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Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 2007-08: VUWAE 52

Performance and design of field equipment such as tents, technical climbing equipment, kitchen gear, stoves, sleep kits and sledges

Performance and design of field equipment such as tents, technical climbing equipment, kitchen gear, stoves, sleep kits and sledges

Polar Heaven Tent: the new polar heaven greatly improved working and living conditions in the field through significantly higher insulation, stability, and functional doors. The new floor however, is extremely slippery with snow and poses a significant risk, in particular during set-up of the tent. We used old carpet from Scott Base which not only provided a safe surface, but also provided further insulation and improved ground stability over time. The new oven heaters for the polar heaven are a good addition, however they are too large and bulky to transport (240lb). Instead, we used the VUW heater, which is smaller and lighter (60lb). In addition, the VUW heater can be connected directly to a 60L fuel drum, while the SB heater requires an additional fuel container, which increases weight and bulk. The new H-shaped chimney improved the heater performance significantly during stormy conditions and/or heavy snow fall and we would like to suggest fitting SB heaters with the similar chimney top. After some very cold nights, water in the diesel fuel froze in the hose and stopped the fuel flow to the oven. Placing the hose frequently (every few days) in a hot water bath prevents the ice built-up and improves efficiency.

Sleeping bags: We used a combined system of a synthetic outer and a down inner. The combination provided excellent thermal conditions. However, the synthetic outer layer required frequent drying or else significant ice built-up occurred and subsequent melt.