News
Race Calendar Launched
We've just launched our Race Calendar to help you select the best down sleeping bags and insulated clothing for mountain & desert marathons and adventure racing.
Whether you choose a two-day event in the mountains or a seven-day desert march, choosing the best available gear can have a major impact on your recovery overnight and your results on the days that follow. Our guide covers events including the OMM, LAMM, Marathon des Sables and Iditarod Invitational.
Camping in the biggest cave in the World
In early 2009 Ian Watson asked us to make a sleeping bag suitable for a trip a massive cave system in Vietnam. We supplied a Minum 400 sleeping bag made in Drishell to provide warmth at minimum weight and pack size, and protection from constant cold draughts underground.
On the trip Ian and his team entered what was found to be the largest cave passage in the world, Hang Son Doong (Mountain River Cave). The cave, 200m high and up to 150m wide, is close to twice the size of the previously recorded biggest cave in the world. Ian said the PHD sleeping bag was "brilliant for the job".
Paragliding the Himalayas
We recently heard from Colin Hawke about one of the more unusual uses of our gear - paragliding the Himalayas and Karakorum. Colin, pictured here, is wearing our Delta Belay Jacket ready to fly. Colin says: "I love your sleeping bags and jackets. I push them beyond their design scope. They work better than they say on the tin, which is not usual in my experience". You can read more about his adventures on his blog.
Just a Little Run Around the World
We highly recommend Rosie Swale Pope's new book about her incredible 20,000 mile run around the world. Published in May 2009 by HarperCollins, its tells of her five-year solo journey, which included long stretches in Alaska and Siberia not to mention road accidents, bear encounters and severe frostbite. Rosie is kind enough to mention the gear we supplied her with in the book saying:
"the finest help of all is the state-of-the-art quality of [PHD's] brilliant clothing and sleeping-bag system".
Ranulph Fiennes Everest 2009
Congratulations to Ran Fiennes who has finally summitted Mount Everest in support of Marie Curie Cancer Care, a year after he was forced to abandon an attempt on the mountain. We supplied him with the down jacket, suit and sleeping bag he is using on the expedition. Ran called the gear "superb". Ran is again raising funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Ran reached the summit shortly before 1 a.m. on 21 May 2009, despite having previously declared "no more mountains". At 65, Sir Ranulph is the oldest Briton to summit Everest, and the first explorer in history to reach the world's highest peak and the most Northerly and Southerly points on the planet.
Marathon des Sables Success
Congratulations to Bryon Powell, Ted Archer, and Michael Wardian who became the 1st American team to place in top 3 of the Marathon des Sables in 2009. Individually Michael was 8th overall -- the best finish ever by an American (or English speaker speaker). We supplied Minim Ultra down bags to the team. Bryon said "I would, without a doubt, use the PHD Minim Ultra again. Quite simply, I don't think there's a better bag on the market for warm weather stage racing."
PHD supply the Three Dogs
We're supplying Sir John Simpson, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Sir Ran Fiennes with cold weather gear for their new BBC TV documentary series, Three Dogs. Sir Ranulph, whose records have included making the first surface journey around the world's polar axis, will guide the others on a week-long journey to the Arctic Circle in temperatures as low as minus -50C. All three will be protected by PHD gear on their journey including: Xero Jackets, Xero Salopettes, and Extreme Balaclavas.
In further programmes John Simpson will teach his team-mates to file news reports from a war zone and Robin Knox-Johnston will lead a voyage around South America's dangerous Cape Horn.
The BBC2 series will be broadcast in 2009.
Greenland Crossing 2009
In April 2009 The ENDURE expedition will attempt to cross Greenland on foot and totally unsupported. The team—Ben Thackwray and Ian Couch—are planning to cover the 600 km from east to west coast in the style of an ultra distance marathon and complete the crossing as fast as possible.
They've asked us to make them Hispar down jackets and Hispar 800 down sleeping bags for the trip. Ben described the kit as "absolutely, unbelievably good!". Follow their progress here.
Are you planning an expedition to Greenland? If so check out our expedition advice at Gear Adviser.
Fuchs Foundation Arctic expedition 2009
We're again supplying a Fuchs Foundation's Arctic expedition. In 2009 the team will be crossing the Greenland Icecap between 66 and 67 deg North, travelling with dog sledges, so that each day they will be able to spend time carrying out their science projects. To protect them in the harsh environment of the Arctic they'll be taking PHD kit including: Xero 1300 sleeping bags, Boots and Jackets, Taiga Fleece Jackets, and Alpamayo Jackets and Salopettes. You can follow their progress here.
