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Part one: when we go.

This article is about expedition equipment for a ski trip in Chukotka, but it will be of interest not only to skiers, but also to lovers of other outdoor activities: winter hunting, snowshoeing, mountaineering, etc., because the general principles of organizing a hiking wardrobe are the same.

Ski expeditions are divided into two phases of activity: "walking" and "stopping". Based on this, clothing for a ski expedition is selected.

But if everything was so simple, then it would not be worth writing this article. There is a "small" nuance - temperature. I’ll make a reservation right away, by temperature, I understand the perceived temperature, which, unlike the laboratory one, additionally takes into account the influence of wind and humidity. The variation of the scale of perceived temperature in Chukotka in the period from January to April can be over 50 degrees: from zero, or initial numbers of positive values, to -50 degrees. But usually, during expeditions lasting from 2 to 4 weeks, this figure does not exceed a thirty-degree difference.

In the past, my expedition wardrobe was different: pants from one manufacturer, a jacket from another, insulation was generally made by hardworking inhabitants of the Celestial Empire. But now, for the second winter season, I'm testing Sitka. So how do I test? I go and rejoice. There is a reason. Now I don't have a choice, which item to take? Choice always creates doubt. Doubts, in turn, breed mistakes: either you take more clothes, which negatively affects the volume and weight of the equipment, or you don’t get something, which is also sad, because it’s cold. The general characteristic for the Sitka equipment can be characterized by three theses: compact, light, warm. Moreover, each of these points is self-sufficient and important. From general phrases, we move on to specifics.

Phase "Let's Go"

Skiing is one of the most energy-intensive activities. In addition to the actual ski movement itself, the ski expeditioners in "tug" drag drags with cargo. Empirically, I came to the conclusion: 1 kg of cargo in a drag, approximately corresponds to 1% of the additional energy-consuming load. This rule applies when the weight of the drags varies between 10-60 kg, i.e. if the weight of the shovel is half a centner and you have to walk 10 km, then this is about the same as 15 km without the shovel. Power consumption increases significantly when aggravating circumstances are introduced: loose snow, headwinds, climbs, etc.

Why do I focus on the power consumption factor? Because it is one of the key indicators in choosing clothes. The higher this figure, the less clothing is required. It is 20 degrees outside, and the skier is half-dressed, because the skier is the same engine that needs to cool the body from overheating.

In the "let's go" phase, there are 3 conditional temperature zones that affect the amount of traveler's clothes.

Temperature above -8/-10 degrees.

Accessories: usually none, except for a fleece headband.

Temperature from -10 to -20/-23.

The most comfortable temperature for an expedition skier, especially in the upper values ​​​​of this indicator. It is characterized by the most effective indicator of ski activity efficiency.

It is worth noting that the top is the most mobile part of the equipment, which, in the event of an increase or decrease in temperature, can very easily be strengthened or lightened.

Temperature from -20 to -35/40

This is the limiting zone for a relatively comfortable ski trip, beyond which the zone of extremely low temperatures begins, at which walking is possible in principle, but not necessary, because it is not advisable. Energy consumption becomes prohibitively high, and the efficiency of movement is extremely low. In this temperature zone, unlike the previous ones, it is already cold. Actually, these temperatures can be considered frost. The freezing process starts after stopping after 5 minutes or less. At the extreme negative, freezing begins immediately after stopping. Hands get cold even after taking gloves off for a short time. Face mask is required. In the presence of wind, ski goggles are also worn.

Accessories: insulated gloves or mittens, hat-helmet, fleece face mask.

Thermoregulation at upper temperature values ​​(-20-25) is carried out with the help of side zippers on the trousers and unbuttoning the jacket.

Part two: when we stand.

No matter how breathable clothing is, it cannot take all the moisture away from the body, so during our activity, whether it's a ski trip or a long hike, clothes become wet. While we are walking it is not scary, but as soon as we stop it is necessary to warm up.

Phase "stand"

Of course, by "stand" I do not mean complete inaction. This is the phase of the end of vigorous activity and it happens in two cases: during a stop for "tips" and during the setting up of the camp.

"Tips"

A person cannot move all the time. He, or rather his muscles need rest. You need to stop and rest even when you are not tired yet. Because if the muscles are thoroughly hammered, it will be impossible to restore them during a short rest. In addition, the body can "respond" to non-stop transitions with a collapse and then the person is very quickly "covered" by fatigue. Once, though it was summer, I was "covered". Moreover, about ten minutes before that, I was still cheerful and gave myself the intention to walk three kilometers. It was evening time, but the sun was just beginning to set. I ended up walking a little over a mile. And the last three hundred meters walked for 20 minutes! The number of stops and their duration depends on the chosen strategy of your trip. Usually, I try to make stops after 40-50 minutes of walking, both in summer and in winter. Stop time 5-10 minutes.

In order to have a comfortable rest time and not overcool, you need to warm up. For this purpose, in an easily accessible place, a jacket / vest and self-dumping trousers are placed on the drags. The peculiarity of this stopping phase is that our walking clothes are not removed.

The most disgusting thing is to finish the "tea". The body just got used to the heat, and then again you have to undress and for a certain amount of time again "enter" the working temperature regime. But if the gull was long and the temperature was low, you can start moving in insulated equipment, and after warming up, stop and take it off.

