Hooked on Adding Nature ENGLISH by addnature

on adding nature nr 4 / 2020

NO MATTER HOW YOU ADD NATURE, WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK.

PREPARE FOR YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE Birger Jarlsgatan 43, Stockholm 59°20’21.562’’ N | 18°4’ 2.806’’ E www.addnature.com

EDITOR’S NOTE

TWENTY YEARS 2020 is a big deal for us here at Addnature: it’s the year that marks our 20th birthday. That’s twenty full years of living and breathing the great outdoors. Our fourth issue of Hooked is an anniversary issue, dedicated to the activities we love and the reason why Addnature is here. But above all else, we want to share everything we’ve learned over the years. Equipment is obviously very important, but so is how we use it. We’ve been out with our gear, tested and optimised it, and still managed to find nifty ways to get even more out of it. We call this Gear Hacks, and in this issue, you’ll find our best tips and tricks to fully utilise your kit. In the first article, you’ll read about how Addnature came into being, what made the year 2000 special and what’s happened to us, and indeed the world of outdoors, since. It’s become clear that it’s our nerdiness and love of nature which lives on as our legacy. We’ve got the gear; you just add nature. We’re Hooked on adding nature.

CREATORS Julia Möller

· Emelie Voltaire · Victor Inggårde

PUBLISHER Martin Netinder Uddvägen 7, 131 54 Nacka 08-403 047 03 info@addnature.com / www.addnature.com

CO-WORKERS ·

Mattias Rastbäck Anna Kernell Jenny Wikman Lif Hydén Olof Lange Live Jørstad Bakka Oscar Hentmark Bramm Clitherow Rosie Hendry Ben Lubin

THANKS TO ·

Oscar Hessling Mårten Persson Adrian Nordenborg

COVER Sofia Sjöberg

Printed by Holmberg Svanenmärkt trycksak, 3041 0140

CONTENTS 9

20 Years of Adding Nature

Clash of Climates

Take the Train to the Mountains

Behind the Lens

Look Out!

Navigate With a Compass

No More Shivering!

Dig In!

Saviour in Distress

Epic Gear / Gear Hacks

Tape It or Leave It

Gear Care

Enchanted by Ice

Connect, Disengage, Unwind

Photo: Oscar Hessling, from Navigate with a Compass, p. 40

To create lasting innovation you need to draw outside the lines.

VA S S I G O R E -T E X P r o

WAT E R P R O O F DURABLE B R E AT H A B L E

MADE WITH

Haglöfs Vassi är utvecklat i samarbete med professionella skidåkare och tillverkat av högpresterande GORE-TEX Pro. Resultatet är ett extremt hållbart vind- och vattentätt friåkningsställ med fantastisk andningsförmåga, anpassat för hög fart, starka vindar och hård kyla. 8 haglofs.com

20 YEARS OF ADDING NATURE Text: Jenny Wikman & Julia Möller

This year Addnature celebrates its twentieth year. Let's look back on twenty years of Swedish outdoor life and technical product innovation with colleagues old and new. Join us as we remember the year 2000 – where it all began – and look to the future to see what the coming decades may bring. Destiny's Child, Britney Spears, Savage Garden and Eminem are on the radio. It's 2000, and the sound of connecting dialup modems is another omnipresent part of the soundtrack. The dot-com bubble bursts and giant company Boo.com is the first to fold. At the same time, in a basement in Stockholm, sit friends and climbing buddies Klas Berggren, Mathias Hedström and Martin Larsson. Driven by their own burning passion for sports, they're firmly convinced that it is, after all, possible to sell outdoor gear online.

The timing couldn't have been worse – or better, depending on how you look at it. The same year, outdoor policy begins to gain more attention on a national level. Outdoor Sweden is gathering strength for a fresh start after its glory days in the 60s and 70s. The guys in the basement were right – they share their passion with far more people than only each other. Addnature is founded and the rest is, as they say, history.

