Equipment

Hiking Travel HIT/Pekka Tyllilä and Petri Mäkelä have developed a new sledge model designed for arctic expeditions with superior qualities compared to competing products.

The HIT Ultima Thule sledge is fabricated from carbon fiber, glass fiber and Hyptonite® nanoepoxide. The combination of materials makes the sledge both lighter and more durable. Perhaps the most notable new feature is the undercoating made from the same material as in skis. Tests showed an average of 25% improvement in gliding properties compared to regular sledges.

The covers are sealed with velcro and four straps are used for fastening them tightly to the sledges.

The sledges weigh at the beginning of the expedition around 175 kg which thanks to the new improved sledge design corresponds to about 130 kg of weight if pulled in a regular sledge.

Madshus Glittertind MGV skis

The Madshus Glittertind MGV –skis are the de facto skis for expeditions. Steel edges around the whole skis and raised patterns make them more versatile. Compared to the Pellestova skis they are wider and have deeper sidecuts making it easier to turn fast, a characteristic especially needed when using kites.

Rottefella Riva 3 bindings

The most important aspect of the bindings is that they are as simple as possible and easy to use. The basic Riva3 has a front plate and adjustable cable. The binding has very few parts and therefore less possibility of breakage.

In addition we are using a 20 mm adjusting piece to lift the binding from the ski to get more clearance from the snow and make carving easier especially with kites.

Colltex mohair skin

Especially in the early parts of the expedition we are using 38 mm wide mohair skin to get more grip to be able to climb with the skis. From time to time the snow gets stuck on the soles of the skis and in those cases we use regular duct tape to improve the glide.

Weight: 218 g

Ozone Access XC 8 kites and harnesses

During the planning phase it felt almost impossible to choose the model and size of the kites. We started practicing in winter time 2006 with kite instructor Tapio Hinkkanen (http://www.snowkite.fi/) using Ozone kites and quite naturally we chose our kites for the expedition from the Ozone models.

Since our expedition is not using kites as primary means of transportation, compromises had to be made as far the size and model of the kites are concerned. Nowadays you can see expeditions in Greenland and Antarctic using only kites. In those cases the expedition can have even five different size kites and several ropes of different lengths.

We chose the 8 m² Ozone Access kites based on the average winds we anticipate and on our experiences with kites.

We also had to make some Finnish pioneer work to combine the kiting harnesses with sledge pulling harnesses topped with a small backpack. For these we used Ozone Access harnesses with foot straps and Millet Vector 28 backpacks. After several phases we managed to combine all and saddle smith Satu Ritari finished the job with leather and heavy stitching.

Sasta Everest Gore-Tex shell layer jacket and Sasta Storm Gore-Tex pants

Reissu Petet started their trekking with Sasta clothing already 20 years a go. Shifting from cotton anoraks to Gore-Tex layered clothing happened in the late 90's and co-operation with Sasta Oy started more officially in 2002.

During long arctic expeditions it is vital that the equipment and the manufacturer of that equipment can be trusted totally. Extreme conditions mean every tiny detail counts. In hard conditions trusting the clothing gives a more secure feeling and helps in the success of the trek.

The Sasta Everest Gore-Tex jacket has three layers. The properties of the jacket includes long venting zippers, excellent hood, stretch fabric in side panels, pockets high enough and wind blocker on the waist.

The Storm pants have three layers, long side zippers, snow locks and adjustable suspenders.

Ruskovilla trekking underwear

Ruskovilla underwear is a natural choice for Greenland 2008 expedition. Several number one positions in various tests speak for themselves. The details of the underwear have been developed over the years and the model has now stayed pretty much the same for the past years. The shirt has seamless shoulders, shielded zipper in the collar, thumb holes in the sleeves and longer waist in the back. The pants have double stitching in the knees and stretching hems. The Ruskovilla undergarments are made from 100% wool of a Merino sheep which is seven times finer then Finnish wool. That is why it doesn't itch even on bare skin and can be used as the first layer of clothing. In addition the material breathed and feels dry and warm even when it's wet.

The expedition has also knitted collar and silk wool knit cap from Ruskovilla.

Bridgedale socks

The Bridgedale socks have been a part of the trekkers outfit since they became available in Finland. The Coolmax liner socks are excellent in transferring the moisture to the upper layer GTX Summmit wool blend sock making it more comfortable to trek. In addition the Coolmax liner socks prevent abrasions.

Vapor Barrier socks are also used especially in the early parts of the expedition in between the Coolmax liner and GTX Summit socks to prevent the moisturizing of the insulating layer.

Alico Double with strap ski boots

Reissu Petet & co have been using Alico Double ski boots since 2002. The double layered leather telemark boots have been warm enough and comfortable for skiing. They are also sturdy enough for carving with the kites.

The Alico Double is also durable with strong enough soles to prevent the breakage which could be dangerous.

Usually for the arctic expeditions we take one size bigger boots then normally.

Sportfire shin covers

A company called Urheiluareena from Tampere offers excellent made to order Sportfire shin covers to go with the Alico Double ski boots. The waterproof covers go over the boots giving excellent additional insulation.

In addition to the made to order covers the Urheiluareena offers also other skiing and sporting equipment.

Alico Ultra trekking boots

The last ten kilometres of the Greenland 2008 expedition will be dry land and we'll be using the Alico Ultra boots for that leg. The boots are light which is the main reason for choosing them. After all the boots will have to be carried in the sledges for over 2500 km before they are needed. /p>

Panasonic Toughbook CF-19 laptop

The fully rugged Panasonic Toughbook CF-19 weighs 2,3 kg and is suitable for all possible hard circumstances be it moisture, dust, extreme heat or cold. With its excellent 10,4 inch XGA display it is clear in daylight as well. The integrated Intel® Centrino® Duo mobiletechnology offers best possible performance with low energy consumption. The powerful li-ion battery lasts up to seven hours.

Silva ADC Wind anemometer

The Silva ADC Wind is a simple anemometer. In addition to wind speed it shows the combined effect of wind ad temperature as well as statistical information about the last 24 hours.

The anemometer is important in kiteskiing so that the wind speed is known before starting. And it also prevents the biggest exaggerations when telling the stories.