Sponsors
Click any of the links below to read more about our sponsors:
- First Ascent
- Teva
- Fluid
- Electrotech
- Suunto
- Kokatat
- ARK
- RAM
- WRSI
- Garmin
- Storm Case
- V.I.O.
- Zeal Optics
- Benchmade
- Goya Gear
- The Southern Terrain
- KINeSYS
First Ascent
Exclusive clothing sponsor
South Africa’s leading specialist outdoor gear manufacturer designs and manufactures equipment using a perfect blend of technology, cutting edge materials, advanced manufacturing techniques and extreme-tested designs.
First Ascent is the expedition’s exclusive clothing sponsor, supplying the team with everything from base layer (thermals), middle layer (fleece), outer layer (hard shell), hats, beanies, gloves and sleeping bags. The Summit jacket, Kathmandu jacket, Firestorm 1/4 zip, Blade Runner L/S, Utility pants, AR-X shorts, Packlite sleeping bag and much more. This gear will keep the team comfortable trekking high in the Andes and dry when venturing deep in the Amazon jungle.
Check out the First Ascent website for the best specialist outdoor gear available.
Many thanks to the First Ascent team for their belief and support of the expedition.
Teva
Exclusive footwear sponsor
The enduring dream of every kayaker, rafter, boater and river rat on the planet is to be sponsored by Teva. The right to slap that iconic logo all over their boat, helmet, car, Storm case, dog – everywhere!
Teva is the exclusive footwear sponsor of the expedition, supplying the team with all the sandals, shoes and booties required. The Teva Karnali Wraptor sandal, the Teva Sunkosi shoe and the Teva P2 bootie are top of the line river footwear. Spider rubber, Drain Frame, Wraptor Fit and Microban technology combined with a ruggedness to withstand everything the Amazon River can put up, make Teva the perfect partner for the Expedition Amazonas.
Visit Teva to get your feet into the best sandals and shoes on the planet!
Fluid
Exclusive kayak sponsor
Fluid offers some of the most advanced kayaks on the planet. And this is no hype. They just say it like it is. On Fluid products you will find no gimmicks, just pure functional design blended with pleasing aesthetics, to give you the taste of unlimited fun.
Attention to detail and stringent quality control, from the raw material supply to final detail, assures that they have confidence in their products. They have the conditions to test the products to the limit, to make sure that you have peace of mind when you really need it.
Fluid are hooking the team up with a Solo Expedition creeking boat, to use as a safety boat and to get some wicked footage. Thanks Celliers and the Fluid team.
Electrotech
Exclusive satellite sponsor
http://www.electrotech.net.au/
Headquartered in Sydney, Electrotech Australia Pty Limited is a company whose core business is the sales and servicing of marine electronic equipment in both the civilian maritime and military naval sectors, with an emphasis on high quality communications and navigation equipment. Electrotech also supplies and supports land mobile satellite communication systems to a wide range of customers.
A wholly Australian owned enterprise, Electrotech was founded in 1990 and quickly established its current reputation as the industry service leader for marine electronics and satellite communications equipment in Australia.
Electrotech have supplied the team with a Thrane & Thrane Explorer 500 BGAN. A broadband satellite modem that will allow us to contact the outside world and continuously update the website wherever we may be. Their assistance has been vital.
Suunto
Exclusive wristop computer sponsor
Suunto is the leading manufacturer of sports instruments for a variety of sports, including skiing, hiking, diving, sailing and golf. Their strategy is to focus on sports activities where advanced measurement technology, data processing, and specific algorithms can create significant benefits for active participants.
Suunto has provided the expedition with a Suunto Vector wristop computer for each team member.
The expedition, while staying true to the age-old tradition of exploration, will make use of a range of electronic equipment. This includes the use of wristop computers. The beginning of the journey sees the team trek deep in the Andes of Peru, through massive canyons and atop mountain summits. For means of tracking progress and transferring data to the website, Suunto altimeters are imperative.
Once the team begins 6 weeks of big whitewater on the upper reaches of the Amazon, rate of descent information is essential to safety and tracking of progress. In the lower parts of the Amazon River knowledge of tidal surges and times are needed in order to make a final push to the coast. Suunto wristop computers will allow all this information and data to be readily available to the team.
