Huge congrats to Swedish motorcycle stunt rider Elliot Gröndahl for securing a World Record title for the “Longest No-Hands Motorcycle Wheelie”.
After a few attempts Elliot managed to ride 918,245 meters on the back wheel, without touching the handlebar on the 1000 meters drag racing strip on the renowned racing track, Mantorp in Sweden.
By accomplishing that he beat the previous record of 580 meters set in 2022 by the Lithuanian RedBull stunt rider Aras Gibieža.
Below you can check out a teaser from the record that was certified by Guinness World Record on October 13th, 2023:
Click on image to play video.
Here you can check out a previous video from when we caught up with Elliot in his hometown Malmö, Sweden to hear more about his career, see him in action and of course give it ago ourselves:
Jari started his second attempt for the world’s longest unsupported swim this weekend. Swimming from Stockholm, Sweden 500 km to Helsinki, Finland. A 32-37 day long extreme adventure where he will be averaging 13,7 km swim day.
In order to complete his really impressive challenge he will need to bring one of our 100L bags. Packed with the most essential gear for his adventure that can not get wet during the month at sea.
Our bag float fully packed with Jari on top and can be used as a safety raft in case of an emergency.
Jari has spent all winter living down in Siciliy, Italy training hard daily by filling up big canister of water to add extra weight and resistance in the water.
This is not the first adventure for Jari as he two years ago swam 328km along the east coast of Sweden, Oaxen to Öregrund. A 32 day long adventure where Jari only had to take one day off due to back problems.
Plus last years attempt where he had to be rescued (2km from his intended destination Åland, Finland) as his navigation system shut down so he got off course and drifted south with winds and currents that pushed him further out on a stormy Baltic Sea.
Follow Jari’s 2nd attempt for the world’s longest unsupported swim across the Baltic Sea:
This is the result after having the Polestar design team working in close relationship with our R&D team to develop a bag where Design meets Function, Quality and Durability.
The Polestar Subtech Open tote is hereby sold worldwide via Polestar.
Anders also know as “Free Solo” has inspired us since Day 1 when we first saw his incredible video how he was exploring a hidden cave and had to crawl thru tunnels that were so tight he could hardly move and he just went deeper and deeper in to the completely black cave with half his body in freezing cold water without knowing what he would face next.
We checked in with Free solo and asked him some questions before his next thrilling adventure.
The following interview has been translated from Swedish.
– How did you get in to exploring these unknown places?
Since childhood, I have been interested in climbing and exploring. Already in primary school, it was the canteen ceiling and the school’s chimney that was the driving factor.
Mountains and natural formations have of course been there and attracted, but it is buildings and the urban environment that have always been the driving factor.
– Are you ever afraid when you for example lower yourself down 70 meters in to a old mine and dive deep inside the tunnels as rocks are falling down above your head?
In my opinion, fear is one of the most important ingredients in an adventure.
It is there and gets used when something is wrong and is thus your absolute best friend in a critical situation. But as inalienable as fear is in the form of a warning bell, it is just as devastating as an ever-present one.
Experience and knowledge are undoubtedly the best prerequisites when it comes to staying calm and balanced.
– What is your worst memory after your years of exploring unknown places?
There are of course some instances that could be seen as questionable. But perhaps one of the most critical is probably when I got stuck during a dive in an old underground test facility.
On the way out, a cable ladder collapsed and pinned me to the bottom.
Alone and with little visibility, a very clear battle against the clock began. Being entangled is one of the absolute worst situations a diver can find himself in.
15 long minutes of cutting and cutting and I managed to get free. Undeniably a very educational experience you won’t forget so easily. But definitely something I’d rather avoid in the future.
– You have a high engagement rate from the content you post, what is your key to success?
When it comes to succeeding with the social platforms, I think the answer is as simple as it is undramatic.
To be honest in what you do. Stick-on attitude quickly shines through.
Have fun and try to convey what you feel.
Feel free to take advice from others and humbly listen to their tips and ideas, but remember that you are you and no one else.
Above all, a platform has two sides. One is you, the other is your audience. Together you create a whole, a place to meet.
For me, it is unthinkable not to respond to the comments that are born from a post. If you want to experience a live forum, communication is what counts.
If someone writes, you simply reply.
Personally, I get so much joy and love from all the fantastic people who now follow and are part of the page.
– What are your initial thoughts about the SUBTECH bags that you have been using?
I spend a lot of time in old mines, caves, underground facilities and other stressful environments with water and dirt.
My bags from SUBTECH are now a given when adventure approaches. They give me the opportunity to take sensitive equipment with me in environments that were previously completely unthinkable and the fact that the bags themselves create fantastic buoyancy is a very good safety bonus for me.
Tag along Free solo as he explore more mind-blowing places we had no idea existed:
Hanna is an enthusiastic, easy going girl with a burning desire to explore the world. So one day, 6 years ago she decided to quit her 9-5 job, pack her necessities and hit the road on her motorbike. Since that day she has never looked back and she is now living out her dream and get the explore all the hidden gems on two wheels.
Solo Motorbike Traveller
Adventurer: Hanna Johansson
Solo riding: Since 2017
Countries explored: 76
Kilometres traveled: 90.000+ km
Currently: Just starting next bike adventure in Thailand
Hanna has just arrived in Thailand where she will pick up her Triumph bike to explore beautiful Thailand on two wheels.
We checked in with Hanna just a day before she left to do a quick interview.
– Tell us in short about your upcoming adventure and what you look forward to the most?
I’ll spend the upcoming weeks in Thailand, one of my favorite countries. I look forward to exploring this country to the fullest, everything from beautiful beaches to riding in the mountains of Chiang Mai.
– What would you say to others that dream about what you do so that they can dare to take the leap and follow their dream and passion in life?
Life’s too short to wonder, “what if?”.
The first step is the hardest, but when that’s done… The rest is like a dance!
No matter how hard it’ll be (because it will be challenging sometimes), the burning passion in your chest is a feeling you can’t beat.
No Teams Meeting will ever give that satisfaction.
– What gear will you bring with you on your coming adventure and how will you pack it on your Triumph?
I won’t camp on this trip, so my luggage will be small.
We are proud to have some of the world’s best athletes, adventurers and photographers on TEAM SUBTECH that keep pushing the boundaries with our gear. So that we can constantly improve to make sure we offer the best waterproof bags out there.
"Every wasted minute is a minute we'll never get back"
Life Lesson Learned by World Record Adventurer Diogo
When you have a few minutes to spare, take your time to watch this thoughtful film made by the Guinness World Record Adventurer Diogo Guerreiro and the life lesson he has learned throughout his memorable adventures in life.
We are proud to have some of the world’s best athletes and adventurers on TEAM SUBTECH that keep pushing the boundaries of what’s humanly possible with our gear. So that we can always keep on improving to make sure we offer the best waterproof bags out there.
Jari will on 10th of June begin the world’s longest unsupported swim from Stockholm, Sweden 500 km to Helsinki, Finland. A 37 day long extreme adventure where he will be averaging 13,7 km day.
In order to complete his really impressive challenge he will need to bring two 55 Liter bags with a total weight of 46 kg. Packed with tent, watermaker, dry food to cover all meals, swim gear and other essential gear.
The bags will then be placed on top of a Ruckraft in order to glide as smooth as possible behind Jari while swimming where each raft is attached with a bungy cord with safe distance behind him in heavy seas.
The bag float fully packed with Jari on top by itself and could be attached to each other as a raft in case of an emergency.
Jari is currenlty living down in Allicante, Spain where he’s training daily be filling up big jugs of water to get proper weight in the bags.
This is not the first adventure for Jari as he last summer swam 328km along the east coast of Sweden, Oaxen to Öregrund. A 32 day long adventure where Jari had to take one day off due to back problems.
Follow Jari’s preparation for the world’s longest unsupported swim, 500km across the Baltic Sea:
The Swedish adventurers Sören Kjellkvist and Måns kämpe set out to row the Atlantic ocean from Lagos (Portugal) to Antigua (West Indies) on the 28th of December after having to wait over two weeks for weather conditions to stabilize.
When they were just one day from reaching their intermediate destination of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, the wind changed drastically and started pushing them northwest out into the open Northern Atlantic, far away from the needed trade winds towards the Caribbean.
They struggled through difficult wind and waves and finally managed to land on Madeira.
By then they were delayed over a month and with all margins of time, budget and resources used up. Waiting for manageable conditions to continue south and towards Antigua, the risk of going into the hurricane season would be unacceptably high. The portuguese trade winds seem to have changed into a much less reliable behavior, it is unbelievable how a storm from the Atlantic could reach so far south and pull us all the way up to Madeira.
“Facing these circumstances we have no choice but to terminate the project, and declare Madeira the final destination.” /Sören & Måns
“Our involvement in life in the oceans remains unchanged, and we hope that we can still create enough attention for the Baltic harbour porpoise to help save them from extinction. We gave it our best shot, however we are humble towards the immense forces of nature. It has been an extraordinary experience, very different from what we expected, challenging, emotional and extremely tough. The Atlantic will still be there…” /Sören & Måns
The important message to save the Baltic whale from extinction still remains
You are true heroes in our eyes for getting the word out to the politicians to try and save the few hundred Baltic whales left in the world. Also for the vice decision to abort the mission and come home safe.
Check out what Sören & Måns have to say about our bags
Name: Francisco Lufinha Age: 38 World Records: 3 Previous Guiness World Record: Longest Journey kitesurfing 862 kms | 48 hours This Expedition: Solo sail across the Atlantic on a custom built kite boat Preparations: 1+ year including building the boat and custom made controller to control the kite.
Start/Finish: Cascais, Portugal / Finish Martinique, Caribbean Distance: 3600nm / 6700km Duration: 24 Days (Plus stop over in Canary Islands due to technical problems) Energy: 100% Renewable energy: Kite, Solar panels, Hydro generator. Bags used: 4x PRO DRYBAG 100L
Announcement after just crossing the Atlantic
Update from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean
Huge congrats Francisco on your accomplishment and for setting an example to the world of the importance of ocean preservation, environmental awareness and renewable energies.
As Fancisco put it: ‘We are CHANGING TOMORROW NOW and this mission is a proof of that!’
About the Special Built Kite Boat
We are looking forward to follow Francisco Lufinha on his upcoming mind-blowing adventures.
Now our team adventurer, Rafa has done it again as he broke his second on Sunday 28th of November official Guinness World Record and third world record in total! Rafa walked between to hot air-balloons 1901 meters / 6235 feet above ground in Santa Catarina, Praia Grande, Brazil and by that secured yet another Guinness World Record for Highest highline 1901 meters above ground.
We are blown away to say the least about Rafa’s latest Official Guinness World Record and we can’t wait to see what he will up to next!
Rafael now holds two Guinness World Records and a number of Brazilian and Latin American Records. The first Guinness World Record was made in 2017, where he walked 670 meters across Wanfu Lake in China.
The second world record was done this time last year.
A mind blowing 260 meter long highline in the crater of an active volcano in Mount Yasur in Tanna Island, Vanuatu.
Here you can hear what Rafa has to say about SUBTECH and our bags:
We are stoked to have Rafabridi on our team and we can’t wait to see where he will bring our gear next. Click here to follow him on his epic adventures. For media inquiries, please contact us at: pr@subtechsports.com.
The Swede, Joakim Brantingson is getting prepared to compete in one of the world’s most dangerous race according to Forbes Magazine, Mini-Transat. Joakim will be solo sailing his 6,5m/21ft boat from French west coast across the Atlantic to the Caribbean.
Name: Joakim Brantingson
What: Solo sail across the Atlantic Race: Mini-Transat in 2023 Number of crew members: 1 Longest Sleep duration: 20 min Participants: 80 Sailors Start/Finish: West coast France – Stop in Las Palmas – Finish in the Caribbean Duration: 25 Days
Have you ever wondered what makes a bag waterproof? It might sound easy in theory but designing a bag that is 100% waterproof is a challenge in itself.
We are stoked to introduce our new TEAM SUBTECH athlete, Rafael Bridi who’s a really impressive slackliner. Rafael currently holds two Guiness World Records and a number of Brazilian and Latin American Records.
The first Guiness World Record was made in 2017, where he walked 670 meters across Wanfu Lake in China.
The second world record was done just recently. A mind blowing 260 meter long highline in the crater of an active volcano in Mount Yasur in Tanna Island, Vanuatu.
