The images below conjured up some pretty imaginative thoughts around the coffee table this morning. While we had clear skies and 18 degrees c out of the wind - bank holiday, Ian and Tim had some volcanic ash, some ice bergs and below freezing nights. The boys have now returned from Iceland, they scored some amazing waves, some spectacular views and some cold nights.

Ambassador/cold-water nomad/mate - Ian Battrick takes both his surfing and our product to some of the coldest places on earth. Seen below, is a little image, taken by Tim ‘the man’ Nunn, also an ambassador. The boys are enjoying a little glacier time in…. Iceland.

Above, Ian is sporting our Merino Eddy Base Layer and Long Johns.

It’s the crown jewel of the climbing world, it’s the tallest mountain in the world, it’s summit was reached in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and has been claiming lives ever since.

Over the last year the boys have been training both on and off mountains, finding them in the Andes, the South Bavarian Alps and a host of other natural training grounds.

We’re well aware of the many ill prepared business moguls who have the cash just to claim the feat, as we are the agencies out there, who minimize the risk and practically do it for you.

Over the last couple of years, we’ve come to know Josh and Keith well, they’re the type of guys who’d choose such an adventure for its beauty, love of competition and self accomplishment. They could also have any company throwing bundles of cash and product their way - ‘in support’. In the end, they decided to opt out and go with us, which aside from a small group of sherpa’s wearing our kit, have very little experience on Everest.

We’ll be heading up to London this Thursday for a little send off party, to see the guys one last time before they go from sea level, to highest point in the world. They’ve got families, they’ve got loved ones and they’re trusting in product we’ve made, to aid them to the top.

The next few months will be very big for us, we’ll be keeping a close eye on weather conditions, the boys health and they’re step by step attempt up the mountain.

All of us here are wishing them both fortitude, high spirits and loads of love from the shire. We can’t thank you boys enough for the opportunity, super stoked and honored!

Anyone keen to share some words of support, check out the threads below:

Email: info@finisterreuk.com

Finisterre Facebook

Twitter

The first of many images to come:

Josh and Keith, sporting Storm Tracks

Josh counting every step

Andes ridge-line in the distance.

Josh getting some shut eye in some of the worlds finest merino base layers.

The boys after a solid accomplishment.

According to the U.S. State Department, Afghanistan has an estimated 5 to 7 million land-mines scattered around the countryside. Food shortages are prevalent; infrastructure is basically nonexistent; and bombings in Kabul, especially around the U.S. Embassy, are commonplace. The U.S. State Department, has blacklisted Kabul as a tourist destination - if you go, you’re on your own.

Bullets have been whizzing back and forth between Taliban and security forces, outside a U.N. building just yesterday and amidst a destination blacklist, fear of kidnapping and Taliban strongholds, a band of volunteers with skateboards in hand and education at their core - stand defiant.

Skateistan, Kabul’s first skateboarding school, determined to offer kids with bleak futures, an alternative activity that breaks existing taboos. Instructors have their motorcycles piled high with skateboards, helmets and knee pads and young kids gather around waiting for a go in the newly built halfpipe. It’s an initiative of a bunch of multinational skateboarders, they wanted to change things, give back and do it with some trucks and a maple wood deck.

Sophie Friedel did a bit of work experience here at Finisterre and then she decided once she finished, that she was going to push her love for skate and work with children. She volunteered, jumped on a plane and she’s now in Kabul, working with little Afghan children, bringing them education and teaching them some skills on a skateboard.

She’s been wearing some kit for a while and we’ll be sending her some super fine merino vests for the kids, in support of all the work they’re doing out there.

She managed to get behind a computer and fill us in on some of her recent happenings:

The Skatepark is going great, we finally managed to get control of the flow of students and the regular class set ups. Sometimes lots of kids turn up and things are pretty crowded and other days, like after a terrible day we had last week on monday, people were scared and stayed at home. But life goes on and things are quickly returning back to normal. Class is always well attended and we sadly have a waiting list of 200 kids. Hope to have the capacity for them in a few month.

