Adjustments for expeditions in the Arctic cold

Adapting gear for the cold

Most things you buy in a store are typically developed and tested around room temperature—plus twenty degrees, an office environment. That says very little about how something behaves on the ice sheet or a glacier. Materials change in the cold. Plastic becomes brittle and breaks more easily. Duct tape loses its stickiness. Movements that are normally simple become difficult. Taking off your gloves isn’t an option, because your fingers cool down instantly.

This forces you to make adjustments. Not because it’s fun to tinker, but because standard solutions simply don’t cut it when the temperature dives far below zero.

Grip and handling

Metal parts are notorious in the cold. They get extremely cold and are hard to grasp with mittens. That’s why I wrap duct tape around metal parts, like the outside of a thermos. Not because the tape itself performs so well at low temperatures, but because it provides texture and grip. You have more control, even with thick mittens.

The same principle applies to zippers. Small metal pullers are nearly impossible to operate without bare hands. You want to avoid that. That’s why I attach a piece of cord to all zippers—large enough to grab with mittens. It seems like a detail, but these kinds of small interventions make the difference between working smoothly or standing there fumbling in the cold.

Practical adjustments that save time

A simple but effective adjustment is in your laces. I tie a knot exactly in the middle of the lace. This ensures both ends always stay the same length. You don’t have to search for the middle or adjust things in the morning because one side is longer. In the cold, you want as little hassle as possible. Anything that takes time and precision becomes a point of frustration.

These kinds of solutions are small, but cumulatively they provide peace of mind. Less fiddling, less exposure, less chance of mistakes.

Eating without the hassle

Food also requires adjustment. During a trek, you don’t want to stop for a long search or to fiddle with packaging. That’s why my lunch is in a 1-liter Nalgene bottle. It’s sturdy, reliable, and more importantly: it can be opened while wearing gloves.

That bottle contains nuts, M&Ms, Haribo, and pieces of energy bars. Everything mixed together. Calorie-dense and instantly accessible. No loose packaging that tears or freezes. Just twist, grab, eat, and keep going.

It’s all about working with gloves on

The common thread is simple: everything must function with gloves or mittens on. As soon as you have to take them off, you create a problem. Cold slows you down, makes materials less reliable, and increases the chance of mistakes.

In those conditions, you don’t win with high-tech features from a catalog, but with practical adjustments. Things that work when it’s really cold. You only notice that difference outside, far away from the conditions for which it was originally designed.