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This week's episode of The Adventure Podcast should be of particular interest to regular readers of The Adventure Blog as we welcome polar explorer Eric Larsen  to the show. When I envisioned creating a podcast about outdoor adventure and exploration, having guests like Eric on was what I hoped to do and this interview certainly lived up to �� and exceeded �� my expectations. When I spoke to Eric he was in Punta Arenas, Chile preparing to leave for the Antarctic, where he will soon begin his attempt to set a speed record skiing to the South Pole. We talk about how he got started on his cold-weather adventures, what it's like to ski for hours at a time in the Antarctic and Arctic, what his strategy is for chasing the speed record, and much, much more. But before we get to the interview with Eric, my co-host Dave Adlard and I share the latest adventure news, with stories from the Himalaya, the Karakoram, and Antarctica. We also talk about the recent crowning of the adventure rac...

Over the past couple of weeks we've been following the progress of Colin O'Brady and Lou Rudd very closely. They're the two polar explorers who are independently attempting solo, unsupported crossings of the Antarctic continent, and because they have a long way to go in their quests to become the first to make that traverse, they were also the first ones out on the ice this season. Soon, there will be a number of other skiers joining them as numerous others are set to begin their journey's to the South Pole. For now however, O'Brady and Rudd toil alone in some of the toughest conditions on the planet. As I've mentioned before, because they are running somewhat parallel to each other the updates from O'Brady and Rudd have been similar. For example, today they both report in on the 16th day of their expeditions with high winds making things extremely challenging. Lou says that he was up most of the night ensuring that his tent was damaged by the gale forces ...

When we posted our last Antarctic update a few days back, American Colin O'Brady and Brit Lou Rudd had just run into their first seriously challenging conditions in the form of large and relentless Sastrugi. Today they've added a new element in the form of whiteout conditions, which make things orders of magnitude worse.  It is important to point out that both men have taken up the same journey �� a solo, unsupported crossing of the Antarctic continent. But, they are following the same route, so whatever conditions one is experiencing, chances are the other one is enduring those conditions too. Since the two were dropped off on the ice 12 days ago they have provided similar reports on their progress as they intend to run parallel to one another from the Ronne Ice Shelf to the Ross Ice Shelf, via the South Pole. In order to maintain their "solo" status however, they won't be able to come in contact with one another at any point and they can't lend a hand to ...

If you like outdoor gear then you're going to love this week's Adventure Podcast. My co-host Dave Adlard and I are back from Denver, Colorado where we attended the 2018 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market and saw lots and lots of new products that will be heading our way in the near future. With so many backpacks, boots, jackets, and other products to sift through, it is tough to pick our favorites, but we did manage to narrow our list down to six items that became the first winners of our "Best of Show" awards. Which pieces of gear impressed us? You'll just have to listen to find out. Because we spent the majority of the episode talking outdoor gear we skipped our regular gear segment this week. But, we did start the show as we usually do by talking about the biggest stories in adventure and exploration from the past week. Those stories include an attempt at the speed record for skiing to the South Pole, a record-setting swim around the United Kingdom, and a potentia...

While I was away at Outdoor Retailer last week, another polar explorer has announced his plans for the 2018-2019 expedition season in Antarctica. American Eric Larsen will set out for Punta Arenas, Chile this week with the intention of once again skiing to the South Pole. But this time, he's got his eyes on setting a new speed record for covering that route while also raising awareness of climate change at the same time. Larsen expects to leave for South America on Friday in preparation for his journey, which will cover roughly 700 miles (1126 km) starting at Hercules Inlet and ending at the South Pole. For Eric, that journey is a familiar one, as he has skied that route in the past, along with a full-distance expedition to the North Pole and climbing Everest within one year. He also guides in both the Arctic and Antarctic, leading "last degree" ski expeditions to the North and South Pole. What's different this time, is that he is hoping to complete the entire rout...