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This article was taken from the June 2012 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Hot new equipment for polar adventurers.
Drive Anywahere
Honda Fourtrax AT (above)
Honda's powerful 13.3L all-terrain vehicle has been modified here by the British Antarctic Survey team. Its switchable two- or four-wheel drive system makes it ideally suited for negotiating both soft and frozen snow. The usual chunky off-road tyres have been replaced with snow tracks which spread the weight of the vehicle.
£7,626 (unmodified)
Watertight backpack
Outdoor Research DryComp Ridge Sack
To ensure a watertight pack, the 420D nylon fabric is sealed at the seams by radio frequencies and the roll-top lid secured by a buckle. At 465g it's surprisingly light, despite having a reinforced bottom and pocket surrounds. The mesh pocket can accommodate a hydration bladder and its strap loops are for stowing gear such as ice picks.
$135 (£84)
Polar PC
Panasonic Toughbook CF-H2 Health
Being both shock- and waterproof, this tough tablet can survive being buried in snow. This version, running Windows 7 Professional, is widely used in hospitals, but its bright 6,000cd/m2<sup> </sup> luminance display also makes it very easy to read in the dazzling Arctic snowscape.
Fitted with a GPS module, the 10.1-inch touchscreen offers a useful interactive map.
£1,655
Gale Shelter
The North Face VE 25
This three-person tent's polyurethane windows are cold-crack tested to -51C, and it uses Kevlar guide ropes and aluminium poles. At 4.85kg it's popular with mountaineers, and the colour-coded canopy, reflective guideline loops and glow-in-the-dark zippers make it easier to pitch camp in low light too.
Dual doors minimises clambering over fellow climbers.
£660
Weatherproof wrapping
UVU Cold Race Jacket
Tested in the North Pole marathon, this lightweight jacket is designed to keep a runner warm and dry in extreme weather and temperatures of -40C. It's achieved through a three-layer fabric incorporating a membrane that reacts to temperature.
If conditions outside or inside are raised by a few degrees, the material becomes more breathable.
£1,200
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