Loving Kabul, it’s a fucked up world but met amazing people. Here is a link to the skatergils website, if you interested in any recent interview. http://www.skatergirl.co.uk/?p=2113 I am not frequently updating my blog but if your interested in some pictures of Kabul have a look at: www.sophiefriedel@blogspot.com.

Went snowboarding at the Salang pass a few weeks ago. Been incredible! So stunningly beautiful! The mountains are just so big and clean and wide. Seen a bit to many bullet shots in the rocks though and got slightly scared. Great snow and despite the fact we had to walk up for hours in over 3000meter (my lungs had trouble) we got a few great runs in.

Me during my first class of teaching back than when i arrived.

Another Skateistan instructor, firing out some basics and flying the flag of team work.

This was taken during the summer - a big swimming pool on top of a hill. (not sure if you read the kite runner but he always met with his friend on this hill).

One of the street girls. I think she is beautiful. She sadly still wears the same shoes, even tough it gets so cold now (Don’t worry S-train, we’ve got a little plan on the kicks front).

Sophie, your emails fired us up, everyone in this tin shed have been talking about you. So stoked, sending you loads of love and look forward to hearing more positive stories - Loads of love xx

It’s been a busy few weeks. The workshop went quiet last week as the team made the exodus to Scotland’s frigid North Shore. Grabbing the latest stock fresh off the truck - Sastrugas, Beanies and Stormtracks, the guys trekked North, enduring some cold nights in the van, and frosty cold water mornings. Alongside Finisterre ambassadors, Tim Nunn and Ian Battrick, good waves went down followed by some classic pub and pool hustling sessions.

Wondering how you’ve still got your Finisterre package? Santa’s little helpers have been staying dry and hard at work packing orders late into the night, taking over the post office and keeping the office ship shape.

As 2009 draws to a close, its been amazing to see our gear put to the test in some dramatic locations in the last few weeks, so here’s a wrapup of what’s been happening, where we’ve been and who we’ve been working with.

Ian Battrick keeping it tight on the Scotland missions. Photo: Tim Nunn

Where’s the defroster? - Tim Nunn

Road, surf, sleep. Photo: Tim Nunn

Meanwhile Charlie Chambers has been working hard, shooting a new film for SAS to promote their essential work and the issues they are taking on. The film shot in 16mm looks to showcase some of the best surfing these Isles have to offer. The latest location, Scotland with a team composing of some of the most respected surfers in the U.K. Keep an eye out for our Boy Trev laying down some lines on his longboard on his hometurf when its released next year. Can’t wait to see it, keep up the good work Charlie and Co!!

Out on a limb. Photo: Charlie Chambers

On Location. Photo: Charlie Chambers

Sometimes the best angle is halfway up a cliff. Photo: Charlie Chambers

The last few months have seen a small but dedicated following of film makers, and photographers using our gear on their expedition shoots. Hugo, who’s been putting our gear to the test sent these wicked photos through. He’s been busy in the Antarctic filming for BBC Life thats been on your screens this winter. Four years in the making the documentary shoots some of the finest natural footage ever captured and explores, what Darwin called the ’struggle for existence’ - the challenges living creatures face and their adaptations in the harshest of environments. We’re stoked to see when our gear helps towards keeping the guys on the ground dry and warm so they can keep doing what they do best. Amazing to see and its what we’re here for!

Hugo keeping warm in his Bise and base layer

Ice diving with Finisterre Merino Base Layer under suit - extra warmth when you need it!

Again, we’re always stoked to hear your stories - be it surfing your local or a thousand miles from home. Send us your shots, drop us a line and tell us what you’ve been up to and where your going next.

Phil and Skippy, local boat builders and dive experts from Falmouth are rowing the Atlantic - taking on everything the ocean can throw at them. The boys who are raising money for the Cornwall Blind Association hand built there boat in a remote farm house in Cornwall.