THE YEAR IN A NUTSHELL • The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency regains national responsibility for preserving Sweden's outdoor life and spreading knowledge about it. A research program is started to promote the political importance of nature tourism and outdoor life. Among other things, this emphasises the need for outdoor life near urban areas and to educate people about the country's nature. • According to surveys, Swedes' favourite outdoor activities during the wintertime are downhill skiing, ski touring and snowmobiling. In the summer, it's hiking, fishing, berry and mushroom picking. So – similar to today – with the main difference that neither mountain biking nor kitesurfing have exploded yet. • Petzl launches its first headlamp with LED lights: Tikka. Previously, only cavers DIY-modded their headlamps with coloured LEDs to extend battery life. With its new, ultra-compact, white LED, a powerful headlamp is finally available to the public, and Tikka remains part of our assortment today. • 9a+ is still considered the most difficult graded climbing route in the world (La Rambla, 1994, or Open Air, 1996, depending on who you ask – both climbed by Alexander Huber). • The Swedish Tourist Association celebrates 115 years and in June organises its first More of Sweden day with an 'open house' at all hostels. Family membership is also offered for the first time. • Polartec creates the waffle-like, symmetrical Power Grid pattern. This moisture-transporting and air-permeable material is used today by, among others, The North Face and Patagonia. • Perhaps the biggest change in outdoor Sweden in 2000 comes with the founding of Frisam (today known as Svenskt Friluftsliv), which replaces a previously muchlooser network of around 15 outdoor organisations.

Among the members are organisations such as Friluftsfrämjandet (Swedish Outdoor Association), the Swedish Tourist Association, the Swedish Hunters' Association and Korpen. Since the start, Svenskt Friluftsliv has worked to push for a national outdoor policy, for the benefit of its member associations and their members – a not insignificant number of Swedish people! • In the 80s, Lapland's mountains were the most popular destination for Swedes' outdoor holidays. Around 2000, more people start heading south to destinations such as the Dalafjällen mountains – especially for skiing. • In the mountain biking scene, there's no Strava, and nobody's riding 29ers or dropper posts yet. Most bikes have a triple chainring and the narrow-wide concept hasn't yet been invented. In other words: constantly dropping your chain in the woods is no joke! Enduro hasn't really got going yet either, which is partly reflected by the quality of full-suspension bikes; they exist, but don't quite deliver soft-enough suspension for downhill while being rigid enough for efficient climbing. Pedalling uphill with 150 mm of suspension travel was just a dream. And e-bikes? What are they?! • Haglöfs introduces its L.I.M. ranges and raves about an upcoming trend: minimalist, low-weight outdoor gear. In their own words: less is more. • A race is in progress among start-up internet companies, funded by venture capital. While they're keen to invest in hot new technology, they neglect to define their core business first and source actual revenue. With cool websites, which work for those with fast broadband, many customers with dialup modems can barely enjoy the content. • Addnature, on the other hand, never receives any venture capital. The three entrepreneurs and Adlibris founder Pär Svärdson choose to grow organically instead – something that may have saved the company from bursting with the internet bubble like so many others. In 2000, the company's turnover is a modest SEK 800,000 (roughly €78,000/£75,000).

PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE The idea for Addnature came from a conversation between Mathias Hedström, Martin Larsson and Klas Berggren in a ski lift in Zermatt in 2000 – three friends who wanted to make outdoor equipment more accessible. We sat our first CEO and founder Mathias down with our current CEO Martin Netinder to talk past, present and future.

In 2004, we opened our first store in Stockholm, after identifying the need for customers to test the clothing and gear. Since e-commerce was still relatively new – and for many, still a little scary – we soon started offering customers the chance to order their stuff online and pick it up in the store. We were among the first in Sweden to offer this. The store was huge for us, especially when both customers and brands realised there was a company behind Addnature.

