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Equipped to Walk the Great Wall of China

Robert Loken Walking the Great Wall

Stephen Robert Loken of Norway, 42, recently spent 601 days hiking the entire Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Great Wall, which spans approximately 3,728 miles (6000km). To do so, he had to overcome extreme temperatures, ranging from a scorching 109oF (43oC) to a frigid -9oF (-23oC), face poisonous scorpions, venomous snakes, ferocious dogs and trudge through desert, forest and tundra.

While many people have walked the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, Loken was the first person in the world to complete the entire route from Jiayuguan, in Gansu Province, to Dandong, in Liaoning Province. Loken claimed all others have stopped at Shanhaiguan, in Hebei Province, missing the route’s last quarter.

Walking this route had been a dream of his since age 19, after walking Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England. At a youth hostel, he spotted six pictures of the Great Wall of China with the text: “The other wall”. To him, this aspiration was worth selling his house and belongings, quitting his job as an IT-consultant, and leaving his hometown for nearly two years.

Loken spent a hefty amount of time preparing for the trip, training and gathering the proper equipment to aid him through the entire walk. During his quest for items, Loken came across the Coolibar Travel Shirt, which he wore every single day throughout his journey. He also utilized a Coolibar sun hat and pants. “What stood out to me is how long [the apparel] lasted,” said Loken. “I used the shirt every day of the entire walk, and the only damage it got was from the thorns and bushes when I crept through jungle like terrain close to Beijing and in Hebei province.”

Robert Loken walked on top of the Great Wall as sand had almost engulfed it completely
Robert Loken walked on top of the Great Wall as sand had almost engulfed it completely

Coolibar clothing also helped Loken get through the Gobi desert without suffering heat stroke. “At the warmest, it was 43oC (109oF), and that was in the shade,” said Loken. “The problem however is that there is no shade in the Gobi desert apart from the one you bring along with you. The clothes were only hand washed for the entire trip, and they dried incredibly quickly. I ordered more shirts upon returning and am looking forward to using a new Coolibar shirt after all the battering the last one got.”

Home in Oslo, Norway, Loken reflected on his achievement of not only completing this walk, but raising research funds for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Regarding the journey, Loken said, “The most important thing is not about being the first person in the world [to walk the entire Great Wall], it’s about following my dreams. It was a life’s ambition. I lived up to it.”

Read more about Robert’s journey on his blog The Great Walker.

Shop Coolibar Sun Protective Clothing.

Robert Loken's Great Wall Route
Robert Loken’s Great Wall Route
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Inside Coolibar Sun Protection Clothing What our customers say

Corrine in Her Beach Shirt

A Coolibar customer letter.

8/31/2010

Dear Coolibar:

As a very satisfied first time customer of Coolibar clothing, I wanted to show you that it was a pleasure wearing my [Savannah Wide Brim] hat and outfit [with the Beach Shirt] on a very hot day and still feeling cool!

The material is wonderful even in long sleeves!  So easy to launder and quick drying too.

The hat is great and the ties keep it from blowing away, which I did not know they were for that purpose. My niece showed how to use them!

I advise people interested to request your catalog at coolibar.com as they have clothing for men too.  What a great product!

I talk about my Coolibar outfit often.  It is even casual enough to wear at luncheons with my friends and out shopping.  I cannot praise the product enough and I thank my niece all the time for sending me such a wonderful birthday gift!

She just ordered me one in yellow for this year’s birthday, can’t wait to get it!

I can now enjoy boat rides better without a beach towel and baseball hat to cover me from the sun and wind.  They are so quick drying!! 

Corrine

Delaware, OH

Corrine in her Beach Shirt
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Inside Coolibar New Products Sun Protection Clothing What our customers say

NEW Coolibar Convertible Polo Review – We’ve got more up our “sleeve”

UPF 50+ Convertible Polos

Over the past months, Coolibar’s merchandising team has been hard at work designing new sun protection apparel, always keeping practicality, purpose and fashion in mind. One of the more exciting parts of creating new products is putting them up to the test!

One of our new developments, the Coolibar Convertible Polo, is an innovative short sleeve golf polo containing separate matching sun sleeves that fit snugly to protect arms from UV rays. This unique polo also contains ZnO SUNTET® fabric which embeds millions of tiny particles of zinc oxide (the same ingredient that is used in better sunscreens) into every fiber.

Recently, we came across the perfect opportunity to obtain some solid feedback on our new Convertible Polo.  Dr. Manju George, a board certified pediatric dermatologist who provides personalized care for children and young adults at her private office in Florida, was excited to be one of the first to try this new sun protection polo and give us her input.

1. What are your overall thoughts on the Coolibar Convertible Polo?

It looks a lot better when you wear it; more appealing on the body 

2. How many times in a wearing did you put the sleeves on and take them off?

Two or three

3. What activities did you partake in while wearing the sleeves?

Outdoor soccer and playing in the park

4. How would you rate the ease of taking the sleeves on and off (Easy, Somewhat Easy, Moderate, Somewhat Difficult, Difficult)?

Somewhat Easy

5. How well did the removable sleeves “stay put” while on your arms?

Stayed well

6. What are your overall thoughts on the ZnO SUNTECT® fabric for this garment?

I love the fabric. Very lightweight and very comfortable!

7. Did the fabric help keep you cool?

Yes!

8. Would you recommend this garment to a friend?

Yes!

9. Any additional feedback?

Love the color!! [She tried our Passion Pink Convertible Polo]

Women's Convertible Polo in Passion Pink

Coolibar welcomes comments and recommendations. If you get an opportunity to try our new Convertible Polo, please feel free to provide us with your feedback on our Blog comments section or on Facebook.