Arctic Survival Explorer Challenge 2009
When Trueways Survival wanted kitting out for their 2009 Arctic Survival Courses they came to us. The courses, which have previously been taught by John 'Lofty' Wiseman author of "The SAS Survival Handbook", will be based in the Arctic circle and the team will be taking our:
Diamir and
Xero sleeping Bags; Omega
Mitts,
Boots, and
Jackets; and
VBLs.
The Man Who Cycled the World
Congratulations to Mark Beaumont who, at 1530 on Friday 15th February completed his incredible 18,000 miles circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle. You may have been following Mark's progress on his website or by watching the recent BBC TV documentary.
We supplied Mark with some of our lightweight gear including an: Ultra down vest (pictured) and Piqolo down sleeping bag.
PHD supply British Antarctic Survey
We're supplying the British Antarctic Survey with Xero 1300 sleeping bags for use in the extreme conditions experienced in the Antarctic. The bags will be used close to the South Pole and at high altitudes for several months. The BAS team need kit that would keep them safe at temperatures of -50c under canvas and our bag fitted the bill. They particularly appreciated the safety features on the Xero 1300 and PHD's build quality.
Springwise highlight our DYO site
Our 'Design your own sleeping bag' system has been featured on the Springwise website, which scans the globe for smart new business ideas! They agree with us that "there seems to be no limit on consumers' appetite for customization".Our DYO site has 17 options including: fabrics; colours; Down quality, quantity & stuff pattern; zips and draft tubes; hoods, collars; length; and width. There are literally millions of possibilities.
Fuchs Foundation Antarctic Expedition 2007
The expedition members have returned to the UK after man hauling and living for 40 days on the ice. They have completed their science projects on and around the Union Glacier. The expedition was filmed and you can watch it on Teachers' TV, starting 31 March 2008. We supplied the team with a range of gear which they described as working "exceptionally well in the varied conditions ... experienced".
Geographical Magazine
The December 2007 Geographical Magazine named our Overbag as one of its 'Ten of the Best' products for Antarctic mountaineering. The bag has already seen service on expeditions with Sir Ran Fiennes, Zoe Hudson and others.
Mark Seaton, Eiger North face
On the 7th 8th 9th September 2007 Mark Seaton Guided his long time client Charles Sherwood on the North Face of the Eiger. [ED2] This was only the second time a British Guide had done this. [The first being Kenton Cool and his client Sir Randolph Fiennes last March]. Despite cold conditions and a good forecast the climbing conditions were difficult and Mark and Charles wore crampons for the entire route. They had two bivys on the face: one at the top of the second ice field and one on the Upper Ramp. They had a third bivy on the summit. The Eiger is no place for down equipment so they both used PHD Zeta 2 sleeping bags. Mark said the bags "were just fantastic and completely idiot proof".
Xtreme Everest Success
Congratulations to the Xtreme Everest team who placed a research team on the summit of Mount Everest in May 2007 and made the first ever measurement of the level of oxygen in human blood at 8400m, on the balcony of Everest. This was the centrepiece of an programme of research into low oxygen levels and human performance at extreme altitude We supplied the team with gear for their summit bid, including Xero Down suits, and Omega Down Mitts
Mark Beaumont
Mark Beaumont is aiming to become the fastest person to have ever circumnavigated the globe by bicycle. On Sunday 5th August 2007, Mark is leaving from Paris on a solo attempt to break this 18,000 mile cycling World Record. The current Guinness World Record stands at 276 days 19 hrs 15 min or just over 9 months. Mark is planning to break this by cycling around the globe in under seven months, with a target of 210 days. We're supplying Mark with some of our lightweight gear including an: Ultra down vest and Piqolo down sleeping bag.
Ice Warrior
We are delighted to be continuing to supply Jim McNeill and the Ice Warrior team with gear for their polar expeditions. Jim's forthcoming trip will be filmed by the BBC and we are supplying him and the BBC Natural History Unit with gear including our: Omega Down jackets, fleece jackets and trousers, down mitts, Extreme balaclava, and down boots.
Everest2007
In March 2007 a team from the London Business School's Rock & Mountain Club will attempt to summit Mount Everest. In doing so they will put the first Egyptian and the first Welsh Woman on top of the world. They also hope to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for The Princes trust. We are delighted to be supplying the team with kit including: Omega down suits, Omega Down Boots, Xero Down boots, Omega down mitts.