"Camping Out"

This is the most enjoyable part of the hike. As soon as you reach the place of spending the night, you must immediately warm up. You should not linger with this matter, because if you first enjoy the delights of life: drink tea, smoke, look at the starry sky or a beautiful sunset, then by the time you are about to change clothes, the body will already have cooled down thoroughly and you will have to move pretty much to warm up again. And this is extra energy. In the campaign, everything must obey the principle of expediency, and the main expediency is not to waste energy. In addition, having changed clothes immediately, while the body is still hot and emits a large amount of heat, the process of drying thermal underwear on oneself begins. Ideally, it is better to replace a wet termuha with a dry one (there should always be two pairs in a camping kit), but if the ambient temperature is below -20 degrees, then such changes of linen are inappropriate.

In terms of changing clothes during camping, there is a nuance. The upper "skin" (jacket and trousers), in which you actively moved, must be removed and put on things made of fluff or synthetics instead. And the removed things should be thoroughly shaken out and knocked out, cleaned of frost, paying special attention to the inside of the clothes. This remark applies to the period when it is below -20 degrees below zero outside. The degree of insulation depends on the ambient temperature. My complete set of insulation consists of:

After changing clothes, you can drink tea from a thermos that has already cooled by the evening with a clean soul, a warm body and a good mood, admire the surrounding nature, look at the odometer of the navigator and say out loud: "What a fine fellow (we) I am (we are)." Next will be setting up a tent and other pleasant evening chores. And if another day is planned for tomorrow, with fishing or hunting, then the joy will be boundless.

Travelers have such a tradition to talk about equipment and equipment after hiking. This tradition is ancient, going back to the Sumerians and Phoenicians. The exact information about what the pioneers wrote about did not reach us, but I have no doubt that they certainly wrote. Firstly, this is sacred knowledge, which every member of the sect of travelers, and all travelers are sectarians of the religion of travel, otherwise the desire for vagrancy is inexplicable, must pass on their knowledge to the next generation. And secondly, everything that you took with you and how it worked, you must certainly fix it on paper, otherwise after a while you yourself will forget what, what and how.

I do not intend to break traditions, so I tell you what I took and how it worked.

Equipment

Double tent "Basque"CLIF. To begin with, this is not a winter tent. Without a snow skirt and has an installation form that is extremely inconvenient for winter conditions: first a canopy, then an awning. Why this particular tent? It's simple, from the all-season I have only three rubles, and dragging a three-ruble note on a solo campaign is an unnecessary luxury. But despite the non-specific conditions, the tent withstood the test perfectly. "Terrain" - the number of places in a tent, in winter conditions, is calculated with a coefficient of 1.5, from the summer one. A summer dvushka is a wonderful winter odnushka, and a summer treshka is a comfortable winter dvushka. After I "hooked" on the Basque tents (Bonzer, "Friend", "Vostok"), in which the awning and canopy are put up at the same time (the floor can be unfastened when necessary), tents going "in parts", from the beginning, the canopy, then the awning, I am perplexed: why are they still being made? This is not convenient at first. In a good snowstorm, collecting such a tent in one person is still a test. Will the awning fly or not fly, that's what question.

Well, the fact that during a snowstorm, outstanding snowdrifts were packed under the awning, which squeezed the walls so that the tent was halved in volume, I have nothing to blame. She is not designed for the winter, there is no skirt.

One constructive detail in this tent is still not clear to me. When it is installed on the roof, a recess is formed. And where there is even a small depression, precipitation will accumulate. In my case it is snow. Maybe I put it somehow wrong?

But in general, I have no complaints about the tent. This is already the third long solo hike (the first winter one) in which I go with this tent. The fact that it is still intact and functional says a lot.

2. Tent "Basque Cliff"

Volokusha: SO-5 (Nor-Plast) 155x55x15. About drags, I already wrote something. This model, which I borrowed from my friend Timur Akhmetov ("forcing" him to go skiing with a backpack), is good in everything, except for the height of the sides and the low nose. I have already told about my ordeals on sastrugi.

3. Volokushi

Gas. Rarely, when it turns out to carry out the throwing of equipment to the starting point on the ground. This trip was that very rare time, so I had the opportunity to deliver threaded gas cylinders (Coleman) from Anadyr to Egvekinot. Kolmanovsky gas is more tolerant to negative temperatures and burns "more evenly" than Chinese (Korean) gas in collet cylinders, due to a better gas mixture. I took the gas with a good margin - 7 large threaded cylinders and 2 collets. Used only three. There are two reasons for this: in some places there was water, so cooking required less fuel consumption, and relatively warm weather also contributed to fuel savings than it could have been.

Gas-burner. I strongly recommend to anyone who is going to buy gas burners to pay attention to the domestic company Pathfinder. The company is domestic, and the burners are made in the Czech Republic. The burners are very solid (there are several types). The safety margin of equipment in winter campaigns must be present, so I had two burners available: "Volcano" and "Talking Fire". The functionality of both is flawless. Absolutely no worse than Koveevsky, and the price tag is more than two times lower.

4. The process of cooking food on a gas burner

Gunand 15 rounds. He returned home with a gun and the same 15 rounds of ammunition.

Rug "Termarest Camper deluxe". 196x63x6.3. Well, there has to be a first time for everything. I did not take a reindeer skin on this trip, I decided to test a self-inflating rug in winter conditions. Very conflicting feelings. On the one hand, all the inconveniences that the skin caused: the smell, the constantly falling out wool that was everywhere, the large volume, the rug ruled out. The thermal qualities are slightly worse than those of the skin, but not by much, because it is still spring outside and there were no prohibitively low temperatures (the manufacturer recommends using a rug up to -22 degrees). The trouble, or rather problems, arose with self-inflating. At temperatures below -12-15 degrees, this process is almost completely absent. Therefore, the rug lost the prefix "self" and was simply inflated. As a result, I came to the conclusion that for such spring trips, you can still use such rugs, but you should not take it on winter trips. In winter, the skin is more reliable and warmer.

