7. Bring the Right Gear
“Every adventure starts with the question: What are your goals?” Larsen says. “Are you going light and fast, or traveling as comfortable as you can, or hanging out in a tent for 10 days? Anyone of those things is a legitimate adventure.”
They also dictate what gear you choose. Here are some more essentials to keep your polar adventure from becoming one long sufferfest:
· Thermal underwear: We like Saxx’s Thermoflyte long-leg brief; it has a blend of moisture-wicking polyester and stretchy spandex, with a brushed back thermal jersey for added warmth. [$44.95; saxxunderwear.com]
· Hard-shell pants: These BC Duraweave Alpine Pants by Eddie Bauer are made with a burly shell that’s durable and waterproof. [$499; eddiebauer.com]
· Soft-shell hiking pants: The Keb Trousers by Fjällräven are comfortable and breathable, suited for hiking into your base camp. [$225; fjallraven.us]
· Sunglasses: You want polarized anti-reflective lenses to amplify detail and enhance natural color beyond; try the Outlier 2 by Smith. [$169; smithoptics.com]
· Snowshoes: Snowshoes distribute your weight out on thin ice and provide more maneuverability and traction than skis. “Strapping my feet into these is like engaging four-wheel drive,” Larsen said. Try Lightning Ascent Snowshoes by MSR. [$299.95; msrgear.com]
· Pull sled + hip belt: For easy trekking, store your essentials in one of SkiPulk’s options. [$215-$699; skipulk.com]
· Duffel: We like the durability and storage capacity of the Base Camp Duffel by The North Face. [$110-160; thenorthface.com]
· Trekking poles: LT5 Three-Piece Carbon Trekking Poles by Gossamer Gear [$195; gossamergear.com]
· Snow shovel: Operator Backcountry & Basecamp Shovel by MSR Gear [$69.95; msrgear.com]
· All-season tents: MSR Gear is a top pick for Larsen, namely because he worked with their engineers to design the Remote and Access lines for winter backcountry camping. [Starting at $110; msrgear.com]
For more information on Eric Larsen’s polar training courses, visit: ericlarsenexplore.com/adventures
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