When we first decided in 2005 to begin a long-term research project on gelada monkey behavior at Guassa, a remote grassland high in the mountains of Ethiopia, we had many daunting logistical challenges to confront. Chief among them was where to live.... Read more We were granted permission by the local authorities to camp at Guassa, 15 miles from the nearest town, and a helpful local man kindly recommended a location that would put us at the heart of the home range of the monkeys we hoped to study.
During our first two-month preliminary research visit to Guassa, our home was the floor of a cramped four-season tent with all of our equipment practically piled on top of us while we slept. It did not take long to realize that the little mountain tent was not a long-term path to happiness and research productivity at Guassa.
Upon returning home to the Midwest, where we were based at the time, we set about scouring the internet for tents made to withstand cold, rainy, and windy conditions as well as the powerful UV rays of the sun at high altitudes. We also wanted a tent that would be large enough that we could imagine inhabiting it year-round. Not surprisingly, the number of structures that might meet our rather unusual camping needs proved to be small.
We initially focused our investigative efforts on yurts, the robust tented structures inhabited by people on the forbidding Mongolian steppe and, more recently, hippies along the comparatively balmy California coast. However, we decided a 1000-lb yurt would be difficult to store in the overhead rack during a Trans-Atlantic flight. We needed a home with greater portability.
Just as we were beginning to despair of ever finding suitable lodging for our field site, we learned of Hilleberg, a Swedish company which makes large, lightweight tents strong enough for camping expeditions in Antarctica. We decided to give the Hilleberg Atlas a try for our next expedition to Guassa and never regretted it. Over the past 7 years, our Atlas tents have consistently provided us with 1-2 years of comfortable year-round use by our students and ourselves, before the damage accumulated from relentless winds and UV radiation, along with frequent rain and hail storms, forces us to replace them.
At the ends of long days following gelada monkeys through the mountains, the tents that make up Gelada Camp provide comfortable and spacious places in which to relax and escape the elements. The tents are large enough that they act as combination offices, laboratories, and bedrooms. Throughout the night, the wind shakes the tents, sometimes gently, other times violently; hyenas pass through camp giggling loudly; and yet we nearly always get a good night’s sleep, feeling refreshed for the next day’s adventure out with the monkeys.
You would think that after countless hours with the monkeys over the years, we’d have seen enough, but, in truth, we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of what scientists can learn about the behavioral biology of the geladas at Guassa. Hilleberg Tents have been integral to the success of our project and it is unlikely our project would have lasted this long without them.

Peter Fashing and Nga Nguyen, Professors of Anthropology & Environmental Studies, California State University Fullerton

For more information on this project visit anthro.fullerton.edu/gelada/



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In 2009, Karen won a handcycling bronze medal in the Para-Cycling World Cup and she went on to join the British Para-Cycling team in 2010. She improved her performance year on year to qualify for the London 2012 Paralympics, where Karen took the silver medal in the H 1-2 Time Trial.... Read more In the H1-3 Road Race, Karen crossed the line hand in hand with ParalympicsGB team-mate and training partner Rachel Morris. The pair wanted to share the bronze medal, but it was awarded to Rachel after officials examined the photo finish. Following her Paralympic debut, Karen has continued her involvement in Handcycling but also tried her hand at Para-Triathlon, winning Gold in the women's TRI-1 at the 2012 Auckland ITU Triathlon World Championships in October 2012.

Notable trips have included a crossing of the Tien Shan and Karakoram mountains of Central Asia on a hand bike (1997 and raising £12,000 for charity), handcycling the length of the Japanese archipelago (2000), sea kayaking a 1200 mile length of the Canada – Alaska coastline (2003), crossing the Indian Himalaya by handcycle (2006) and skiing the Valle Blanche on a sit ski.

“The most physically challenging adventure was a 600 kilometre traverse of the Greenland ice cap, a month long journey across one the world’s last great expanses of wilderness. The winds can reach 200 miles per hour and temperatures drop below 40 degrees. Karen at times seriously doubted her chances of success on this trip, particularly as paralysis means you can’t regulate your body temperature, yet with hard work, determination and a lot of support, it was a journey that became possible.