5. The process of self-inflating the mat

ski equipment. Skis "Fischer" E109 (190 cm), boots "Fisher" VSH 5, poles "Blackdiamond". In January of this year, I moved to the next ski level, which is called "Back Country" or encrypted in the English abbreviation BC. I was pleased with everything, both the width and the strength of the skis, and the presence of a metal edging on them, and a more reliable fastening system, which allows, albeit not for skiing, but still to carry out confident descents from the mountains. Pleased until I went to them on the first trip. It was in January, the weather was very negative. From that January campaign I came humiliated and offended. Humiliated, because the shoes pressed hellishly hard on the ankle (outer knuckle), insulted, because the material on the shoes burst at the bend of the foot. And this is called professional winter boots! There was an assumption that they are simply not designed for temperatures below 30. Apparently, the way it is. After a long analysis of the cause that caused pain to the ankle, I came to the conclusion that the side brace for the laces was to blame. Without hesitation, picking up a multi-tool, I tore the hell out of these staples (on both boots). And about a miracle! The pain is gone. Apart from the fact that there are now holes in the boots from the staples and the material has burst on them, everything else is just fine. Good equipment, comfortable and reliable.

6. Skiing

7.

Sleeping bag "Basque" Challenger"(thermolight extreme insulation). I am using this sleeping bag for the first time. In general, the sleeping bag is not bad for this time of year. Only the meaning of the long regulator of the collar part of the sleeping bag is not clear. A half-meter lace is clearly redundant.

8. The only day when you could dry your sleeping bag in the morning

Equipment.

A person, at least partially familiar with outdoor equipment, immediately recognized from the photographs what I was wearing. Yes, this is Sitka, high-tech and expensive clothing from an American brand that specializes in equipment for hunters and fishermen. For the active outdoors, these clothes are adapted no less than in their marketing profile. I have already described the properties and qualities of this equipment more than once. For those who are interested, we are looking for relevant articles under the tag "equipment and equipment". The clothes work. Moreover, it works in the most severe conditions and is not the first season. This is the main argument. That's it, nothing more to add.

9. Outerwear from the "Sitka Coldfront" series

And here I would like to step aside a little and answer questions from readers. Readers asked the question: why don't you wear traditional fur clothes? It is warm, people living in the north have been walking in it for centuries. For centuries, people have traveled in carts, but today everyone prefers a car. A penny of our civilization and technological progress if by the 21st century mankind had not come up with clothes that surpass traditional ones in their properties. And the best minds and hands of mankind have come up with such clothes. It happened not so long ago, in the second half of the last century. And this clothing and technology came to Russia "yesterday", about twenty years ago.
What is the main disadvantage of fur clothing? She is very demanding. Mechanical clothing is categorically afraid of moisture. Therefore, it is always removed and stored in the cold. The clothes require constant maintenance and repair. The “attachment” to fur clothing in the traditional life of reindeer herders was a woman who constantly repaired and hemmed these clothes. The service life of fur clothing, with its active use, is one season, then winter clothing becomes summer clothing. And most importantly - the purpose of these clothes. The way of life of the reindeer Chukchi did not imply active hiking. The reindeer herder spent his whole life on his feet. But his life was around the herd. Yes, you can burrow into the snow in these clothes and wait out the blizzard, but skiing for many days in a row is a dubious pleasure. Long trips were made on teams: dog or reindeer. Yes, as a clothing for statics, it is beautiful, deer hollow hair is an excellent heat insulator. In the case when there was activity in the fur clothing, ventilation was carried out through the hem and collar. This is an effective way to deal with moisture, but extremely uncomfortable for a modern person. Put on a jacket on a naked body without fastening the collar and without tightening the bottom of the jacket and go out into the wind. Yep, more fun.

In modern clothes, all of the above problematic moments are not. It is warm, light, breathable, easy to dry, durable and so on and so forth. The only thing is that today fur clothing can be used as snowmobile clothing, where there is long-term static. But even today kukhlyankas and fur pants are used as an upper, additional layer under modern overalls.

But as clothing for reindeer herders, fur clothing is still indispensable today.

10. Fur suit

Equipment for a winter bike tour along the Arctic coast of Chukotka

Equipment for a winter bike trip along the Arctic coast of Chukotka.

Ilya Gurevich, Dmitry Kimber, Mikhail Kamentsev

We begin to write these lines on April 20 at the Valkarkay polar station, where we abuse the hospitality of meteorologists, due to the "so-so" weather. It's minus 6 outside, sunny. And it's not like it's bad. However, a wind of 20 meters per second keeps us from leaving to complete the route. And the route we had (and is - there is still a little less than 80 km ahead) is this: Billings - Valkarkay - Pevek. And, despite the fact that we still have to ride ahead, I will try to sum up the results of the use of our equipment. To pass on the experience, so to speak, to future generations of conquerors of the frozen Arctic seas. What was good and what was bad.

