Gary Rolfe

• Panasonic
• RAB
• Outdoor Designs
• Perigaeum
• Zeiss
• Petlife
• Ruff Wear
• Arktis
• Lowe alpine

• Sorbothane
• Gerber
• Petzl
• Beal
• CIBA Vision
• CEBE
• Multimat
• The Wireless Source
• Tubbs Snowshoe Co.
• ACR Electronics
• Energizer
• Think Tank
• UK Juicers
• Dr A C Daniels Co Ltd
(makers of Bag Balm)
• Patterson Medical
• Clamcleat
• Snowpaw

Other Useful Links
• Pet Travel Scheme
• Asthma

Sponsors & Endorsements

"[Handling huskies] is a specialist area that makes huge demands on people, dogs, critical gear and skills alike. The fact he [Gary] travels alone is testimony to his ability combined with the magical bond between him and his huskies."

Sir Ranulph Fiennes Bt OBE, July 2003, Patron

"Every manufacturer is out there to tell the world they are developing the best products. The fact is, few are, despite their hype. Products I choose to use face deeply challenging circumstances over long periods of time. My gear leads a tough existence keeping the dogs and I safe. Ultimately everything blends, enabling us to operate at the best of our ability.

"Here are companies I consider first choice specialists, recommend and consider the best available, worldwide."

"Running 1,400 miles in four winter months of polar dark, mostly at minus forty below zero, clothing protects me like fur does for my dogs. Through an entire Arctic year we experience a temperature range of 81°C (30°C above to minus 51°C). I consider my footwear special too.

"I'm on my feet training for long periods of time for journeys where my fitness is paramount. I've survived near death situations because of my fitness. It's saved my life. I don't like injuries that prevent me from training. I haven't had a running injury for years since using Sorbothane innersoles. Don't expect any training shoe to give you injury free training. Buy what running shoe you want, they all come with innersoles fit for the bin.

"My Sorbothane innersoles absorb foot impact shock from all my activities whether I'm walking in London, training in the park or hammering over frozen sea ice. Sorbothane innersoles help insulate to keep feet warm too, even in brutal cold.

"You might not want to train through an Arctic winter but we all want to be injury free to gain healthy well-being benefits from whatever activities we choose."

Sorbothane feature in Gary’s diary, published articles and newspaper coverage:

“With Gerber knives and axes I’ve skinned and butchered cows, sheep, horses, moose, bears, caribou, seals and gutted monster sized Arctic char. These knives and axes are versatile. Edges remain sharp and handles feel good in the hand.”

Gerber feature in Gary’s diary, blog and published articles:

"Arctic winters bring 24-hour darkness. The dark can be so black it's like being nailed inside a coffin. Sometimes I can travel by the light of the moon and swirling northern lights. Sometimes not. That's when I use my Petzl head-torch to penetrate millions and millions of wind blown glittered flaying ice shards to watch the dogs' footings or changes in ice conditions. Below the tree line I watch out for fresh wolf and moose activity. On sea ice I watch for polar bear prints or their kills and am careful not to come between adults and cubs."

Petzl feature in Gary’s diary & blog:

Beal feature in Gary’s diary and blog:

"I zip essentials I want thawed into fleece pockets close to my body. I wear CIBA Focus DAILIES AquaComfort Plus one-day contact lenses. They’re incredible and I never know they’re in. When sleep is out of the question I wear NIGHT & DAY for 30 days of continuous wear. Spectacles would freeze to my face.

At all times in that zipped pocket I maintain enough body heat to keep thawed a week's supply of lenses. The remainder I keep on my sled. Here every lens in strips of seven tiny-sealed pots freezes solid. On shifting sea ice I'm able to wear contact lenses for extended periods. The thought of being woken by ice breaking up under my camp and scrambling blindly out of water always gives me the creeps."

Ciba Vision feature in Gary’s diary, blog, published articles and newspaper coverage:

“Have you ever considered what life would be like without your eyesight? Fear of losing my own has had me consider precautions and I’ve sought out the best options available. I wear CEBE Spot sunglasses so my retinas don’t burn out.”

CEBE feature in Gary's blog and published media:

"My Multimats have experienced a yearly temperature range of 81ºC (30ºC above to minus 51ºC). In summer my dogs and I cross hundreds of rivers, confront bears and deal with wolf packs. Arctic wildlife tends to eat what it pleases, including human beings. In perpetual polar winters it’s cold enough to spit ice cubes. Brutal cold has a tendency to kill. In a tent I want sleep. I want insulation. I want warmth. I am demanding and use only gear that tolerates the torture I inflict upon it. Multimats do all this."

Multimat features in Gary's diary, blog and published media:

Gary appears on Multimat’s Expedition Range mat insert packaging

Download Multimat’s 2010 catalogue (6MB)

" I use a Vertex Standard VXA – 150 Pro V ground to air VHF transceiver powered by AA batteries. It’s light, easy to use and can potentially save my life. If I’ve an aircraft charter re-supply planned I can talk directly to the pilot. In a dire emergency situation I can transmit a blind (first) broadcast with a pre-arranged call sign on frequencies monitored by local low-level flight pilots and community aerodromes or scan military flight frequencies. No message copy locally and I transmit specific details on international distress frequency 121.5 MHz for overhead Boeings. By law these pilots must monitor this frequency."

The Wireless Source / Vertex Standard feature in Gary’s published articles:

"My dogs don't carry me. Skis or Tubbs snowshoes enable me to generate heat and stave off hypothermia while traversing coastal tundra or Mackenzie Delta snow where I train. Snow here is deep snow, sometimes chest deep."

Tubbs feature in Gary’s diary, blog and published articles:

“Never trust a satellite phone. Sure enough handsets change but guaranteed reception does not. It remains dreadful, not very good if you want your life to depend on it and since ACR Electronics, Inc. make the best personal location beacons available worldwide I carry my ACR PLB at all times.”

ACR feature in Gary’s blog and media coverage:

"Throughout perpetual winter polar dark at forty below zero Energizer AA lithium batteries power, without weakness, devices like my emergency strobe and GPS. The light of my head torch enables me to find a way over good or bad ice, check my dogs' paws, break up dogfights and feed."

Energizer feature in Gary’s diary, blog and published media:

Think Tank features in Gary’s blog:

03/2010 blog – Journey To The Unknown

UKJuicers feature in Gary's blog and media coverage:

"The last job I do inside my tent is to smear my face with Bag Balm. This antiseptic ointment protects potentially vulnerable frostbite areas such as my nose, cheekbones, ears lobes and finger ends from splitting. Importantly it contains no water and doesn't freeze to body parts. As well as protect it encourages fast healing for minor cuts and scrapes on both the dogs and myself. Very little is needed for it to be effective and once applied it stays on. Anything else I'd consider as nothing more than a cosmetic."

Bag Balm feature in Gary’s diary, blog and published media:

Homecraft Rolyan feature in Gary’s diary:

Frostbite Recovery Diary March 2006

"Clamcleat guy rope adjusters are one of those attentions to detail that help make Arctic life run smoothly. Setting up camp alone in horrid winds at forty below zero warrants survival mode. Simple to use with big mittens on Clamcleat guy rope adjusters enable me to secure my tent to anchor points, fast. Arctic storms can keep me tent bound for days. Guy ropes fitted with Clamcleats don’t buckle or budge."

Clamcleat features in Gary’s diary and blog:

Snowpaw features in Gary’s diary and blog:

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