Gear Hack for women: Polar Gear Revisited for Female FriendlyField Operations

The Polar Regions have been a male preserve from the earliest exploratory journeys, with little or no possibility for women to participate either in exploration or research until quite recent times.

“Antarctica is often associated with images of masculine figures battling against the blizzard. The pervasiveness of heroic white masculine leadership and exploration in Antarctica and, more broadly, in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM) research cultures, has meant women have had lesser access to Antarctic research and fieldwork opportunities, with a marked increase since the 1980s. “

(Meredith Nash et al, PLoS One Published online 2019 . doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209983)

The hazardous environmental conditions and the proximity with predominantly male colleagues meant that women were initially only accepted on expeditions as spouses or possibly as support at headquarters.

“The situation is very different today, with many women taking on the challenge of research in the Arctic or Antarctic regions. However, many things have not changed and the expeditions remain largely male dominated. The presence and impact of female Antarctic researchers has increased rapidly. In the 1950s most countries did not allow women to work in Antarctica and there were few female Antarctic scientists.”

SCAR Website

While the number of women researchers in the Polar Regions has increased, women remain subject to the pervading culture. The equipment, and clothing available for the extreme conditions remains largely skewed towards male needs and capabilities. Interviews with female researchers has demonstrated that there exists a need to review the equipment used in the field to avoid difficult situations arising from the handling of biological and physiological needs.

The Gorgoneion Project was set up to address the issues raised by the women polar researchers who felt that their performance in the field and their safety was being compromised by clothing related issues. The lack of adapted clothing also prejudiced scientific performance, and createdgeneral unease.

Most of the women who were interviewed for the Gorgoneion Project reported very similar issues, namely:
Lack of adequate insulation in areas specific to the female anatomy.
Lack of dexterity due to wrongly proportioned protective gear, (e.g. gloves or boots).
Issues related to bodily functions and difficulties encountered in obtaining relief in the field.
Weight of clothing not adapted to the physical capabilities of women.
Difficulty to manage temperature control due to integrated layers which prohibit shedding.
Risks to blood circulation due to improper protection of extremities.

The cost of specialized polar gear can easily rise to 20 KEuros per person.

Consequently, it would be very useful to develop a new range of clothing aimed at women researchers. Solutions would
integrate the following:
Know-how from designers who specialize in women’s wear.
Use a sustainable approach employing natural fibres.
Learning from indigenous practices from the Arctic and Patagonia in the handling of cold weather.
Innovating to address the biological needs of women, in particular with regard to bodily functions and period handling.
Combining innovatory methods to provide targeted heat.