Let's start with the main thing - FAT bikes. I must say that, apparently, on MTB bikes, there is absolutely nothing to do in these parts. The area is arid, there is little snow, but what is there is quite enough for bicycles on ordinary wheels to pass in few places. FAT bikes we have with two rubber options. One is 3.7-3.8 inches, the other, and this is apparently the most correct option, 4.7-4.8 inches go in many places. Rainfall here falls from Billings to Pevek. At Billings, we drove on a rather hard crust, which would hardly have been possible on thin wheels. And on the FATbike, too, frankly, there were sections of the road where it was not possible to ride. But in general, you had to drag bikes on yourself less than 20% of the way at the beginning, and about 5-7% of the way before Valkarkay. This is a good result, and it was achieved through the use of this class of technology. The average speed ranged from 5.5 km per hour to 9.5 km per hour. You understand that there was not a single meter of road on our way yet. Only the ice of the East Siberian Sea, the tundra coast, or pebble beaches covered with a small layer of snow. A special article is riding on hummocks. You are driving through the ice fields, looking for passing jumpers in the hummocks in order to drive through the next hummock without getting off your bike. It is clear that sometimes the movement goes in the mode of 200 meters traveled, 5 meters dragged the bike through the hummock. And yet, it was quite effective, as our speed on foot varied from 1300 meters per hour on the Achim peninsula, to 4 km per hour on good sections.

What was not entirely successful with bicycles, which can already be judged before reaching Pevek? As the first problem, I would single out the tread on the rear wheel. This tread clearly lacked "rowing ability". Therefore, when we drove onto a hummock, which was covered with snow, quite often the rear wheel went into a stall, and instead of pushing the bike, it turned. This, of course, put an end to the attempt to drive on steep ice floes. It is extremely rare for a wheel, after a breakdown into a crank, to be returned to forward motion. Most of the time I had to get off my bike. At the same time, it was necessary to do this, of course, at the most inopportune moment, on an inclined ice floe, or on an inflating slope.

The second thing to note is the pump. For tires of such a large size, of course, larger pumps would have to be used. We have a very small, standby pump (SKS DIAGO) and we need to make 200 movements to inflate the tire a little. Its volume is very large! Another pump, the main one, Giyo GM-61, is medium in size, but it had a problem on the first day. In the cold -30, the plastic nut holding the rubber band that compresses the nipple fell apart. Now this gum is stored separately from the pump and you need to acquire the skill not to drop it into the snow when pumping the wheels. In general, the main thesis of this campaign is that ordinary things that do not have a “frosty specialization” do not work well in the cold. We need to take this issue into account, maybe look for some kind of foot pumps and with metal parts. Here in the FAT bike there is such a trick that its cross-country ability strongly depends on the amount of atmospheres in the chamber. If you drive on a hard one, then you can give up to 2.5 atmospheres or more (the additional pressure on the tire is 3 atm). But if you drive through snow and hummocks, then there is nothing to catch on such pressure. Relieve pressure and go. And then you have to raise the pressure again. This, of course, is a hassle. With a pocket pump, it's not convenient here.

I wanted to remove one of the brakes from the bike before going to these parts. To lighten the bike, and just to have two brakes at the speeds of a FAT bike is a hussar. Although a couple of times here it was possible to make a good trip along the crust down from the shore to the sea. Maybe up to 20-25 kilometers per hour, I accelerated in a short section. If you remove, then, after all, the front brake. The back must be left. One brake per bike at these speeds is enough. My bike has BB7 mechanical brakes. The front (more efficient) is not needed. Braking at speeds up to 25 km per hour on an icy slope is safer with the rear ones. Moreover, it is loaded with a bicycle backpack.

Now let's move on from the bike to the equipment.

To unload the bikes, we used TREK-65 backpacks (65 liters capacity) and drag sleds 50 and 70 liters. The scheme proved to be quite successful, although the drag sleds added to the thrill at times. They are towed behind the bike through the snow on a flexible rope. Accordingly, when you drive through the narrows, they may not pass through the narrows. And if you're riding on high inflation, these sleds can slide down and try to yank your rear wheel off the inflation. I once fell in this way, and after that I began to carefully monitor and calculate the possible trajectory of the sled. Another problem was that Terra's sleds were a bit rotten. That is, some sleds, apparently, were lying somewhere for a long time at the manufacturer, or he saved on threads and materials. Already on the second day, the sled caught on a snag sticking out of the snow and the mount flew off from them like a bullet! The speed was at that moment about 5.5 km per hour. The threads were either weak or rotted somewhere during storage. I hooked the rope by the metal ears, and rode 300 meters in this form - the ears unbent. Then I tied the sled to the lines and rode like this for 6 days, then the line broke. He overturned the sled and tied it to other lines. And here on the Valkarkay, while waiting for the weather, Dima Kimber sewed the mount to the old place. I hope to get to Pevek. Here, after all, what a thing, the sled, although rotten, is designed correctly. When you pull them properly, they ride well, the obstacles flow around. And when you tie them out of order, it turns out that the sled clings to everything, and where there is more or less deep snow, they go like a bulldozer. This, you understand, does not add speed. In addition, it was not possible to stuff them to the state of a drum, as they should be stuffed. Well, during a blizzard, snow clogs into any gap, including a small wound in the sled. And the thesis received a lot of wounds. In a word, the design is correct, the idea is correct, but the implementation sucks. True, I note that the second sled that was bought for this trip and is going after Dima Kimber has not been torn and is going normally. Thinking about the future, apparently it is necessary to think over sleds that can somehow be quickly attached to backpacks and removed. Sometimes you have to drive over stones that have already thawed from the spring sun. Now we are trying to go around such areas in the snow, but in principle, it would be possible to shove right on the stones, if you don’t have to drag the sled at the same time. Another idea is to make not a drag sled, but a trailer on a wheel on a metal bar. But there are other issues: weight.

