Polar Preet in the PHD workshop

Between the hum of sewing machines and the rustle of fabric baffles, Preet talked kit, training and her next ambitious goal. If all goes to plan, in March 2026 she’ll set off to become the first woman to travel solo and unsupported to the North Pole — a feat so rarely done that only a handful of people have ever managed it at all.

If you’re new to Preet’s story, here’s why this matters. She has already completed three solo expeditions in Antarctica, stacking up four Guinness World Records along the way — including the longest solo, unsupported one-way polar ski journey, and the fastest solo female from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole (31 days, 13 hours, 19 minutes). In short: she’s shown, time and again, that “impossible” is negotiable.

The Arctic, though, is a different beast. Unlike Antarctica’s continental ice, the North Pole sits on shifting sea ice: pressure ridges to clamber, open water to skirt or cross, the constant drift of the floe threatening to steal back your hard-won miles. It’s shorter than her Antarctic routes, but in many ways harder — and that’s precisely why she’s going.

You may have seen that Preet planned to make the attempt earlier and postponed due to lack of funding, rolling the expedition forward while she continues to raise support — because when you’re dragging everything you need across the high Arctic, everything has a sizeable price tag. The new target is March 2026, and the fundraising is ongoing.

In the meantime, she isn’t exactly putting her feet up. This October, Preet heads to the Himalayas to climb Island Peak (6,165 m) — another block of training and altitude time in the legs before the drums beat for the Arctic. It’s classic Preet: keep learning, keep moving, keep stacking the preparation. (We’ll be cheering from the workshop floor.)

A visit to the workshop

Preet’s visit was a great opportunity to catch up on what has worked well so far for her, what kit she is going to need and a chance for her to meet the team behind PHD. Together we discussed the layers that have kept her warm and safe whilst training and moving through thousands of polar and expedition miles. So far on the sleeping front, she’s used and tested the Hispar 1200K Down Sleeping Bag and Hispar 800, paired with a Thinsulate Arctic Overbag, Snowline Bivi, and VBL to manage moisture and protect loft over long, cold weeks. Preet’s PHD clothing includes a Xero K Series Down Jacket, Hispar K Series Down Jacket, Yukon Down Jacket, Sigma Vest, Ultra Down Vest, Taiga Trousers, Omega Down Socks, Polar Socks, and Polar Mitts.

We’re proud to sponsor Preet with the down and synthetic-insulated layers, socks, mitts, vests and sleeping bags that will go the distance with her — and just as proud to have had her in the workshop providing feedback, swapping stories, testing tweaks and putting faces to the hands that stitch her kit.