Berghaus Adapts: The Story So Far

Writer and expert1 month ago

There are 16 million people living with a disability in the UK. For many of them, their kit is a barrier, not a bridge, to nature. At Berghaus, we’re committed to changing that. Making the outdoors more accessible for everyone and every body, just as it should be.

Our Berghaus Adapts story starts with our partnership with athletes Mick Fowler and Ed Jackson, along with Ed’s charity Millimetres 2 Mountains. A former rugby union player, Ed suffered a major spinal cord injury in 2017 after diving into a swimming pool, leaving him unable to move his arms and legs.

Ed managed to regain some movement and within a year, he had his sights set on climbing Snowdon. That’s when he first got in touch with Berghaus about creating bespoke, adapted gear to support his next expedition. The rest – as they say – is history.Take a look at our journey so far, from supporting Ed’s adventures to providing adapted kit for Take a look at our journey so far, from creating adapted kit for Mick’s colostomy bag to making gear for Ed and the Millimetres 2 Mountains beneficiaries. Today, we’re also excited to open up Berghaus Adapts to the wider public, starting small, but with big plans for the future.

2019

Berghaus athletes Ed Jackson and Mick Fowler head to the Himalayas, equipped with our adapted gear. Their goal? To reach the summit of Mera Peak.

Ed said, “It was the hardest but most rewarding thing I've ever done, redefining my own personal limitations and confirming the magic of the mountains.”

2020

Back from his expedition and planning his next adventure, Ed works with our sample room team to further refine his kit.

He said, “Every adaptation has to suit each individual. The fact that Berghaus are willing to do that … it does feel like we’re at the start of something special.”

2021

Our Berghaus-adapted gear is extended to Millimetres 2 Mountains’ beneficiaries, helping us learn from a range of individuals with a range of needs.

2022

From the Himalayas to the Alps, Berghaus-adapted gear helps Ed and Millimetres 2 Mountains’ beneficiaries reach new heights. Literally.

“I never thought it would be possible to take on these sort of climbs,” Ed told us. “I know many others who face similar barriers to me would feel the same.”

2023

Ed Jackson, Darren Edwards & Niall McCann become the first all-disabled team to cross the Vatnajokull ice cap in Iceland. All three of them used Berghaus-adapted kit.

Ed said, “Vatnajokull turned out to be much more than an ice cap crossing… It was a journey that we’ll never forget.”

2024

Millimetres 2 Mountains beneficiary and designer Alice Sainsbury joins the fold to work with Berghaus to evolve Adapts for a wider audience.

Alice said, “We’re now ready to thoughtfully expand the scope of Berghaus Adapts, including even more people with diverse needs… By opening Berghaus Adapts to the public, we aim to change the narrative and break down the barriers that prevent so many people from accessing the outdoors.”