Kaisa Mäkäräinen trusts her merino wool - also in Greenland

Biathlon legend Kaisa Mäkäräinen adventured in the breathtaking scenery of Greenland in the Arctic expedition series with other celebrities. Under variable conditions, North Outdoor's merino wool clothing showed their ability to function and kept Mäkäräinen dry and warm - and the suitcase light.

Kaisa Mäkäräinen had a spacer of North Outdoor's Intense Pro in Greenland. 

The sun is reeling and skyscrapers' high icebergs melt in the eyes. Sweat drops flow with temples as the expedition of Finnish celebrities is in the snow of the polar bears in the snow. The TV screen transmits both a beautiful and creepy atmosphere.

The purpose of the Arctic expedition series is to show how serious climate change really is. And that's why Kaisa Mäkäräinen and other media persons were invited to go to Greenland to explain to home views what they made during the trip about the effects of climate change.

“Nature in Greenland was wonderful but disappearing. The melting of the glaciers saw and heard. There were all the shoes in the crowd, because it was only one night in frost. I would never have thought that only a thin merino layer would be enough, ”Mäkäräinen recalls the conditions of the trip in May 2022.

The weather conditions were variable and surprisingly warm during the trip. Sunglasses, sunscreen and breathable merino clothing were important protective equipment.

Fragile Greenland melts at record speed

On the largest island of the North Pole, the effects of climate change are more rapidly visible than other areas. According to the TV show, about 280 billion tonnes of ice melts each year. Melting the ice cover in the summer is natural, but according to recent studies, the glacier melts 100 times faster than is evaluated. It can mean rising sea level by more than six meters.

Mäkäräinen, who talks in an earthy and calm way, does not consider himself an climate activist, but admits that Greenland's experiences left him a mark.

“After the trip, there has been more closely monitored weather. I am not very pathos in climate matters, but the trip was strengthened that the small acts of every human being mattered. This means, for example, recycling and thinking about material choices ”.

The expedition filled its drinking stores directly from melted glaciers.

Mixed worker

In his sports career, Kaisa Mäkäräinen, 40, who won the World Biathlon World Championship gold, ended in a successful career in March 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic began to spread around the world. However, Mäkäräinen has not forgotten skiing after his career, as he works as a ski coach and biathlon as a TV commentator.

During this interview, Mäkäräinen shed his hometown with Joensuu Hang. The condition is still iron, as the phone does not have any breathlessness.  

“In a sports career, life was always planned for a year, so now I have enjoyed being able to do new and different things. I definitely work with sneakers and boots on my foot rather than computer. ”

Gun on shoulder as a toilet

Mäkäräinen's racing and sports drive was not a reason to join the Arctic expedition program on Discovery Plus and TV5 channels. The expedition was constantly in motion, but instead of physical performance, the purpose of the trip was to observe fragile nature and discuss climate change. 

“I am often asked for different programs, and this time I was interested in the program's perspective. It was important that it was not a crooked competition, but an adventure that would never be made in my own life. Hiking and camping in stunning landscapes was a memorable experience, ”says Mäkäräinen.

Although the expedition did not physically have to be physically extreme, the journey to the ends of the world was particularly demanding mental sustainability. Food and protection were available, but otherwise the expedition was at the mercy of nature and weather conditions.

Dangerous polar bears caused extra palpitations for both TV viewers and competitors. The camp was surrounded by polar bear and sometimes the expedition did shooting exercises in the case of a polar bear attack. You could not go to the toilet alone, but you had to come with a toilet guard. Although Mäkäräinen does not do hunting, he received the honor of his biathlon as a toilet guard on the shoulder.

"I don't reveal that we had to shoot polar bears," Mäkäräinen smiles.

Sometimes Kaisa Mäkäräinen relaxed in the tent by weaving a mittens.

To many adaptive merino wool

Because the weather conditions in Greenland were varied and humid, Mäkäräinen considered it a good solution to pack North Outdoor merino wool vesseland, and intermediate layers. In addition to the layers, Mäkäräinen was with North Outdoor sea ​​-knitwear, three beanies and two t-shirts.

“The tour organizers recommended that Merino come along. And many had a merino collection of North Outdoor. When the clothes made it dry in the evening, they were dry and odorless in the morning. It was great to see how small the equipment could survive. ”

Mäkäräinen also favors North Outdoor's versatile and timeless merino clothing in his spare time. The most important thing for him when dressing up is that the garment is practical both to look and feel good. 

“North Outdoor combines domesticity, versatility and endurance. Because of the merino wool, you do not have to wash your clothes to save water and nature. Clothes go into a small space and do not wrinkle, which is important especially when traveling ”.

In addition to ski rods, knit needles and merino wool yarn remain in the hands of Mäkäräinen. Even in Greenland, he sometimes entertained himself in a tent by knitting a mittens.  

"I also prefer merino wool because it does not itch," Mäkäräinen continues to incense merino wool.