We all realize that vast changes have taken place over the years in outdoor clothing equipment clothing, and this is shown by the plans of these two groups of intrepid university students, who are out to test not just their own limitations, but that of there equipment as well.

The Turner Twins from Wandsworth in London are no strangers to extreme conditions, having spent 42 days at sea, back in 2011, competing in the Trans-Atlantic Woodvale Rowing Race; breaking two World Records into the bargain. However this time they are planning to trek across the Greenland Polar Ice Cap, hopefully raising money for Spinal Research in the process.

The thirty day trek will take them from 550km from Kangerlassaug, on the West Coast, to Tasiilaq. The inspiration for this challenge was the explorer Ernest Shackleton who famously sailed to and explored Antarctica, and as a tribute they aim to test modern clothing and equipment against 19th century clothing and equipment. One twin wearing the modern against the other wearing polar gear based on what was available in the early twentieth century.

They set out in May and are currently undertaking training as varied as pulling 100kg tyres across Clapham Common and acustomising themselves to eating pure blocks of lard and beef jerky.

When I was at school a field trip usually meant sitting on a coach for a couple of hours and visiting an old house, battle site or quarry. How times have changed as five students from the University of Lancashire are journeying to the Yukon in Canada to experience two weeks of subarctic weather conditions in the Kluane National Park. Aside from both the mental and physical exertions they face, they also have to collect data for their dissertations. So this is no excuse for fun in the snow.

Throughout the trip they will have to carry and drag their equipment, including dehydrated food utilizing a mixture of sleds and rucksacks. During the trip they will be cut off from all other civilization for four whole days, and face temperatures as low as -40c. Think I’d rather stay in a nice warm lecture theatre, but a field trip is part of their course and is something they have to undertake, but most students probably won’t go for something so extreme. I wouldn’t like to face walking eight to ten kilometers a day dragging sleds through conditions which could include three metre drifts of snow.

However these two groups show what people can be capable of so why not set your self a target for this summer, maybe not as extreme as these youngsters, but something that will allow you to pick up some quality outdoor clothing equipment bargains from our website.