole trip:

First, I remember seeing white water for the very first time. I recall being completely fascinated by it. It's water - but you can't see through it! I'm still fascinated by white water - so much power, so much chaos, so much noise - all because there are rocks in a river.

Second, I remember throwing up in the back of my parents friends' Volkswagen Beetle. I think it was orange (the Beetle, not my vomit.) but the rest is a blur.

I can't really call that the trip that made me into a camper. But still, you always remember your first time - right girls? ;o)

I'm looking forward to hearing your hopefully more complete stories!

Bears vs The Dot

So, I'm working on "Take On Camping", a book for women who want to learn how to camp, and I'm dealing with the oh-so-pleasant topic of how to deal with having your period (I can hear the guys clicking off this page around now).

As a sidebar, I'm looking into the wilderness myth (like an urban myth but away from the city) that bears are attracted to menstrual blood and will attack women who camp during their periods. My first question was - what gave anyone the idea that this was happening? (My second question was, who would win in a fight between a hungry bear and a woman with wicked PMS - but I haven't found any studies on that yet...)

It turns out the story that started the myth dates back to 1967, when two women were attacked and killed by a grizzly during a camping trip. It also happened that both women had their periods. This was apparently conclusive enough for the forest service to start warning women that they shouldn't camp in bear country while menstruating.

Subsequently, a few different researchers have attempted to find some kind of scientific data that would either support or disprove this assumption that bears are attracted to menstrual blood. Bizarrely, none of the tests have been done using grizzly bears, which was the species involved in the 1967 attack.

One study using polar bears did find that they reacted more to menstrual blood than to non-menstrual human blood. So chalk one up for the myth, but how many of us camp in polar bear territory?

A couple of studies have used black bears, which are by far the most commonly encountered bears in North America. (New Zealand is bear-free, so I don't have to even think about this most of the time.) In the first study, the bears showed no particular interest in tampons soaked with menstrual blood, when compared with clean tampons, and tampons soaked with non-menstrual human blood. A second study gave bears the option of a tampon soaked in beef fat. Guess what? Ten out of ten black bears prefer beef fat to menstrual blood!

Bear precautions are no laughing matter, however, and used sanitary items should be treated as potential bear attractors in the same way that food and food waste are treated. Don't bury them, because if bears start getting used to them as a food source that could make this myth actually have some merit. Hang your waste from a tree, or keep it in a bear-proof container. But don't cancel your camping trip just because you'll have to bring along your Aunt Flo.

One Woman's Bi-Polar Adventures

Well, what else would you call a book written by a woman who has visited both the North and South Poles? She called it South Pole 2000, but I like my title better!

Caroline Hamilton was not an experienced adventurer or mountaineer when she decided she had to see the Arctic. She was a reasonably fit woman with a hell of a lot of determination.

First she set up a relay expedition where five teams of women took it in turns to ski from Resolute in northern Canada to the North Pole. From her descriptions, it certainly sounds like a rough journey, but with each team doing a reasonably short stint it would not seem so bad.

After that she abandoned the relay idea and decided to put together a small team of women to ski from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole in time for the millennium. (The book is a bit old now.) The biggest challenge, it would seem, was getting the funding in place to make such an expedition possible.

Reading her day-by-day account of the journey itself was my main draw to this book. What would it be like to live in that kind of extreme environment for two months? How would a group of women cope with the repetitive nature of that lifestyle, living in a single tent, trudging over the ice day after day hauling a heavy sledge?

It certainly wasn't problem-free, from a three week weather delay before they could even fly to Antarctica, to a range of physical ailments from a broken tooth to arm, back and leg injuries.

For me, I can't imagine spending that length of time without seeing a tree or an animal anywhere. The lack of landscape in the middle of Antarctica might very well drive me to despair. Two months of constant travel I could probably cope with, but the feeling that every day's surroundings would be almost identical would be very disheartening. (Two months hanging out around the edge of Antarctica watching the penguins and checking out the icebergs, on the other hand, would be awesome!)

The lure of the 'big trip' ebbs and flows with me. Sometimes I love the idea of taking some time out from the modern world and going on a long, simple journey in nature. Whether it's a long-distance hike, cross-country skiing, or maybe even a dog sled! Other times, I think I'd get bored and impatient with the routine of such an expeditions. Eat, move, sleep. Repeat. I think there would at least have to be some variety in the landscape to keep me moving on.

I guess the only way to find out for sure is to give it a try. It won't happen this year, but hopefully someday I'll manage to find out whether I'm a long-distance wanderer or not.

Meanwhile, it was a bit of an eye-opener to read Caroline Hamilton's book. It left me wondering what she has been doing since, because she didn't seem like these trips got the goal-oriented bug out of her system. Instead, I suspect she has taken on other grand plans.