Climbing the kilometre high overhanging precipice of El Capitan, a giant granite rock face in Yosemite National Park, USA, was a huge mental challenge, overcoming my doubts about climbing and dread of heights, getting back on the ropes and working through the fear. 4000 pull ups felt easy in comparison to the mental obstacles. However, it was perfect preparation for what was to come next... making it to the London 2012 Paralympics in the sport of handcycling, as part of the British Cycling Team.

“In my first race, the time trial (the race of truth) I gave it everything I had, completing the 16-kilometer course in 33:16.09, earning me a Silver medal behind Muffy Davis of the USA.”

Next up for Karen is the South Pole. Read more about her upcoming adventure at: www.poleofpossibility.com and www.karendarke.com

Photos below from Karen’s Polar Training camp in Northern Norway.

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Krister Jonsson was born and raised in the village of Bredträsk, in the far north of Sweden. While small – only about 90 households – Bredträsk offers nearly unlimited access to the outdoors, so Krister grew up climbing, hiking, hunting and fishing. He became a professional guide, working in the Kebnekaise Mountain Station, ... Read more the jumping off point for Sweden’s most famous – and most rugged – mountain massif. He also spent time working at the well-regarded Nord Norsk Klatreskole guiding company in Henningsvær, in the Lofoten archipelago in Norway. By 1996 he had established his own guiding company, Alpine Madness, and in 2003 became a fully certified UIAGM Guide. He was one of the first full guides from Sweden, and he was also the first Swede to climb all six classic north walls of the Alps. “Climbing is a big part of my life, both for work and for myself” says Krister. “Thanks to my guiding company, I have the opportunity to travel and climb extensively. I am constantly looking to explore new places, and new mountains, and to take expeditions to every conceivable corner of the world. This has taken me to Greenland, South America, and Africa, to Nepal, India and China, and to both Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. I’ve also climbed several times in Alaska and other parts of the United States. I spend between 10 and 12 weeks a year in a tent, and, since utterly reliable equipment is vital in all the places I go, using Hilleberg tents is the obvious choice. I have great regard for these tents because they are easy to set up and are capable of handling high winds, and being able to sleep well even when it’s raining or snowing and blowing hard makes a huge difference.”

For more information, see www.alpinemadness.se



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Günter Wamser is an aircraft engineer by training, but for the last three decades, he has been a nomad by inclination, dedicating his life to travel and adventure. He began with motorcycles, traveling in Africa on shorter journeys. In 1986, he went a step further, and left his “normal” life to begin touring full time. He began by riding his motorcycle from Alaska to South America. Somewhere in Guatemala, he switched from motorcycles to horses, and proceeded to explore the country on horseback.... Read more In 1994 he started the adventure of his lifetime: to ride from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska on horseback. “I planned to ride from Patagonia to Alaska in about 4 to 5 years,” he explains on his website. But, he continues, “I found out that the most beautiful aspects of traveling are stops along the way.”
So for the last 20 years he has travelled with his horses across South, Central and North America. In the fall of 2013, he plans to end his self-described Long Ride at the base of Denali in Alaska. Since the beginning, his Hilleberg Nammatj 2 has travelled with him on his packhorse.

“For many years my tent has been my home. Wherever I set camp, it provides shelter and security. The horses like it, too. They often sleep around the tent. I can hear them snore.”

Read more about Günter Wamser’s adventures on his Long Ride, and find information on his books and presentations at: www.abenteuerreiter.de



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Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Adam began bow hunting at the age of 12. By the age of 14, he was following his father, Tom, on weekend expeditions into the Rockies in pursuit of Bighorn Sheep. ... Read more In addition to hunting, his passions include hiking and photographing the natural world, but it isn’t often he’ll turn down an opportunity to spend time outdoors to do just about anything from snowboarding to fly fishing. In 2012, he became the youngest person to take all four species of North American Wild Sheep with a bow. As the Conservation Director for Seacat Creative, a creative agency in Bozeman, Montana, he is encouraged to spend nearly 80 days in the field a year – an opportunity he takes full advantage of. Throughout the year, a Hilleberg tent is Adam’s welcomed second home, whether that’s in the backcountry of Montana, the wilds of British Columbia, the Mackenzie Mountains of Canada’s Northwest Territories, or anywhere else. “In most seasons, if I’m going out hunting or photo shooting with a partner – my brother, my father or my girlfriend – I love the Allak for its roominess and light weight. For late season trips where the weather will almost certainly turn bad, the Nammatj 3 is the perfect balance of super strength, roominess and light weight.”

