Mountain Equipment Down Insulation
D Ole Marius Elvestad
Catch your breath for a moment on top of a snow covered peak with nothing except mountains and fathomless sky around you; quiet and awed it’s easy to feel as insignificant as a single snowflake. It’s hard to know what it is about the wild places of the planet that keep calling us back, but getting taken down a peg or two and gaining a truer perspective is certainly healthy. And seeing the bigger picture means caring about everything we do. Not just the quality of our gear but also where it comes from and who is involved. After a journey of more than five years we have reached a new level of clarity with our Down Codex®. We believe that it is the most comprehensive supply chain audit of its kind and it’s another first for Mountain Equipment.
105 days in the freezer – Ben Saunders and Tarka L’Herpiniere complete Captain Scott’s epic Antarctic journey.
D Tarka L’Herpiniere
D Andy Ward
Antarctica humbled “me so deeply that I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to put it into words.”
D Tarka L’Herpiniere
In an age that has seen over three thousand people climb Mount Everest and no less than a dozen stand upon the surface of the moon, it would be easy to forgive someone for thinking that the true spirit of discovery is long gone. Incredibly, until February of this year one of the most iconic adventures of them all had been left unfinished. British adventurers Ben Saunders and Tarka L’Herpiniere became the first to complete Captain Scott’s ill-fated expedition from the very coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back.
British naval officer Captain Robert Falcon Scott set out for the South Pole in 1910. His party of five reached their destination on January 17 1912, shortly after Norwegian Roald Amundsen had claimed the first visit, and planted his own country’s flag there. On the return trek, in 1913, Scott and his team all perished. They were trapped by the worst weather conditions ever recorded and ran out of supplies tantalisingly close to the next post. Remarkably when Scott’s mix of siege tactics, ponies and tractors had failed he resorted to the man-haul that Ben replicated and his record of 1600
miles across the ice was unbeaten for over one hundred years. Despite losing the race across the coldest, windiest and most inhospitable continent on earth, Scott and his heroic expedition team have become a deeply influential part of British history. Courage in the face of utter exhaustion and ultimately hopelessness is still taught to most school children and remains a marker of stoic Britishness in the face of adversity. It’s a journey that inspired and intrigued Ben Saunders for most of his adult life
“There is a misconception that it’s all been done, but Scott raised the bar so high with his epic effort that nobody had come close to his 1600 mile man-haul. Just over one hundred years ago he set off to explore the South Pole with no knowledge of what he might find there. At that time, we knew more about the surface of the moon. His unfinished challenge has been calling out to me for well over a decade. And starting the four month expedition in October last year with my friend Tarka was the culmination of almost ten years of planning, dreaming and training.
D Henry Bowers
D Tarka L’Herpiniere
I have led many expeditions in the Arctic but nothing prepared me for the relentless endurance needed for this. Temperatures as low as 50 degrees below, brutal wind chill and sleds that weighed 200kg all meant that every step of the 1800 miles was hard won. Out there in the Antarctic wilderness you are acutely conscious of your own heat, and having to shepherd and protect it against nature. I often thought of us as two tiny pin-pricks of thermal red in a
giant expanse of deep-cold blue, inching our way across its surface. Tasting life at the edge of what’s possible has become something of an addiction for me. Polar exploration burns every penny I can get my hands on and has ruined every relationship I’ve ever had. But to try, to experience and to endeavour, that’s the thing. Our lives are so much safer and more comfortable than they’ve ever been
before and I understand that there certainly isn’t much call for polar explorers now-a-days but if I’ve learned anything in the last twelve years of dragging very heavy things around very cold places it is that real growth only comes from adversity and challenge. I believe this is possibly a lesson that we can all share and benefit from. It does everyone good to step away from what’s too comfortable and familiar – into the unknown. That’s where the meat of life is for me. In my experience
it’s only when we are out of our comfort zone that real learning and change can take place. This was an unimaginably difficult journey and there were days I wished I could fall over and break my leg so I could get out with ego intact. But what always leaves a lasting impact is the intensity of experience, the scale, majesty, beauty of genuine wilderness. To be somewhere with no sign of anything man-made is really special.
D Andy Ward
D Andy Ward
D Tarka L’Herpiniere
D Sam Christmas
“You’re the only person that decides how far you go and what you are capable of.”
The motto for the expedition is ‘Ambulatio Memoranda’ – a journey to remember. There’s no doubt that I will never forget those 105 days and nights in Antarctica and the powerful impressions that the expedition has carved into me. It’s my greatest hope that it has also captured the imagination of all those who seek something from the world’s wildest places. What the original Scott expedition achieved was incredible. Even with over
one hundred years of hindsight and cutting edge communications it was still at the very limit of human possibility. One final thought is that I have a school report from when I was thirteen framed above my desk at home, it says “Ben lacks sufficient impetus to achieve anything worthwhile”. If I’ve learned one thing it is that no-one else is the authority on your potential. You’re the only person that decides how far you go and what you are capable of”.