-How did you get started with slackline?
At first slackline was a pleasure activity where I faced a big challenge trying to balance myself and get across of it’s full length. This moment happened at my friends backyard and this day has stuck with me forever.
I have a strong background as an athlete so I have a very challenging mentality where I need to accomplish the targets I set to myself.
So in the beginning with the slackline it was more about how I can’t manage to get across when I do good on so many others balance sports in general.
Paralell to get introduced to slackline I was starting my engineering studies. This combination brought me lot of deep learning from the dedication I channeled to my personal growth and slackline was a big part of that.
Right in the beginning of my practice I got introduced by a friend about the possibilities of practicing highline. I had to dedicate a lot of time practicing, studying and creating connections outside Brazil to make the first highline walk a reality.
Long story short, slackline combine with my previous years as athlete has brought me a new conscious about my goals in life.
This has given me a much more balanced relationship with the people around me, society in general, relationship with money and the general ability to make dreams reality. This is what SLACKLIFE represents to me, becoming a better person is rule number one.
-You are also running an adventure company, can you tell us about this?
Yes I do run an Adventure Company called Natural Extremo Brazil. This company is pretty much the combination of all the knowledge I gained building my professional carreer practicing a new sport that was not widely recognized nationally and internationally to being with.
The company launched when I gathered all my technical rigging skills to combine highline and rope work techniques to build a unique safety system for Rope Swings for the general public. The company is now is 2 years and has received huge presence Nationally and Internationally. We are changing the way adventure experiences are offered inside of tourism in Brazil.
Wedding at high altitude
We focus on the whole experience of the clients from the first message we receive until the clients receiving their media material days after the adventure.
But the company not only work in the front range of adventures we also have other strong elements that are part of our formal structure such as; merchandising, creating and production of marketing campaigns, we built technology for our internal and external use.
Special projects involving highline and slackline, we organize festivals and events, we do train our team and other non governmental and governmental institutions and many other areas of action. So the company is just the potencialization for lots passions and values we carry as partners.
-Which is your most spectacular walk you have ever made?
No doubt is the Active Volcano crossing I did this year in Vanuatu during the super restrict lock down spread all over the world because of Corona.
It was a project I got invited to take part a contribute and it was an honor. It was the first ever highline rigged inside the crater of and active volcano done in the Mount Yasur in Tanna Island, Vanuatu.
The line itself had 260 meters long and had super dangerous and tricky situations to make it happen. It was a huge team effort to pull this stunt of and by doing so it was recognized as Guinness World Record.
This is one of my freshest accomplishments and most important in my carreer
-You have been using the PRO DRYBAG for a while, how does it differ from other bags you have had?
I like the simplicity of the design and it’s powerful features.
The strong and flexible material gives me a extra sense of safety when I’m carrying delicate and expensive gear inside.
The combination of the waterproof and the air cushion [Shockproof Inflatable System] is a dream for adventures where you know you will have a variety of situations such as rain, sun, river crossings and rough terrain.
I’m loving the bag so much that even on average trips where I don’t need exactly this incredible features I use as my carry on bag due to its light weight and versatile handles and straps.
I can’t wait to push even further and bring the PRO DRYBAG to really extreme settings.
-What is your tip for beginners that want to get started with slackline?
Don’t give up and do not compare yourself to others. Slackline is for all ages, body types and skills. One might take longer to learn the first steps then others but this is just how we are.
Practicing slackline in any level is fun, safe, challenging and an amazing group activity. It has a really good relationship with nature and can be done in basically any place you can find solid anchors.
I love to hang and teach beginners because it brings me back the joy, the struggles and the wins on my first days in the sport.
We are stoked to have Rafabridi on our team and we can’t wait to see where he will bring our gear next. Click here to follow him on his epic adventures.
Athlete: Erik Stark Sport: F1 Powerboat Titles: 6x World Champion | 4x European Champion Place: Stockholm, Sweden Archipelago Currently: Testing out world’s first electric foiling boat, Candela
Our team rider Erik test out the world’s first 100% electric & foiling boat and take off flying between thousands of tiny islands in the Stockholm archipelago.
Forbes Magazine list Mini-Transat as one of the world’s most dangerous races to participate within.
Name: Joakim Brantingson What: Solo-sail across the Atlantic Race: Mini-Transat in 2023 Number of crew members: 1 Longest Sleep duration: 20 min Participants: 80 Sailors Start/Finish: West coast France – Stop in Las Palmas – Finish in the Caribbean Duration: 25 Days
The Swede, Joakim Brantingson is getting prepared to compete in one of the world’s toughest races, Mini-Transat in 2023. Joakim will be solo sailing his 6,5m/21ft boat from Les Sables-d’Olonne on the French west coast across the Atlantic to the island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean.
During their 25 day journey they will have a quick stopover in Las Palmas, Canary Island to restock food and water- which is both kept at a minimum as a result of the small boat size and the constant battle to save weight.
We checked in with Joakim to hear how he got in to the sport, his preparations for the race and how the current COVID-19 situation is affecting his plan.
– How did you get in to sailing competitively?
I’ve sailed for most of my life, but haven’t really been frequenting the competitive side. The sailing that’s available to you when you’re growing up in Sweden is dinghy sailing. In other words, small boats that you sail around a course made up by a number of buoys.
Don’t get me wrong – any form of sailing was way better than a day in school back then, but it really never motivated me enough to arrange my whole life around ultimately having the Olympics as the final pinnacle. Instead I sailed whatever boats I could find whenever I could. After an impulsive decision I bought a second hand mini 650 (the same type of boat that I now compete with), sailed it alone back home around the coast of Sweden and immediately knew that this was what I wanted to pursue.
– In what way has the current COVID-19 situation affected the actual race and your preparations leading up to it?
As of today, two out of the six races that we had in the calendar for 2020 have been cancelled and it wouldn’t surprise me if the remaining races are also going to get cancelled. Perhaps that’s for the best – being alone in a small boat and developing respiratory symptoms halfway to the Azores is far from ideal. I cant see how any race organizer would want to take responsibility for a situation like that, even a few months from now.
Calculating the energy needed for the 25 days Atlantic crossing
Coming down to a more practical level, we’ve had massive delays due to COVID-19 in this project causing a lot of stress as we broke deadline after deadline due to missing parts.
The honeycomb-looking foam material in this picture is made from recycled PET bottles. It is used to create not only strong, but lightweight laminates for both deck and hull on the race boat. By choosing and racing a boat built with sustainable materials they actively reduce the footprint of the project and work towards sustainable sailing.
Had we been better at keeping deadlines during the first months of the year, we would already had transported the boat down to La Trinite Sur Mer at the French west coast, but that would meant that we had a brand new boat to be stood ashore on its trailer behind locked gates, in a country on lockdown.
The largest sail is 80m2 which is a lot for the 6 x 3 meter boat (comparable to a 4×4 car).
Instead we are days from launching the boat and beginning training on water here in Stockholm, which feels nothing but fantastic.
– Can you give us a better understanding of all the preparations and sacrifices that goes in to participating in one of the world’s most dangerous races?
Competing in a race like the Mini-Transat is a challenge on so many different levels. On the competitive side, you need to be able to sail the boat fast in every condition. On the mental side, you need to be stubborn enough to love the fatigue, the lack of sleep and the solitude. On the physical side, you want to have as much strength and endurance as possible to handle bad weather and stay fresh.
The longest sleep duration you get is 20 minutes because that is the time it takes for a ship or vessel to appear from the horizon and cross your path.
Also, you need to be able to understand the weather well to make predictions that will act as the base for your tactical choices during the race.
And on top of all that you have the commercial side of the sport to manage ashore. I am yet to find a title partner allowing competing in the next Mini-Transat at the level that both meets my ambition and the team that has been built behind me.
– How will you keep yourself and your gear dry when the storms and big swells hit your 6,5m/21ft boat out on the Atlantic Ocean?
These small boats are not just incredibly fast for their size – they are also really wet, even below deck. Keeping dry is not only a way of mitigating the fatigue, but it also ensures that you can complete the race.
Water will get everywhere and with the water follows the salt which acts as a abrasive that can really irritate your skin to the point of bleeding. Keeping underwear, socks and gear out of the water and the salt adds so much to the comfort on board.
Being able to trust the dryness of SUBTECH bags to the point where we can fill them up with gear, close the zipper and throw them overboard to see them float without any concerns is just fantastic.
– How can we follow you and your preparations for Mini-Transat 2021?
We have been slacking a bit behind on social media due to all the stress lately, but as soon as the new boat hits the water we are going to pick it up again. We are also planning the release of a new vlog on youtube, that will follow the project and see how the days are filled with everything from sailing, doing deadlifts and practicing suturing on a banana peel. In the meantime – follow me @joakimbrantingson
We are looking forward to follow Joakim Brantingson on his preparations for Mini-Transat 2023.
We are honored that the Airforce, Navy, Special Forces, Coustguard, marine police, sea rescue etc. have all chose to use our waterproof bags to keep their equipment dry and protected for the most challenging missions.
Below you can get a glimpse of how our bags are being thrown out of planes, dropped in the middle of the ocean and transported 25m/80ft below the surface, 365 days per year and still last a lifetime.
When it comes to their gear it is only Function, Quality & Durability that matters as it has to withstand the most extreme conditions you can possibly imagine.
U.S. Air Force F-16 pilot
U.S. Parescue Team The worlds most highly trained recovery specialists.
Final preparations for U.S. Parescue Team before launching the PRO DRYBAG 45L off a plane at 3000m/10.000 ft in to the freezing cold Bering Sea, off the coast of Alaska.
Australian Special Forces Use the PRO DRYBAG 100L with the equipment organized in the Smart Pack System (Large) to transport sensitive equipment at a depth of 25m/80ft below the surface.
For any B2B Sales inquiries– contact us at sales@subtechsports.com
For more info on the bags used by Airforce, Navy, Special Forces, Coustguard, marine police, martime etc., check out our >WEBSHOP<
In 73 Days the two Swedish adventurers Marcus and Lasse will begin their expedition of the their lifetime to attempt to row from New York across the North Atlantic thru storms and waves that will shower their 7m/21ft boat, all the way to Gothenburg in Sweden.
Atlantic Rowers
Adventurers: Marcus Aspsjö (28 years) & Lasse Jingfors (28 years) Expedition: Row across the Atlantic Distance: 7000km/4400mi/3800nm Duration: 3 Months
Recent Expeditions:
– Bicycled Sweden to Tanzania
– Hiked across Iceland
– Walked across India
– Rollerskies across Australia
– SUP paddled 3000km/1900mi on Yukon River, Alaska
– Horse riding expedition across Patagonia
– Expedition Bags used: PRO DRYBAG 45L & DRY TOTEBAG 90L
In May Marcus and Lasse will begin their 3 month expedition- rowing from New York to Gothenburg in Sweden.
7000km/4400mi across the north Atlantic in their 7m/21 ft rowing boat to save the world oceans for coming generations.
This is 1/3 of the dry food supply they will bring on their expedition.
We are proud of taking part of this adventure by keeping their gear dry and protected out on deck thru storms and waves that will shower their boat out on the Atlantic ocean.
Follow Atantroddarna on their preparations for their expedition of their lifetime, to cross the Atlantic.
For more info about this expedition check out their website (only in Swedish) Atlantroddarna or contact us and we will forward your questions to the adventurers.
Climbing one of the world’s most active volcano, erupting every 5 min🌋
Name: Vernon Deck Profession: Professional Outdoor/Sports photographer Interests: Sailing, snowboarding, photography & film making Currently: 2 new videos out when Vernon climbs one of the world’s most active volcano Volcano: Dukono in Indoensia
This is our team photographer Vernon Deck. Vernon is a very talented photographer that currently spends 6 months of the year shooting in the alps and the rest on his sail boat, exploring the world.
Vernon is currently in Indoensia exploring the amazing remote islands this beautiful country has to offer.
To be able to share all these amazing experiences Vernon has a YouTube channel Learning By Doing where you get tag along on the most amazing adventures around the globe.
Right now Vernon has sailed to Indonesia (from Australia) and has set out on an adventure to climb an active vulcano.
Dukono is one of the worlds most active Volcanos, erupting every few minutes.
We checked in with him after the adventure to hear his thoughts on his gear.
