Tiso, Scotland’s leading outdoor equipment and clothing retailer reaches a milestone moment this year and they are going to the ends of the earth to celebrate.
More specifically, they are marking their 60th anniversary as a business by sponsoring a jaw dropping project that not only reflects their sense of adventure, sustainability ethos and strong family values but could also culminate in a world record achievement.
In March 2023 the Scottish led ‘Summit to Sea’ team will attempt to navigate the Amazon River from its highest source, the summit of Volcán Chimborazo in the Ecuadorian Andes, negotiating 5000 kilometres of wilderness, to where the Brazilian coast meets the Atlantic Ocean. Tiso are a cornerstone sponsor of the project.
The Amazon expels more fresh water into our oceans than the next 7 greatest rivers. At 20,548ft Volcano Chimborazo is the farthest point on Earth from its centre (with Earth being oval and thicker around the equator) meaning the highest source on the planet feeds the greatest river in the world – resulting in - Amazon: ‘Summit to Sea’.
As Tiso Group CEO Chris Tiso explains: “My late dad Graham, founder of Tiso, was a great friend of climber David Bathgate, father of John who is making this expedition. It was an unfulfilled dream of David’s, now 80, to make this journey – his son and a team of former Marines will follow that path instead.
“To mark our 60th anniversary, and David’s 80th, we’re delighted to be part of this never-before attempted expedition. Adventures like this have always been at the heart of what Tiso supports as a business, from Everest challenges to the Polar Academy charity for young people.”
John Bathgate takes up the story: “My father never got round to planning this expedition due to other commitments – including a first attempt at the Southwest face of Everest in 1972 with Chris Bonnington – but in his 80th year, coinciding with the year I left the Royal Marines, he passed the idea to me.
“We are hugely excited about training, planning and executing this ‘world first’ challenge, which will take about 7 months in total to complete. To have Tiso on board as our first sponsor means a great deal and will enable us to be equipped with the best kit in what are very challenging conditions’.
Sustainability, at the heart of Tiso’s philosophy, is also high on the agenda for the expedition which aims to document the struggles of native tribes in the face of deforestation and to carry out ecology surveys on local flora.
Adds Chris Tiso: “As outdoor enthusiasts, we love our earth, and are committed to a more sustainable journey and want to help our customers to do the same. To this end we’ve created eligibility criteria that puts our products through their paces, resulting in a group of 'Think Green' labelled items.
“Products must pass through a strict two-tier criteria system, including careful consideration for both what the product is made from, and how it is made. This can range from a Fairtrade-certified fleece made with 100% recycled materials, to a sleeping bag made with a fluorocarbon-free coating that has been manufactured in socially compliant environments.”
As Tiso embrace the next 60 years of helping customers explore nature and the great outdoors, the company is proud to back the Amazon ‘Summit to Sea’ expedition, supporting the family values, sustainability and sense of adventure that always has and will continue to define our business.’
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