Grease used to lubricate bicycles Nanoprotector, which has proven itself in the best way. Of course we rode on sparkling iceand white snowwhich no one sprinkled with reagents and other rubbish. And yet, water is water. By the end of the hike, the snow that fell on the bikes actively melted. Yes, and just snow pounced on the chain, on other parts. The switches were machined once, the chain twice. No visible rust. Everything worked great.

About the backpack. The Track 65 is the right size backpack for this trip. Together with the drags, I get 135 liters of volume. This is more than enough for a trip, the autonomy of which was calculated for 13 days. On the other hand, for hikes of this class, it would be more correct to use the Trek-90 design with a floating pocket on top. In addition, in frosts, and in the first nights the frosts were about 30 degrees, the fittings do not behave very well. Breaks down. A metal strap flies off the dogs with zippers, then it is not convenient to use. And in general, in the cold, it is not so convenient to use zippers on backpacks than puffs, or fastexes, for example.

We go further. Tent. This time we used the "Titan" tent from "Equipment". And it was not the right choice. I have no doubt that the manufacturer will bring the tent to perfection in the future, but so far it is rather raw. Firstly, it has one small vestibule. This is not very convenient. If the weather is bad, we cook in the vestibule. In the same place we store products so that we do not go out for them every time. In the end, if you already went, so went. Don't leave until the cooking is over. Last time we used tents from another manufacturer with two vestibules. And it was much more convenient. In addition, the size of the vestibule of the Titan is small. The design itself was liked by the fact that the guys (main) are attached not to the awning, but to the power frame, and then, through the pocket in the tent, they are brought out, and then attached to the pegs. Instead of pegs, we used climbing titanium drills. Another of the minuses - the pocket for the arc of the awning is very small. In the cold, without removing gloves, it was difficult to hit him with an arc. This is clearly a minus. And, most importantly, it is not clear why this was done. Also, the arc (in the middle of the tent) goes to catchers, which are located under the skirt. We made holes in the skirt with a knife and fastened the arc without lifting the skirt. So, during a snowstorm, our entire vestibule and sides were covered with compressed snow. The suckers themselves, of course, did not wait for the southerners, they did not press the skirt. In principle, this can be left, since the problem is not particularly big.

Burners. We had two burners manufactured by Primus (EtaPower, brand new and well seen Omnifuel), and boilers, including a boiler, at the bottom of which a structure is heaped, which, according to its creators, saves fuel and speeds up the process of boiling water. Pure truth. I really liked this device (heat exchanger). We also had simple boilers, without frills, and we immediately switched to this cooking mode: we melted snow in a boiler with a heat exchanger and brought water to a boil, and then we cooked food in an ordinary boiler. Somewhat less liked the burners themselves, which were clogged with local gasoline. It is clear that gasoline is not a "galosh" here. In Billings, we bought 6 liters of 80th gasoline, suspiciously black. And the burners kept clogging. The EtaPower burner, which included a pan with a heat exchanger, lost power after a week, and then completely failed, and its repair is impossible outside the locksmith's workshop. The design is not suitable for use with gasolines found in the Russian north, although the wind protection, ease of use and economy are remarkable. Of course, our good old Omnifuel is also clogged. But, being older, it turned out to be more maintainable. After all, our "progress of civilization" seems to be tuned to the fact that something that is out of order, you just need to throw it away and buy a new one. It is not always possible.

We filmed the video in this trip with the Contour + 2 Action Camera. You can read the full test drive here.

I did not use the GPS module to save battery, I did not connect an external microphone either: it is made separately, inserted into the socket, and either gets lost while driving, or it takes a lot of time to connect it. The camera is conveniently shaped, you can clearly see the state of memory and batteries, the recording on indicator is visible even in the bright sun. At -30, the battery lasts no more than 10 minutes, but the design of the camera allows you to take it out on the go and warm it up in your bosom. I mounted the camera on the head tube of the fatbike frame. The camera worked properly all the way, while the cameras failed to autofocus on the most frosty days. The picture quality is more than satisfying.

Clothing from Satila. All good. Polartec jacket with e-vent membrane is not blown, breathes and is easily cleared of snow. Thermal underwear "Kinetic" http://satila.ru/catalogu.html comfortable, dries quickly, the body is much nicer than what we had last time from the same manufacturer. His weariness has increased. Kinetic linen of 2007 sample was well-groomed by us almost in one trip. It also doesn’t look like something you can bequeath to grandchildren, but one more winter to ride in it is not a problem. Of the wishes for him, except to make a higher collar. Hats are truly a masterpiece. Warm, breathable, lightweight. And sleep in them, and go, and go. One, perhaps, "but": too warm. When the sun was already very hot, it was hot in them. This time we had hats with us orsa, which can be found on the manufacturer's website. http://satila.ru/catalogu.html

At first, there were complaints about gloves, the seams at the place of reinforcement at the thumb pressed on the palm of my hand when I held the bike handlebars. But on the second day, the gloves crumpled and I rode in them all the time, until, unfortunately, I lost Aachim on the peninsula. We had three socks. The most “special” are the “compression socks” model. After returning from a hike, they were tested in brevets for 200 km, and they deserved a good rating. As part of the campaign, it was difficult to notice that they stood out in some way. There was no such feeling. Other socks (we had Brota and Alba), you can see here http://satila.ru/catalogu.html I liked it very much. Nose, well-fitting. There is a feeling that a little drying of the leg. But I can add this. But my feet felt comfortable in them. Some are denser, others are less dense. You can dress according to the weather.