– What are your thoughts before choosing bag on an adventurous hike like this?
Choosing between the 100l and 45l bags was sort of easy in this case as my 45L bag has shock protection as well as being waterproof. I’d never climbed an active volcano before so I just imagined the worst and prepared for that.
Apart form all my camera gear and drone I also had to carry food, water, and a change of clothes so the bag was pretty heavy. While the Subtech 45L is not a hardcore hiking backpack it proved comfortable enough for me to hike 4 hours up steep and slippery slopes and for my expensive camera equipment to survive.
– How did your Subech bag handle the river crossings and torrential rain?
The 45L Subtech bag handled everything thrown at it on this adventure. From hiking through rainforest in the middle of a tropical storm to being partial emersed during two river crossings my gear stayed protected and dry.
– How do you mainly use your 45 Liter, 100 Liter bag and the tote bag on your boat?
The 45L (1.0 version) I’ve had the longest and mainly use it to transport my camera gear when I’m going on an adventure. Most of my adventures involve water so this bag is just a must for me.
The 100L bag is huge but with the divider system I can pack efficiently and everything stays in its place. It has great shoulder straps and also a waist belt that helps to transfer the load.
The Tote bag I use for shopping missions to shore and easy beach adventures.
Below you can check out Part 1: Vernon’s preparations and first part of the hike up the active volcano Dukono.
Below is Part 2: The last remaining hike up to the top of the crater of the active volcano.
You can also check out Vernon’s Instagram where he blends his epic snowboard pics from the alps…
…with magical photos from secret tropical islands that he explores on his sailboat.
We are stoked to have Vernon on our team and look forward to follow him on his upcoming adventures.
A raft made of plastic waste sailed 4 days to help save our oceans
Name: Trash-Tiki What: Raft made of disposable plastic, ghost net and driftwood Purpose:Deliver a message to the politicians to put a global focus on our ocean and marine resources Where: From the city of Trosa to the island Gotland in Sweden. Distance: 90 Nautical miles Time: 4 Days (Start evening 29th of June. Finish Tuesday 11 am, 3rd of July) Speed: 0,5 knots Crew: Adventurers Sören Kjellqvist, Glenn Mattsing and Joakim Odelberg.
The Journey of Trash-Tiki
Trash-Tiki is made out of plastic waste, ghost net and driftwood found in the Baltic Sea. Trash-Tiki left the shores in the evening of Sweden on Friday 29th of June to sail 90 nm in rough conditions with winds of up to 20 knots (10m/s). Onboard there were the experienced adventurers Sören Kjellqvist, Glenn Mattsing and Joakim Odelberg.
Bringing awareness to the politicians
With a speed of only 0,5 knots, they made great progress, taking shifts sailing the raft with the wind for 4 days, heading in a southerly direction to the largest island off the coast of Sweden, Gotland where a big political meeting was taking place. The Norwegian investor, hotel magnate and environmentalist Petter Stordalen joined the guys on the raft off the coast of Visby to guide Trash-Tiki into port.
We are honored the Australian Special Forces are now equipped with our waterproof bags to keep their gear protected for the most challenging missions.
Here are some key features of the PRO DRYBAG Series:
Waterproof down to 50m/164ft below surface
Floats fully packed with a soldier on top
Air-tight zipper to keep electronic equipment protected from fluids and moisture
Shockproof Inflatable System to keep sensitive gear protected
Internal Pack System to keep gear organized with easy access
When it comes to their gear it’s only Function, Quality and Durability that matters as it has to withstand the most extreme conditions and we feel chosen that the Australian Special Forces selected our PRO DRYBAG 100L equipped with our Smart Pack System [Large].
Check out this Extreme Windsurf Expedition from the Pacific Ocean to Atlantic Ocean- Video LINK
We are proud to have Diogo Guerreiro on TEAM SUBTECH and follow him as he keep pushing the boundaries of what’s humanly possible with our gear👊
Check out this Extreme 600km foil kite expedition across Lake Balkash- Video LINK
Diogo is a huge inspiration to us and we can’t wait to see where he will bring our gear next🌎
Check out this Extreme 150km SUP expedition on the Indian Ocean- Video LINK
If you would like to take part of an extreme adventure in the future just let us know as our team rider and adventurer Diogo Guerreiro in the movie has just launched a new company Red Wolf experience for people wanting to be part of an extreme adventure but with all the safety in place to make it an unforgettable memory.
Athlethe: Aero Aswar Sport: Jetski Engine: 1600cc/600hp Titles: 3x World Champion Place: Jakarta, Indoensia Currently: Vlog episode Live now on YouTube
We go jetski riding on the world champ and team rider’s custom made 600 hp carbon/ kevlar reinforced jetski in the sunset of Jakarta.
To hear the story how he got in to the sport and later became the World Champion…for the third time!
Car: THE BEAST Mission: Attach our SUBTECH bags to get this 3000kg/6600lb offroad car to float, to be able to drive on water. Place: Stockholm, Sweden Bags used: 10x PRO DRYBAG 45L More Info 15x PRO DRYBAG 100L More Info
Emily and Sam set off in October 2017 to cycle the length of the Andes (10,000km) on a pair of worryingly wonky homemade bamboo bikes.
Their journey began on the shores of the Beagle Strait in the port of Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.
Pushing north through the wild winds of Patagonia…
…they wove between the Andes of Chile and Argentina…
…before climbing steeply onto the salty Bolivian Altiplano and into deepest darkest Peru.
Pedalling onwards with considerably larger calves they passed between the lofty cones of Ecuador’s volcanoes…
Chainwreck at 5000m/16400ft
…before cycling into sweaty Colombia, where their journey ended with a cold cerveza in the Caribbean town of Cartagena.
You can find out more or donate to their chosen charity Conservation International by visiting their website twobybamboo.com or finding them on Instagram @twobybamboo.
Click Here for more info on the laptop case that was used on their journey.
If you would like to take part of an extreme adventure in the future just let us know as our team rider and adventurer Diogo Guerreiro (in the movie that has 2 Guiness World Records) has just launched a new company Red Wolf experience for people wanting to be part of an extreme adventure but with all the safety in place to make it an unforgettable memory.
For more info on the bags used during this expedition check out the 2.0 version of our award-winning PRO DRYBAG 45L & PRO DRYBAG 100L that will be launched in 2019.
Expedition: Row Around Svalbard Crew: The Swedish Adventurers Sören Kjellkvist, Glenn Mattsing. Purpose: Enlighten the changes of the Arctic for children at school. Where: Tromsö in Norway around Svalbard and back. Distance: 3000 km Duration: 2 months (Finish: August 2018) Average distance: 70km/day
Imagine setting out on the mission to be the first boat that has ever crossed Barents Sea to row around Svalbard.
That is exaclty what the Swedish adventurers Sören Kjellkvist and Glenn Mattsing did.
A 3000km long expedition from Tromsö in the north of Norway across Barents Sea to then go around the one of the world’s northernmost inhabited area, Svalbard and back to Tromsö.
Svalbard that is positioned halfway between Norway and the North pole is known for its rugged, remote terrain of glaciers and frozen tundra sheltering whales, walrus….
but also polar bears which forced them to bring rifles if it was a matter of life and death situation.
This is something that has never been done before, mostly because it has never been possible earlier due to that everything has been covered with ice…
but considering this summer made it to the record books for being the warmest in a very long time- the timing was perfect!
After riding out several storms, close encounters with dangerous animals and a few injuries they finally made it back to Tromsö after rowing a total distance of 3000km around Svalbard.
We are really proud of Glenn and Sören for being the first boat that has rowed around Svalbard and happy we could keep their gear dry and safe with our PRO DRYBAG 45L on their amazing journey!
A message we can take with us from this amazing expedition by Sören and Glenn is the importance that we protect our world oceans by reducing the use of plastic and other waste that is ending up in the ocean and being washed up on shores in remote areas like this….
Let us all together try to make a difference to save our world oceans for coming generations!
This is the raft Trash-Tiki made of plastic waste, ghost net and driftwood found in the Baltic Sea.
Trash-Tiki left the shores in the evening of Sweden on Friday 29th of June to sail 90 nm in rough conditions with winds of up to 20 knots (10m/s).
On board there were the experienced adventurers Sören Kjellqvist, Glenn Mattsing and Joakim Odelberg.
With a speed of only 0,5 knots they made great progress, taking shifts sailing the raft with the wind for 4 days, heading in southerly direction to the largest island off the coast of Sweden, Gotland where a big political meeting is currently taking place.
The Norwegian investor, hotel magnate and environmentalist Petter Stordalen joined the guys on the raft off the coast of Visby to guide Trash-Tiki in to port.
Trash-Tiki comes with a strong message to the politicians to put a global focus on our ocean and marine resources.
We are proud to support this great initiative and we hope the politicians will do their job to help raise awareness to reduce the use of disposable plastic…
…so we can together save our oceans for future generations.
This is an inside story of when our team photographer recently did the trip of his lifetime- an expedition to no man’s land in Greenland to hike the beautiful mountains, snowboard untouched powder and just be one with the nature with good friends.
This is Soren Rickards passionated story, told by Soren himself:
I was contacted by my friend Rowan from New Zealand who is working as a glacier guide in Iceland.
I met him in the French alps 5 years ago, I’ve never met someone so passionate about snowboarding, he was living in the back of his van and riding everyday and drinking every night..
We spent a lot of time shooting together, he really boosted my progression as a photographer and snowboarder when I was getting started.
We kept in contact and every winter we would fantasise about a big Campervan/snowboard trip but I could never find the time or money to do so.
Finally this year our dream came true ! One of his guiding colleagues in Iceland bought a house in Kulusuk, Greenland for €800 and said we could go check in out before he starts using it for summer guiding trips.
This was an opportunity not to miss, a Greenland snowboard trip is not your average one..
It’s a wild place and hard to access.
As a photographer this is a story I’ve been wanting to tell…
…A story of genuine passion for adventure snowboarding, a bunch of poor non professional snowboarders getting after the true meaning of unplanned adventure.
We made this trip up as we went along, the little organisation made the whole adventure a day to day mystery with beautiful surprises along the way.
We had a fishing cabin as base camp in Kulusuk and we headed out north for 3 weeks with polkas full of food, a tent and enough beers to deal with the probable bad weather..
We had a big mix of conditions from bullet hard ice, chalky spring snow and perfect powder!
Soren just got back from his trip and we are really happy he took the time to share this amazing story with us and we can’t wait to follow him on his upcoming epic adventures Link. More info to check out the bag used on the expedition Link
Do you have any upcoming exciting plans you can tell us about?
Yes!!
I’m going to Indonesia next month…
…and gonna spend 2 months there which is going to be wonderful!
We are proud to have Milla on our team and look forward to follow her on her upcoming epic adventures.
Follow Milla on her upcoming adventures on Instagram @millakferreira and feel free to subscribe to our new YouTube channel- @TEAM SUBTECH where we will go hang out with Milla and our other team riders in our upcoming episodes.
To get a glimpse of what it’s like competing on the world tour, hang out with our team riders partners and of course with some cool action shots LINK
We are stoked to introduce our latest team member, the Brazilian kitesurf talent, Sebastian Ribeiro.
We checked in to hear how he got in to kiting, the highlights in his career and future plans.
How did you get in to kitesurfing?
After being frustrated standing on the beach watching the waves being shit because it was too windy I saw a kiter for the first time and then instantly decided that this was something I had to try!
This was really a game changer for me as it meant that I could now be out on the water no matter what the weather conditions were.
What’s your best achievement in your career so far?
It must be a couple of 3rd places on the world tour ( 2013 and 2015) and the 2nd at One Eye last year.
You recently did a 600km downwind kite expedition during 6 days, can you tell us about it?
It was the most amazing experience! I really love expeditions like this were you pack your gear, kite for miles and reach places were no one is to be seen.
You have to be ready to solve problems on the way because problems will happen along the way and when it happens it’s up to you to make the best out of the situation.
On Day 4 I stepped on a poisoned fish so my foot and leg swollen really bad and I still had 70 miles to ride.
I really thrive for epic adventures like this!
Do you have any exciting future plans you can share with us?
We are planing to do a 1000 km downwind! More info on this is yet to come…
I’m also planning to do the RedBull Ragnarok one day which would be a cool experience.
We are proud to have Sebastian on our team and look forward to follow him on the World Tour.