Kokatat
Exclusive river clothing supplier
Another boater’s icon. The company now known as Kokatat was started in 1971 by a college student named Steve O’Meara with an eye towards making innovative outdoor gear. With Steve still at the helm, the company continues to dedicate itself to his original intent, offering the industry’s most extensive line of watersports wear and enjoying a deserved reputation for product quality and commitment to watersports. If your hands and face are wet with near-freezing spring runoff or salty spray from the swell that bounced off your bow yet you are still warm and comfortable, you can probably thank the team at Kokatat.
Indeed, Kokatat has provided the team with their new Ronin Pro Rescue PFDs, Gore-Tex Rogue dry tops and Long John wetsuits. Running glacial melt whitewater and paddling a river that at times is like an inland sea, the team is forever grateful to their gear. Thanks to everyone at Kokatat for their support.
ARK
Exclusive boat sponsor
African River Kraft’s customer driven designs are NEVER quite finished. In fact, their research and development is an ongoing process. Always looking at ways to improve originals, putting new ideas into production, and ceaselessly testing new waters. By designing and refining their craft along with white water enthusiasts and professional engineers, they have maintained a staggering lead on the competition; totally dominating the Southern African commercial rafting market and rapidly expanding the business world wide.
ARK have supplied the expedition with a customised craft based on the Nile KN300. It’s a fast manoeuvrable raft that still has the capability of working effectively in high volume class 5 water. This raft is home to the team for near-on 6 months, making it the most important piece of kit on the expedition (after all, you cannot attempt a source to sea journey on the world’s longest river without a boat!)
Awe to Billy for all his technical input & for building the team such an ace boat. If your looking for a reliable craft that can be adapted to almost any water application then you really must chat to Billy from ARK Inflatables.
RAM Mountaineering
Exclusive lighting and drybag sponsor
Ram Mountaineering is the premier South African importer and distributor of some of the finest mountaineering, rock climbing and trekking equipment on the planet.
They are proud to bring such outstanding products as Black Diamond Equipment, Bibler Tents, Beal Ropes, Nikwax care products, PrincetonTec flashlights and head torches,Tecnica mountain footwear and Saltic rock boots within easy reach of the South African mountaineering community. In addition they provide a comprehensive range of industrial & rescue equipment from Singing Rock and Maillon Rapide.
The most recent additions are state of the art self inflating matresses from Insulmat & an awesome line of dry bags from WXTex, which along with Princeton Tec headlamps have been provided to the team.
WRSI
Exclusive expedition helmet sponsor
http://www.whitewaterhelmet.com/
The WRSI “Current” helmet, on the leading edge of development, is a superior multi-impact helmet primarily for use in a non-motorized water environment. In simple terms that translates to the safest whitewater helmet ever built!
WRSI are a great company with awesome products, unwavering belief and an ethical approach to doing business. Not only have they outfitted the team in the best helmets around, but every email, query, request and approach was met with respect and sincerity.
The inspiration to research and create the safest whitewater helmet available was the untimely death of Lucas Turner, an experienced kayaker, due to the failure of another commercially produced helmet. This drove the WRSI family in their pursuit. As a note, under the peak of every helmet, hidden away, is Lucas’ name molded into the plastic. Another reminder of WRSI’s commitment and integrity.
Heartfelt thanks go to the WRSI family for their faith in the expedition.
Please go to the WRSI website, to learn more about the massive R + D that has gone into the helmets, history of the company and check out the helmets (yes, we have a pink helmet on the expedition!)
Garmin
Exclusive GPS sponsor
Started in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kau, Garmin is the world leader in Global Positioning Systems (GPS). They manufacture a range of GPS devices for boating, driving, hiking, running and many other activities.
Garmin GPS units allow the team to accurately position themselves high in the mountains, deep in the jungle and while navigating a myriad of channels in the Lower Amazon. It also comes into its own when the team uploads their position to the expedition website map, allowing users to follow the journey with absolute accuracy.
Storm Case
Exclusive Hard storage sponsor
These injection-molded cases are made for commercial, military and industrial applications, and are built from Hardigg’s patented HPX® high performance resin. They’re tough, lightweight, watertight, and virtually indestructible. Add to that a variety of interiors, and Storm Cases can be configured to protect anything from photo equipment and laptops to weapons and scuba gear.
