Outside Probes False South Pole Ski Record Claims

Last January the world of outdoor adventure and exploration was shocked to learn that a little-known German Antarctic skier had set a new record for covering the distance from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole. The old record had been set back in 2011 by a Norwegian explorer by the name of Christian Eide. He managed to cover the 1175 km (730 mile) route in a blazingly fast 24 days, 1 hour, and 13 minutes. But a man by the name of Martin Szwed seemingly came out of nowhere to claim that he had shattered that record by nearly 10 days, skiing to the South Pole in just 14 days, 18 hours, and 43 minutes. It was heralded as a triumph at the time, with Szwed's sponsors and social media trumpeting his accomplishment.

But then, something funny happened on the way to the South Pole. It all started to fall apart as holes appeared in Szwed's stories of where he was at certain times, and how he managed to get there. His photographic evidence of reaching 90ºS appeared to be photoshopped, and his claims of previously summiting Mt. Vinson were also proven false. Just as quickly as he had shot to the top, Szwed came tumbling back down.

Now, Outside magazine is taking a look at the controversial story, with none other than Eric Larsen writing a piece about the whole affair. Larsen probes into Szwed's claims using flight manifestos from Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions, the company that supports most expeditions to the frozen continent, to further discredit his story. Eric, who is an accomplished polar explorer himself, even talks to other members of the close-knit community to get their take on the situation, with most saying they knew it was a false story from the beginning.


The article is an extensive one, with lots of details on how the situation unfolded, the reaction from the media, and Szwed's own denials. Within a few days the disgraced explorer's sponsors started to backtrack, and in-depth examinations of his claims started to punch holes in the story. There was even a public exchange between Szwed and Eide.

When writing the piece for Outside, Larsen when directly to the source, contacting Szwed himself. The German says that he has GPS tracking information that will serve as proof of his claims, but if he releases it he could face jail time and a substantial fine in his home country. The one-time mountain guide is under investigation for claims of fraud and possibly visiting Antarctica without proper authorization.

The whole story is a sordid one, but well worth a read. For my part, I wrote about the controversy last year and at the time thought that the story was suspicious from the start. For one thing, as someone who follows the Antarctic ski season closely, Szwed hadn't even shown up on my radar in the reports I was writing. That isn't necessarily proof that his claims are false of course, but it is a bit unusual to not know about a speed-record attempt of this kind.

The sad thing is, that Szwed's story isn't the only one like this. There have been others who have also falsified reports and records. This probably won't be the last time it happens either.

Outside Gives Us the 5 Best Pieces of Gear From Interbike

A few weeks back, some of the top brands in the cycling industry descended on Las Vegas for the annual Interbike International Expo conference. Each year, that convention lays out the latest trends in the cycling industry and gives us a sneak preview of the best new products that are coming in the months ahead. And while reports indicate that attendance was a bit down this year, there were still some interesting things to show of. In fact, Outside magazine has collected their five favorite items that they saw at Interbike, and has posted them online for eager cyclists to discover.

The list includes a $20 bell from Kong, a sweet bike from Rawland Cycles, a new hitch-rack from RockyMounts, a light from Fabric, and a bike helmet with bone-conducting technology that allows you to safely listen to your tunes on a ride. Each of the products on the list is distinct and different, but each brings some good innovation to the table as well.

While not quite as exciting as Outside's list of favorite gear from Outdoor Retailer back in August, cyclists will no doubt appreciate these items nonetheless. After all, technology is making our rides safer and more enjoyable than ever before, and this is just a small sampling of what is to come in the weeks ahead. Plus, each of these five products was impressive enough to catch the attention of Outside editors, which should tell you that they are all very impressive in some way.

Fall may be in the air, but it isn't time to hang up your bike just yet.

The 40 Most Iconic Places on the Planet According to Outside

In 2017, Outside magazine celebrates its 40th anniversary, and to celebrate it has put together a series of lists that will look back on its history and forward to a changing environment and culture around us. The first of those lists has now gone online, and as you would expect, it is definitely an interest one. To get things started, the editors at Outside have put together their picks for the Most Iconic Places on the Planet.

To earn a spot on the list these places must be "significant, beautiful, and terrifying destinations that loom large in our imaginations." Once you get a look at the list, I'm sure you'll agree that the places that made the cut fit that description. For instance, the mountain bikers will appreciate the inclusion of the Slick Rock Trail in Moab, Utah, while surfers will find that Maverick's has made the list as well. These two spots wouldn't make the average person's list most likely, as many would not have even heard of them. But for the Outside crowd, the certainly loom large.

Other destinations that have captured the hearts and minds of outdoor enthusiasts, would-be adventurers, and explorers include Chris McCandless' bus in Alaska, Heartbreak Hill from the Boston Marathon, and Camp 4 in Yosemite Valley, which holds a special place for multiple generations of climbers.

I won't spoil the entire list. In fact, the ones that I've mentioned are some of the first that you'll find as you begin to scroll through the webpage. But needless to say, this is a great read that will bring back fond memories, inspire future adventures, and leave you plotting an escape to visit these destinations for yourself. This is a list that lives up to its name, and it is as diverse and varied as you can imagine.