Follow Sebastian on his upcoming adventures on Instagram and feel free to subscribe to our new YouTube channel- TEAM SUBTECH where we will go hang out with Sebastian and our other team riders in our upcoming episodes.
To get a glimpse of what it’s like competing on the world tour, hang out with our team riders partners and of course with some cool action shots.
Our team riders Diogo and Tiago will in a series of 4 Extreme Challenges push their selves beyond what no one thought was possible in order to fulfill their dream of completing something that no one has ever done before.
We are to say the least, very stoked to be part of this following them first hand and supplying them with our PRO DRYBAG to keep their safety equipment dry and protected on these mind-blowing adventures.
VIDEO- Click on the image above to play video.
Extreme Challenge #1: Check out this short teaser above when our team riders Tiago and Diogo attempt to cross lake Balkhash in Kazakhstan 600km/370mi/330NM with nothing but their kites, water strapped to their boards and gear packed in their PRO DRYBAG 45L.
VIDEO- Click on the image above to play video.
Extreme Challenge #2: Check out this short teaser above when Tiago and Diogo attempts to SUP paddle 150km/80NM unassisted from Sumatra to Mentawai on the stormy Indian Ocean.
They are forced to spend one night trying to sleep on top of the board out at open sea, while fighting extreme weather conditions and the danger that lurking under the surface with their sensitive gear packed in our PRO DRYBAG 45L.
In the 3rd and upcoming Extreme Challenge- Diogo and friend Levi Lenz are trying to break a world record by Windsurf Cape Horn without boat support with all their gear packed in their PRO DRYBAG.
If they succeed, it will be the smallest “boat” that has ever to cross the Horn and thereby making themselves in to the history books once again!
Folllow the extreme adventurers Diogo and Tiago on their preparations for their next Extreme Challenge on Instagram Diogo and Tiago.
We are stoked to introduce our latest team rider, the World no. 7 and French kite champion, Camille Delannoy.
We checked in to hear how he got in to the sport, his favorite spots to kite and upcoming plans for his very promising career.
How did you get in to kitesurfing?
My parents moved to Brazil when I was 12 years old and that’s when I got in to it.
Since then, I’ve been kiting most of the days in my life!
Last year you became the rookie of the year, how did you do this season and what’s your goals for next year?
This season I came 7th on the general ranking (ex-aequo 6th).
…1st french and 1st “young”.
I’m pretty happy with my season: I had a lot of “ups” and “downs” but the result was positive.
I’m really looking forward for next year, a top 5 would be great ;).
You live both in France and Brazil, where do you consider home?
Haha well, that’s a tricky question that I get asked a lot.
I really love Brazil, it’s the place where I spend most of my time.
I’m not spending this much times in France anymore but when I’m there for a few days, I just love it!
…the mountain, the culture, the food and the people.
…It’s also the place where I grew up.
So yeah I think the question is pretty sketchy and, for the moment, I consider I have 2 homes: France and Brazil 😉
Where’s your favorite spot to kite on in the world?
I’ve been to great spots around the world but if I had to choose two, it would be Prea in Brazil (where I live)
…and Mauritius, because you have the lagoon for freestyle and a world class wave (one eye) right behind.
How do you like our PRO DRYBAG 45L compared to other bags you have used?
I’ve been using a lot of different bags, and I’ve been destroying them all after only a few months:
…sand, salt water, mud, sometimes snow “killed” most of my bags.
I’ve been using the PRO DRYBAG 45L for quite some time now and It’s just so practical: I can put all of my gear in it and I can be sure it will be well protected.
Also, I can carry the bag anywhere I want, it will never let me down, even in the most extreme conditions.
Do you have any exciting adventures planned we should keep our eyes on?
I do have a lot of things planned, but I prefer to keep it quiet for the moment.
and check out his families wonderful place in Brazil if you’re looking for an epic spot to kite on, go horse riding in the sunset, ride beach buggy or quads…
…or just enjoy a nice massage in the warn summer breeze at Preabeach Villas.
Feel free to check out the 2.0 Series of the bag that Camille is using on the world tour that is currently available to Pre-order for delivery in 2018.
We are stoked to have Camille on our team and we can’t wait to follow his very promising career LINK
In recent years Wille Lindberg (far right) has been one of the top riders on the Freeride World Tour.
Wille is currently starring in the premiere of the extreme sports movie Nuit de la Glisse- Don’t crack under pressure Season 3.
With premiere in Wille’s home country Sweden on Friday, November 10th.
In the movie our team member- Special forces and Wingsuit base jumper Mathias Wyss is also starring…
Launching himself off the mountain tops, flying in full speed down the mountain…
Taking some absolutely sick lines…
For the movie our team photographer Soren Rickards has followed some of the world’s best athletes and captured some mind blowing shots from around the world…
With some of the world’s best daredevils…
The work behind the camera in order to get the shots is just remarkable…
Exploring new places people never been before…
Shot from the most beautiful locations..
Capturing some spectacular actions shots…
All just to get that one money shot…
Check out the Official Trailer for Nuit de la Glisse- Don’t crack under pressure 3 with our TEAM SUBTECH riders Link and get your tickets here Link
We are proud to introduce our latest team member, the 3x French kite champion, Paul Serin.
We checked in to hear how he got in to the sport and his road back to recovery after blowing up his knee after a big crash during the 2016 season finals.
How did you get in to kitesurfing?
I was born in a small city in the south of France near the sea, and when I was young I was going every weekend to the beach with my dad to watch him windsurf.
But when kitesurf came out he went to the shop and bought his first kite. After the first session he was totally hooked to this new sport!
I had to wait to the age of 10 to learn as well, first with a really small trainer kite and a huge board, and slowly I started riding a real kite with a real board.
And now I’ve been kitesurfing for 13 years with the same love for the sport with a little difference, that today this is my job as well!
What is it like travelling the world competing on the world tour?
It has always been my dream to be on the road all the time, jumping from one plane to another, and crossing the world all year.
I have to admit it’s sometimes hard to be away from home and the people you love, but at the end in every country I find my little home that’s the beauty of travelling.
But I’m really grateful to live this life and I’ll never forget that.
On the world tour we’re like a big family, meeting each other on different spots all year, but once we’re on the water we give our best.
You recently had a pretty bad injury, tell us about your road back to recovery and what has kept you motivated to get back to being one of the world’s best kitesurfers?
Yes, last year in December during the final of the 2016 season, I blew up my knee on a hard landing.
At first I couldn’t believe it and I kept saying to myself “you’re fine, you’re fine”. I changed all my flights and went home as fast as I could. On the MRI we saw a broken cross ligament and some damage on the meniscus…
At this point I knew that I was really injured, I went straight into surgery and started the rehab right after.
It was the worst Christmas ever, but I looked back on my season and all those years I’ve been riding, and I start thinking what I’ve done wrong.
I was mostly laying down on my bed the first weeks so I watched a lot of videos from Lindsey Vonn the famous ski racer who’s been through a lot of knee injuries, this helped me a lot to keep the motivation.
And of course my family and friends were also behind me. It was my first injury, and I’m sure it will help me a lot in my career. I’ll be back stronger I’m 100% sure.
For all our followers that want to learn how to kite but haven’t really got hooked yet. What would be your advice in order to get in to the sport?
This is the most amazing sport I’ve tried, when you’re riding you feel the freedom and the adrenaline at the same time this is so unique.
You can cruise, jump, spin, everything in one session and without any limit. The ocean is your playground and there isn’t any limit.
What are your goals for the rest of the season?
It’s a bit different this year with my injury, but I’ll be back on the water full on beginning of June. Luckily I missed only one stop of the season, so I’ll be back on the second one in July.
I know that I won’t be ready at 100% but I’m doing my best every day to get one step closer at a time.
What’s your impression of our PRO DRYBAG 45L compared to other bags you have used?
When I’m training in Brazil or Sri lanka we’re always looking for the best freestyle spot, we have to take our camera gear on our back to bring back some film for the sponsor…
…and I was looking for a perfect bag to keep my camera gear and even my drone dry during those session, I guess I just found it.
I took my Pro Drybag on my SUP to shoot some drone footage the other day.
I wasn’t even worried if it would fall down in the water, it’s 100% waterproof 🙂
Follow Paul on his road back to recovery on his Instagram
We are stoked to introduce our latest team member, the IKA Kitesurfing World Champion, Pedro Matos.
We checked in to hear how he got in to the sport, what made him become the world champ, his favorite spots to kite on etc.
How did you get in to kitesurfing?
My grandpa was in to sailing so when kitesurfing emerged as a sport my whole family got in to it naturally.
Pedro’s father in action (former hang gliding World Champion)
Pedro’s sister (5x World Champion in Jiu-Jitsu)
I was 11 when I started kitesurfing with my dad and my sister who have both inspired me a lot.
Last year you became the World kite champion, tell us a what made you take home the world title?
Hahaha, so like I said my dad and my sister have been a huge inspiration since I was young and when I first started kitesurf I told my dad:
‘imagine if I someday win a world title just like you and Kyra (my sister), we will take power of the air (hang glider) , land (jiu-jitsu) and the ocean (kitesurf)’ and when that dream became reality, it was such an amazing feeling!!!
For sure one of the best days of my life!!!
Out of all the places you have visited, where is your favourite spot to kitesurf in the world?
I have been to many places to kitesurf, but the one that I like the most is my own backyard hahaha
postinho beach, barra da tijuca, rio de janeiro, brazil!!
Because this is where I grew up kitesurfing and this is where all my friends and family hang out.
What’s your impression of our PRO DRYBAG 45L compared to other bags you have used?
The PRODRY BAG is for sure the best bag I’ve ever used in my whole life!
It’s cool looking, easy to carry, 100% waterproof and can fit the things that I need to go for a trip and much more!
What’s your plans for the rest of the year, where will we be seeing you next?
Right now I’m going to stay in Australia until july, studying English and enjoying some good waves and wind.
Then I’m heading to Morocco to compete the first competition of this year’s World tour.
So I’m pretty excited and hoping for great results and in the end hopefully another title.
We are proud to have Pedro on our team and look forward to follow Pedro for another world title.
Follow Pedro on his upcoming adventures on Instagram and feel free to subscribe to our new YouTube channel- TEAM SUBTECHwhere we will go hang out with Pedro among other team riders in our upcoming episodes.
Some stories just amazes you. This unassisted solo charity paddle over 1000 miles/1600km is one of those….
We checked in with Caruso just after he completed his mind blowing expedition to hear what kept him going even though he was faced with extreme weather conditions, exhaustion, injuries etc.
What made you decide to paddle solo and unsupported from South Padre Island, Texas to Panama City Beach, Florida a distance of 1000+ miles?
We all seek adventure; for some of us that word adventure holds more weight. Since college I have loved the outdoors, finding new ways to push my mind and body to its extremes. Long distance expeditions do just that. I wanted a way to test my physical endurance in both open water as well as flat water and the Intracoastal Cannel offered just that.
The journey would be through 5 states with a verity of obstacles from wind and rain to heat and wildlife. Completing the trek solo and unsupported demands a verity of safety measures and is one of the many reasons the trek was completed on U.S. soil.
Every year I look for the next big adventure, this year it just happened to be a long distance kayaking voyage for charity.
What weather/medical challenges did you face?
Weather by far was the strongest obstacle for this expedition. In Texas, I battled giant 3-4 waves that were completely wind powered that on many days offered a strong head wind while turning the open water into a mad house. In Louisiana, every day was a life with lightning and thunderstorms with continued headwinds and currents from incoming rivers.
By the time, I arrived in Florida, the summer heat was in full effect with days averaging 106 Heat Index* (41 °C) and nights not getting below 90 degrees HI* (32 °C). The wind and heat beat me to exhaustion day in and day out with many nights that offered no comfort from one or the other.
*Heat Index- what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature
The only medical issues I faced were from the sun and heat. For the first week, my heat rash was so in cumbersome that everything my shirt touched was raw with red bumps. The joints in between my elbow and shoulders became so dreadful that I was applying ample amounts of sun screen to soothe the dry irritated skin from dry rubbing. At its worse it looked as if I had small pox covering half my body. The sun pounded down and 3 days before finishing, the sun tore away half of my lower lip. The nerves became exposed so that eating became a challenge in itself. The lip would bleed and made contact with anything a nightmare. However, there were no major medical challenges.