Team N2i - Novo to Inaccessibility Antarctic Expedition
Team N2i are hoping to make history by becoming the first people to reach Antarctica's Pole of Inaccessibility without mechanical assistance. The four-man group began their 1,770km (1,100 mile) trek at the beginning of December, using only skis and kites to pull their 120kg sledges. With favourable weather conditions, the men hope to complete the remaining 320km (200 miles) in the next six days. The Pole of Inaccessibility marks the centre of Antarctica and is the point on the continent that is furthest from any coast. The team are using our specially modified 50% down filled one piece Omega suits, which they say are 'very well made items of clothing with tons of features'. They think our suits will 'be perfect for kiting up on the plateau where temperatures will be regularly lower than -35C'. We wish them the best of luck.
Rosie Stancer - North Pole Solo 2007
We're delighted to be supplying cold weather gear to Rosie Stancer who, in March 2007, aims to become the first woman in the world to walk solo to the North Pole. She'll be hauling her sledge over 415 nautical miles of frozen Arctic Ocean for 60 days, coping with the psychological stresses of being alone in a polar desert and dedicating all her resources to survival in the extreme Arctic environment. Her survival kit will include our Xero down boots, Minimus Down Vest, and Xero down jacket. Follow her progress here Image © Martin Hartley
Bruce Parry in Siberia
Bruce Parry’s BBC Two series tribe sees him living with remote tribes. For his most recent adventure he lived for a month with the Nemets people in Siberia following their deer migration. Temperatures average -40C and Bruce and his team took a whole range of our gear with them, including: Omega Down Jackets, Xero Down Salopettes, Omega Down Mitts, Extreme Balaclavas, and Diamir 1200 Down Sleeping Bags.
Fuchs Foundation Antarctic Expedition 2007
We are delighted to be supplying a range of gear to the Fuchs Foundation Antarctic Expedition 2007. The expedition will be the launch of Peter Fuch's vision to take young people and teachers to the Antarctic and the Arctic. We will supply the team with our Fleece tops and salopettes, down jackets, wind suits, sleeping bags and down boots.
Polar Challenge 2007
Polar Challenge is a 350 mile team Polar Race to the location of the Magnetic North Pole and beyond. The race takes place between mid-April and mid-May each year. We are proud to be supplying 'Team Hardware.com' with gear for the 2007 race. Winners of the 2005 event, Team Hardware.com are going to be using specially adapted versions of our Omega down suits.
PHD Customer Discount Scheme launched!
Spend £130 or more and earn a 10% discount on subsequent purchases from our main website in the year you qualify AND the following year! Find out more.
UK Reserve Forces 7 Summits team
Having already had success on Aconcagua, Elbrus, McKinley and Kilimanjaro, the UK Reserve Forces 7 Summits team is heading off in September '06 to Climb Cho Oyo, as a training Peak for their attempt on Everest next year, with Mt Vinson and Carstensz Pyramid to follow. Having 'been impressed' with PHD gear, we are supplying the team with: Xero down salopettes, Xero down suits, Omega down boots, and Omega down mitts.
Extreme South 2006/7
We are delighted to be supporting and supplying Rob Conway, Toby Williams and Doug Orr whose Extreme South expedition aims to put the first team of medical students, the first diabetic and the younger Briton at the South pole. Toby Williams said about the down clothing we are supplying: 'I am very pleased that we will be using what I firmly believe to be the best down equipment available.' We are supplying the team with: Garwhal down jackets, Xero down salopettes , Xero one piece windshells, Minimus down vests, Omega down boots, Xero down sleeping bags.
Everestmax
22nd May 2006, We're delighted to announce that EVERESTMAX have just become the first team to complete one of the last great overland journeys from the lowest point on Earth (the Dead Sea) to the highest (Mt Everest) in a single journey. Seven climbers made it to the summit, 3 of whom did the whole trip from Jordan. They thanked PHD for 'such great kit'. We supplied the team with: Xero down mitts, Omega down suits, Xero 1000 sleeping Bags, Xero Down trousers, Xero Down Jackets, Omega down Mitts, Alpamayo Waterproof Jackets, Alpamayo waterproof Salopettes, Xero one-piece shell wind suits, Extreme Balaclavas, Delta Bivi Bags, VBL Bags, and Taiga fleece trousers. The team departed from the Dead Sea in December 2005.
