Page 23 - The Tent Handbook 2017

Black Label users
Lars Larsson, The Sven Hedin Project: Saivo, Tarra and Nammatj GT
Lars Larsson/svenhedin.com
Lars Larsson grew up in Sweden, and at a young age became “drawn to adventure,” as he puts it. After pursuing master’s studies in computer science and engineering, he began a career as a journalist, but rediscovered his passion for adventure and exploration. “I have long had a dream of traveling in the footsteps of Swedish explorer and geographer Sven Hedin to document and compare how the landscape and culture of the places Hedin visited has changed over the last hundred years,” says Lars. To follow his dream, Larsson created the Sven Hedin Project, a series of expeditions to follow in Hedin’s tracks. “With funding from the National Geographic I was able to launch the first expedition of the project in May 2013,” says Larsson. He used Hedin’s maps, diaries and photographs to follow Hedin’s 1906 route through the deserts of eastern Persia (now Iran) to the border with Afghanistan. “For most of the trip we would be living in tents. Since the expedition included everything from snow and biting cold on the 5671 m (18,606 ft) high Mount Damavand, the Middle East’s highest peak, to the intersection of the smoldering hot salt desert of Dasht-e Kavir, we needed robust quality tents that work in the most extreme environments. Hilleberg was the obvious choice and we used the Saivo, Tarra and Nammatj GT.” In 2015, Lars conducted the second phase of his project, a two-month expedition that included both the 7509 m (24,636 ft) Muztagh Ata in Chinese Pamir and the Wakhan corridor on the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. “Because these expeditions are not just about adventure, but also have a scientific purpose,” says Lars, “nothing must go wrong. If a vital piece of equipment should fail when we are in an Iranian desert or in Afghanistan’s mountainous regions, it is impossible to replace it, which probably means that we will fail to complete our task. To minimize the risk, I use only Hilleberg tents on my expeditions. They are user friendly and easy to set up. Entrances and ventilation are easy to handle and the whole tent design has a good balance between strength and weight. Above all, I feel that I can rely on Hilleberg tents, thus I sleep safer at night.” (For more information, see svenhedin.com)
Mirjam Wouters: Staika
Mirjam Wouters/cyclingdutchgirl.com
Mirjam Wouters was born in the Netherlands and grew up cycling. When she left on a 3-month vacation in 2001, she had no idea she would still be on the road 15 years later. Since she picked up her bike in 2003, she has cycled nearly 93, 000 km (57,788 miles) through 63 different countries. Along the way, she picks up odd jobs and blogs about her adventures, and, as she puts it, “travelling and experiencing the places I pass at a slow pace.” She loves the ice roads, Northern Lights and the Australian outback, and is always looking for the next challenge and for that “next big open space.” “I wish I would have had the Hilleberg Staika a long time ago!” she says. “It would’ve been absolutely ideal in Iceland and Northern Canada.Well, everywhere I’ve been really! I love camping in winter and this tent gives me the right amount of space to be comfort- able in a storm. It stands solid as a house, and the fact that it’s so easy to set up and pack away, even when it’s (very) windy, is a big plus. I was camped on a mountainside in Colorado last December, with a storm rolling in. I could hear the gale coming through the mountains, and it made me a little nervous but this tent stood its ground and I got through the night comfortably. It doesn’t flap around and make lots of noise like other tents I’ve used. I love the option of being able to use the inner tent without the outer tent for warmer climates, and I hope to be using it like that soon. Thanks for making such an awesome tent! I’ll be calling it my home for a long time to come. (For more information, see cyclingdutchgirl.com)
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