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Since 2004, Linda Beilharz has been engaged in what she modestly calls a “remarkable quest”: to do a journey on each of the four major icecaps of the world, Greenland, the South and North Poles, and Patagonia. ... Read more Beilharz’ passion for these trips is all the more engaging because she lives in central Victoria, Australia – “a rural area,” she says, “very removed from snow and ice.” In 2004, she became the first Australian woman to ski from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole. 2007 saw her successful crossing of Greenland, and, in 2009, she and her team were turned back from their attempt at traversing the South Patagonian ice cap by unexpectedly warm and wet weather. It was, she writes on her website, “a failed crossing but a fabulous journey.” In 2010, she became the first Australian woman to ski from Canada’s northernmost point to the North Pole, during which trip she celebrated her 50th birthday somewhere in the Arctic Ocean. “I’ve realized,” she says, “that each icecap is vastly different to the others – different climate, different terrain, different challenges – and I’ve loved the adventure of tackling a hard journey and being out for a long time in a wonderful, inspiring and challenging wilderness.” In late 2012, with a Hilleberg Keron as her mobile home, Beilharz will “have another go at getting across” the South Patagonian ice cap.

For more information, see www.icecapjourneys.com.au, and www.journeysforlearning.com.au

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Agnieszka & Mateusz had traveled separately to a myriad of wild places, but it was only when then joined and journeyed together that they became TRUE adventurers! Over two years in South America, this Polish couple has cycled over 14,000 km (8700 miles) and climbed a few 6000+ m (19,685 ft) peaks.... Read more Their stories and photographs were featured in Polish National Geographic Traveler and various outdoor magazines, and they are also authors of a cycling guidebook.
During their travels, they kept meeting very satisfied Hilleberg tent users, and decided they needed a Hilleberg of their own. Their tent of choice? The Tarra, which is now an integral part of their team.
Agnieszka and Mateusz are currently preparing for a new adventure in the heart of the Australian outback. Follow them on www.nakrancach.pl



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Eric Philips is an Australian polar adventurer and guide. He has pioneered a new route to the South Pole, skied from Russia to the North Pole and North Pole to Canada, ski-kited across Greenland and the South Patagonian Iceacap and has traversed Spitsbergen and Ellesmere Island. ... Read more As a guide Eric has led numerous North and South Pole treks, guided the first school sailing expedition to Antarctica, worked as a polar guide with Greenpeace and for the Australian Antarctic Division and has taken his family by ship from Hobart to east Antarctica, where his son had his 5th birthday! Eric also designs and manufactures polar equipment including ski bindings, harnesses and sleds. He lives in Hobart, Australia where he runs Icetrek Expeditions.

"I have been using Hilleberg tents since 2007. The Keron 4 has fast become the standard for polar expeditions and I would hesitate using any other tent. Lightweight, super strong and intelligent design are all key characteristics that combine to form the ultimate polar shelter. This summer I will guide an unusual vehicle-supported trip to the South Pole. Each evening I will set up an Atlas as a mess tent, and Soulo's for sleeping. Regardless of whether I am guiding a long Pole trip or doing a low-key private trip in Svalbard, I always feel comforted knowing that at the end of the day I'll be comfortable and secure in a Hilleberg tent."

Eric Philips
Polar Guide
www.icetrek.com



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It is no surprise that Sarah and Eric have become cutting edge polar travelers. Their parents are Matty McNair and Paul Landry, two of the most famos and experienced polar explorers in the world. In 2004, when Eric was 20 and Sarah only 18 they skied to the South Pole for the first time. … Read more Shortly after that they did a double crossing of the Greenland Ice Cap and broke a speed record in the proccess.

