Borge Ousland, the greatest polar traveler of the last 30 years, has shared his equipment list with ExplorersWeb. This week, we’ll present his Clothing, Key Gear, Repair Kit, and Medical Kit for polar expeditions. This list, in particular, is what he used for his 2025 vertical crossing of Ellesmere Island with Vince Colliard.
Today, we present Ousland’s elaborate medical kit. Note that some of these deal with issues Ousland or his partners have had. Before using any of them, always consult your doctor.
- Apocillin 660 mg 50 tablets. A broad-spectrum antibiotic, particularly useful for knee infections
- Flagyl 400 mg 10 tablets. An antibiotic used to treat bacterial and parasitic infections. It’s also useful to keep appendix and tooth issues in check.
- Azitromax 500 mg 6 tablets. An antibiotic used to treat various bacterial infections, especially respiratory ones like pneumonia and bronchitis.
- Doxylin 100 mg 18 tablets. Another broad-spectrum antibiotic, good for skin infections
- Paralgin Forte 50 tablets. An analgesic to relieve moderate to severe pain.
- Paracetamol 50 tablets. An over-the-counter analgesic to relieve mild to moderate pain.
- Ibux 40gm 40 tablets. Relieves headaches, rheumatic, and muscular pain.
- Acetylsalicylic acid 1 per day. Aspirin.
- 3 single doses of morphine 10mg. For serious pain.
- Voltaren 50mg 48 tablets. An anti-inflammatory.
- Zyrtec 20 tablets. An antihistamine for allergy relief. “Sometimes, the body starts to react to the food you’re eating,” says Ousland.
- Imodium 24 tablets. Relieves diarrhea.
- Cavit 1 tube. A temporary tooth filling. Ousland has used this more than once on his partners. Due to extreme expansion and contraction from cold foods/warm mouth, loss of fillings has been an issue for polar explorers since Amundsen’s day.
- Anesthetic eye drops with cortisone.
- Chlorafenicol eye ointment. Used to treat acute bacterial conjunctivitis (pink eye).
- Foam rubber against chafing, one patch.
- Sport tape 2 rolls. To prevent blisters and for general use.
- Sunscreen
- Knee brace
- Disposable catheter. Seems an odd choice, but some may remember how at the end of his expedition around Ellesmere Island, Jon Turk had such a swollen prostate that he could not pee. Luckily, the nursing station in Grise Fiord stabilized him until he was medivaced out.
- Large compresses, 2
- Bacymycin powder. To prevent and treat minor skin infections caused by cuts, scrapes, or burns. Dries out mild wounds.
- Silulen. A brand of zinc ointment available in the Norwegian market, often in 100ml tubes. It is used with sore, cracked, or dry skin.
- Vaseline
- Fucidin ointment. A topical antibiotic. Stops bacterial growth.
- Needle, thread, scalpel, extra scalpel blade
- Adhesive strips
- Tweezers
- Scissors
- Q-tips
- Small sterile compresses, 3
- Large sterile compresses, 5
- Cleansing wipes, 6 (chlorhexidine).
- Gauze with bandage tails
- Single bandage compress
- Surgical tape
