Sponsors
Equipment Sponsors
Kokatat Watersports Wear: The Around the Great Lakes Expedition is proud to have Kokatat Watersports Wear as a sponsor. Kokatat was started in 1971 by a college student named Steve O’Meara with an eye towards making innovative outdoor gear, such as the world’s first GORE-TEX® bivy sack. With Steve still at the helm, our company continues to dedicate itself to his original intent, offering the industry’s most extensive line of watersports wear and enjoying a deserved reputation for product quality and commitment to watersports.
Pacific Outdoors: We believe that GOOD GEAR = LESS WASTE, and try to drive our product development in the direction of sustainable innovation. We are a small company, with an eye on the big, blue, planet, and do everything within the code of integrity and responsibility – do no harm, and innovate relentlessly. From sleeping pads to welded bags, we outfit switched on folks participating in human powered activities with gear constructed from welded and waterproof fabrics. From Bike to Sea Kayak, Backpacking and Canoeing, we like to get outside and believe we make the best products to make those adventures more fun and exciting. We wish Bryan the best of luck on his Great Lake Adventure in 2009, and look forward to reading his stories. Cheers Mate! http://pacoutdoor.com/
Seals Sprayskirts: Seals Sprayskirts has a lot to be proud of. Not only has its diverse U.S. workforce been cranking out innovative and dependable spray decks by hand since July 1983, but the company has supplied every U.S. Olympic Kayak Team with skirts since the L.A. Games in 1984. Seals is proud to be recognized for sprayskirt innovations such as the tensioned deck stay and rim grip fabrics, but it’s also stoked to be involved in its community. Nestled in the Adirondack foothills, Seals has designed a new Green Initiative Program, confirming the company’s commitment to preserving the integrity of environment around its community. On top of that, Seals is intent on improving supports for citizens with developmental disabilities. The sprayskirt manufacturer contracts for sewing and assembly services with two local workshops that employ adults with learning disabilities. So, we’re not just talking about a company that makes an exciting line of sprayskirts. We’re talking about a company that is committed to social responsibility, and … happens to make kickin’ kayak skirts, too. http://sealsskirts.com/
Epic Kayaks: After enjoying the benefits of lightweight, well-designed racing equipment, it was a shock to us the first time we paddled with heavy, unrefined touring kayaks and paddles. We thought, “Why can’t modern technology be used to build better touring equipment?” We’ve paddled the equivalent of six times around the world with 70 years combined experience in all water conditions. Our passion for paddling and knowledge of high-performance racing technology is contained in every Epic-designed kayak and paddle. Our models are optimized for ease of handling, efficiency in the water, and to be extremely lightweight. Whether you’re a beginning recreational paddler or a highly competitive racer, our equipment will improve your paddling experience. We hope you enjoy our products as much as we do. See you on the water! Epic Kayaks
Aquapac: You know those times when you’re in the outdoors and you absolutely can’t afford your stuff to get wet? Well, that’s where we come in. We’ve been making waterproof cases for 26 years and we like to think that we know our stuff. We believe in our products, and each one has a 3-year guarantee on it! That’s more than most phones, cameras and laptops. We can do this because our worldwide returns rate is 0.01% (1 in 100,000 cases). Mission: We’re also passionate about the environment, and we make every effort to reduce our impact on the world. “But…” We hear you say,”you make plastic cases!” Good point. However, we use recyclable plastics, and our cases are designed to protect what’s in them, prolonging the life of non-recyclable electronics and lessening the landfill impact of the outdoors industry as a whole. We’ve had customers bring carefully-looked-after cases to show us 10 years after they were sold! An exception maybe, but not ‘rare’. http://www.aquapac.net/
Big Sky International: Big Sky is the designer/manufacturer of world class high performance outdoor gear that is light weight AND comfortable. Backpackinglight review, “The Convertible is the most versatile double wall tent available… There are no close comparisons to the Convertible in terms of design and weight. Big Sky tents are simply the lightest double wall tents available on the market.” http://www.bigskyinternational.com
Jetboil:It all started in 2001 with a simple but powerful idea. Frustrated with heavy vacuum bottles and clunky stoves, Jetboil founders Dwight Aspinwall and Perry Dowst set out to make outdoor cooking easier.
They discovered that the secret to a fast and friendly design lies in increasing heat transfer efficiency. Alternating between lab and mountains, a series of designs were subjected to intense experimental and field testing. The result is a series of products as reliable as they are remarkable; as usable as they are unique.
Jetboil cooking systems are manufactured in the shadow of New Hampshire’s White Mountains, home of the most extreme weather in the world. We’re proud of our work and dedicated to simplifying and personalizing mobile cooking. http://www.jetboil.com/
Sea to Summit USA:Whether you’re traveling the world with a pack on your back or even just taking a weekend camping trip with the family, your gear needs to be tough, lightweight and well-made. That’s exactly what the Sea to Summit line of outdoor and travel products are designed to be. And why Sea to Summit is Australia’s number one source for quality outdoor and travel products for last 15 years. http://www.seatosummit.com/
Adventure Medical Kits: Our playing fields are often located far from the modern amenities that we take for granted – electricity, telephones, running water, and ready access to professional medical help. Consequently, the need to be self-sufficient in the outdoors is essential, especially during an emergency when assistance from rescue teams may be hours or days away. Selecting the right outdoor safety gear — products that have been tested to withstand the elements and that are intuitively designed so that they can be used easily by the layperson — can make all the difference when it matters most.
