Expedition Lapland: One man's wildest adventure begins

Who is Tom Young?

For starters, he's the kind of guy who'll happily get up close to a bear, or swim with sharks - which should set him up quite nicely for his next big adventure...

A filmmaker and conservationist from humble Bedfordshire, UK, Tom is about to take on challenge of exploring 1,000 miles of untamed wilderness on foot across Norway, Finland and Sweden. He'll be carrying minimal equipment and a DD hammock and tarp to see him through the lengthening nights.

Fascinated by "re-wilding" as a concept - not just in an environmental sense, but in the minds of people too - Tom feels this challenge will be an opportunity to inspire people to reconnect with, protect and appreciate the natural world they live in.  

He hasn't gone into this lightly, and nor should he: Tom has trained his mind and body for this expedition by completing a series of multiday treks across Britain, using the same gear he's about to take to Lapland. Only this time, instead of the odd fox or rabbit, we expect the wildlife to be considerably larger: We're thinking bears. Probably wolves. Lynx and moose tend to be quite happy in Scandinavia, too.

"I'm really excited at the prospect of waking up in wild and beautiful landscapes, experiencing life in a unique part of the continent," Tom told us. "A lot of people have asked me if I'm worried about the bears and wolves, but my biggest concerns are keeping dry in the highly changeable dramatic weather, and the midges!"

(...Ah, the midge. Our oldest nemesis. Luckily his DD Superlight Frontline Hammock is fitted with a net fine enough to keep those tiny monsters out).

We've supplied him with a DD Superlight Tarp XL too, which should provide ample shelter in all sorts of weather and habitats. Both pieces of hammocking equipment will keep his pack weight right down, which is a huge advantage. He's got 1,000 miles to cover, after all.

Stay tuned to follow Tom's progress over the next few months. We're rooting for you, Tom - stay safe, and enjoy the freedom of the wild outdoors...

Toms' Website: https://www.tomyoungwildlife.com

Tom's Instagram: @tom_willy_young