What I didn't really like was Cecil's boots. Model Berget http://satila.ru/catalogu.html This is perhaps the only item of equipment from this manufacturer, the use of which should be considered. Or rather, for me there is nothing to think about, the boots are beautiful, with excellent soles, warm and slightly breathable. For a winter city - it's the most. In the campaign they did not prove themselves very well. One hook for the laces broke, the leg on the lower leg did not fit as we would like. In a word, I changed to reserve boots. Scarpa. I can't even remember the model, but I don't like it either. Maybe with age simply character deteriorates.and that's not it, and it's not like that.

Here is another thing that I can’t say a bad word about, so it’s a sleeping bag. chose and to I drank a downy sleeping bag from the Equipment company before the trip.Gobi Elite 1300. The latter refers to the weight of down. 1300 grams. Not bad. I would be glad to write nasty things, the hand does not rise. Recommend.And warm and comfortable, and fits on my dimensions (187 height 110 weight). And a pocket and a drawstring, in a word - excellent!

Shoe covers and leggings. This is where I made a noticeable mistake. I had to take both shoe covers and leggings. Or, at worst, leggings. And I took shoe covers. No words - good b akhila, produced by the company "Equipment". Excellent. Worn daily, every day. And that was exactly where I went wrong. I assumed that they would wear shoe covers in case of deep snows. And the rest of the time to go without shoe covers. It didn't work out. The mode of movement was such that it was constantly necessary to get off the bike, walk a little, then get back on the bike and ride. It was bad without shoe covers. Once I tried it, I stopped taking off the shoe covers altogether. You fall under the crust, and there is loose snow. You pull your leg up. In the articulation of trousers-boots, a mess arises. In a word, I did not take off the shoe covers. But it would be more convenient to take gaiters that do not cover the sole. All the same, the tread of galoshes is not at all the same as the tread of trekking boots.It was not very comfortable when walking on ice. about . Although I was the only person on this hike who didn't have any problems with wet feet. Although I was close to moisture. On the third day, I fell through to the dog walruses between two ice floes, but fortunately for me, I did not reach the water. Ice floes rose above the water, forming, as it were, the letter l, along the top of which I walked. Until it failed. But, since he did not reach the water, his feet remained dry.

Satellite phone Iridium. Unlike the GlobalStar telephone system used in 2007 on the Kara Sea, it confidently caught a signal throughout the entire trip, often in huts. SMS were delivered, although there seemed to be some problems with efficiency. The Iridium website was used to send SMS to this phone from the mainland, the SMS was delivered. But it seems not right away. There are problems with the quality of voice communication, but this needs to be checked, since (from greed) it was used little. Conclusion: the phone is suitable for the polar latitudes as a means of messaging and emergency communications. In the last campaign for two weeks of using Globalstar, we managed to send SMS. Or two. Can't remember exactly. And talking on the phone was out of the question.

Batteries Energizer ultimate lithium AA. They are the most powerful (albeit expensive) batteries of this size, but the most important property is the ability to work at low temperatures without a drop in power. Approximate operating time of GPS Garmin GPSMAP 62s with these batteries is 22-25 hours and this is at temperatures down to -25. Excellent result. After all, 22-25 hours is at least three running days!

Camera. On a hike in 2007, we used Pentax Optio w10, and he has performed excellently. Despite the presence of DSLRs, it was from this device that the best photos were obtained. This year we bought his new release. And "shockproof" for you, and "waterproof", and that's not all. And "coldproof" and "crushproof" - it's all written on the case. But I was not satisfied. First, the camera was in a bright red case. Not sure if it's good when there are locals around. And that's how you look what arrived from Mars, and then there is a camera in a bright case. Yes, and there is a feeling that the optics has become a little different.Although again, the issue needs further research, but the old Pentax I decided not to rush to throw it away.

Ilya Gurevich, (c) 2013.

You can visit us at "experience exchange", and see reviews of tourists on the models they use.

Winter is an unusual, and in its own way, wonderful state of nature. Hiking in the Crimea in winter is good and interesting, as well as in other seasonal periods of the year. Fans of winter hiking, and there are some)) who have experience of hiking in extreme conditions know well what and how to take with them on these sometimes difficult, but long-lasting trips.

For those who want to try it and decide to go on a winter hike with us, we will tell you how easier and better to prepare for a trip to the winter world of the Crimean mountains, to its crystal-clear transparency of landscapes, to its snowstorms, to its sunny, sparkling snow, days.

So, what do we take with us on the winter campaigns of the Crimea?

Backpack

Perhaps the main, and carefully thought-out selection. The volume of a backpack for winter hiking should be at least 80-100 liters. Female 60-80 liters. Why? Because in winter conditions, when you need to quickly pack a backpack - a blizzard. frost, bad weather, hands freeze - it is best that it be more spacious. Then you can easily and technically pack all your hiking equipment into a backpack.

Note. Your personal belongings must be packed in:

  1. or, in the so-called germ bags (dry bags),
  2. or in plastic bags - you need to try so that your things are dry. And this is a good guarantee of success in winter travel.

Cape or backpack cover

I must say that everything and everything, except for rubber, gets wet. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to have this given in a set of hiking equipment. A cover or cape will protect your backpack not only from all sorts of bad weather, but also from all, alas, not very clean trunks of public vehicles. The cover is easier to wash than the backpack itself.

