Since its inception, the name of Paddy Pallin became synonymous with the Australian bush, and the company he founded has grown to become Australia's leading supplier of specialist outdoor and travel gear. The company now has fourteen stores throughout Australia, and I am thrilled to have partnered up with them for my future endeavours.
Still owned by the Pallin family, the company continues its tradition of designing and sourcing technical adventure clothing and equipment for the Australian market. This has enabled the combining of cutting edge technology with the wisdom gleaned from many years of experience.
It was a true honour when Mr. Pallin came up and shook our hands after we presented a lecture, and said "I think what you two boys are doing is just great, good on you!" Soon after, we signed what Mr. Pallin said was the single largest expedition sponsorship agreement Paddy Pallin had ever done. What an absolute privilege!
In July 2005, two young Aussies Chris Bray and Clark Carter plunged inside the Arctic Circle to travel unsupported across Victoria Island, the world's ninth largest and largely unexplored island. After 58 days of hauling, paddling and dragging 250kgs of gear behind them in their home-made aluminium kayaks with fold-down wheels, they were only 1/3 the way across! It was such an incredible adventure though - including wolves, polar bears, artefacts, blizzards and unseen landscapes - that they vowed to return. After two years of prep, The iiNet 1000 Hour Day Expedition set of in 2008, and finished what they started.