Tell us a bit more about the Charity- Operation Smile that you have been raising funds for?
I have been involved with Operation Smile for over 7 years ago in my Senior year of high school. Through college I have gone to China for one of their international student leadership conferences, been a founding OS club member as well as doing presentations to the nursing school about the charity.
Operation Smile has a global outreach, touching lives in more than 60 different countries around the world. To date they have offered over 200,000 surgeries domestically and internationally. However, this expedition had a focus on their newest campaign “Until We Heal.” Operation Smile is placing a heavy emphasis on safe surgical care in lower income countries. The goal is to hold surgical practices to a higher standard in lower income countries as compared to higher income countries. The voyage raised enough money to offer almost 16 children life alternating surgeries while also spreading the word about the “Until We Heal” campaign.
This is not your first extreme adventure; which challenges has been the toughest during your previous adventures?
That is true, this was my 3rd long distance trek but I have complete many other outdoor accomplishments. I’ve skateboarded 2000 km in Australia, kayaked 350 miles in the US, and climbed the mountain closest to the stars – Chimborazo.
With each of these, things didn’t always go according to plan. I got sick, had allergies, I’ve gone to the hospital, patched up injuries, broken boards, and had my water bottle freeze shut on me but nothing is worse than when you get tired and hungry and your mind tells you to stop. Just keep telling yourself at the end when you kick back and eat Chick-fil-a, it’ll all be worth it.
My toughest challenge is always quitting my mind. So many times it tells you to turn back, to call it quits, tells you that you aren’t good enough but you have to want it more than anything your mind can make up. Maybe this battle with my inner voice is unique to me, and if it is I wish I could swap it out for a more encouraging model.
How did your preparations look in short before departing on June 15th this year?
I had everything and more for the upcoming voyage. I researched what other expedition kayakers brought on multi-week treks like these as well as drawing from past personal experience.
However, I over packed. Most of the extra gear or equipment I brought was chucked in the first day or 2, lightening the kayak significantly. By the end, there were only a few items I hadn’t touched – one being my hammock set, there had been no trees that I could hang it.
Food levels were calculated so that I could consume in extra of 3500 calories a day and 6 days of conservative water amount was carried (4L per day, more liters = less days). I had many ideas of things I thought I would need that I didn’t use and many things I hadn’t thought of that I could have used.
Looking back, I am extremely pleased to have had the Subtech dry bag because it is the only one out of the 10 other 1, 2 or 3 liter dry bags that I had brought for day storage.
How did you use our waterproof bag on your adventure?
The Subtech bag was one of the most essential items on the trek. Due to the length and width of the boat, I had to use extra dry bags, however, only the subtech bag survived the journey without once failing me.
In big wave days the “dry” day and larger compartments all had water seep in, however no matter how long the subtech back sat in water it never once leaked. Many items were ruined that had to be placed in other dry bags to fill other compartments My food dry bags filled up with water once, when I forgot to latch down the front compartment completely and the day compartment continually filled with water submerging “dry” bags.
Due to the grade and quality of the bag it held my most valuable possessions. My sleeping bag and tent were both stored in it, religiously no matter the miles needed to complete that day. All electronics from the iPad used for blogging to my nook and extra batteries for headlamps were all stored in the 45L dry bag.
The bag also offered a great way of transplanting the essentials from the kayak to a better campsite that was a 5 minute walk away. The straps allowed me to have my hands free as I scrambled through the dense forests of Louisiana and up sand dunes in Florida.
Instead of having to buy extra bags at the end to transport gear home, I simply packed my subtech bag.
Due to its size, I was able to use it as my carry-on bag for all my flights! Having a dry bag that also acts as backpacking pack was a connivance. I hadn’t even considered for a trek like this but turned out to be an essential piece of gear.
How do we go about if we want to support your great cause?
First, you can follow this trek as well as future treks. The links are below for following this journey as well as making contributions to Operation Smile.
The charity link is directly through the Operation Smile page and has no expiration day so if in 2050 you want to donate you still can. It’s never too late.
We are stoked to introduce our new team member, Adam Stern. Adam is the 4x Australian freediving record holder and has his eyes set on becoming the world champion.
We checked in to hear how he got in to the sport, the danger associated and his favorite spot in the world to dive on.
How did you get in to free diving?
I started freediving when I was backpacking around SE Asia in 2010.
I had done some scuba diving in the past but one day I walked past a freediving school and it looked incredible so I signed up for a course.
As the years went on I kept training and then I started competing and here I am!
You are currently 4x Australian Record Holder, tell us a bit about these records?
There are three different competitive disciplines in Freediving:
–Constant Weight: How deep you can swim with fins
–Constant Weight No Fins: How deep you can swim without fins
–Free Immersion: How deep you can go propelling yourself by pulling on the line.
I have 4 Australian records in the Free Immersion discipline and though I do not have the all time record with fins I have been the deepest Australian diver for the past 4 years and last year was ranked 5th in the world in the Constant Weight division.
Free diving can be a dangerous sport, what are the common safety procedures?
Freediving can definitely be dangerous but only if not done safely. When we dive deep we have a full team of safety divers, a counter ballast system that can pull a diver up if need be, sonar and video monitoring as well.
You must have visited places all over the world, where is your favorite place to dive?
I’ve been to some really incredible places but the two stand outs would have to be Dean’s Blue Hole in the Bahamas and Sufiere Bay in Dominica.
Given that the ocean is your work place, what’s important for tourists to think about in order to preserve the marine life for coming generations?
It can be hard for most people to fully understand the effects they have on ocean ecosystems if they don’t spend a lot of time in the ocean.
But not a single day goes by that I don’t come across plastic in the ocean or habitats destroyed by over fishing.
I feel like if people saw what I see in the ocean everyday they would stop buy products with single use plastics or would think twice about the fish they’re eating.
What’s your thoughts about the PRO DRYBAG 45L compared to other normal bags?
I looooove the PRO DRYBAG 45L!!!
I travel with a lot of diving and filming equipment and so having a waterproof, shock proof bag has just made my life so much easier!
You have already accomplished so much in your career, what’s your next goal in life?
The same goal as I’ve always had…become the deepest freediver in the world.
We are proud to have Adam on our team and look forward to follow Adam on his journey on becoming the world champion.
For more info check out his captivating movies and follow Adam down to 104m/341ft below the surface and experience what it was like to become the Australian record holder Link.
We are happy to introduce our latest team members, Diogo Guerreiro and Tiago Azzi.
Diogo is an Adventurer and a 2x Guinness World Records holder.
Tiago is a Professional kitesurfer and adventurer.
Together they will in a series of 12 episodes push their selves beyond what no one thought was possible in their extreme challenge in order to fulfill their dream of completing something that no one has ever done before.
Tell us in short about Extreme Challenge and what is it that you are going to do?
Extreme Challenge is a TV series on Channel Off in Brazil about 4 major adventures. Extreme Challenge is a series of 12 episodes of 26min. Dedicated to adventure and expansion of human boundaries. Diversified in each episode, but with a common focus on overcoming challenges, planning and preparation.
1. Cross the lake Balkhash in Kazakhstan with Kite Hydrofoil 600km (330 NM). It is a very remote area, so we have only one small tall in our way. There will be no boat or car support, so we will be on our own. Carrying food and water for many days in a kite board is a big challenge.
2. SUP cross from Sumatra to Mentawai, Indonesia (180km trip) with no boat support, sleeping two nights on the board.
3. Windsurf Cape Horn with no boat support. It will be the smallest “boat” to cross the Horn ever.
4. Walk from Russia to North Pole solo. Only 6 people in history manage to do that.
What is both of your background?
Diogo Guerreiro– Professional adventurer since 2003, Diogo has two world records (certified by Guinness World Records).
The first as the longest windsurfing journey in the world, from Chuí to Oiapoque, he covered 8,120km (4.400NM) without car support.
In 2006 Diogo broke another record by sailing 400km (215NM) of open sea, in a windsurfing, between Noronha and Natal, also without support boats, staying overnight on the board. This was the largest windsurfer ocean crossing ever made in the world.
In addition the protagonist was the youngest captain in Brazil to go around the world sailing.
Tiago Azzi– Professional KiteBoarder on Wave discipline. Tiago has been kitesurfing since he was 13 years old.
Between 2011 and 2012 Tiago lived in Canada as a professional Mountain Biker on Downhill discipline, but had to stop due to a neck injury.
This is going to be his first extreme adventure.
How do you prepare for such an extreme adventure?
We need to consider all aspects. Physical, mental and technical.
Planning is basically answering questions.
How we are going to carry all this water in the kite board? What is the chance of a major storm hitting us?
But in the end, a good mind set is key and understanding that we will suffer for sure, make us prepared for when the time comes.
What happens if your gear breaks or you get injured while out there?
We always have a plan for one problem. The real risk is when more than one mistake or accident happens at the same time.
For example, if we get seriously injured and our Garmin Inreach breaks, then we have a huge problem. But in general we are prepared to solve small injuries and fix most of the gear problems.
How will you be using our PRO DRYBAG 45L on these adventures?
This will be our main, or only bag. We will carry all of our life support in it.
This includes, food, water, clothes, sleeping bags, cameras, drone, our Garmin In Reach and a few other things. It is a lot of trust!
What do we do if we want to check out your upcoming adventures?
We will try to update as best as we can our social media, specially Instagram. @guerreiroazul and @tiagoazzi
We are excited to have Tiago and Diogo on our team and looking forward to follow their Extreme Challenge.
We are happy to introduce our latest team member, Arne Bölts. Arne is an upcoming German kitesurfer.
We checked in quickly to hear a bit more how he got in to the sport, favorite spots to kite and plans for 2017.
How old were you when you got in to kitesurfing?
I was 14 years old, but I had started earlier flying little kites on the beach
What interests do you have besides kiting?
I love to do some surfing, wakeboarding and longboarding. I also run a lot
Describe a normal day during season?
I wake up, checking the forecast, calling some friends and meet for a kite session. BBC in the evening and once in a while I show up at my university so they don’t miss me 🙂
Where’s your favourite spot to kite on?
Maybe Tarifa, maybe Denmark, it depends on the wind and the people your kiting with.
What keep you motivated?
Every time I go out for a session I deeply enjoy flying my kite and just riding over the water free from any thoughts. I think kiting gets you back in the rhythm and vibe of mother nature.
Plans for 2017?
Progressing in my skills and tricks and experiencing some new kiting spots I have never been. I think it will be an awesome season for me!
What’s your impression of our PRO DRYBAG 45L compared to other bags?
I think the PRO DRYBAG 45L is awesome. The bag is really good manufactured and makes a solid impression.
I don’t have to worry about my electrical devices at the beach, because no sand and water will touch them.
We are really happy to have Arne on our team and look forward to follow him on his upcoming career. Check out his Instagram for more pics Link
We are happy to introduce our latest team member, Ydwer Van Der Heide. Ydwer is an experienced extreme sports photographer that enjoy shooting all kind of adventure and action sports.
Ydwer is very fortunate to be have managed to combine his early passion for photography and evolved to have one of the most instantly recognisable styles of imagery in kiteboarding, blending natural elements with the movement and feel of the sport.
We checked in to find out how he manged to turn his lifestyle and passion into his career.
How did you get in to extreme sports and lifestyle photography?
I’ve always been into sports and at a certain age I got into water sports. Especially being outside and using the elements was a big drive for me.
Having a passion for photography and knowing the movement of the athlete made me unique and stand out to other photographers.
Experimenting, spending hours trying new things and being part of the whole scene made me grow to what I am now. Because I always have my camera with me catching lifestyle is a big bonus for me.
I think the best lifestyle happens in the actual moment not being set up. Therefore you need to be ready all the time.
At what point where you able to turn your hobby in to your career?
There was a moment that I had the feeling that I could deliver a consistency in my work no matter the conditions.
You feel so confident with your gear that you can act on intuition. Not having to think about your camera settings gives you the opportunity to be in your creative zone.
What’s your top three tips for taking a good photo with your smartphone for us amateurs?
Wait for the good light. No matter what camera your shooting on, this makes a huge difference in keepers or sweepers.
Be aware that most of them are not so good in low light although they get better every day.
If possible go to ‘pro mode’ so you have full control over your settings. Phones usually have a delay. That means if you press the button you will be to late.
