The best vacation on the planet will require an extra pair of mittens.
Last week, the Washington Post reported on a new luxury experience that caters to the most adventurous—and wealthiest—of travelers. The idea, developed by Janne Honkanen, founder and chief executive of Luxury Action, puts you right in the middle of the North Pole. The glass-domed, luxury igloos are ideal for viewing the Northern Lights, the untouched landscape and the wildlife. And all for just $100,000 per person.
There's just one catch: It's, like, really cold.
According to climatekids.nasa.gov, the average temperature at the North Pole during the winter months hovers around -40°F. Granted, when the tours are offered during the month of April, temperatures have warmed some, but not much.
Even Ted Scambos, a senior research scientist with the Earth Science and Observation Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder, admits the climate is less than ideal for traveling. He told the Washington Post, simply "it's not for the fainthearted."
Maybe, though, Continental can help.
In a news release issued in May, the Hanover-based company touted its elastomer-coated fabrics, designed to protect the wearer in the most extreme conditions. According to the company, the fabrics provide protection for temperatures as low as -320.8°F for short periods of time.
The materials also are water-tight, can be used in suits that offer protection in cold conditions, even after 170 hours of diving.
Designed for those working in the harshest of hot and cold conditions, Continental's protective clothing meets the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association. They're also made using "Next Generation" fabrics—those that the company said have become "a reliable aid for firefighters as well as in industrial environments such as refineries and oil rigs and in shipbuilding."
The fabrics, Continental said, are flexible with low material thickness, making them comfortable to wear. They also come in a variety of colors.
So, whether its work or leisure that has you braving the extreme elements, Continental has you covered.
Erin Pustay Beaven is the online content editor for Rubber & Plastics News. She is an appreciator of life's littlest treasures, a reader of great books and supporter of the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Indians. Erin is an advocate for libraries, arts education and PBS. Follow her on Twitter at @EBeavenCrain.