Chogolisa 2006
We are delighted to be supporting and supplying Ben Gready, David Gent, Joseph Johnstone, and Benjamin Withers in their summer 2006 attempt at the SW ridge of Chogolisa (7665m) in a remote part of the Karakoram. The team are all at Imperial College whose expedition fund—as well as the BMC—are also sponsoring their trip. We're supplying Xero down jackets, Omega Down Mitts, Extreme Balaclavas, Taiga Fleece trousers and special sleeping bags designed with our 'Design your own sleeping bag' system.
Xtreme Everest 2007
Xtreme Everest is a research project coordinated by the Centre for Aviation, Space and Extreme environment medicine at University College London. The team use extreme physical environments to investigate human physiology. Their goal is to place a research team on the summit of Mount Everest in 2007 and make the first ever measurement of the level of oxygen in human blood at this extreme altitude. We're supplying the team with gear for their summit bid, including Xero Down suits, and Omega Down Mitts
Kangchenjunga 2006
2006. We're making Omega down suits and Omega down mitts for Joao Garcia, one of Portugal's premiere alpinists. Joao, who has climbed six 8000m summits, is off to attempt Kangchenjunga in April.
Cho Oyu 2006
We're supplying down suits to Dr. Peter Vencken and Dr. Remco Berendsen, physicians from Holland who are going to carry out research on Cho Oyu in Spring 2006. Cho Oyu (8201m) is the world's sixth highest mountain, located in Tibet near Everest. Remco said the suits “look awesome.”
Ice Warrior 2006
Jim McNeill is trying to set a world record for reaching the four Arctic poles in one season, and PHD will be with him all the way. We've supplied Jim and the team of 19 novice explorers accompanying him on one of these expeditions with a wide range of gear. This includes: Omega down jackets; Xero down salopettes and Xero 1300 sleeping bags, Omega down mitts, VBL bags, Alpamayo waterproof trousers, Minimus down pullovers and Extreme balaclavas. Follow their progress at Ice Warrior.
Yukon Arctic Ultra 2006
With the next Yukon Arctic Ultra scheduled to start on February 11th 2006, we're busy equipping competitors with a range of cold weather gear. The 100 and 300 mile races are held on the trail of the Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race but differ in that nothing but human power can be used to get you round. We're supplying a new product our Yukon Jacket as well as more familiar products like our Minim 1000 down sleeping bag (now discontinue - try Hispar 1000 instead), Xero down mitts and boots, Diamir 1200 down sleeping bag and Garwhal down jackets. Good luck to Stuart Gillett who tested our new Yukon Jacket in temperatures of -26C in Austria this January (see photo), finding it to be 'toasty warm. In fact every one else there was so impressed that they were wanting similar kit.'
Marathon des Sables 2006
Now in its 20th year the Marathon des Sables has grown from humble beginnings to a race attracting more than 700 entrants. It's not just the 150 mile desert course in 40C heat that makes this event tough, it's the fact that the entrants have to carry their own equipment. Over the last seven years we've supplied many competitors with ultralight down gear. The story is the same in 2006 with the most popular items being our Minimus and Minim 400 down sleeping bags, with Drishell outers. This year's race begins 7th April.
Rosie's Russian resupply
As Rosie Swale Pope continues her incredible solo run around the world, we've just resupplied her with a full compliment of PHD gear: and she needs it. Encountering temperatures of less than -60C in January '06, Rosie is protected by our Minimus down jacket, Xero mitts and boots and a special Minim down sleeping bag. Her son James reports that 'her cold weather gear from PHD is holding up really well in the conditions.'
Everest North Ridge
Jagged Globe’s 2005 North Ridge Expedition included a number of our customers, including Sir Ranulph Fiennes. The expedition was successful in placing six out of nine clients on the top. Neal Short, the expedition leader, took one of our Omega down suits, a Xero windsuit and Omega down boots. He reported that 'the kit to worked perfectly and will be using it again'. Neal is pictured on the summit.
PHD's custom bag service featured in Outside magazine.
America's best-selling outdoor magazine reviews our Design-your-own sleeping bag service in their October 2005 edition. Click here to read their review (opens in a new window). They say 'Down-bag maker PHD . . . will stitch a sleeper to match your idea of the perfect bag for your body and your wilderness sleeping plans.' We can't disagree.