My Sponsors

List of companies who are supporting me:

GU Energy	QuikPod	Solio Chargers	SteriPEN

GU Energy:My team and I made it to the summit of Kilimanjaro on Sept 12th. And no kidding, GU brew was all the way with me. Each of us had to consume nearly 4-5 liters of water to stay hydrated at such high altitudes and every liter of water had one GU brew tablet in it. I seriously think that without these tablets I would not have made it to the summit. Thanks GU Energy Labs for sponsoring me. I owe you one.   ;-)

QuikPod:Featured on Jay Leno. I think this is an amazing product. Much more practical, but I have to test it before I can endorse it. Wayne (the inventor of this product) is sending me a range of QuikPod products as samples. Will let you know how each work and then will make appropriate recommendations. Hopefully QuikPod will play a major role in documenting our adventures now and into the future. We will be posting a lot of pictures and videos taken using this handy dandy gadget.  ;-)

Update: I am back from Kilimanjaro now and here is what I think of the QuikPod-Explorer - This is an absolutely awesome gadget and a MUST have for any serious hiker. I had attached this to the front straps of my back pack so it was right there whenever I needed to use it. I seriously cannot imagine how I would have taken these videos that have now created some unforgettable memories not just for me but for my team members too. Most of my videos were taken using the quickpod.

Some Pros: Perfect size. Not too large but not too small either. Very light weight but that does not compromise the sturdiness and strength. Very easily extensible, can attach the camera to it very easily and very easy to 'aim' it at yourself. In less than a few attempts you will get the hang of it. The hook that comes along with it is very useful to attach it to your belt, back pack or any other thing (pant belt loop). Handle gives a good grip to keep the camera steady and avoid it rotating around the pod. The rubber washer under the screw keeps the camera firm on the pod.

Cons: You become the envy of others. Warning-you will get addicted to using this gadget because it is so convenient for you to take a video with you in it. 

Summary: Absolutely awesome product. Must have for every hiker. I was trying to chose which video to show here but there are so many videos that I took using this gadget it is difficult for me to chose one. If you want to see all my videos click here. Here are a few if you do not want to see the full collection - 

• Before we started the really difficult part.
• Me talking about QuikPod
• Another one.... me just walking and talking
• We were lucky to have the same guide that was on the team that took Jessica Biel.
• Fourth day traversing through different zones.
• Team splits at 15,000 feet
• And this shows you how tired I really was....and I could not have captured this video if I did not have my QuikPod

Solio Chargers:
To document our adventure, I had with me my Panasonic camera with a few batteries and my iPhone. There were some location (GPS enabled) apps that I was using to track my progress to the summit of Kilimanjaro. The full trip was over 10 days and I wanted to make sure that I have enough "juice" to power my camera and my iPhone. So, I had taken two Solio Classic chargers with me. These chargers were life savers. Each camera battery lasted for about 300 pics and I was taking about that many each day. If I did not have the Solio chargers I would not have been able to take pictures after day 3 and would not have been able to plot our position using my GPS apps. I would absolutely recommend these chargers to anyone who is going to be without power for over a day. The capacity of these chargers is much much better than any other charger currently available. Not kidding you, but on one charge of Solio, I could fully charge two camera batteries and my iPhone from 65% to 95%. Show me a charger that can beat that.
Having said that, I believe Solio has come out with a new model - The Bolt which claims to charge itself faster and also charges devices faster. It is also said to have just one standard (USB) connection instead of the previous models that had various adapters. I have not yet tested it but I plan to use it on my next expedition - Sand Hiking in the Thar desert. I am sure there will be plenty of sun for this adventure ;-)
Here are some pics of me with my Solio. Enjoy !!!
Solio getting ready for the day
Solio on a dusty trail
Solio on a cloudy day
Solio at rest
Finally.... Solio on the Summit of Kilimanjaro
Solio at the end of a long day


Here is a link to the Solio site.

SteriPEN:
I have not yet tested this product but from their web site it does look pretty handy. They have promised to sponsor my next expedition to the Himalayas in Sept/Oct of 2012. I will update this section when I get a few of their products and we actually test them out.