D Andy Ward
D Andy Ward D Ben Saunders
Ben Saunders’ kit list
“On occasion, having the right gear is a matter of life and death. And every day it is the difference between comfortable and miserable.” Ben Saunders relied on Mountain Equipment’s Everest Extreme Sleeping Bag and Gasherbrum Jacket for polar protection. He has been wearing Mountain Equipment gear for over fifteen years. And he has been testing and developing gear with us as a pro partner for five.
Everest Extreme Sleeping Bag The result of decades of testing and experience on all the 8,000 metre peaks and both polar regions. Complex baffle construction, premium down and an expedition fit make it the obvious choice for the coldest, toughest conditions.
Gasherbrum Jacket A serious down jacket that weighs in at well under a kilo. The finest down, durable featherweight fabric, an advanced fit and baffle construction make it the perfect partner for the most ambitious expeditions on earth.
Mountain Equipment Down Codex®
In 2009 we launched the Down Codex®, setting out five key rules that would embrace a range of animal welfare, environmental and ethical issues that we wanted our down supply chain to meet. Down Codex® is more than just an auditing standard; it is helping to direct our entire approach to developing better down products. Rather than relying on written guarantees or self-certification by suppliers it requires each and every source that we use, to be independently audited and assessed through a process of site inspections, face-to-face interviews and document checks. Only in this way are we able to safely establish chains of custody. Any supplier wishing to work with Mountain Equipment must accept the terms of our Down Codex® and be willing to grant access for our representatives to audit all parts of their supply chain – from pre-processors to slaughterhouses, and from slaughterhouses to farms. Audits are carried out on our behalf by the International Down & Feather Laboratory (IDFL). They are an established
and independent global test and auditing house that have worked with Mountain Equipment from the beginning to develop our auditing standards. Audits take place at least every three years and the results of each audit are then published showing the level of risk deemed to exist, alongside a down quality report which is unique to every batch of down we purchase. Should any supplier fail an audit or any part of the supply chain be found to have standards below that deemed to be acceptable, then they have six months to put in place corrective measures before being re-audited. If the level of risk hasn’t fallen significantly they will be excluded from the supply chain. Every Down Codex® product features a twelve digit code. This is clearly visible on the inside label. Typing this code into our website allows consumers to view these reports and make an informed decision before purchasing. The Down Codex® web address is www.thedowncodex.com
Mountain Equipment Down Codex®
Another first for Mountain Equipment Richard Talbot, Director of Product at Mountain Equipment, has been instrumental in driving the development of the Down Codex ® project right from the start.
Mountain Equipment has throughout its fifty year history committed a great deal of time and effort into ensuring we consistently obtain the very best qualities of down for use in our sleeping bags and clothing. Five years ago we started paying as much attention to the environmental, ethical and animal welfare concerns associated with using down. There is a risk that down can come from birds that have been live plucked, force fed or kept in bad conditions. We had always used down for function rather than fashion – by and large products were used in serious or extreme conditions. There was no viable alternative to down, so we needed to ensure ours came from the best sources. And so in 2009 we began a project that would become known as the Down Codex®. We thought we had good knowledge of our supply chain, but couldn’t demonstrate it. We recognised that the practices of live plucking and forcefeeding were unacceptable but knew little else about the wider welfare issues associated with farming waterfowl. In the absence of any viable synthetic alternatives we wanted to continue to make the very best down clothing and sleeping bags we could. So to begin with, Down Codex® began by attempting to prove assumptions we had about our supply chain. And it started almost immediately with on-the-ground audits and site inspections – visits to slaughterhouses, down processors and farms, face-to-face interviews, photographs, audits of paper-trails and official records. We had no complex auditing standard or established method. The challenge was to learn as we went along, constantly adapting and evolving our approach. Very few, if any, other brands had really done anything like this before. There was no benchmark to aim for and no proven path to follow. We had appointed the International Down & Feather Laboratory (IDFL) to be our ‘eyes on the ground’. However, even though they were experts in assessing down and testing its quality they had very little experience in auditing the supply chain beyond wholesalers.