Since then they have broken numerous record, received awards and recognition and spent many days and nights in the arctic as well as various other exotic locations around the world. At a young age they have already become some of the more experienced explorers of our time. In 2007 they started Pittarak Expeditions and through their expeditions they hope to inspire youth to get active and get outside.

We recently received a travel report from them after another succesful expedition;

"On March 19th we pitched our tent outside of the community of Tuktoyaktuk. Once again Eric and I had decided to trade in the luxuries of every day life, and move back in to our red Hilleberg tent for the winter. This was the start of a journey that would take my brother and I 85 days, retracing the historical Northwest Passage, traveling by kite ski and ski.
Our home of choice was the three person Keron GT, spacious enough to live comfortably, yet cozy enough to heat up quickly. The extended vestibule was our garage used to repair sleds and later to shelter gear from the June rain.

The most important feature of an expedition tent is a combination of strength and lightweight, it needs to keep us sheltered from the big storms, but should be easy to set up in strong winds. The Keron’s hoop design accomplishes all these with grace."

Sarah and Eric McNair-Landry
Pittarak Expeditions
www.pittarak.com


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Since age 18 Peter has been ski mountaineering in the Andes (Chile & Argentina – 14 months in total) and later the Pamirs (Tajikistan), Tien Shan (Kyrgyzstan) and South Caucasus (Georgia & Armenia). He has done several ski descents of 5000, 6000 and 7000m peaks, among them some first descents and steep (55°) routes. … Read more He has a particular passion for self-organized trips to remote areas and with close contact to local people, and travelling is essential part of each trip. He has a particular fascination for the Caucasus.

He has also done several mountain bike descents from 5000m volcanoes in the Andes, climbed technical alpine routes in the Alps, Andes and Caucasus, rock climbs to French 7c and surveyed several mountains with DGPS. He enjoys mountain photography and is a contributing photo author for Mountain.RU and amongst the winners of the Niamori Film Festival in Tbilisi (Georgia) in 2009 (“best adventure photo”).

He currently divides his time between Austria, Georgia (Caucasus) and Vancouver/Canada, where he pursues a degree in Earth Sciences. Peter has been using Hilleberg tents since 2008. For solo trips he uses the Akto (used to over 6000m in the Pamirs), for a team of two the Jannu (proven to over 6000m in Tien Shan and technical routes in Caucasus) and the Kaitum for three-man teams (used in over 6000m in remote corners of the Pamirs).  Recent successes with Hilleberg tents include the first reported ski descents of difficult Lap Nazar (5990m, Pamirs – Kaitum 3) and Pik Pobedy East (6762m, Kyrgyzstan/China - Jannu), the partial ski descent of Pik Korzhenvskaya (7105m, Pamir – Akto) or the first partial ski descent from summit of Shkhara (5190m, Caucasus - Jannu) via south pillar (5A).

“Double-wall tents are more versatile - important on extended trips through various climate zones - and warmer than single-wall tents, which allows me to use lighter sleeping bags and also allows me to use synthetic sleeping insulation instead of down even in cold regions (I prefer synthetic over down, because synthetic insulation is better for drying things overnight inside clothing and sleeping bag); And amongst all the double-walls tents, Hilleberg are simply the finest and most functional.”

Read more about Peter on his website: www.ps-photo.net


Photos by Peter Schoen and Lyngve Skrede


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When Lisa and Simon Thomas left their UK home in May 2003, their goal was to circumnavigate the planet, on their motorcycles, in one continuous journey. … Read more They thought they would be out for two years, but after Ten-years of enduring some of the most demanding regions and conditions in the world, they are, by their estimation, “only” three quarters the way through.

The two have journeyed over 262,000 miles/422,000 km, have ridden to and through 77 countries of their planned 122, and they have traveled to the most northerly and southerly points on earth possible by motorcycle.