Storm Case have provided the expedition with all the cases needed to protect a multitude of sensitive and electronic gear, from video cameras and laptops to GPS and satellite phones. These cases are really up to the task of an expedition on the world’s biggest and longest river.
V.I.O.
Exclusive helmet cam sponsor
Since its inception in 2000, Viosport has been the leading innovator in helmet camera technology. Viosport’s customers include professional and amateur athletes in a wide variety of sports such as mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, skydiving, motocross, snowmobiling and auto racing. The Viosport point-of-view system is unique in that it’s designed specifically to capture adventure video. (Most cameras on the market are simply repurposed security cameras).
For the Expedition Amazonas that means stunning whitewater action, amazing mountaineering shots and footage that will put viewers right up close to all the action and adventure of such a journey. The Adventure H2O cam is the right choice for the team. Waterproof, rugged and mounted on a whitewater helmet, this cam doesn’t miss a beat (or shot!)
Zeal Optics
Exclusive eyewear sponsor
Zeal Optics, named after the zeal in which life should be lived, is a company founded by athletes. State-of-the-art designs, attention to detail, an Rx lens program and a lifetime warranty are testaments to Zeal’s dedication to providing the finest quality product. Zeal – true innovation, quality and value!
The team at Zeal Optics have come on board as the expedition’s exclusive eyewear sponsor. Trekking through the Andes and months on the river means the team need the best technical eyewear available. To this end, Zeal Optics are giving the team the opportunity to be among the first to put the newest evolution of the Swap-it model to the ultimate test!
Benchmade
Exclusive knife sponsor
It all starts with a commitment to innovation. And for Benchmade, it goes beyond simply being innovatively different - they continually strive to be innovatively better. Believing that when a customer chooses to purchase a Benchmade, they don’t do so just to be different, they do so because they want the best. This mindset of innovating for improvement is alive and well throughout Benchmade, it goes into every design, and comes out of every product. It’s definitely not the easiest way for Benchmade to make knives, but it’s the only way they know how.
Their philosophy: “Make it cool, make it solid, make it happen and definitely make it Benchmade”
Benchmade Knife Company manufacture high-end quality knives for hunting, fishing, military, outdoor and rescue applications. They have supplied the team with an array of knives for use on the expedition, from river rescue knives to multi-use blades. The team know and inherently trust Benchmade products, literally, with their lives!
Goya Gear
Exclusive river rescue sponsor
Goya Gear is a manufacturer of high quality paddling equipment, designed to provide maximum safety on the water coupled with ultimate comfort. Goya Gear recognised a need for high performance river safety equipment that provided paddlers with cutting-edge design. All products are designed in-house with ultimate functionality and comfort in mind.
Goya Gear is consistently updating and testing new designs for all products, ensuring that the entire product range reflects the latest technology and river expertise available. All products are tested by a select group of professional South African paddlers on a number of mighty African rivers, including the Wit, Orange, Palmiet, Zambezi and White Nile.
AK, Greg and the Goya team have supplied the team with a range of rescue equipment that will prove invaluable throughout the expedition.
The Southern Terrain
http://www.thesouthernterrain.com/
The Southern Terrain specialises in providing professionally administered adventures focusing on individual training and preparation designed to ensure clients meet and exceed personal and professional goals. They have particular expertise in South American adventures.
TST was founded with the vision that an adventure should challenge ones ability, explore a new environment, and become an experience that is memorable and self-fulfilling. The Southern Terrain was developed to enable individuals to accomplish something they never thought possible through personalized training programs, professionally administered preparing you for any of their exclusive programs.
TST has provided the expedition with valuable background information regarding many of the regions through which the team will travel.
KINeSYS
Exclusive sunscreen sponsor
KINeSYS Performance Sunscreens provide broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection that’s easy to apply before and during any activity. Its unique Microspray formula dries quickly with no mess and no rubbing. Ideal for the scalp and other areas hard to reach through body hair, these oil, alcohol- and PABA-free sunscreens withstand vigorous activity and are water-and sweat-resistant. Yet they still allow skin to breath normally for maximum comfort and results.
KINeSYS will help protect the team through months under the harsh sun by supplying their awesome Extreme Exposure kits, perfect for the unrelenting conditions faced throughout the expedition.
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