Adventure Medical Kits is dedicated to bringing you the most innovative products which will keep you safe in the outdoors. At AMK, our love of the outdoors is matched only by our drive to create products that allow your customers to stay healthy on land, water, and air. We rely on the expertise of world authorities in wilderness medicine and survival techniques to develop and refine our products year after year.
An adventurous spirit loves to explore. We hope that Adventure Medical Kits help you enjoy those experiences and keep you coming back for more. http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com
Consumable Sponsors
Java Juice: Java Juice® is a triple concentrate that be used to make a delicious cup of coffee just by adding water to taste. It’s just that easy! Finally, a single-serving sachet of liquid coffee concentrate. 100% premium coffee extract, straight from the bean. And triple filtered water. Nothing else. No additives or preservatives. It can be used as an alternative to brewing, as a gourmet cooking ingredient, for mixed drinks and much more. http://www.javajuiceextract.com/
Enertia Trail Foods®: Enertia meals are specially designed for wilderness adventurers who want great tasting, lightweight, high-energy food. ETF meals are packaged to withstand the rigors of extended outdoor travel, conserve space, save fuel, and provide Leave No Trace efficiency. ETF base camp is located in Marietta, Ohio where Team Enertia strives to create the highest quality customer service, and best tasting meals on the trail. Get yours at www.trailfoods.com
Action Wipes: Action Wipesâ„¢ are a product of Life Elements, Inc. A company created in 2005 with the idea of developing cool, natural products for the entire family. Here is a short story about how Action Wipes evolved and how you can help us spread the word and get our wipes around the world… In June 2006, Life Elements launched our first line, the C&M Couples Bath & Body Collection. One of the Collection’s best sellers was (still is!) the Tela D’Amour®. The “Tela” is a luxurious, thick and soothing wipe that smells really good and won’t leave you smelling like you just changed a diaper! Since their launch, we’ve received comments from all over the nation about how cool the wipes are and how many other uses they have. In the summer of 2007, our friend David invited us to Burning Man. I couldn’t go, but my husband, Curt was all over it. Knowing about the extreme weather conditions of Black Rock Desert and limited water supply, I suggested they take some of the Telas. David said he would take a case to share with his camp, however, he suggested we cover the label as Burning Man is not about commercialism. So we slapped on a generic “Wet Wipes” label (with a tag line that read “get it off before you get it on!) and sent him the case. Soon, we found out other friends were going and they too wanted to take some of our wipes. The response was phenomenal! Overall, we sent close to 2,000 packs of Telas to the playa. The feedback we received was incredible. With this, we realized we had a new market and had to repackage the wipes to incorporate the great suggestions we received (like a smaller, reclosable package) so EVERYONE can enjoy them. http://www.actionwipes.com/
Technology Sponsor
6d6 Designs: Innovative website for photographers, adventures, and more.
Kolor AutoPano: Increase the possibilities. Autopano Giga is a software dedicated to the creation of panoramas, virtual tours and gigapixel images. Based on Autopano Pro software and including all its featues, Autopano Giga goes far beyond the creation of panoramas : stitch your images in 360°, export them into Flash virtual tours, link the tours together… so many possibilities to present in a new way all the photos and places you want to share. Resolution matters? Autopano Giga also enables you to stitch in a record time several hundred or thousand images to create photos of several gigapixels.
Resort Sponsors
Lutsen Resort: We are a family owned resort with a commitment to provide our guests with a level of service and quality of experience of which we can be proud.
We take seriously the charge of maintaining the traditions and style for which Lutsen Resort is famous. Lutsen is the oldest Minnesota resort with a long tradition of warm hospitality going back over 100 years.
We believe that the amenities we offer and the lodging available to our guests embodies the finest of the Minnesota resort tradition. Web: Lutsen Resort
Select Retailers
Superior Coastal Sports: Specializing in coastal kayaking tours, instruction, and sales on Lake Superior. Also offers Windrider sailing trimarans. Web: Superior Coastal Sports
Superior Surf Systems: Fitness & Performance kayaks, Surf Skis & Surf Boards, Surf kayaks, Kite, and Kid surfing systems. Web: Superior Surf Systems
Virginia Sea Kayaks Center: Instruction, kayaks and kayaking adventure in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and the surrounding Hampton Roads areas.Web: Virginia Sea Kayak Center
Acknowledgments
Ilena Berg (for the encouragement and putting up with me), Jay Morrison (for a phone conversation during the planning when the plan went from oh-my-what-am-i-doing to i-can-do-this), Eric Larsen (for encouragement and feedback during planning), Amy Voytilla and Dave Freeman (for encouragement and being adventurers), Tim Russell (for support, for a kayak, for saying that I’m a good teacher), Mike Allen (for battling the sticker project from hell), Jeff Scott (for being a friend, and driving 16 hours to take pictures of me), Todd and Susan Miller (for words of concern and flashes of philosophy)
Private Donors
James Beadle, Shawn Rutkauskas, Tim Russell, Christopher Sperry, John Stuart, Glen Smith, Eric Slough, Martin Hallkvist, David Olson, John Trettel, Tom and Mary Schweiss