If your phone is able to shoot burst, use it. My iPhone shoots more frames per second than my Canon camera, can you believe it!
Working with some of the world’s best athletes, how do you get them to keep pushing the limits in order for you to get that one money shot?
I’m famous for saying ‘one more’. Most of the athletes I’ve been working with know that it’s actually not the last time they have to perform their trick.
I’m very precise, so if I ask them to do it one more time, I have my very good reason for it. It means either the athlete or myself can do better in my opinion.
Luckily the athletes I’m working with are precise as well. By showing them the result in between you give them an understanding of what you have in mind. Most of the time they know what to adjust to their trick to make it look even better.
As a photographer you keep pushing the limits but you never forget to judge risky moments or moments where athletes can get injured.
What’s your impression of the PRO DRYBAG 45L compared to other normal bags?
The Pro Drybag is perfect for me to have during my trips.
I always work with water and having a bag that’s 100% waterproof gives you a safe feeling when you are on a boat or have to walk trough a deep river mouth to get to that perfect spot.
Having the inflation inside makes it even better.
Lately I had a shoot where I had my second body and some lenses inside the bag and while I was shooting in chest deep water it was just floating next to me. It was basically my floating office and made my work super efficient.
Do you have any new projects coming up that we should keep our eyes on?
There’s always exiting projects coming up. Most of them are last minute, which means I have to be ready all the time.
The next project will probably be an adventure road trip to Alaska and a kitesurfing trip to Mauritius which is a great location for wave riding.
We are stoked to have Ydwer on our team and look forward to follow him on his upcoming adventures. Check out his Instagram for more pics Link
We are stoked to introduce our latest member to TEAM SUBTECH- Wingsuit base jumper, Mathias Wyss
The former Swiss Special forces parachute soldier will later in 2018 attempt a World Record
…where he will be base jumping off a 6000m / 20.000ft peak in central Asia
We asked Mathias a couple of questions to hear his thoughts on the upcoming World record attempt and how he got in to the sport
– How did you get into flying wingsuit?
I started parachute jumping when I got into the Swiss Air Force parachute special forces. Soon after that I started wingsuit flying from airplanes
Since I love being in the mountains, after a few years it was a natural step for me to bring my wingsuit skills to this environment and start basejumping
Nowadays, my credo is to never hike down when mountaineering
…I either bring my skis, paraglider or preferably my wingsuit. Call me lazy, but I’m loving it
– What are the worst risks associated with this sport?
We are flying close to terrain at over 240km/h (150mph). Since this sport is not regulated, anybody is free to do whatever they want
However, if you don’t have a solid flying skills, know-how in aerodynamics, weather, flight tacts and planning, as well as good judgement, your risk level increases dramatically and it’s a matter of time until you run out of luck
The challenge is not so much in landing a new viral video on Youtube, but rather in practicing this sport in a sustainable way
– Have you had any close call incidents?
Yes, I have had a few close calls. It was during the booming years of wingsuit proximity flying when everybody was over-excited and the risks weren’t yet fully understood
All of my close calls happened when flying in a formation with people I hadn’t yet shared enough flights with together. As such I was following the leader somewhat blindly and ended up in situations I probably wouldn’t have gotten myself into otherwise. Those were important lessons
– Where do you begin if you want to get in to the sport and start flying?
You have to start by getting your parachute license and accumulating a few hundred jumps from an airplane
During this time you can already start flying wingsuits in this safe environment
Eventually you’ll have to take a basejump course, albeit you’ll first be jumping without wingsuits
It is then important to find a mentor that will coach you while you gain experience, and maybe after a 100 basejumps you can start flying wingsuits in the basejump environment
After a few hundred wingsuit basejumps and several years you might be ready to start wingsuit proximity flying
A lot of people rush this process and put themselves at risk
– Tell us about the World record attempt you are doing later this year?
We are planning to realize the biggest wingsuit basejump that has ever been done
For this we have set our eyes on a beautiful 6’000m (20’000ft) peak in one of central Asia’s most stunning mountain ranges
This embodies the ultimate human dream: To fly like a bird for as long and as far as possible
In the meantime we’ve had to postpone it to 2018. A lot of things need to come together fur such an adventure and it just didn’t work out for 2017 – that’s life
– What are your initial thoughts after using the PRO DRYBAG 45L?
I am amazed by the great waterproof specs and the shockproof features – all in all an impressively light and portable package.
As such this bag fills a gap that special backpacks or hard-cases for notebooks and camera equipment do not satisfy as they are either not very portable, heavy or non-waterproof.
The Pro Drybag 45L is my new go-to-bag for whenever I’m bringing sensitive gear
We are stoked to have Mathias on our team and look forward to follow him on his preparations for the the World Record in 2018
Name: Louis-Marie Bonhure & François Gillet Organization: Le Mongolfrench Background: Engineer students (France) Currently: Drive 25.0000km to build schools in Mongolia
On 15th of April the two engineer students Louis-Marie and Francois will be packing their car with school material to drive 25.000 km thru Europe and the middle east to help support building schools in Mongolia.
Their goal is to raise funds for the association EDUCATE in order to build one new school and thereby contribute to help build up the society by educating the young children of Mongolia.
We are proud to support Le Mongolfrech to protect their gear on their long journey to Mongolia and wish them the best of luck on their preparations.
For more information and to support their project visit their website Link
We are happy to introduce our latest member to our team, Tim Borrow. Tim is a talented aquatic photographer that specialize in ocean and surf but also enjoy shooting all kind of adventure and action sports. We checked in to find out how he manged to turn his lifestyle and passion into his career.
When did your passion for photography begin?
At the age of fifteen I picked up my first camera to document my friends skateboarding and was instantly hooked. Ten years later and I find the ocean, surfing, and the adventures they present to me are where my true passions lie within photography.
What type of photos do you specialize in?
I specialize in aquatic imagery, mainly surf and ocean photography.
I also shoot a lot of other adventure and action sports such as skateboarding, kitesurfing, mountainbiking etc.
Name your top 3 tips for us amateurs wanting to snap a cool photo?
1. Take your time.
2. Shoot at sunrise & sunset.
3. Always have your camera at the ready.
What is it like working as a professional photographer travelling the world?
I’ve been really lucky to visit some amazing places and to have lived in a few different countries thanks to my photography.
The people you meet, the experiences, they are all priceless. I am extremely grateful that I am able to call this lifestyle my job.
Sometimes it can be hard work and exhausting always traveling and moving around with gear but I wouldn’t change anything for the world.
What is your experience from using our waterproof bag on your travels?
The Pro Drybag has been great on my travels, especially when it comes to shooting surf.
Quite often I will have to be on a jetski or hop off a boat and swim to shore a bit to be able to shoot. In these situations, the bag is perfect for keeping all my valuable camera equipment dry and protected.
Bonus feature is it also makes a super comfy seat/backrest for those long waits in the airport or on the road.
We are stoked to have Tim on our team and look forward to follow him on his upcoming adventures. Check out his Instagram for more pics Link
We are stoked to introduce the ISA SUP World Champion to our team, Michael Booth.
The impressive story with Michael is that he just turned Pro at a age of 23 and is now two years later the world champion!
This really proves how far passion, hard work and dedication can take you, as no one believed him when he set out to pursue his dream to start with.
We asked Boothy a couple of questions to hear his thoughts on the past season and how he managed to get to where he is today.
At what age did you get in to paddle boarding?
I started paddle boarding at 23 but have been involved in ocean sports since I was 5 either in Surf Life Saving, Kayaking or Ocean Ski.
You recently became the World Champion in SUP, can you tell us a little bit about the preparations leading up to this major event?
I guess my preparations started at the beginning of the year when I was in base training mode.
The kilometers you do in the early part of the season really dictate how you will go for the rest of the year.
Adding to that I learnt a lot racing professionally on the European & American legs of the year that gave me confidence to push to the finish and take the World Title.
You have a very promising career in front of you, what motivates you to stay as one of the world’s best riders within the different disciplines?
Personal fullfilment is my main driver and I am always trying to better myself.
I love a challenge and really like proving people wrong, I have had so many doubters along the way and I always use it for motivation.
For those who want to get in to paddle boarding, how would you recommend to get started?
Going down to your local sup shop and either hiring out a board or getting lessons.
I’d recommend starting slow with a wide board that’s easy to paddle and as your skills get better advance onto the race board and surf sups.
What’s up next, do you have any exciting adventures to look forward to?
At the moment I am having a bit of downtime after a hectic year of competition.
However the International season starts in March and runs through till November so I will begin training again in January.
2017 will take me all around the world including places like Japan, Europe & America.
How does our waterproof bag differ from the rest of the bags that you have owned?
The Subtech bag is excellent for taking to the beach, throwing on boats and allowing me to adventure to all those secret spots on my SUP.
It’s fully waterproof and shockproof so I have no drama letting my stuff float in the ocean while I go exploring.
We are stoked to have Michael on our team and look forward to follow him this upcoming season Link
Here’s a look back at some of the wildest adventures from this year
Athlethes: TEAM SUBTECH Products: PRO DRYBAG 45L, PRO DRYCASE (Coming Soon) Continents: Antarctica, Australia, Asia, Europe, North America, South America
From time to time you encounter stories that amazes you, stories that are quite difficult to grasp. Here’s a selection of some of the highlights from this year.
Imagine running 5 marathons per week for 6 months during rain season. That is exactly what our team member Olly did as he ran 6000km, thru 8 countries with all his gear packed in our bag pulled by a cart to raise awareness for depression in young people.
Team rider Valentin paddled from Hamburg along Elbe together with his girlfriend, passing 300 meter long ships in the middle of the night in one of the most trafficked rivers in the world with all his gear packed in our bag attached to his SUP.
Australian Tom Mackay trekked 900km across India – An epic journey from Bekal, on India’s west coast, to the Bay of Bengal along the east coast. Tom completed the solo walk in less than two months, pulling a cart holding our bag with his possessions and camping gear, with which he set up camp along the route most nights.
The two technical students Aymeric & Antoine set out to drive 17000 km thru 20 countries in a rundown Citroën. On the expedition the students had nothing but spare parts, tools to fix the car, petrol and our bags packed with necessities.
In recent years team rider Wille Lindberg has been one of the top freeride skieers in the world but in order to pursue his dream he bought a boat, learned how to sail, packed his boat with skies, surfboard, food, water and necessities to set sails to the Fjords of Norway to live on his boat shooting films, skiing down the beautiful mountains of Norway.
The US Pararesque team are on a daily basis putting their life on the line. Here caught on camera after been launching the boat and all their gear including our bag off a plane at 10.000 ft in to the freezing cold Bering Sea, off the coast of Alaska.
Our friends at Fd Sports did an exciting scuba expedition where they flew all their gear up to 2300 m in the Austrian alps with helicopter to then scuba dive in crystal clear alp water.
For the past 12 years the research schooner Tara Expeditions has been constantly on the move and have traveled 400,000km km across the world oceans and has been an important platform for scientific research to study the impacts of climate change and the ecological crisis on the ocean.
We are proud to be an official supplier of Tara Expeditions supporting the crew with bags to keep their gear dry and protected during their 2-year long journey around the world.
Imagine operating a plane at a speed of Mach 2 (2450km/h)?! That is exactly what the F-16 pilots are doing and we are honored to have one one of the F-16 pilots within the U.S. Air Force on our team, pushing our products to the limit.
Besides taking part in these amazing expeditions we are also proud of what the team has accomplished, our mutual initiatives and what is about to come in 2017!
We successfully launched the PRO DRYCASE via Kickstarter during 2016 and after a lot of hard work we are excited about bringing the case to market in 2017.
We are proud to support World Wildlife Foundation by donating one dollar per sold product that goes directly to WWF Oceans program to help preserve the world oceans and wildlife.
We got selected as one of top 50 most innovative, newcoming brands for 2016 at ISPO and we can not wait to share what we have been working on during the year that is about to come in 2017.
Have a great new years and we are looking forward to an epic 2017 together with you!
We are happy to introduce our latest member to our team, Vernon Deck. Vernon is a very talented photographer that recently got awarded as finalist in the prestigious competition Red Bull Illume. We checked in to find out how Vernon got to where he is today.
How did you get into working as a professional photographer and what made you move all the way from New Zealand to Switzerland?