Grab yourself a beverage and a snack, get comfortable in your chair, and sit back and savor this one. It is well worth a read. I've been lucky enough to visit a few of these spots, but I have my work cut out for me to see them all. Check out the full list here, and then start thinking about what Outside has planned for its next list as well.

More Gear From Winter Outdoor Retailer

Yesterday I posted a gear preview from the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, giving us a glimpse of new products that we'll all be wanting to add to our equipment sheds come next fall. Today, we have even more interesting gear to lust after, as manufacturers continue to unveil what they'll be offering in the months ahead.

First up, we have Outside magazine's picks for the best gear of the show, giving us their selection of five items that really stood out from the crowd. An innovative new jacket from the North Face earned a spot on Outside's list, as did an avalanche airbag from Black Diamond. A new fitness tracker from JayBird also gets a nod, as does the new energy-generating cook stove from BioLite. Scarpa's new ski boot rounds out the winners.

Our friends at Trailspace have posted a nice round-up of their second day at the show, giving us a first look at new ski packs from Osprey, Deuter and Gregory. They also share thoughts on new shoes from La Sportiva and various other great outdoor gear.

The OR gear show will go on for another couple of days, with plenty more to be revealed. Watch for a couple more "best of show" reports to come, with some thoughts on all the outstanding new products in our future.

Video: The Amazing Story of Alex Lowe and Conrad Anker

The discovery of the remains of Alex Lowe and David Bridges on Shishapangma has made headlines across the mountaineering community and beyond. That revelation has brought to the forefront Alex's friendship with Conrad Anker, and they way the loss of his friend changed Anker's life forever. This video from Outside TV provides the background on that story which remains extraordinarily touching even for those of us who already know it.

What the Hell is Wingboarding and Will it Be the Next Big Thing in Extreme Sports?

Outside Online has published a story about an emerging new activity called wing boarding that is in the early stages of development. Inspired by the old Disney television show Tailspin from back in the early 90's, wing boarding is the brainchild of aerospace engineer Aaron Wypyszynski, who has designed a flying wing that is pulled behind an airplane with a person standing on it. In simpler terms, it is wake boarding in the air.

Over the past couple of years, Wypysznski has been developing prototypes of what he calls the WingBoard. In its current state, this flying platform spans 12-feet and weighs approximately 70 pounds. It has bindings attached to it much like a snowboard, and allows a full grown man to be towed through the air behind an airplane, doing all kinds of stunts in the process.

Outside says to date, the engineer has spent more than $25,000 on this project, which he hopes one day will be used at airshows with extreme athletes carving up the sky behind stunt planes. In a sense, it would be surfing through the sky, with safety features such as breakaway bindings and parachutes on both the pilot and the board, to ensure that no one gets injured in the process.

So far, only scale models of the WingBoard have been flown, with the most recent test involving a prototype that is 40% of the actual size of the end product. A similarly scaled model of a human was attached to that prototype, with the test running coming off without a hitch – including a full barrel roll. If further testing goes as planned, Wypysznski could begin producing and selling WingBoards as early as next year.

So? What do you think? Would you ride this thing? Check out the video below for a look at one of the models in action.

Grand Canyon Paddling Speed Record Broken Twice in Three Days

The speed record for paddling the length of the Grand Canyon was first set back in 1983, when three river guides rowed a wooden dory down the 277.1 mile (446 km) stretch of the Colorado River in 36 hours and 38 minutes. For more than three decades that mark stood as the time to beat, although very few people actually attempted to break it. But this past weekend, that record was broken not once, but twice, by two independent teams who didn't even realize that they were both hoping to achieve the same goal.

Outside magazine has a great piece on their website explaining the entire story, and it is an interesting one. Essentially, no one really cared about this speed record until author Kevin Fedarko wrote a book called The Emerald Mile back in 2013 detailing the 1983 record row. That sparked a renewed interest in trying to beat the old record within the paddling community, with kayakers Ben Orkin and Harrison Rea trying to set a new record last January. They failed in that attempt, coming up an hour and ten minutes short.

But last week a new team of paddlers hit the water with the hope of chasing the record. Ben Luck, Ryan Casey, and Matt and Nate Klema set off on January 20, with Matt actually reaching the finish line in 35 hours and 5 minutes, shaving an hour and a half off the previous record. Of course the foursome were ecstatic over their success, but they soon began to hear rumblings of another kayaker who was about to attempt the record himself.


Ben Orkin, who had missed setting the record last year, was back out on the river on a solo mission this time. He had no idea that the other team was even trying to set the record, let alone that they had already accomplished that goal. He was preparing to put-in the Colorado on Saturday morning when he received an email from Ben Luck informing him of the new time to beat. Knowing that he'd now have to go even faster than he had previously thought, Orkin moved forward with his plans.

The paddle wasn't an easy one. Orkin grew exhausted after paddling for hours on end completely on his own. He also flipped his kayak in some of the rough rapids, costing himself precious time. But in the end, he was able to best Matt's new record, covering the distance between Lee’s Ferry to the Grand Wash Cliffs in 34 hours and 2 minutes, 57 minutes faster than the two-day old record.

You can read a lot more about this story on Outside Online, where more details of these record-setting paddles are shared. The interesting thing to watch now will be how many more people will attempt to kayak the Grand Canyon, and just how low this time can truly go.