Hiking rug (preferably Izhevsk), aka karemat

We take TWO rugs for winter trips! Good thermal insulation. One karemat - a bad overnight stay (holodryga). It is not bad to buy covers for them - protection not only from the thorniness of the bush, but also from dampness. There are also self-inflating mats. A little heavier than the Izhevsk ones, but also good and comfortable. The only thing they are afraid of is all sorts of thorns and thorns.

Sleeping bag

X guardian of warmth and comfort. In order for your sleep to be strong and calm, the sleeping bag must be selected according to the temperature regime (usually labeled as t comfort). In this case, warm (minus track) - it is a little heavier, but warm and good. And if possible with a compression bag. You can quickly and easily shove a sleeping bag into the compression bag, just shove it at random, without rolling into a roll, your "keeper of warmth and comfort." There are two main types of sleeping bags - "blanket" and "cocoon". Best of all, the "cocoon" - comes with a hood - with the help of puffs it covers the head and face from the cold. For couples, mirrored twins are a good fit.

Tent

This is a house for the duration of our travels in the Crimea and beyond. New type tents are best suited, lightweight, weighing no more than 1.5 - 2.5 kg., two-layer- awning and tent itself. There are winter options for camping tents with a skirt that allows you to well protect the camping house from the cold and wind. A tent can be purchased at outfitting centers (use the advice of sellers - usually specialists). Ordinary human communication, in my opinion, is much better than dry Internet texts. And if this is not possible, you can always use our rental equipment. Or chat with us, where we will tell you what and how best to do.

outdoor clothing

In addition to the basic items of equipment for winter travel, it is necessary and necessary to pay attention to your hiking clothes. Reliable quality and comfort - this is the main, successful guarantee, in principle, not only of winter, but of any trip. Advanced users of forests and mountains are familiar and experienced enough in the selection of clothing for winter hiking. Now they practice, and not without reason, the so-called three puffs - hiking clothes that help you feel good enough in any weather conditions.

Let's take a closer look at this ... read:

  • First layer- well passing moisture (sweat) and warming. Thermal underwear is a new and well-practiced invention of mankind in hiking. There are different, off-season intervals of the year. For winter, we emphasize warmer thermal underwear - specialist consultants in equipment centers or tourist shops will tell you about this and prompt you. Some users of the forests and mountains have a preference for cotton underwear or regular sportswear and t-shirts. All the same, cotton was, is and will be cotton, rather than synthetic innovations.
  • Second layer Also warm and moisture wicking. Top- a fleece jacket, preferably Polartec, with a high collar that covers the neck well and tightly, or a wool sweater. Bottom of clothes- pants made of synthetics (waterproof, membrane type) - dry faster, lighter and more practical than quickly wetting trousers made of cotton fabrics. Additionally they take the so-called self-dumps with them on winter trips, we are looking for the easiest options. These are waterproof pants with full zips on the sides for quick and easy dressing in severe weather conditions - strong wind, blizzard, rain, cold - we recommend.
  • Third layer - top and perhaps the most basic - on winter hikes, wherever it is, outerwear is a necessary and important component for your and our successful trip. We recommend lightweight and insulated hiking jackets(you can ski, but always with a hood). Hat and gloves or warm gloves- the first necessity. Storm- in winter conditions, it is applied over the main, warm jacket, for additional protection from all kinds of winds and keeping you comfortable on the move. Flashlights or leggings(worn on the legs below the knee) help to avoid snow getting into the shoes and also give extra warmth to the legs. mountain boots for winter trips, they should also be comfortable and high enough, waterproof.

Below is a more detailed list of necessary equipment for winter hiking:

  • Jacket- raincoat, warm (storm jacket) Definitely with a hood. For the evening - a puff (for autonomous, extreme hikes, a lightweight type appeared - primalofts) - we store it in a waterproof bag or a germ bag.
  • Windproof suit- waterproof. A necessary thing in case of worsening weather conditions - it will protect you from rain and wind (this is how things are with winter in Crimea - today there are beautiful frosty days, and tomorrow it will rain, fog, sleet, etc.)
  • Down or fleece vest. It is convenient for warming on halts and in the evening when it becomes cooler.
  • Pants are warm and waterproof. Ski suits, with straps or full ones, are also quite suitable for such routes. Self-dumping pants are also used - with side zippers along the entire length of the pants - they are unfastened from above and below.
  • Membrane polar fleece jacket - polar wicks away moisture well, warms superbly and weighs very little - or a regular wool sweater .
  • A cap- the most necessary thing in winter campaigns. I take two with me on winter trips - thick and thin and apply depending on the weather. It can be a woolen hat or a windblock hat or a polartec. I take with me the so-called Buffka - it is made in the form of a sleeve and, depending on the weather conditions, it can be worn as a hat or around the neck. Also used in winter campaigns are the so-called "Balaclavas" - a deep hat with a slit for the eyes - from strong winds and frosts.
  • winter hiking shoes, perhaps the most important element in this kind of travel:

Even the Russian genius of military battles, commander Suvorov, said - “Head, my friend, in the cold, and always keep your feet warm.”

Shoes should be not only comfortable and strong, one size larger, but also waterproof. Now there is a so-called membrane shoes. Recommended. In winter hikes in the Crimea, it is good to use thermal socks (the choice in equipment centers is quite sufficient). If not, then as an option (practiced for many years) - first we put on cotton socks, and then woolen ones. When the feet start to sweat, cotton absorbs and wool absorbs moisture and that's it. This is the old, tried and tested way. Leather shoes (knobuk, etc.) are best waterproofed with special impregnations (they are sold in mountain equipment stores, but expensive) or with ordinary shoe cream or some kind of fat.