I noted recently that there are plans underway for a group of 8 women from various Commonwealth nations to ski to the South Pole. After reading this book, the think I that worries me most about that upcoming expedition is how the personal relationships will hold up. Eight women from eight different countries and cultures, who will have to live in very close quarters, and trust one another with their lives. Sure it will be a physical challenge, but I think the real issues will surround these women and how they interact.

I'm Gonna "Take On Camping"

I've been holding off on announcing this until I had a contract in my hot little hands, but now it seems safe enough to get up on my box and shout.

"Take on Camping" is a new book I'll be writing for Seal Press. It's part of a whole "Take On" series which encourages women to try activities that have been traditionally male dominated like car repair, home renovation, and (apparently) camping!

The book will demystify the outdoors for women who think that they'd like to get closer to nature, but aren't sure where to begin.

Don't look for it on bookshelves just yet, though. This will be the third book in the series, and is planned for a spring 2010 release.

However, I may be putting out requests for information, advice and opinions via this blog - so be prepared to get interactive!

Women Heading South - Waaaay South

Photo by Harry Kikstra, ExposedPlanet.com

I recently came across this website about a new expedition planned for 8 women from Commonwealth nations to ski to the South Pole. They're still looking for some of the women, so if you think you'd like to try out, check out the criteria.

I have a not-so-secret desire to visit Antarctica. I think the emptiness of it is fascinating, and the wildlife amazing. The landscape in hundreds of shades of white blows my mind. So needless to say, this new expedition got me thinking - am I up to that sort of challenge?

I think the short answer is 'no'. I have serious doubts about my ability to get into the kind of physical shape the trip would require. I'm also not sure that I have the determination to stick it out through what could be pretty extreme conditions.

Last but not least, I shudder at the idea of having to find sponsorship of the kind this expedition will require! Asking corporations for thousands of dollars is not my idea of a fun time.

On the other hand - I would love to be on hand to record what happens down there. So if they're looking for some communications support from an Antarctic base - sign me up!

Smooth as Silk

I don't often post gear reviews. Probably because nobody has offered to let me try out gear without actually buying it. (Hint, hint.) But when I do pick up a new toy or bit of clothing, I like to share my opinion, so here I go...

There's an outdoor clothing maker here in NZ called Earth Sea Sky, who we like to support because they are the last local company still manufacturing their products in New Zealand, rather than getting them made at some sweatshop in China or Malaysia. Also, they make some nice stuff!

G practically has a whole outdoors wardrobe from them. I have a smaller collection, including my lightweight, breathable rain jacket, a mid-weight thermal top in sporty red and black, and a bright pink merino wool top. But my favourite products from their line are definitely the silk weight shirts.

I've checked out a few other silk weight products from other makers, but this is the only one that I've found that is actually as light, soft and, well, silky as silk itself. It's polyester, which means it wicks better than real silk, and for those of you who count every gram of weight, it's extremely light at 100 grams/square metre. You can throw and extra shirt in your pack and not even feel it!

I already owned a dark blue short-sleeve silkweight, and a paprika (the colour of the shirt pictured) long sleeve that G bought me as a lovely surprise. But today we went to the Earth Sea Sky clearance sale in Wellington, and I thought I'd check and see if I could add to my collection.

As one would expect at a clearance sale, there were slim pickings. Only two colours available - a light pink that looked a little odd (and wasn't available in my size anyway) and a rusty orange colour called "Sahara" of which there was a large selection. Obviously "Sahara" had not been a big hit, and they were trying to clear out the stocks. Despite the large number of shirts in that colour, there was only one in my size - another short sleeve. Surprisingly, the colour is not bad on me. So I picked up my bargain for the day.

So now I have three shirts in different colours. It may sound like overkill, but they are not only great for hiking, they're also very comfy for sleeping in, and they're awesome for travelling because they pack down to practically nothing!

Most of you who, sadly, do not live in New Zealand probably won't have the opportunity to buy from Earth Sea Sky (although a few retailers in Australia carry their stuff) but if you're ever passing through, do check it out!

Sticks For Chicks

There was an interesting post over on Two Heel Drive today debating whether there was any reason to make "women's" hiking poles (other than trying to expand the market), and how they might differ from men's.

It seems that women's poles are available from Leki, who are arguably the top company for hiking poles. They have something called the Wildflower Series, which, thankfully, don't actually have flowers on them! That would just be sad. The poles are about 10cm shorter and 15% smaller in every dimension according to an old article from Backpacking Light. Komperdell says their women's poles are slightly shorter and lighter than men's.