What did our assortment look like in 2000? And what's happened in the last 20 years? Mathias: Focusing on the outdoor segment was an emotionally-driven decision because I was (and am) a climber. And it was climbing we started with. Climbing equipment was, at that time, difficult to find and people often bought through obscure mail-order catalogs. So, in the beginning, many hardcore climbers came to us.

In the beginning, the largest part of our assortment was equipment, while only a small part was clothes and shoes. Outdoor clothing was worn differently at the time: you had your 'outdoor uniform' on when you went outdoors but didn't want to be seen in it in everyday life. Now, socalled 'technical products' are used in a different context: they're worn everywhere.

From the climbing segment, we then started to develop the range. We added paddling, and trail running took off. 'Barefoot' shoes also became very popular. We first starting stocking them after learning that paddlers wanted a shoe that gripped well on wet rocks. Then came the trend of barefoot running and the shoes found a completely new target group.

Martin: Yes, more and more, we see how the boundaries between everyday life and outdoor life are blurred. We want garments that can be used for more than just everyday life or just outdoor life. When we now, to a greater extent, discover nature and small adventures in our immediate environment, we demand garments that can withstand wear and tear – but can also be used for work.

Mathias: In general, outdoor has developed to become less focused, and today most people enjoy several different things. In the past they were often just into one sport.

themselves but also with companies like Addnature. That's what's so great about outdoor products, they're very high quality and very durable.

What will the hot topics in outdoor be over the next 20 years? Martin: Sustainability is something that will continue to shape the outdoor world. It's not just about how clothes and equipment are made, but also how long we can use them for. Also, we must ensure design and colours are timeless, that we don't design according to short-term trends, and that we can look after and repair products (read more in the article Gear Care on pg. 60, - Ed).

Maybe drones will drop off repair kits for tents, straight into a desolate valley when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just put a big tear in your flysheet? Or maybe we'll completely revolt against screens and new technology and enjoy nature exactly like we did a century ago? One thing is for sure: we're still just as inspired as ever by adventures great and small â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the equipment that enables us to experience them.

Mathias: In 20 years, I think we'll see fewer products in our assortment. I think second-hand clothes and rental clothes will be a lot more popular. 'Rental and Reuse' will be available in more places, not only from the brands

Or as we've been saying for 20 years now: "We've got the gear, just add nature!"

CLASH OF CLIMATES Text: Joshua Kirkman, Nordic Surfers Mag / Photo: Sebastian Drews

“Never in my life did I think I’d be surfing with snow on the beach.” – Marlon Gerber

Balinese surfer Marlon Gerber and Swedish surfer Tim Latte are in a windswept wintery Lofoten in Norway. One of the world’s northernmost places for surfing; far from the tropical heat Marlon is used to. Tim wants to show him another side of surfing and share the joy of cold-water waves. They have a film crew with them to document their journey, and these are scenes from their project. Interview by Nordic Surfers Mag’s Joshua Kirkman. Tim Latte does his best to give Marlon Gerber hypothermia while searching for waves in the Arctic Circle… ”Fuck guys… this is the coldest I have ever felt…” Marlon Gerber records a video message from the relative safety of Tim Latte’s car (which seems to be parked in a blizzard). Hands shaking beyond control. A tormented/ confused kind of fear in his eyes – coming to terms with the fact that he’s definitely not in Bali anymore.

make any wave look beautiful. There’s nothing forced in his approach. Every movement he makes on a wave flows and propels him with a natural rhythm that’s rare in modern surfing – it’s beauty over brawn. He’s a wave dancer, not a wave destroyer, and it’s a joy to witness in real life. He’s also a bloody nice guy on land too: polite, attentive, not one to take centre stage or exaggerate a story. He’s a relaxed and comfortable in his own skin. Easy.

The involuntarily shakes and shudders bring the warmth back into his body as Tim navigates the ice-laden road back to the warmth and relative safety of the Arctic Coworking Lodge in Lofoten.