  • Gaiters, flashlights, shoe covers - these names define the protection on the feet from moisture, dirt, snow. During the off-season and in winter, gaiters warm well and keep feet dry.
  • Take a spare set of socks with you- necessarily. One pair of dry socks per day. Warm, woolen - for the night (we store in a waterproof bag) or new technologies - trekking or thermal socks for winter.
  • Indoor shoes- we definitely take it. The legs should rest after the transition. It can be trekking sandals or light sneakers or just flip flops. Now (look at the equipment centers of Russia - I saw them there) there are special, insulated and lightweight slippers for winter bivouacs. In them you can walk in the snow and without removing, after wiping the sole, sleep peacefully in a tent. In my opinion they are very comfortable.
  • Hiking gloves or mittens- we take two pairs - you can ski or woolen. Fleece gloves are good, double, with cuffs, warmer and snow does not get inside. I practice one pair of thin, fleece gloves for doing things in the cold, and a pair of thick ones for warm comfort. You can take a spare - in case of emergency, in a waterproof bag.
  • Trekking poles– pedestrian, telescopic folding sticks, convenient for various transportations. Good help on climbs, steep slopes and descents. Winter version - always with rings - do not fall into the snow. Sold in almost all stores of tourist equipment.
  • underwear One shift is enough. You can buy thermal underwear - we use thin for the transition, warm for the evening and overnight. Comfortable, well removes moisture, warms, dries quickly. If this is not possible, then cotton. Cotton has always been cotton, or we take what is more familiar to you.
  • first aid kit- we usually take what we use at home, our own, familiar, necessarily! The instructor has a first aid kit for almost all occasions.
  • Sunglasses- if there is a lot of sun and snow, they will come in handy.
  • Mug, spoon, bowl, knife.
  • Thermos- 1 liter. We take hot tea at lunchtime and at halts - a great thing.

P.S. In the process of gathering, before the trip, we will be able to prompt and help you (if you have any questions) in choosing your personal winter equipment. Call us, we'll tell you. In live communication, it is always better and easier to understand what is needed.

A winter hike differs from a hike at any other time of the year in its complexity, because it can be a test for both a person and his equipment.

It is important to choose clothes that will keep you warm and keep you warm, while still providing you with exceptional comfort. Really suitable clothing rarely reminds of itself and sits naturally on the body, flawlessly performing its functions.

First of all, when choosing equipment for a winter hike, you should get information about the climate and temperature not only during the day, but also at night. It is also important where exactly you plan to spend the night, because if it is a tent, you should dress warmer than in the case of spending the night in a house. It is during the night period that it becomes especially cold, and the equipment that saved so well from the cold during the day may no longer be enough at night. As for the climate, it will be different in the Caucasus and in the Crimea, in the first case there will be a strong wind and a temperature that often drops below 20 degrees below zero.

  1. Forget about sneakers and city boots once and for all, because they will not protect you from cold or high humidity. Berets - not at once, even winter ones. EVA boots are better. In general, it is desirable to have shoes for the transition and parking. Never save on shoes, even if this piece of equipment is already one of the most expensive.
  2. Always wear shoe covers over your shoes, because they will protect your shoes from damage and getting wet, as well as getting snow inside the boot. It is better to buy ready-made shoe covers in a store specializing in the sale of tourist equipment. But if you wish, you can always make shoe covers with your own hands.
  3. Socks - it is better to take 6-8 pairs of cotton socks with you on a hike, and also do not forget about warm thermal socks. They are enough for 2-3 pairs. When walking, the best option would be to wear two pairs of socks. First you put on cotton socks, and on top of them - thermal socks. As soon as you feel that your socks have become wet, immediately change them to dry ones, because wearing wet socks is a direct way to freezing.
  4. Winter tents come in many varieties, but the best choice is a two-layer tent with a wide vestibule and strong aluminum poles that will be resistant to sudden gusts of wind. Why do the arches have to be aluminum? It's simple - this metal is not sensitive to cold, and therefore, if the tent is covered with snow, the arcs will not break.
  5. In addition, it is worth paying special attention to the choice of a backpack, the capacity of which should not be less than 90 liters.
  6. If you are going with a company, take a normal boiler so that you can boil water for everyone and cook food normally. And then you have to boil water in a pot in which the stew has just been cooked.
  7. Take a map and a regular compass. GPS navigators can let you down by constantly pointing in different directions, and you will walk in circles.
  8. For a company, take two or three axes and a chain saw. Look for a place to sleep near the dead wood, then you will not feel the need for firewood.
  9. Do not always believe what the manufacturer writes on gas cylinders. In severe frost, gas can simply freeze. For such cases, it is better to use lamps and stoves on liquid fuel!
  10. It is pointless to stock hot water in the morning, even in a thermos. Because by morning, while you are sleeping, the water will freeze anyway, and the thermos will simply burst.
  11. From food, in addition to stew, we can advise chopped pork. Pieces with fat sprinkled with salt and fried in small portions in a miniature frying pan. Excellent fatty, high-calorie food for such conditions! Satisfying, warming and regenerating!
  12. Silver curtains around a fire are a very useful thing.
  13. Ordinary construction gloves will be very useful. For working with firewood, that's it. They don't get in the way and keep your hands warm.