Well first off, I ended up in Switzerland before I ever thought of being a professional photographer. I had worked a year in the UK in the F1 racing industry and ended up in Switzerland after meeting a girl there. I went up to Laax to watch a world cup halfpipe snowboarding event. It was my first ever time seeing snowboarding, this was 1997. I had been taking photos constantly but never thought it could lead to something, I actually just never thought about it as a job at all, it didn’t enter my mind.
I just fell in love right away with snowboarding, they all seemed so free and were just having so much fun, I wanted to be part of it. It happened pretty fast I guess but even when I was getting jobs I still didnt really think of it as work, just a way to make it possible to continue. I made friends with some Laax locals like Jamie Phillp, Nicholas Muller and the 3 Buvoli brothers and just got better and better shooting with them. A few years later my tax man told me that I was earning more from Photography than my other job as an excavator driver so I decided to go for it full time. It took me a while to say it out loud, “I am Photographer”
Can you tell us a little bit about your photo that got nominated for the Red Bull Illume award?
I was super stoked when Red Bull told me that this image had made the finals of the Illume contest.
To be honest though, out of all the shots I submitted this one was the last that I thought would be selected. I love the shot but I just didn’t think it would do too well as a “Red Bull” shot. They have a pretty specific style, very in your face action. Volcom on the other hand have a very different and unique style. Volcom has contracted me for the past 10 years so obviously my style suits them well.
The Illume event in Chicago was awesome though and even though I don’t back Energy Drinks in general Red Bull does some pretty rad stuff. Talking to other photographers at the event it became clear that many of them shot projects specifically for the Red Bull Illume. My shot was from a day in St Moritz riding with old buddies Michi Albin and Iker Fernandez. It wasn’t a conceptual shot like most of the other submissions it was just a natural moment that I captured. Maybe that’s why it was chosen, it was different than the rest.
You currently work 6 months of the year in the alps shooting for Volcom and the rest of the year sailing the world on your sail boat. What would be your best tip for people wanting to follow your footsteps?
Oh wow, I wear size 46 shoes, thats some big footsteps! Nah just kidding. Honestly since my dad was killed in an accident when I was young I have just been super aware of how short life can be. I dont belive in afterlife or even a religion, I just believe I have this one chance and I don’t want to waste it. So I keep my life very simple.
I rather work very hard for a short time and then enjoy the fruits of that rather then work every day 8 hours my whole life. Twice every week I see people write the same thing, “Thank god its Friday” and “Damn, why did the weekend go by so fast”. I find that very sad. There is more to life than Kindergarten, School, University, Work, Retire, Die.
I believe that many people are unwilling to take a risk.
My tip would be to just go and try something. Don’t be afraid to fail as failure is how we learn, don’t even think of it as failure, its experience you’re gaining.
I make less money than nearly everyone I know but I am very rich. Time, friends, experiences, satisfaction, in these things I am a gazillionaire.
You recently started a Vlog named Learning By Doing. What was your aim with starting this vlog and is it worth all the time and effort it takes to produce each episode?
Good question. A few years ago I had a photo blog, I’d upload photos everyday and write something about my day. It was pretty successful gaining 500k views in 2012. Learning By Doing on You Tube is just another medium. I had never shot or edited video so this was a big motivator as well. I set myself the goal of a video each week, this way forcing myself to film something each week. Its sort of tough as I get people who are really into the winter/photo videos but when I go sailing for months they don’t like that and vice-versa. It seems people like the instructional type videos the most but I don’t feel too comfortable doing them as personally I never really liked to be taught, always preferring to teach myself, hence “Learning By Doing”
To answer the question, YES it is worth it as I am learning a lot myself but more importantly the feedback and conversation I have with some viewers is just awesome.
What would be your best advice for people wanting to start their own vlog?
I dont really think I should be giving advice as LBD is not exactly killing it. You Tube is huge and mostly full of rubbish that no-one watches but there is some great content out there for sure. Its the same as anything, you need to make something different.
If you just follow the same concept as others, pranking, gaming etc you wont make it as there are already many people doing that successfully. Finding the gem in a pile of rocks and recognizing it for its true worth is the hardest thing. On the other hand, if you don’t actually start then you also wont succeed.
What’s your feedback about our bag that you’ve been using on your boat for the past 6 months?
Id like to tell the story of how I came into possession of the Subtech Drybag. I was wandering through the halls of ISPO(massive trade show) last year and came across this little stand. The reason I decided to stop and talk to the two guys was because I could sense that they were not just selling the new seasons goods but actually had a product they were truly proud of. They had passion! Maybe they felt the same way when they asked me about what I do. Anyway we exchanged business cards and I wandered off. When Erik contacted me asking if I would like a bag I was really stoked.
I photograph in some of the harshest environments on the planet and the wellbeing of my camera gear is always in my mind.
The Subtech bag has never let me down and because of it I have actually taken my camera and drone to places that I wouldn’t have done before having it. So in that way it has helped me to be creative.
You really feel that the material is strong, the zip is solid. After looking it over and testing it once in the water I had no qualms about putting my expensive equipment in there and swimming out to the reef.
I believe the gurus at Subtech are working on some new designs and I cant wait to see what they come up with.
We are stoked to have Vernon on our team and look forward to follow him on his upcoming adventures. Chek out Vernon’s You Tube Channel Learning By Doing
We are happy to introduce our latest member to our team, Hugo Pettit. Hugo is a talented action sports & fashion photographer that is currently in the process of setting up his own production agency together with two mates. We checked in to find out a bit more about Hugo and his coming plans…
-For how long have you been working as a professional photographer?
Having given up being the other side of the lens as a skier, I moved back to London and picked up a camera in 2011.
Having spent the majority of my life at a high level of various sports, I was immediately in a good position as a photographer, being able to understand and predict the intricate movements and skills within various action sporting disciplines.
My niche really is to get into positions where a lot of photographers cannot.
With a love for fashion photography also, this has lead to where I am now, specialising in a mix between sport and fashion and a ‘behind the scenes’ documentary style.
-Tell us a bit about working with the one of the world’s most known street car races, Gumball 3000?
It has been a very interesting journey, I feel truly fortunate to have been given the opportunity to get a glimpse into this mad, amazing world of Gumball.
An extreme mix of beauty, money, action sports, fashion and obviously car worlds appeals in some way to nearly everybody, and being able to capture some of this through a camera has been a pretty special experience.
Over the last 2 years I have travelled from Stockholm to Vegas and from Dublin to Bucharest heading up Gumball’s media team, travelling both in super cars and our own slightly more demure media wagons.
-What is your next step in your career?
I recently started a creative production agency with two of my best mates. Our aim is simple: to create beautiful and powerful story-telling imagery that inspires.
Through a network of influencers and creatives we build adventurous projects for a wide assortment of clients worldwide. We love to travel, meet inspiring people, push boundaries and capture it all on film.
-What’s your best tip for us amateurs that doesn’t own a proper camera but still want to snap a high quality photo with our smartphone?
Perspective. When you’ve seen a scene that captures your imagination and you want to take a photo, take a step back, look at the scene as a whole and try to get it’s various elements into the picture.
If it’s a skateboarder (for example) you want a shot of…compose your image using the foreground and background in the image, not only does this give perspective to whatever the subject of the image is doing, but plain and simple, it becomes much more interesting than a plain photo with solely subject filling the frame.
-What’s your impression of our PRO DRYBAG 45L after using it for a while now?
Epic. I travel a lot and live in the UK, it’s wet, cold and I’m always somewhere I shouldn’t be. The PRO DRYBAG 45L is sturdy, waterproof, big enough for all my kit and importantly keeps it all very safe.
On top of this, when I’m not on a shoot and just need a weekend bag, the PRO DRYBAG doubles up as this perfectly, looking good and when deflated more than big enough for everything I’d need on a weekend away. It is also perfect airline hand baggage size.
We are really happy to have Hugo on our TEAM SUBTECH and look forward to follow him on his upcoming adventures.
Name: Wille Lindberg Age: 31 Background: Professional freeskier from Sweden Currently: Premiere of the extreme sport movie, Nuit de la Glisse- Don’t crack under pressure 2. Premiere: Sweden: 2/12. Italy 1/12. Rest of the World- Coming Soon…
In recent years Wille has been one of the top riders in the Freeride World Tour. He is currently contributing in the premiere of the extreme sport movie Nuit de la Glisse- Don’t crack under pressure 2 with Premiere in Sweden on Friday, December 2nd.
“Nuit De La Glisse is an extreme sport movie. I’m representing the skiing part and it has been tons of fun making the movie. Flying heli and skiing lines.”
The movie has captured the most amazing footage’s…
With some of the most worlds best daredevils…
The work behind the camera is just remarkable…
Shot in the wildest places…
From the most beautiful locations..
Capturing the world below the surface…
With material that amazes even the best….
Don’t miss the premiere of Nuit de la Glisse- Don’t crack under pressure 2 with TEAM SUBTECH rider Wille Lindberg.
After my first session I was hooked- after my first victory it became a true passion!
Name: Linus Erdmann
Age: 20 Background: 4x German Kite Champion Currently: Training in Brazil
Linus has currently escaped to warmer climate to train in great wind conditions and it sure seems like he has a pretty sweet lifestyle over in Brazil at the moment.
The lagoon they kite to everyday
Relaxing with mates in between sessions
We asked Linus a few questions to put him to work just a little bit in between sessions to share with all of you…
– At what age did you start kiting, and when did it become a true passion of yours?
I started kitesurfing when I was 9 years old. My father introduced me into this awesome watersport.
After my first session I was hooked on kitesurfing and after my first victory in a competition it became a true passion!
– How does a typical day look like during season vs off-season?
During the season I’m always checking the weather forecast. When the wind looks good I’m going straight to the sea for a couple sessions. And actually there isn’t really an off-season because I go out even in winter and snow. But usually I’m traveling the world to make sure I always have summer 😉
When there’s no wind I do some emails, videos and photos for my sponsors.
– You spend a lot of time in the cable park, how has that helped you in your kiting?
Wakeboarding is quite similar to kitesurfing so you can train the same tricks when there’s no wind.
I rather do any sport than sitting at home!
– You have a very promising career a head of you, what keeps motivate you to stay at the top as one of the worlds best kite surfers?
I just love to be out on the water. Seeing others doings tricks keeps me motivated to stay at the top.
It’s also a personal goal to do all the difficult tricks.
– What has been your experience so far from our waterproof bag?
In kitesurfing we do a lot races and trips on the water so when I’m not free styling I take my waterproof bag with me to have all my camera gear with me.
There are many spots that you can not reach by walking so that’s how I get my equipment secured to every unique spot!
‘The bag is seriously perfect for Brazil, because we have to kite to a lagoon everyday and that’s the only possibility to get drinks, cameras and phones secured over the water!‘
We are stoked to have Linus on our team and and we wish him the best of luck for the rest of the season.
If you want to follow Linus on his next adventure you can follow him here Link
The worlds most highly trained recovery specialists
The US Pararescue team are the most highly trained and versatile personnel recovery specialists in the world. Pararescue is the nation’s force of choice to execute the most perilous, demanding, and extreme rescue missions anytime, anywhere across the globe.
Final preparations before launching the PRO DRYBAG 45L off a plane at 10.000 ft in to the freezing cold Bering Sea, off the coast of Alaska.
When it comes to their gear it is only Function, Quality & Durability that matters as it has to withstand the most extreme conditions you can possibly imagine so that they can focus on what they are trained to do, which is saving lives.
There is nothing like the experience of exploring new places with friends and family and just be one with the nature.
This short video clip below really takes us back to where it all started in Australia with our vision of developing the ultimate waterproof solutions for active people to be able to Share Your Passion.
“…the sport is going to become one of the coolest watersports.”
Name: Valentin Illichmann Age: 17 Background: Professional Stand Up Paddler (SUP) and Adventure addict
2x German SUP Champion Whitewater
3x German SUP Champion (under 18)
3rd best Paddler overall Currently: Planning the next adventure
At what age did you start with Stand up paddling and when did it become a true passion of yours?
I tried SUP for the first time when I was 12. One year later I was totally hooked.
What is your next goal in your career?
I want to do more expeditions in remote nature and start compete more in International races.
You recently paddled from Hamburg along Elbe, tell us a little bit about your adventure?
