Page 35 - AMA Summer 2024

GEAR REVIEW ›
SUITED &
BOOTED FOR IMERA PEAK
n 2022, Chris P of 3 Military Intelligence Battalion started his journey towards Everest. His first expedition took him to Base Camp that year before a successful ascent of Nepal’s Mera Peak (6476m) in 2023. In
this edition of Army Mountaineer, Chris takes time to reflect on the kit that proved crucial to his first big summit.
Jackets
I used two main jackets during my climb; the Jöttnar Fjorm and the Thrudark Recoil. The Jöttnar Fjorm jacket was really built for cold weather. With 275g of hydrophobic 850 FP goose down this jacket is incredibly warm. I loved the tapered sleeves which hug the wrists, and a hood which is perfect when wearing a helmet. I wore this jacket on summit day and I was glad I did. It stayed on until I was back below 6000m when the sun had finally come out. It Is perfectly insulated
for any high-altitude mountaineering.
The Thrudark Recoil jacket has 750FP goose down, rip stop material and a stretch back panel for backpack carriage. This means your back doesn’t get sweaty! It’s rated to -10°C and I would agree, it is comfortable at this temperature. The YKK zips never got stuck or caught on the material and the zip clasps made it easy to grab when wearing gloves. I wore this jacket at the lower altitudes at night, and on the summit day underneath my Jöttnar Fjorm.
Layers
Relying heavily on Thrudark gear, I wore two key items of Thrudark
kit. The Thrudark Siege can be used as either a base layer or as part of a layering system. I opted for the latter. With Polartec fabric, I found it was good at keeping the wind off and kept me warm at height. The integrated thumb loops, which you may love or hate, came in really useful for ensuring no gaps between my hands and my gloves. The long sleeved Thrudark insignia t-shirt also worked well as a base layer under the Siege.
Jöttnar Fjorm Jacket
Thrudark base layer, Sin Eaters guild hat and Vallon Glacier sunglasses
The vintage round silhouette and leather side shields also really helped in the high winds, snow and hail
My Sin Eaters Guild blue baseball cap has been everywhere with me, and the summit was no different. It is now covered in yak poo, donkey wee, mud from three different continents, and sweaty from who knows how many runs and hikes. This long-standing
‘marriage’ meant that my Petzl Meteor helmet didn’t get much use unfortunately, but my Petzl headtorch did. If you are hiking at night, I’d recommend the Petzl Tikka 350L – more than bright enough, and with a red-light mode. A buff is a must for anyone at high altitude where I opted for the one provided by the company I was hiking with – Evertrek. Finally, sunglasses. My chosen pair was the Heron Glacier by Vallon, with Cat 4 lenses and full mirror reflection, they kept my eyes safe from snow blindness. The vintage round silhouette and leather side shields also
really helped in the high winds, snow and hail.
Legs
I trek with North Face Exploration walking trousers. They have done me very well including up to 6476m with a merino trouser base layer. They are zip offs (used for the Everest Base Camp trek in May 22 but not for Mera Peak), and have a few handy pockets including a stow pocket which is great for your phone.
Feet
My North Face Hedgehog mid-boots have also done me very well. Trekking to 5000m, they took the punishment of the Himalayan mountains in their stride. I pair these with the Thrudark long mountain socks for comfort. After 5000m, I switched to my La Sportiva Nepal Extremes with Grivel crampons. The La Sportiva’s were very comfortable however, I feel they weren’t insulated enough for the 6476m climb to Mera Peak. For Mont Blanc in June 2024, I have upgraded to La Sportiva G2s.
Bag, axe and other bits
I opted for the Osprey Talon Pro 30, for the fit, storage options, hip pad and clasps for poles and axe. The Black Diamond Raven Pro ice axe was the one for me. I liked the grip and the lightweight nature of it. Phone charging on the Mera Peak trail is harder and more expensive than the EBC route, so I supplemented my kit with Anker Power Banks, ensuring that I was never far from power.
Head
Osprey Talon Pro