They were however, truly independent and keen to work with us. Crucially they had key relationships within our supply chains and could build trust with those parties that were wary of our motives and treated any approach with caution. From the first audit in 2010 we have gone on to conduct audits every year since, in countries from China and Taiwan, to Ukraine and most recently Russia and Germany. Both the subjects and methods of auditing have evolved. There have been many important lessons learned, and we have been at the forefront of documenting an industry that prior to 2009 was in the dark and largely preferred to remain mysterious. We have gradually introduced a framework for our audits, to the extent that other major international outdoor brands have approached us to share our experiences. After five years we are on the edge of every down product range passing at least one audit. The remaining isolated products that we have been unable to include in the Down Codex® are being phased out. We’ve reduced our supply base, dropping a supplier when audit standards were failed. And now weare working on a revised and even more rigorous system that goes into trials next year. This was always going to be a journey rather than a destination. It is a constantly evolving process where we, working in partnership with suppliers and the IDFL seek to understand and manage the risk involved in a complex and ever changing supply chain. The Down Codex® is unlikely to ever be able to provide a cast-iron guarantee. What it has achieved is clarity and new lines of communication. And by engaging with the concerns of our consumers and reflecting them to suppliers we have increased awareness and expectations amongst farms, slaughterhouses and processors. In that sense we are at the end of the first stage. And refining a process rather than pioneering is certainly more efficient and we would like to think another first for Mountain Equipment.
Mountain Equipment Down Codex®
How the audit works We have developed a partnership scheme with the International Down & Feather Laboratory. We chose them for three reasons: 1. The IDFL are experts in the down supply chain and understand our industry. It is in their interest to come up with a robust method of making sure the supply chain is open and transparent. 2. They are independent both from our suppliers and ourselves and have no interest in favouring or protecting any individual supplier or groups of suppliers. 3. With offices in Europe, USA and China, they are truly international. Most importantly the IDFL have Chinese staff who have been vital in getting access to the farms in rural China. For each area that they audit, IDFL apply our set of rules to check that it meets the Down Codex® standard. The initial
“What it has achieved is clarity and new lines of communication”
audit for each area requires a certain amount of trust to be established between Mountain Equipment, IDFL and the down supplier. As down is often sourced through a network of dealers and wholesalers this trust is key to obtaining an effective audit as it is essential to trace the supply chain all the way back to the original farms where the ducks and geese are raised. If the supplier fails the audit, the results will be discussed with them and a plan put in place to see if corrective action is possible. If corrective action is not possible we will stop buying down from that supplier. If for any reason it proves impossible to carry out an audit or the supplier refuses to give us access to the original farms we will again exclude them from the supply chain. Generally we will need to find an alternative source of down that meets our stringent quality requirements before we can change supplier, we will begin this process without delay and it should not take longer than six months. Whilst it’s not possible to change everything overnight, we have spent the last five years productively. We have worked hard with suppliers to understand everything there is to know about the down supply chain, so that we can take steps to improve it wherever possible. The range of rules and commitments contained within the Down Codex® gives us the most comprehensive and transparent auditing mechanism to ensure that we have the most ethical, traceable and transparent down supply chain in the outdoor industry anywhere in the world.
Mountain Equipment Down Codex速
The three stages of Down Codex 速
Stage 1: Our rules & commitments
Stage 2: Communication with our suppliers
Mountain Equipment will continue to obtain the very best qualities of down from a variety of sources across the world.
Every one of these rules and commitments has been communicated to all of our suppliers. Our suppliers now understand that should they wish to continue to supply us, they must comply.
All of the down we use should be a by-product of food production and be obtained after birds have been humanely slaughtered. There should be no live plucking, or live harvesting of down. No birds should be force-fed during the fattening process before slaughter. The birds should be kept in good conditions and raised to high welfare standards appropriate for ducks and geese. They should be free to roam compounds and have barns to shelter in with good access to fresh water and natural food. Stocking densities, i.e. how many birds per square metre, should be lower than recommended maximums. Every batch of down that we buy should be tested for cleanliness, composition and fill power. Independent testing should be carried out by the IDFL and all fill power tests should be measured and stated according to the International IDFB Lorch cylinder method.
Stage 3: The Auditing & Traceability System Our auditing process uses a third party to check that what we are being told about our down supply is actually true and that suppliers adhere to our rules and meet our commitments. The audit seeks to investigate every stage of our down supply chain, including wholesalers, sorting houses, slaughterhouses and individual farms where the birds are raised. Using this information it should be possible to accurately trace each and every individual batch of down we use. Nearly every one of our down products now carries a twelve digit code that will allow our customers to trace the down used in their actual clothing or bag via the Down Codex速 website. www.thedowncodex.com
D Dรถrte Pietron
Charlotte Gild, member of the DAV expedition team 2011-2013 and now Mountain Equipment Pro Partner, talks about how down is an essential part of her kit for every trip.
D Dรถrte Pietron
Learning to love the cold
D Ulrich Viertler
pack size and “Alowsmall weight for a
bivouac is essential for serious routes.”