“After 10-years of continuous motorcycle travel we’ve come to depend on our Hilleberg Keron 4 GT. It has sheltered us from skin-tearing sand storms in Africa’s Sahara, from the biting dangers of Brazil’s Amazon, and has kept us warm in the sub zero temperatures deep in South America’s Patagonia. We ask it to perform and it does. Our Keron weighs next to nothing (10 lbs 3 oz), pitches in seconds, and is spacious enough for us to call it home. It'll continue to be one of the items of gear we depend on. The only thing that separates Lisa and me from anyone who dreams of a great adventure is that we chose to do it, and set out – and our Keron has simply allowed us to continue. Great gear can sustain you.”

For more, see www.2ridetheworld.com



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Born and raised in Montana, USA, Mark began hunting, fishing, and roaming the mountains with his parents from a very early age. Deeper forays into the mountains after elk led him into mountaineering, for which he discovered an abiding passion. … Read more Mark has since been on climbing expeditions all over the world, interspersed with equally adventurous hunting and fishing trips.

"My favorite so far," Mark says, "is the six months I spent in New Zealand chasing monster Brown Trout."

Currently the Marketing Director for Mystery Ranch, a specialty pack company in Bozeman, Montana, Mark is also a professional photographer who spends a large amount of time working with outdoor, hunting and mountaineering companies and publications.

Most recently, he and 5 teammates spent a month climbing on Denali in Alaska, where they lived in two connected Atlas tents.

"Talk about living in luxury – the Atlas system is amazing! The importance of having a bomber base camp can't be underestimated. When you're living with five other guys in a tent for a month you need a ton of space for people, gear, and food. The Atlases provided us with the launching pad we needed to complete our route objectives in style!"

For more on Mark’s Denali trip, see www.mysteryrants.com



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In 2005, Lars Verket "jumped off the career carousel," as he puts it, to begin a new life as an adventurer, writer and ocean paddler. Over the last few years, Lars has paddled 2500 miles along the southern Norwegian coastline, published three different paddling guides, and has two new ones in the making. … Read more

"Southern Norway has a fantastic coast line," says Lars. "You can find every kind of paddling, from protected and idyllic to very exposed and very wild – and all of it very beautiful. There are thousands of islands, picturesque lighthouses, and spectacular fjords, as well."

Lars is a firm believer that people can enjoy the outdoors close to home and have truly amazing outdoor experiences, something that makes it possible to be more active in the outdoors while making a smaller impact on the environment. Lars has been using Hilleberg tents for many years.

"With a Hilleberg tent in my kayak, I never have to worry about bad weather. They have handled every weather condition that I have encountered so far, from sun to snow, rain and wind. This year I am using the Allak as my home away from home."

For more information, see www.adrenaline.no and Lars’ blog at www.homoludens.no

See more of Lars' fantastic photos here.

For more on Lars’ paddling guides, see www.padleguiden.no



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The Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition took place at the end of 2009 and involved women from countries as diverse as Jamaica, Ghana, Brunei Darussalam, Cyprus, India, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK. Led by British polar traveller, Felicity Aston, the team were selected from over 800 applicants and included women who had never seen snow, seen a ski, spent a night in a tent or experienced subzero temperatures before joining the expedition. … Read more The aim was to demonstrate that ‘ordinary’ women were capable of taking on one of the most arduous journeys on the planet – skiing to the Geographic South Pole from the coast of Antarctica.

The team skied over 900km in 38 days to reach the pole on 29th December 2009. On arrival, team members from Brunei and Cyprus were the first people from their country to ski to the pole while team members from India, New Zealand and Singapore were the first women from their countries to do so. The point of the expedition was to "demonstrate the potential of greater inter-cultural understanding, raise awareness of the work and value of the modern Commonwealth and to highlight the achievements of women around the World."

Expedition leader, Felicity Aston, a long-time fan of Hilleberg tents, said "We are extremely excited that we will be taking Hilleberg Keron 4 GTs with us to Antarctica. Well thought out design means that our Hilleberg tents are not only tough enough to withstand the polar environment, but they are also comfortable and convenient to live in during long expeditions."

For more information on the expedition, see www.kasperskycommonwealthexpedition.com

For a trailer of the upcoming film featuring the adventure click here.



