Since 1994, the “on the field” mountaineers experience show the way to new quality peaks for Ferrino products. The Ferrino HighLab project grows, in addition to the historic test camp at Rifugio Quintino Sella, since last season there is a new project at Refuge de Tête Rousse.
Try Ferrino HighLab products while sleeping in tents at high altitude, with the safety of a camp assembled by mountain professionals and alongside an alpine refuge, is a unique opportunity. An unbeatable experience both for those who will became “protagonist” of the project, because of the beauty of these places, the concreteness of sensations and the highest quality of products tested; and for those who will gather the results transforming the opinions of a varied and enthusiastic audience in always more high-performance products.
For these reasons we developed the test camp concept, that from last summer extends its horizons involving, in addition to the Rifugio Quintino Sella, a new magical place for mountaineering: Refuge de Tête Rousse on Mont Blanc.
All tested products belong to the HighLab line, Ferrino top of the line in terms of technology and safety,  extremely durable, with many functions and specific technical features: they are designed to offer high performance and for sector professionals.
 
After spending the night in tent and testing the products, alpinist are asked to fill out a questionnaire. This will allow Ferrino to have a direct consumer’s feedback on the product and to collect important field test information that will be directly sent to the R&D department.
As highlighted by Anna Ferrino, CEO of Ferrino, this is a core issue for the company: “Our goal is to keep improving ourselves and be a trustful partner who offers products that are durable, high in quality, safe, easy to use and with big benefits for consumers. The information gathered form the test will give a great input also in the long term for the launch of new products. In addition, this practice will give the possibility to the mountaineers to test the products before buying them.”
The first step towards this type of research dates back to 1994 when the HighLab (HL) Ferrino project was born, a permanent laboratory on Monte Rosa at Rifugio Quintino Sella, which is open from early of July to the end of August (time period vary on the basis of weather conditions).
The test centre can be reached from Colle Bettaforca (2672 m), using a panoramic route that is marked in a few sections, with some parts over snow and aerial passages on in-situ pegs in the final section.
In these years, a lot of people have stayed overnight in the tents at the HighLab Camp on Monte Rosa – in the Aosta Valley, at the Rifugio Quintino Sella on the watershed between the valleys of Ayas and Gressoney (altitude 3585 metres). 
Mont Blanc
The base camp, located on the edge of the Felik glacier, offers a spectacular panorama thanks to its particular position overlooking the heads of the two valleys, framed by the surrounding mountains, which are all above 4000 metres. The camp is visited by many people, both as a destination for excursions and as a base for climbs up to the summits of Castore (4221 m) and Liskamm (4481 m) and for the traverse at the Rifugio Margherita (4554 m) across the Liskamm ridge.
In addition to this consolidated Italian project, last year born a new test center in France, on the slopes of Mont Blanc: a new cooperation born between the Refuge de Tête-Rousse, the Saint-Gervais Les Bains municipality and Ferrino.
In fact, through the new Ferrino test centre at Refuge de Tête-Rousse, is possible to stay overnight in Ferrino tents and sleeping bags, at an altitude of 3.167 m close to the refuge buildings.
The Refuge de Tête-Rousse is one of the main project’s partner, completely refurbished in 2005, it can accommodate 72 people in summer and 16 people in winter. The hut is located in France, in the municipality of Saint-Gervais les Bains (La Voie Royale), which is on the Massive of Mont Blanc – Haute Savoie.
Mont Blanc
Around 20.000 alpinists pass there every year, trying to reach the top of the Mont Blanc in different ways. The refuge is situated along the normal route to the summit of Mont Blanc, between the terminal station of the Tramway du Mont Blanc at Nid d’Aigle (located at an altitude of 2,380 meters) and the Refuge du Goûter.
Contact person and responsible for Ferrino products at test camp is Mingma Dawa Sherpa, from Nepal. Trained by Marco Chiaberge, Manager of Ferrino’s R&D department, he will take care of users and equipment at the camp
The camp test at the Refuge de Tête Rousse will be open from early July until the end of September (period will vary slightly depending on the season).
For information on how to reach the RIFUGIO QUINTINO  SELLA:
www.rifugioquintinosella.com
Phone n°: +39 0125 366113 | +39 348 8107793
E-mail: [email protected] 
For information on how to reach the REFUGE DE TÊTE ROUSSE: From April 15th to May 31st by mail: [email protected]. From June 1st by phone :+ 33 (0) 450 582 497
To learn more about the Ferrino High Lab laboratories: www.ferrino.it