Andrea Kammerman
Words and photos by Andrea Kammerman
Nearly six years ago when Mike and I returned from our first journey, three years in a Land Rover Defender through North, Central and South America, we felt like we wanted more, more traveling time, more seeing the world and most of all, more challenges. Mike sought out the four most extreme places in the world, the hottest place (+70.7 C), the coldest inhabited place (-71.2 C), the highest motorable pass (5770m) and the lowest point of dry land (-482m). All those four extremes are located on the Asian continent and the idea of connecting them in one route was born.
Our next project became like a second job over the next five years, with countless hours spent researching and planning. We got in touch with several companies in the adventure and expedition sector, which were interested in sponsoring us with their products to have them tested under real circumstances in extreme conditions.
Mike got his truck drivers license and I the motorcycle license. We also had numerous meetings with the Swiss Red Cross because the project grew to be more than we had imagined. If it was getting this much attention, it would be a shame to not use it to benefit a charity. First we wanted to transport goods for the Red Cross, but they advised us on how complicated that can be when not traveling in a Red Cross convoy, so we settled to collecting donations at several events before leaving on our adventure.
In 2015 we bought a Mercedes Axor 1829 4x4 from the German military and imported it to Switzerland. It turned out to be incredibly difficult to equip a vehicle for all the extreme conditions. Usually a vehicle is built for extreme heat or cold conditions. But in this case it had to fulfill all the criteria. We will be encountering temperatures from +70 to -70C on our journey. It was hard deciding which changes we should make, because most components can be good for the extreme heat but would fail in the extreme cold. For example we would have liked an extra transmission cooler but as it can’t be switched off when we are in Siberia, it could prevent the transmission oil from reaching an acceptable working temperature. We decided to prepare more for the extreme cold than for the heat, or the highest or lowest elevation. If we have problems in the heat, we can turn off the engine and in the worst-case scenario, we could drive at night when it’s cooler. In Siberia, when temperatures drop to their lows, the engine will be running 24/7. If we have a problem causing us to turn off the engine, we will have a time window of less than one hour before the engine freezes up.
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To prepare for these conditions, the first step was to move the starter batteries into to drivers cabin, to keep them in a warm environment. We decided to get an Arctic Fox tank heating system to improve the circulation of the coolant, and also got a special coolant, Evans Coolants, which is not based on water so it can’t expand and the freezing point is much lower.
After a lot of research Mike had the idea to pack all the important components in one storage box. Such as the diesel filter (heated Separ Filter), the switch for the two tanks, STIS controller (a tire inflation system of ti.systems) and the electronic switch, which regulates power between our living unit and truck. Packing these components in one box has three advantages, one it keeps them clean from dust and mud, it keeps them somewhat warm in the winter and finally, the box is lockable so no one can fiddle with those vital parts of the truck.
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The drivers cabin was additionally isolated with two Dynamat products, the Dynaliner Extreme and Dynamat, one for sound and the other for temperature isolation. We can carry up to 800liters of diesel in two tanks from Zanutto Hydraulics and two complete spare wheels, because the rims of the front axle are mounted differently compared to the back. We also carry four snow chains, König Polar Pro, in truck size, and each of them weighs 30kgs.
The criteria for the living area were no less complicated. We didn’t want a super long vehicle, but we need to carry a lot of gear, and would also like to live comfortably in our unit, after all we will be spending a few months in deep winter.
We got in touch with many manufacturers of expedition units and visited some to check out their products. In the end we decided to buy a 15-foot box from Bliss Mobil based in the Netherlands. The deciding arguments were that this company builds different size units in series. This was very important to us because their product is tested and if any component didn’t hold up to their expectations, it was changed. We actually bought a used unit, so we could even be more certain that it would perform beautifully.
Andrea Kammerman
The units are designed to operate independently of any vehicle. On our 15-foot box we have four solar panels, which feed directly to two battery packs and, when fully loaded, give us 800Ah. We can also load the unit from the truck when the engine is running, so there is always a way to get power. We cook on an induction stove, because we always have (free!) electricity available, so why should we carry gas? The fresh water, black and grey water tanks are built-in on the inside of the unit. The advantage is that none of them can freeze up in the extreme cold.
Toilets are always a big issue. There are so many different systems for RVs, but for us it was important to not have to use any chemicals, because we probably wouldn’t be able to purchase any in the countries we are visiting, and because they’re not good for the environment. Bliss Mobil builds dry toilets, so that was another plus for us. The biggest argument that speaks for this company though, is the steel frame around the box. It has taken so many hits from branches already and we are only a fifth of the way of our journey. It has container locks on each corner, which we have already used once to save our vehicle from tipping over. There are three heating systems in the unit - electrical floor heating, an air conditioner (which can also be used to heat), and a diesel heating system. And last but not least, optically it’s very appealing and also comfortable in every day use.
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Before leaving on our adventure, we sold everything we had, moved the things we needed into our unit two months before we had planned to leave. This was great because it gave us time to change things and arrange ourselves inside our new, small home. It was a drastic change, reducing our belongings to fit in 10 square metres of living space including Mike and I, as well as our Belgian Shepard ‘Lady’. But we got used to it very quickly. A small home like this might limit you in material ways but it gives you so many options too. We can park our home wherever we want (as long as it’s allowed of course) and be autonomous for around two weeks if we need to, which gives us a lot of freedom.
We left Switzerland in May 2018 and already been to the hottest place on earth, where we measured a ground temperature of 82.9°C and our expedition RV has performed beautifully. As I write this, we’re in Armenia, and in about four months we will be in Siberia to challenge the next extreme.
Facebook: @4xtremes
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Mike (32) and Andrea (30) are from Zurich, Switzerland. He worked in sales and she is a freelance photographer, but both quit their jobs to take 11 months off and realize their 4-xtremes project. They are driven by their passion for overland adventure travel. Andrea exclaims, “The freedom of being able to go where ever we like, often far away from the big tourist attractions, has often resulted in discovering very authentic and special places.”
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