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"Jenter i Kuling," or "Girls in Storm," is three 25 year old Norwegian women: Saskia Boldingh, Silje S. Haaland and Ingrid Langdal. Bound by a dream of kiting the length of Greenland, the three spent over a year planning and training before setting out, in June, 2008, to fulfill their dream. … Read more

33 days and 2500 km/1553 miles later, Jenter i Kuling became the first all-women team to make the south to north Greenland crossing. The trio endured the inevitable Greenland rain, storms and whiteout conditions, and some days, rather than waiting for the wind to die down, they actually had to wait for it to pick up, so they could gain ground. Their best day: 313 km/195 miles in 22 hours.

"We really enjoyed our Hilleberg Saivo. In order for an expedition to be successful, a good tent is very important. Our Saivo stood strong in every kind of wind, and we felt safe and comfortable the entire trip."

For more, see www.jenterikuling.com



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Swedish adventurer Fredrik Sträng accomplished in 2006 the amazing feat of climbing the 7 Summits in 7 months!

Read more at www.strang.se

Click here for pictures of Fredrik Sträng in action.

Famous Polar explorer Matty McNair is one of the most renowned and experienced polar guides and explorers in the world. She has led numerous record-breaking expeditions, including skiing to the North Pole and, unsupported to the South Pole.

Read more about this amazing polar explorer at www.northwinds-arctic.com

Click here for pictures of Matty McNair in action.

Steven Kazlowski is one of the most renown wildlife photographers. His photographs have been featured in Audubon, Backpacking, Canadian National Geographic, National Geographic For Kids, National Wildlife, Sierra and TIME magazines, and he has published several books: Alaska’s Bears of the North, Alaska’s Wildlife of the North, and Alaska Wildlife Impressions. … Read more

He is the only wildlife photographer to date who has extensively photographed the Alaskan polar bear and its critical Arctic coastal habitat. He is known within the photography community for his skills of observation and his determination to capture an image even in extreme weather conditions. On his latest adventure he will be observing wildlife from, and sleeping in a Saivo.

Read more at www.lefteyepro.com



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In 2007, German paddler Freya Hoffmeister kayaked around Iceland in a record 33 days. As a follow up, she set out to became the first woman to circumnavigate New Zealand’s South Island by sea kayak. 70 days later, she had succeeded, setting a new solo record in the process.

Her latest successful adventure in 2009, The Race Around Australia Expedition, took her roughly a year to complete. … Read more The 9400 mile/15000 km circumnavigation of Australia has only been done once before in the last 30 years, and is considered one of, if not the, most challenging sea kayaking routes in the world. She got her well deserved rest each night in an Allak.

Read more about it at www.qajaqunderground.com



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After attending a Swedish cycling gymnasium, making the national cycling team and winning a Swedish National Title in mountain biking, Erica had her sight set on competing at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Unfortunately, injuries prevented her from qualifying. But even if she couldn’t compete, she still wanted to go to the Olympics as a spectator. So she decided to bike from Sweden to Beijing to do just that. … Read more

In March, 2008, she left Jönköping, Sweden, and after a very long and very adventurous 10000 km/6213 miles, she reached Beijing. She did it not to break any records or to garner any kind of publicity or fame, but rather because she simply wanted to experience new things along the way and to interact with new cultures. She took with her a Hilleberg Nammatj 2 GT.

"In the beginning, I only slept in the tent one to three times per week because it was cold and I was scared of my surroundings. But once I had reached Russia, I felt a bit braver and stayed almost every night in my tent. It worked flawlessly in all kinds of pitching conditions and environments. In India, Nepal and China people were always interested in watching me unpack my ‘house,’ as they called it. They would always come inside to see what it looked like. 'Practical invention,' they would say and I certainly do have to agree!"



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On July 4th, 2005 Renata Chlumska began an adventure that took her around the United States. She circumnavigated the lower 48 by kayak, bike and inline skates. The extreme distance (approximately 11,200 miles) and time (around 16 months), the variation of nature, terrain and climate made this a challenge that few can imagine and no one has attempted before. She spent her nights in an Unna tent.

Read about Renata's successful journey at www.renatachlumka.se

Click here for pictures of Renata Chulmska in action.