Here are answers to a couple questions that have come in through the AMK website over the past week.

Q: I do SAR and have to carry for myself and a subject.  Your 2.0 Bivvy sac is small and light, but for another $25 to $50 and maybe 16 oz more I could get a 40 degree “rated” bag.   I would always carry at least your 2.0 Bivvy but am considering a lightweight down bag for those cold nights.   If your Bivvy was “rated” at 40 – 45 degrees, it would be a no brainier to always carry two of your bags.  Have you done any testing to get a temperature rating on your 2.0 Bivvy?

FIRST AID AND SURVIVAL DOWNLOADS

Sept 21, 2009

Dear AMK:

Here is a recent testimonial that we received from Travis Macy – a Professional Multisport Athlete, racing for Team Salomon/Crested Butte.

Let us know if you have a similar story to share!

“Two years ago, amidst a hailstorm in the middle of the night, I hunkered down and pulled out my space blanket, only to be showered with little metallic shardes that had once been part of the useless clear sheet I held in my hand. Needless to say, that was a miserable night!

Ahhh, just getting back after the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City. For those of you that don’t know, the OR show is the largest gathering of outdoor industry professionals in the US.  Tens of thousands of manufacturers, retailers, athletes and media descent upon Salt Lake City for four days to see what’s new, test products, and attend industry events.

This was AMK’s 20th Anniversary attending the OR Show – and it seems to just keep getting better.  We always have a great time meeting new people and visiting with industry friends that we know.  Check out some of the pics below to see what our week was like!

AMK is proud to sponsor Camp Patriot - an organization that was formed to take Disabled U.S. Veterans on outdoor adventures.  On July 5th, they will have their annual fundraiser kick off dinner.   This phenomenal event at Quest Field will feature Ed Viesturs as the guest speaker and functions as a fundraiser and kick off for their 2009 Mt. Rainier climb. This year’s climb scheduled for July 7th-10th includes three injured veterans. Read their bios and the 2009 Quest info below.

Camp Patriot’s adventures are made possible through donations and volunteerism. Follow along with the team at CampPatriot.org and help “Give Back to those who have given”.

Question:
FAKs rated by people/days (2-3 people, 5-7 days) frustrate me. I think a more useful measure might be people/”time to help”. I bought the Field Trauma kit because I was looking for a kit to use where assistance was 1-2 hours away, I want the kit to answer “What will kill the victim in 1-2 hours?” – Bleeding, not breathing. If a 1″x3″ bandage will stop it, you won’t die today from it. We’re within 2-6 hours of aid, so what do I need to keep a victim alive till we get help?

Answer:

IMG teams have successfully summited both Everest and Lhotse this Spring.  There was a lot of action on both mountains between May 19th & 20th – read below for notes from the top!

Notes from Everest from IMG Expedition Leader Eric Simonson -

IMG’s sherpa team, as always, has done another outstanding job this year. We are proud to recognize that IMG’s sherpas were the first people to summit both Everest and Lhotse this year while putting in the fixed ropes on the route and paving the way for everyone else. We can’t praise them enough!

View from the summit, climbers take the final few steps to the top of Mt. Everest, 29,035′.
(photo: Willie Benegas)

Everest summiters include three members of our awesome Singapore women’s team, Jane, Li Hui, and Esther. US Astronaut and medical scientist Scott Parazynski reached the top along with Dawes Eddy, a remarkable athlete from Spokane, Washington. We believe Dawes has just become the oldest American to ever reach the summit of Everest.

We are also happy to announce IMG summits on Lhotse as reported to the Nepal officials.

By Christopher Van Tilburg, MD

I’ve been chomped by a tick multiple times, as have most people who regularly tramp in the outdoors. It’s creepy — the tick drops onto your skin, burrows in painlessly, and sucks. Its anticoagulant can cause tick paralysis, and these arthropods carry all sorts of infections: Colorado Tick Fever (a virus), Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (parasite), Tularemia (a bacteria), and the more commonly known Lyme Disease.

North Pole 2009: John and Tyler Detail Their Last Days on the Ice
From the Adventure Blog

A few weeks back John Huston and Tyler Fish became the first Americans to complete an unsupported expedition to the North Pole, reaching that point just hours before the last flight out of Barneo Station was set to depart for the season. At the time, we knew that it was a dramatic race to beat the clock, but we really didn’t know exactly how crazy it was until the duo recently updated their blog on the Victorinox North Pole 09 website.