Hiking and mountaineering enthusiasts tend to fall into two camps: those who love the lightweight performance of high-tech modern gear, and the stalwart allies of heavy leather boots and waxed cotton. Now, a new experiment plans to settle the debate between tech and tradition for once and for all.
Two British mountaineering twins known for their feats of endurance in some of the most remote parts of the planet have announced plans to compare modern mountaineering gear with that used by pioneers George Mallory and Sandy Irvine – this time in the Himalayas.
Identical twin brothers Ross and Hugo Turner plan to climb Nepal’s Mera Peak, a mountain in the Sagarmatha Zone, this October. At 21,247ft (6,654m), Mera Peak is Nepal’s highest trekking peak, but isn’t likely to pose the greatest challenge for the 36-year-old duo, who have already rowed the Atlantic and climbed Mount Elbrus. It will, however, give them the opportunity to conduct their latest investigation into how mountaineering equipment has changed in the past century.
It’s been 100 years since George Mallory and Sandy Irvine perished in their attempt to summit Mount Everest, and the twins plan to compare today’s kit with that used by the pioneering alpinists. They’ve performed similar experiments on Elbrus in 2015 and on a 2014 attempt to traverse the polar ice cap of Greenland that was cut short by a knee injury, but this will be the first such venture in the Himalayas.
Like their previous experiments, one twin will wear replica expedition clothing from the 1920s – think original World War 1 army clothing, wool jackets and shirts, and a recreated pair of leather boots by Crockett & Jones, modeled directly on those Mallory wore. The other twin will use modern-day, high-performing gear made by British outdoor brand Montane, such as the super stretchy Tenacity XT Pants, rugged Alpine Mission Waterproof Gloves and ultra reliable Dart Long Sleeve T, plus a few models that are due to land from the brand this fall. Needless to say, this gear will be replete with BOA fastenings, breathable waterproof membranes and PrimaLoft insulation and the comparison will help the pair understand what early climbers had to endure at high altitude, and how far outdoor gear has come.
The Turner twins will be joined by a team of researchers and scientists who will use cutting-edge tracking and biometric analysis to study differences in cognitive performance, stress levels, thermal insulation, dexterity, and other metrics of performance at altitude. And perhaps we’ll finally have a definitive answer as to whether that pricey performance gear is worth the investment?
Watch the official trailer for Climbing Back in Time here:
![Climbing Back in Time: Would Mallory & Irvine Have Made It Today? [Part 1] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qEWeSs6JFoM/maxresdefault.jpg)
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