The Coolibar Convertible Polo for Men and Women is now available at Coolibar. Save $10 each when you purchase two or more!

Coolibar’s SUNTECT® brand fabrics have a guaranteed Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of 50+ for the life of the garment. Remember to avoid unprotected exposure at any time but especially between the hours of peak ultraviolet radiation (between 10:00am and 4:00pm) and seek shade. Wear sun protective clothing, including a long-sleeve shirt, a hat with a three-inch brim, and sunglasses. Be SunAWARE and be safe. 

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What our customers say

Geared Up for Coffee Farming

A few weeks ago we received a message on the Coolibar Facebook page from an enthused Coolibar customer. “I’ve done my share of shopping for your wonderful clothing this year. I wear your long sleeve blouses almost every day. I have a coffee farm in Kona, Hawaii.” This comment from Marian sparked our interested as it’s not everyday you meet a Hawaiian coffee farmer who shares the same passion for sun protection as we do! We decided to contact her and find out more about her Kona coffee farm, Hualalai Mauka, and how sun protection plays a role in her life as a farmer. 

Our farm is 4 acres in the northern end of the Kona district on the Big Island of Hawaii. We live in a little farming and artsy village of Holualoa. We only sell 100% pure Kona coffee. We have customers all over the world including Latvia, England, Australia, Poland, Sweden, France and Finland.

In addition to coffee, we grow pineapples, bananas, papayas, avocados, citrus, sugar cane, macadamia nuts and some other tropical fruit. All of our crops are labor intensive. My husband and I do most of the work ourselves. Neither my husband nor [I] had any prior experience in farming.

We live at 2000 foot elevation. We typically have sunny mornings and cloudy afternoons in this area. Most of the time there is rain for a while in the afternoon. The temperature is in the mid-70s.

We go into Kona for coffee and a walk in the morning. Kona is the hottest area in the state of Hawaii. It is mostly sunny all of the time. I wear long sleeves and pants when I go into town.

I am in and out of the house all day. Whenever I think that I will have a nice shady afternoon in the office, I find myself working outside. I need to be covered up in anticipation of all of the last minute calls to attention for out crops or to show visitors around the property.  Even though it is cloudy in the afternoon, I try to wear long sleeve shirts and long pants.

I was diagnosed with a mild case of Lupus several years ago. I burn easily. I have an ongoing battle with sun problems on my face and arms.

I use Coolibar items almost every day. I mostly wear the shirts. I also use the zip up swimming shirt and long swim pants whenever I go in the water. I wear the long sleeve pull over t-shirts. I [particularly] like the bamboo one (ZnO Long-sleeve T-Shirt). I also like the styling of the Coolibar clothes and the fabric because it looks neat still after washing. The shirts are also nice and cool.

People I see think I am a bit strange for wearing long sleeve shirts when it is 90o in downtown Kona or at the beach especially when they are wearing very few clothes. I do a lot of talking about how good the Coolibar clothes are and the need for sun protection.

Marian

Kona, Hawaii

Marian wearing her Coolibar Everyday Blouse holding Hualalai Mauka coffee
Marian wearing her Coolibar Everyday Blouse holding Hualalai Mauka coffee
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What our customers say

Peace of Mind

A Coolibar customer letter.

8/17/2010

Dear Coolibar:

My new sun shirts for kids arrived today – delighted!

I want to express my highest regard and sincere appreciation for your children’s pool wear.  I bought your merchandise for the first time two summers ago, one for everybody in the family.  My husband thought I was crazy.  They were on sale but still not within our penny-pinching budget.  It is NOT very like me to charge up a hundred dollars of merchandise that cannot be returned!! Even he and I were dubious about our “his” and “her” swim shirts, but wanted to do right by our skin.

Since then, our three children have worn this sun-safe swim wear to countless beaches, to indoor and outdoor swimming pools, to rocky, muddy wooded streams, in the backyard in the blazing sun, to water day at Nursery School and, this the second summer, to our over-chlorinated outdoor pool almost daily.  We have put your product to the test two full summers in a row, and I would STILL put these shirts on them next summer if they would fit.  Aside from a little pilling on the front, there is little or no sign of wear, no fading or thinning or stretching of the material.  I compare their two-year-old shirts with this new merchandise, and you would not believe how little difference there is!  Pool friends and consumer mom’s marvel at our Coolibar stuff as their kids’ Lands End or LL Bean or Target swim shirts just disintegrate after the harsh pool chemicals.

You have given me such peach of mind that my three babies’ skin is protected.  Now, keep those clearance sales coming…I’ll be back in two summers!

Jennifer

Mechanicsville, VA

Coolibar Child Sun Protective Swimwear
Coolibar Child Sun Protective Swimwear
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What our customers say

Love those Baby Rompers

Coolibar Infant Swim Romper

“As a mom I am delighted to share with other moms my discoveries of the greatest products I come across…and Coolibar certainly offers a few worth bragging about. I was looking for something sun protective for my baby that was bright and colorful and combined style with function.    When I received my Coolibar catalog there were quite a few items that matched what I had in mind.  I’ve purchased a couple of baby rompers, a hat for myself and some sunscreens and was very satisfied with the quality of the merchandise, quick delivery and samples I received with it.  Living in Florida, we go to the beach often and I feel very confident that my baby is well protected from head to toe (see photo).  I love those baby rompers, very functional and protective, not only from the sun, but also sand and other elements, kids usually get into. We always get so many compliments and inquiries of where we got them from. Way to go Coolibar, keep up the great work!!”

Natalja – West Palm Beach, Florida

Coolibar Infant Swim Romper

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