Phil dropped by the office yesterday to pick up some kit for the trip and gave us the lowdown on the mission: Huge seas, strong winds, busy shipping lanes and inquisitive marine life capable of up turning the boat all face the guys on their biggest challenge yet…

3000 miles of open ocean and an adventure of a life time - Best of luck boys.

http://www.visionofcornwall.co.uk/

Some of this summer’s merino T-shirts were designed by the very talented and sassy Bryn hall.

Bryn’s holding an exhibition of her work entitled Byrd, down in St Just, Cornwall, kicking off now and running until the 19th December. The exhibition features her rhythmic and dreamlike illustrations, influenced by her passion for surfing and the Cornish coastline. if you get the chance, it’s definitely worth popping in and taking a look. Stoked for you Bryn x

In Sweden they have a saying ‘There is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes’. Finisterre dealer Coll Faragher of Sand, Wadebridge, recently put this to the test on an unforgettable trip to Scandinavia on board Berge Viking, a 57’ Swan sailing yacht.

In 1981 Berge Viking represented Norway’s first ever entry into the Whitbread Round the World Race. Skippered by Peder Lunde, Berge Viking finished ahead of entries led by Peter Blake, Skip Novak, Eric Tabarly and Chay Blyth claiming eighth place with a race time of 125 days, 16 hours. It was a national symbol for Norwegian sailing at that time, with a completely Norwegian crew, and is still a much admired and well known boat in the region today.

Recently however a different crew including Coll embarked on a much shorter but very enjoyable voyage from Norway to Finland. They sailed the boat from Oslo down past Copenhagen, through the Baltic straights and around the coast of Sweden. From there they headed up far into Northern Finland; a trip of around a thousand nautical miles. They were returning Berge Viking to the place where she was built, where she will have a major refit to restore her to her full glory.

As they rounded the Swedish archipelago there were very few other sailing boats around, October is considered very late in the season to be so far north. They even received a fly by off a Swedish navy fighter Jet curious as to what they were doing up there and the captain had to explain over VHF radio that they came in peace! They arrived in Finland just in time before the Baltic winter would really start to bear down, witnessing the arrival of the first snow showers. It was Great trip and a great chance for Coll to test out his products. The latest Finisterre ranges are available to try and buy at Sand, Foundry court, Wadebridge.

Stoked Coll, hang in there, product will be with you guys soon.

You may have noticed that we’re big fans of the one and only Attenborough.

Three years in the making, the new BBC nature program, Life, has arrived, the first installment went down on Sunday at 9.
Some awesome bits of footage in there; dolphins surrounding fish with mud, monkeys using stone tools, and penguins learning to swim. Nature blows you away sometimes.

We were blown away again though, after 45 minutes, when we spotted Finisterre jackets everywhere in the ‘behind the scenes’ section of the program, which followed the film crews aboard a Royal Navy icebreaker, a helicopter and a yacht around the antarctic filming leapord seals and Killer Whales.

Doug and John (aka BBC crack underwater unit) are Finisterre Product Testers and had been helping us develop the new 09/10 Storm Track Jacket and Etobicoke whilst on location in the Antarctic filming Leopard seals for ‘Life’ last winter.

Obviously we are pretty humbled to make a cameo appearance on such a groundbreaking project and to have played our small part in helping those guys stay warm and dry, doing what they do best.

Life is available on iPlayer now, dont miss it!

View Life on iPlayer

Posted by Mart

We’re always happy to hear what you think of our gear, so we were stoked to find out that someone’s made a one minute video review of our etobicoke jacket! Michele is an intrepid traveller and photographer. He has two etobicokes, one for at home in Italy and another for travelling. According to his blog, Michele is a self confessed ‘gear nut when it comes to travelling’. Check out his video review above, and his blog

Glad you like it Michele, great use of a minute!

We’re always fired up by your feedback here in the workshop, so whether your using our gear on the street or in the great outdoors, make sure to send any photos, videos or reviews this way!