I have to confess, I don’t just carry a down jacket on winter tours, but also in summer for rock climbing – it’s especially handy for long belays. It just feels so cosy and it’s well worth the teasing I get from my friends who love to tell each other that “Charlie never leaves home without her down jacket” – but hey, that’s OK. A really warm jacket may be a luxury in summer but of course, a good down jacket and a down sleeping bag with a small pack size and low weight for a bivouac is essential for serious routes. Especially for someone like me, who really feels the chills and very quickly gets freezing cold!
Maybe I’ll never really learn to love the cold but I love winter mountaineering, so managing it is essential. And that means good insulation.
lead the way with their ethical approach to down. I believe their Down Codex® certification is the most established and rigorous system in the world.
There are always compromises to make regarding warmth, weight and size. For long routes in the alps I always carry my Sigma Jacket with me, that’s the best choice. On expeditions my K7 Jacket is an essential piece, which always seems to keep me warm. When I’m in the mountains, carrying my down jacket stuffed away in my backpack always makes me feel a bit safer.
For me the ultimate goals in climbing are winter mountaineering routes, in particular the great ice walls. Many of my dreams, like the Grandes Jorasses, the Dru or the Matterhorn are still in the distant future but as I gain more and more experience, they are certainly getting closer. This year is an exciting one for me. So far I’ve climbed some world famous test pieces including the north face of the Eiger.
And as I use a lot of down products, I’m glad that Mountain Equipment
Despite the first ascent being 75 years ago, this is still the scene of many alpine dramas and a ‘rite of passage’ for many climbers. For many ambitious mountaineers conquering it remains a dream, making this a reality for me was an excellent achievement. Also, the 1000 metre ‘Moonwalk’ (WI 6 M7) in the Valser Valley was stunning. It’s a combination of classic north face climbing with serious waterfall and mixed climbing and features the longest icefall in Austria. And climbing “Crack Baby” was an amazing experience, it has to be one of the best steep ice-routes in Switzerland.
D Dörte Pietron
D Barbara Vigl
Mountain Equipment Down Codex®
WORLD PROVEN PERFORMANCE
The K7 Jacket – serious insulation for serious objectives. Designed for the next era of alpine-style climbs in the greater ranges or remote polar journeys, the K7 is a serious expedition jacket that weighs well under a kilo. It combines our finest down with a Drilite® Loft outer which is windproof and highly water resistant. A box-wall baffle construction spreads warmth evenly and there are two proper hand warmer pockets plus an internal mesh water bottle holder and zipped security pocket. Adjustable cuffs and dual tether hem drawcords mean that you can batten down the hatches with minimum flapping of cords in strong winds.
MEN’S GASHERBRUM JACKET
MEN’S VEGA JACKET
WOMEN’S SIGMA JACKET
MEN’S & WOMEN’S XERO HOODED JACKET
Mountain Equipment Down Codex®
40 YEARS OF FORTY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DISTILLED EXPERIENCE DISTILLED INTO ONE JACKET
INTO ONE JACKET
We didn’t name this jacket Annapurna because it’s an inspiring and beautiful range in the High Himalaya. We made the first of these jackets for Don Whillans who with Dougal Haston made the first ascent of the south face of Annapurna in 1970. It statistically can still be seen as the most dangerous of all the eight thousanders and in particular, the ascent via the south face is considered, by some, to be the most difficult of all climbs.
WOMEN’S CHO OYU JACKET
MEN’S & WOMEN’S LIGHTLINE JACKET
WOMEN’S LIGHTLINE LONG JACKET
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S LIGHTLINE PANT
Mountain Equipment Down Codex®
UNCOMMON SENSE APPLIED TO WATER RESISTANT DOWN
First hand experience in the high mountains is where we take our inspiration from rather than trends. That’s why we use water resistant down only where it’s really useful, in a range of fast and light alpine jackets that are the most likely to encounter more moisture. These contain all the lessons we have learned over the last forty years about construction using cutting edge fabric and water resistant down.
NEW MEN’S & WOMEN’S MAZENO JACKET
MEN’S & WOMEN’S ARETE JACKET
MEN’S & WOMEN’S ARETE HOODED JACKET
MEN’S & WOMEN’S LUMIN JACKET
Day 15 “At night it was so windy as we lay in our sleeping bags that we had to shout at each other to communicate and I struggled to sleep, even with earplugs. The gale hitting our tent and sleds, and the guylines and straps anchoring them to the snow made a noise like a classic motorbike revving, not far from my head. We woke to the same conditions and it was my turn to poke my head out to see if we could travel. There was no horizon or contrast, just thick whiteout, and only in the slight shadow of the tent could I see the blizzard flying past us.” For Ben Saunders’ epic expedition – the longest man-haul in history, he chose the Mountain Equipment Everest Extreme Sleeping Bag.
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