So what would a woman want in hiking poles that would be different from men? For me, the biggest problem I have with my poles (which I don't always use) is that they hurt my hands after a day or two. This could be party due to the grips being man-sized. If there were a shorter, narrower grip on the poles, it would fit my little hands better. According to MEC, the Komperdell poles have this feature. Unfortunately, the pole didn't score well with many reviewers for other reasons.

I expect that women's poles would actually need to be less shock-absorbent than men's poles, since women are smaller and lighter, therefore putting less pressure on their poles. Since the length of all metal poles is adjustable, there shouldn't be any issue with height, no matter how short a woman is. (I have experience with this!)

So all I can think of is the grip. If you have any other suggestions on what you would do differently on a women's pole design leave a comment. Maybe we can shoot some suggestions off to Leki for next year's models!

Topping it Off

As I've mentioned before, sun protection is awfully important down here in the land of depleted ozone. And of course, proper sun protection must include covering your head! For the past 9 years, my options in the sun hat arena have been a Gore-tex wide-brimmed hat that works for both sun and rain in theory, although in reality it's way too hot for a sunny day, and a baseball cap which provides less protection and which I too often find myself chasing down after a gust of wind catches it.

So I've been keeping an eye out for a good, lightweight hat that I can use in the sun. One that blocks the UV rays, shades my face and neck, and can easily be folded up and crammed into a corner of my backpack.

Last weekend, I finally found a hat! (Pictured above, of course.) As we were visiting Bivouac to pick up some extra cans of stove fuel for our trip to the South Island, I started randomly sifting through the pile of hats for sale. I tried on a few styles. One had a ridiculously wide brim (although in a pinch I guess it could double as an emergency shelter!), another had a smaller brim, but no chin string to keep it from blowing away. Another was too heavy, like my current hat.

Finally I came across one that seemed to fit my criteria. Lightweight fabric, good brim, string around the chin, adjustable band. It came in three sizes, and several colours, so I was digging through the hats to find which size fit me best.

At this point, G came over to find me standing there with an armful of hats. "How many of those are you planning to buy?" he asked me, all snarky-like. I didn't miss a beat, "One in each colour!"

In the end, I went home with this delightful pink number, by Outdoor Research. After all, just because I'm being practical doesn't mean I can't do it in style!

Glamping - the next big thing?

Queen Charlotte Sound - a popular "glamping" location in NZ

So I was on the internet "resarching" (that is, procrastinating) and came across this article about "Glamping" - a term I've never heard before. Apparently it's all about putting some glamour into camping - deluxe camping I suppose.

From the looks of the article, this new term is a tactic to get more women interested in camping holidays. If it sounds fabulous and decadent, supposedly women will like it more. As a non-glam camper, I actually find that a bit offensive. I'm perfectly happy to cook my own meals, carry my own gear and get to the beautiful vistas on my own power, thanks. I don't need to pay someone else hundreds of dollars per day to make it easier on me.

On the other hand, I understand that not everyone feels like I do. Luxury wilderness adventures are not new. One visit to the century-old hunting lodges in Africa will tell you that. The well-to-do have always been interested in seeing "wild" places, without having to suffer for it. Today, Africa remains a popular place to rough it in style, along with the Galapagos Islands, the Incan ruins of Chile, and increasingly Antarctica. Even here in New Zealand, luxury hunting and fishing lodges offer fly-in service, while some of the country's most popular trails can be covered with ease as your gear is transported for you from lodge to lodge by boat. It's all of the gorgeous scenery, with a fraction of the discomfort.

I have nothing against the five-star option. I think it's great that even people who are not interested in toughing it out, are interested in areas of natural beauty. After all, those people are the ones with the money and the power to help protect those areas for the rest of us!

As long as the building of luxury lodges doesn't ruin unspoiled areas, I'm willing to live in harmony with the glampers. But one of the dangers is that people assume that because they've paid a lot of money to do something, it is safe. Anyone, regardless of expenditure, can get seriously injured or killed doing wilderness activities they aren't prepared for.

You can pay tens of thousands of dollars to be guided up Mt. Everest, but that doesn't mean you won't get a cerebral or pulmonary edema and die - or get severe frostbite and lose a limb. It happens every year. Or doing a multi-day hike with your pack being transported for you - you could easily get lost (particularly if you know nothing about navigation) and find yourself stuck in the woods overnight with no gear at all. The wilderness is a risky place, and spending money won't change that.

So is glamping the next big thing in travel? Certainly adventure vacations have been gaining in popularity over the past decade or so. And now it's oh-so-chic to be concerned about the planet. So perhaps glamping is an idea whose time has come. Or maybe it's just a desperate attempt to convince the ladies that a camping vacation is worth the same price as a beach resort!