Battling Cold and Perfecting Gear 

After our family trip to Alta, Norway, where we were lucky enough to witness the Northern Lights on our very first night, I decided to embark on some equipment testing. My first challenge was to see if my blood sugar monitor would work in the bone-chilling -17 degrees Celsius weather at 9:30 AM. Unfortunately, it didn't function properly when it got too cold. However, after warming it up to my body's normal temperature, it sprang back to life.

With that hurdle behind me, it was time to hit the mountains and put my new gear to the test. Everything went according to plan, with just one small reminder: keep the glucose tablets in my pocket, not in my backpack where the water was also stored. I realized I needed a hydration bladder for convenient on-the-go sips.

I had mounted my Garmin Mini Reach on my shoulder strap to monitor its power consumption during a half-day hike in the mountains. To my surprise, it only drained 4% of its battery.

Now, let's talk about insulin storage, a crucial concern. After conducting various tests, including using a flight case with a heating element and a thermos with a heating element, I found that the best solution was to keep the insulin close to my body throughout the entire journey. I'm considering sewing pockets for insulin pens into my mid-layer clothing, but I'll save that experiment for warmer conditions.

In Alta, Norway, adventure and preparation go hand in hand, making it the perfect destination for testing and optimizing gear for cold-weather excursions.

Stay tuned for more updates,