Yes, it was hard because of the tides. The Elbe from Hamburg is also one of the most trafficked rivers in the world so it was a very crazy feeling to paddle there in to the dark when suddenly 300 meter long ships with one meter high waves was passing us in the dark.
At day 1 we started at 3 pm and had to paddle 50km so we didn’t arrive until 10 pm and had to set up the tent for the night in the dark and try to get some sleep and try to recover for an intense next day.
At day 2 we started at 3 am after some difficulties with a lot of morning fog we then finished the expedition at midday.
I carried all my stuff in the ProDrybag for the trip. Tent, Jacket, dry clothes, first aid, food and water for two days.
The sport is growing rapidly all over the world, where do you see the sport to be in a couple of year time?
There is no doubt that the sport becomes bigger and bigger every year. It’s very hard to say something about this question but I believe the sport is going to become one of the coolest watersports. The Events and Competitions attracts more attention and draws more athletes to this growing sport.
What has been your experience so far of our waterproof bag?
This bag is your best option when you’re travelling in the nature. Adventures and Expeditions on the water have no more limits with the ProDrybag.
It’s a true pleasure to have Valentin on our team and we wish him the best of luck for the rest of the season and looking forward to follow him on his next adventure.
The research schooner Tara Expeditions has now reached Easter island and are continuing their important work to try and help save the world oceans.
For the last 12 years the boat has been constantly on the move and have traveled 400,000km km across the world oceans and has been an important platform for scientific research to study the impacts of climate change and the ecological crisis on the ocean.
Here is a glimpse of their incredible journey from Malpelo, Colombia to the French Polynesia.
We are proud to be able to support the crew in their important research work that they are doing on board with our PRO DRYBAG 45L to keep their gear dry and safe onboard.
Here’s a glimpse of a photographers life sailing the Great Barrier reef
Wouldn’t it be awesome to be off work 6 months of the year and just travel the world?
That is exactly the lifestyle that the professional photographer Vernon Deck is living, as he spends 6 months of the year in the alps shooting powder runs for Volcom and the rest of the year on his sailing boat traveling the world, exploring the most amazing places, meeting new and old friends that share the same passion for adventure, and get to enjoy life to the very fullest with memories that last a lifetime.
Here’s a glimpse of our bag in use from around the world
Since we successfully funded our PRO DRYBAG 45L via Kickstarter in December, 2014 we have not only received an prestigious award for our innovative design but more importantly had it verified by our valued customers from around the world.
Used on Heli scuba dive expedition at 2300m in the Austrian alps, used to protect scientific equipment trying to save the world oceans, used to hike the Grand Canyon, used by top athletes from around the world, used to paddle from Hamburg to the open north sea on a SUP or used on a 170.000 km long expedition thru 20 countries just to name a few settings where our products have been used today.
This is how our award-winning bag is currently used
Product: PRO DRYBAG 45L Use: Adventure dry bag Key Features:
– Waterproof down to (50m/164ft)
– Shockproof Inflatable System
– Air/Water/Condensation tight zipper
– Ergonomic backpack
– Floating
Since we successfully funded our PRO DRYBAG 45L via Kickstarter in December, 2014 we have not only received an prestigious award for our innovative design but more importantly had it verified by some of the worlds best within their respective sport and profession.
America’s Cup, Gumball 3000, Freeride World Tour and US Air force just to name a few.
Non-profit research study to save the world oceans
Organization: Tara Expeditions Purpose: Non-profit research study to save the world oceans Destination: Pacific Ocean Info: For the past 14 years the boat has been constantly on the move and have traveled 400,000km km across the world oceans and has been an important platform for scientific research to study the impacts of climate change and the ecological crisis on the ocean.
In 2016 Tara began their 2 year long expedition with focus on the resistance of corals and their adaptation to change in the Pacific Ocean and they have already planned their next around the world journey to continue their research studies.
We are proud to be able to support the crew in their important research work that they are doing on board with our PRO DRYBAG 45L to keep their gear dry and safe onboard.
Get behind Tara Expeditions and help save the world oceans.
For more information about our Partnership and the admirable work Tara Expeditions do Link
“It requires discipline, physical fitness and dedication to be in the U.S. Airforce”
Name: Lt Col Mike Currently: F-16 Pilot, U.S Air Force.
Lt Col Mike is a U.S. Airforce F16 Pilot. A profession that has enabled him to travel and explore parts of the world one can only dream of. The workdays are filled with challenges, along with spending lots of time abroad. But the journey has not been simple. To become a U.S Air Force Pilot requires both discipline and dedication. Taking in consideration though where Mike is today, and where his goals are set, one can simply say that the sky is the limit.
What was the main reason you decided to join the U.S. Air Force?
The main reason I decided to join the Air Force was to travel the world and have an opportunity to fly fighter aircraft.
What does it take to become a member of the U.S. Air Force?
Becoming an Officer and a pilot in the U.S. Air Force requires a lot of dedication over a fairly extended period of time in order to attain high grades both in college and in the pilot training process. It also requires discipline, physical fitness, and dedication to attain the standards to be in the U.S. Air Force.
Describe your daily routines as a F16-pilot.
Let me first start with a weekly routine to help give some perspective. On a weekly basis I would usually fly 3 times per week, 1 time per week I will sit the Operations Desk in a Supervisory role of the daily flying schedule and the 5th day of the week I will usually teach some type of academics, attend academics, self-study, or an F-16 simulator. On a flying day we will show up to the squadron and prepare for the day’s flight by checking the weather, getting Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), looking at our flight currencies, Intelligence reports, and Tasking’s for the days flights. We will then brief the flight for approximately 1 hour, then we will go out and do the aircraft pre-flight followed by anywhere from a 1-hour to 5-hour flight depending on the mission. After landing we will review our tapes for approximately 1-2 hours which record everything we do during the flight to analyze what we can do better. The rest of the day is finishing any required paperwork or administration that needs to be completed.
Have you experienced any setbacks during your pilot carrier?
I have experienced a handful of set-backs in my pilot career to include not being selected to be a pilot when I first started my Air Force career. I was also denied a couple of specific flying jobs in my career due to Air Force level decisions. In each of these cases I just continued to work hard, worry about the things I have control over, and in the end I think things have happened for the best.
Do you spend much time abroad?
I spend less time abroad in my current assignment but I have been very fortunate to have lived in South Korea and Italy for approximately 5 years of my life. I have also had the opportunity to deploy 7 different times to the Middle East in support of operations there which was an extremely challenging and rewarding experience
What is the main perks of your profession?
There is no doubt in my mind that being able to fly the F-16 is the #1 perk in my profession. Other added perks are definitely the ability to travel to very cool parts of the world and working with amazing people.
What’s your impression so far on the PRO DRYBAG 45L?
I have been very pleased with the PRO DRYBAG 45L’s performance so far. My first impression was how professional, and precise the bag looked with the little details being mastered. The exterior material, seams, color scheme, and interior construction of the bag really gives me a solid confidence that the bag is very slick looking and durable for all types of extreme activities, not least mine. My important gear is completely protected in the PRO DRYBAG45L.
“It is a constant quest for speed without a knowable answer”
Name: Stephen Hap Whelpley Age:32 years old Background: Professional sculler, specialized in MX1. From Vermont, USA Currently: Steve has his goal set on the World Rowing Championship 2016.
Train, eat, sleep, repeat. This is how Steve Whelpley, US Rower and a member of TEAM SUBTECH, describes his ordinary daily routines. And he hadn’t made it to where he is today without putting huge amount of effort at what he does. The sculler is currently preparing for the World Rowing Championship 2016, and Steve’s fluent way of describing his passion for rowing is something out of the ordinary. But a passion doesn’t automatically means you always love what you do. Steve explains his story further..
At what age did you start rowing, and when did it become a true passion of yours?
I’ve rowed long enough and made enough sacrifices for it that it’s become a love/hate relationship. I started when I was 16 years old with a group of buddies. I had an Uncle that did it back in the day who I aspired to be like. From there, I rowed at University and then created a life that revolved around it. At times, it was a tall order to commit to just rowing, so it was hard to really be in love with it. Now though, late in the game, I’ve finally regained perspective and see a beauty in the complexity of its dichotomies: smooth yet powerful, fast yet patient, fluid yet consistent, and so on.
What was your main experience from the World Rowing Championships 2014 that you can carry with you for the next Championships?
The main takeaway from the 2014 Worlds is that change is inevitable. Whether you want it or not, it will happen. We had a good crew and an awesome third World Cup. We just wanted to keep doing the same thing in the sense of success, but that would require change on our part. Meanwhile, every other crew is also changing intentionally or unintentionally. It is a constant quest for speed without a knowable answer.
Describe your communication with your teammates before and during a race?
I sat 2 seat in the U.S.’s 2014 Mens Quad, which meant I was supposed to make the majority of the calls. Some days my teammates appreciate that, while other days, they could use a serious break from it. Before the race, we’re mostly in our own minds. It’s hard to know exactly what a person might need at a given time. For the race though, we script it all out: what calls to make when, how many hard strokes to take where, etc. Within that, I make calls in the moment. The most memorable thing for me though is when the calls are done, when we’re in the red buoys and I don’t have a breath to spare as we come into the last 250m.
How does a typical day look like during season vs off season?
Pretty similar. Rowing doesn’t have much of a down time. 3/4s of the year is spent building a base to utilize for the other quarter of the year. I crosstrain a little more when not in race season by biking, hiking, or swimming, but that’s become an important part of my training year round as well. In the off season though, I’ll do a little more of it. In September this year, I went for a ride that extended the length of Vermont on one road, covering over 200 miles in one day. For the most part though, it’s train, eat, sleep, repeat. Generally, I stay pretty on task, but I’ll let loose right at the end of the seasons (September) once and a while. This year I tried waterskiing and paid the price of a torn hamstring. I’m healing up well though and strengthening my other weaknesses in the meantime. Plan to come back bigger and stronger.
What’s your impression so far of the PRO DRYBAG 45L?
I spend a lot of time by the water, so it’s a no brainer. It’s really sweet to be able to bring my gear right down to the dock or better yet have important stuff ride along in the coach’s launch in case we need it. It’s a sweet bag. I just wonder if it could have somehow saved my hamstring when waterskiing!
“If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough”
Name: Wille Lindberg Age: 30 years old Background: Professional freeskier from Sweden Currently: Premiere of the exteme sportmovie, Nuit de la Glisse 27/11. Competing on the Freeride World Tour with start in Andorra 23rd of January.
In recent years he’s been one of the top riders in the Freeride World Tour, and next year he will compete once again. He is currently contributing in the premiere of the ski film Nuit de la Glisse on November 27th, in France. But Wille Lindberg, professional freeskier and one of the athletes in TEAM SUBTECH, has more unforeseen future plans ahead than so. Who would have thought a professional skier had such an interest in sailing, that he actually decides to explore the north of Norway, by boat? We dig deeper..
How did you come up with the idea to buy a boat and what is your immediate plan?
I wanted to learn to sail and explore the ocean.
Last you we’re seen shooting a trailer, “Don’t Crack Under Pressure”, with Nuit de la Glisse. What is it about?
Nuit De La Glisse is an extreme sport movie. I’m representing the skiing part and it has been tons of fun making the movie. Flying heli and skiing lines.
What are your feelings for the upcoming Freeride World Tour?
My idea is to be relaxed and ski lines that I like. Looking forward to the first competitions. If it’s fun I will continue.
What do you do to stay focused and how do you prepare for this kind of contest?
It’s a life time of preparations. Right know I’m handling it a bit more relaxed, not thinking too much of it. It´s just a run. I know how to ski so shouldn’t be any problem.
How has the PRO DRYBAG 45L had impact on your travels?
Dry, easy to carry and it looks cool too.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
From time to time you encounter stories that amazes you, stories that are quite difficult to grasp. Olly Woolrych’s story is one of those. Imagine yourself running five marathons a week, for half a year, with a total distance of almost 6000 km. Running through every single country in Central America, from Mexico City to Panama City, with one message: to help raise awareness for depression in young people. He will thereby be the first person to navigate through all eight countries, unassisted! The first reflection that comes to mind is basically what motivates a person to accomplish such a challenge, and the journey hasn’t been easy. Entering the last country, Panama, as well as the end of his incredible journey, Olly’s feelings are a bit mixed.
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Their journey began on the shores of the Beagle Strait in the port of Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.
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Name: Soren Rickards
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