"More people have stood on the moon than have walked unaided to the North Pole," said the two in a media release.

The pair will walk for 85 days, hauling only two sledges, each weighing about 68 kilograms (150 pounds).

When they reach the Pole in late May they will have travelled 966 kilometres (600 miles).

To ensure a safe trip, the duo will be equipped with a Global Positioning System, distress beacon and an emergency radio they will use to communicate with an airplane that will monitor their walk. With the use of microwave technology they plan also to send video footage to the plane and overseas via satellite to British television networks.

Their Canada emergency locator beacons have been modified as well to give their position every two days to their base team in the United Kingdom.

To prepare for the expedition, the men have researched past expeditions to find out what went wrong and therefore discover ways to improve or make changes to ensure a successful trip.

When they begin, temperatures will be around -40 C.

"Just below -30 C is ideal," said Chambers a few weeks ago while in Resolute Bay checking out conditions. "Any warmer and the snow becomes stickier, heavier and harder to pull sledges."

Chambers said going to the North pole is a remarkable feat, although to people here, it may not be that exciting.

"You get used to the conditions and everything up here. You live in the environment," said Chambers. "For us it's a novelty."

A Web site has also been set up by a British school to monitor the expedition (members.aol.com/polarwatch).

They will also have opportunities to ask the men questions along the way.

Chapple, the expedition leader was born in 1967. He passed the Commando Course in 1985 and became involved in adventure. In 1987 he led an attempt to climb Mount Kenya and later joined a high altitude mountaineering project in the Karakoram Himalayas. In 1987 he completed a tour in the Canadian High Arctic in preparation for the Polar North Expedition.

Chambers, 28, the trip's equipment manager was accepted to the Royal Marines in 1985. In 1998 he cycled from Gibraltar to Dover, via the French Alps. In 1995 he started looking for further adventure and joined the Iceland expedition. He is a qualified combat medic and an experienced parachutist.

After this, what's left for the men?

"I don't know. Somewhere warmer," said Chambers.