The 19-year-old will depart from the UK on December 3 and has 22 days to travel on skis, towing an 82kg sled, from the Ross Ice Shelf on the Antarctic coast to the South Pole.
The climate campaigner will need to average approximately 30kms (18 miles) a day to set two world records to become the fastest and youngest person to make the journey, battling temperatures between -30oC and -60oC.
It is the first time Amcor, which is sponsoring the event, has provided custom designed packaging for an explorer.
Re-sealable, tough packaging
Duratear technology is typically used for medical kits. It is super tough to endure the extreme Antarctic conditions, won’t puncture or split on high impact and will stay flexible in sub-zero temperatures.
It also includes a clip that attaches to the bag as a re-sealable opener. This means Liautaud can easily open and close the bag while wearing four pairs of gloves, minimizing skin exposure and reducing his risk of frostbite.
“We are proud to support Parker on an expedition that will help us better understand the impact of climate change,” said Zed Ivankovic, corporate communications manager, Amcor.
“On an average day, he will be on the move for around 12 hours, stopping every 1.5 hours for very short six to eight minute breaks.
“Amcor bags will be used to store the food that Parker needs to eat at these scheduled times, which includes high-calorie and high-fat items like chocolate, beef jerky, and nuts.
“This ensures Parker takes in the 6,000 calories he needs daily to survive, while expending about 10,000 calories per day.
“Parker’s meals will consist of high-calorie, custom-made, freeze-dried meals for dinner, and usually oatmeal with dried fruit for breakfast.”
During the expedition, the teenager will carry out research to collect snow samples to test the isotopic composition of the Antarctic snow at various depths and test a lightweight weather station for the first time in Antarctica, which will relay meteorological data every 30 minutes.
Food packaging
Liautaud is no stranger to adventure, in 2009, aged 14, he visited Antarctica with the explorer Robert Swan. In 2010, he made a failed attempt to become the youngest-ever person to reach the North Pole and in 2011, he went back for a second shot and triumphed in his quest.
“The food packaging is one of the most important elements of a safe and successful expedition,” he said.
“On previous expeditions, we’ve used plastic bags which are basically designed for school lunch boxes. Trekking through extreme wind and cold, while constantly hungry, it’s truly a depressing moment to watch your food bag split open and cashews spill everywhere.”
Amcor Sustainability Report
Duratear was developed by Amcor using metallocene resins and a blown film process to create a tough and flexible product in 2006. It is used to package surgical kits and equipment from eye kits to cardiac surgery packs.
The company plans to release its 2013 Sustainability Report on October 24 and will launch a number of packaging products before the end of the year.