Bergans is sponsoring polar explorer, adventurer and environmental advocate Eric Larsen's solo attempt to traverse Antarctica with a mountain bike equipped with 5-inch tires.
Departing Dec. 13, his route will traverse from Hercules Inlet to the geographic South Pole, and if conditions permit, back to the coast again, a round trip of 1,500 miles. The goal of Larsen's Cycle South expedition is to combine adventure and advocacy to demonstrate the many ways in which people can use a bicycle to protect the environment as well as improve quality of life.
“Eric is a great adventurer and an incredible athlete, whether he's in the mountains or on the Poles,” said Keith Patterson, Bergans USA's vice president of sales and marketing. “But, what attracted us to him the most was that with every adventure and expedition he does, there's a social responsibility awareness message behind it.”
Larsen will be riding a mountain bike with 5″ tires to make it easier to ride on Antarctica's dry wind packed snow, and will be doing everything himself (setting up camp, melting snow, blogging, etc.). Between riding and camping, wearing the appropriate clothing for those different activities is critical.
Bergans will be supporting Larsen with Merino wool base layers, wool and fleece mid-layers, shells using Dermizax windproof, waterproof breathable membranes, and soft shell pants all which are perfect for the biking segments; and an expedition down parka while off the bike.
“Bergans has a heritage of Polar exploration and with this trip I'm looking forward to adding to that modern day heritage,” said Larsen. “Antarctica is one of the most extreme environments on the planet and my safety, and ultimate success, is directly connected to the quality of my clothing and equipment. I'm also thankful to them for helping me support Worldbike, Davis Phinney Foundation, Winter Wildlands Alliance and Bikes Belong through this expedition.”
Larsen hopes the Cycle South expedition will create more awareness for the non-profits he supports. During the expedition Larsen will document, film and share his experiences through social media and on the expedition's website, www.ericlarsenexplore.com, where people can donate funds to the organization of their choice. One hundred percent of all donations made through the site go to the donors' specified causes.
About Eric Larsen
Larsen's other expeditions include dog sledding in the Canadian Arctic, training trips to Hudson Bay and countless dog sled races. Larsen has dedicated his adult life to sharing his love for the outdoor world with others. As an educator, Larsen strives to connect people to places and issues. In recognition of those efforts, Larsen was elected as one of Outside Magazine's Eco All Stars in 2008.
Larsen travels extensively giving motivational and educational lectures to schools, universities, non-profit organizations and corporate groups. He is also finishing the documentary COLDER about the Save the Poles expedition. www.ericlarsenexplore.com
About Bergans of Norway
Bergans was established in 1908, when Ole Ferdinand Bergan invented the first anatomical backpack. Today backpacks, functional outdoor clothing and tents are part of the portfolio of Bergans of Norway, as well as the ALLY brand of packable canoes. Adventurers such as South Pole conqueror Roald Amundsen, Mount Everest pioneer Sir Edmund Hillary, and Heroes of our time such as Polar explorers Rune Gjeldnes or Cecilie Skog trust Bergans equipment on their expeditions.
The headquarter of Bergans Fritid AS is situated in Hokksund, Norway, 60 km southwest of Oslo, where 90-plus employees work in development, research, design and sales.
