Tarka L’Herpiniere and Katie-Jane Cooper are walking the entire length of the Great Wall of China in a first-ever, unsupported, winter trek from northwest China to the North Korean border. Their journey is in support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK.

As title sponsor of this ambitious and demanding expedition, Aspen Aerogels has outfitted Tarka and Katie-Jane with:

ToastyFeet™ footwear insoles from PolarWrap®, made with Aspen Aerogels insulation

InsulMat® sleeping pads from Pacific Outdoor Equipment, made with Aspen Aerogels insulation

Tarka and Katie-Jane will evaluate these products as they traverse some of the most difficult terrain in the world, from the towering, snow-capped mountains of the Jiayuguan Pass to the vast frozen plateaus of the Gobi desert.

ToastyFeet insoles and InsulMat sleeping pads already have performed exceptionally well on prior expeditions, including a successful ascent of Mount Everest.

This trek across China in below-zero, windswept condtions will provide further valuable information about the advantages of aerogel insulation in extreme outdoor gear, including:

• Maximum insulation with minimum weight and thickness
• Waterproof, thin, and compression-resistant.
• No loss of performance under load: retains over 85% of its unloaded insulation performance
• Virtually no loft required
• Durable in normal wash/dry cycle
• Improved fashion and design options with thinner profile