The first day Marlon was due to get in the frigid water at Lofoten, he realised he had a small hole in his glove. It didn’t look like much. Surely one leaking glove couldn’t cause much pain? The consensus was that it would be ’no big deal’. And then...Marlon lasted 20 minutes.

It’s March, so it’s not just cold, it’s FUCKING COLD, and Marlon isn’t exaggerating – a part of him really thinks he is dying.

He made the most of those 20 minutes, but the poor guy was hurting. The cold got him good, and that hole in his glove played no small part in his torture.

Tim and Marlon are weathering the snowstorms and subzero temperatures of the cold Arctic north to tell the story of a guy who calls Indonesia home figuring out how to ride waves in brutally-unfamiliar conditions.

The film crew were concerned too, wondering how they were going to get enough footage if Marlon was only going to be able to last 20 minutes at a time.

There’s the usual entourage of film guys, photographers and the like, all braving the conditions to capture the magic and get it online for the people to enjoy. Most surfers never go this far north, so no matter how many times this story is told, (“guy from hot place goes to cold place to surf”) the mix of surfing and sub-zero temperatures always fascinates us. But what if the central character isn’t able to last more than 20 minutes in the water? Marlon Gerber is a surfer with an effortless style who can

Tim Latte doesn’t get cold. His hyperactive state of being acts like a kind of metabolic furnace. He’s Wim Hof with froth. He measures even the most uncomfortable of Nordic surfing experiences in hours rather than minutes. He was clearly concerned about Marlon and delivering on the project. Tim had put a lot of effort into bringing this project to life. It was his baby and a kind of test to see if he could manage a project that was bigger than himself. But if the star of the show wasn’t going to be able to perform, what kind of short film would it make?

“Marlon was in very real pain after that first surf in Lofoten. He really did seem to be wondering what the hell he was doing, surfing in this place. There was nothing pretty about it, or inspiring.”

The concern was real and knowing how temperamental the weather can be in Lofoten during winter, opportunities to get enough footage were already going to be scarce.

Marlon was in very real pain after that first surf in Lofoten. He really did seem to be wondering what the hell he was doing, surfing in this place. There was nothing pretty about it, or inspiring. ”My friends thought I was tripping, surfing up here, saying ’you’ve got perfect waves at home, why are you going surfing up there?’” After that first surf, when the circulation returned to his frozen white fingers, Marlon knew his friends had been onto something.

During the first few surfs of the trip, Latte was quick to get into the swing of things in what were average waves. He was stoked to be out there in the elements and content to freeze a bit for mediocre and inconsistent waves while Marlon was in pain, struggling through every stroke. Maybe this really would be too much for him? In Marlon’s defence though: the temperature difference from Bali to Lofoten was around 30 degrees, from ’tropical’ to ’arctic circle in the dead of winter’. You couldn’t blame him if he were to only last 20 minutes in the water at a time. But it wasn’t going to make for a great surf clip. Marlon was experiencing a dramatic climate change that was rattling him to his bones. As you can see from the images, Marlon did eventually get into somewhat of a comfort zone up in Lofoten. But only just… Midway through Clash of Climates (the eventual title of the film project that will be released later this year) there’s a moment where Marlon is shivering almost uncontrollably as he desperately tries to warm himself up in Tim Latte’s car. Teeth chattering and body shaking to within a degree of convulsion. He’s distracted by the pain he’s feeling. He’s in a crisis.

What the hell was he doing in Lofoten? Who even thinks this is fun? Well, Nordic surfers think this is loads of fun. There’s a different thought process for surfers who haven’t got the luxury of long-range ocean swells and weather that doesn’t pose a serious threat of death by cold. There’s a drive into the absurd that only a coldwater surfer truly understands (or doesn’t and is simply acting on instinct). There’s a stone-cold acceptance that freezing half to death is how it’s gotta be, so suit up and get on with it.

As if to seek reassurance and some warmth through shared misery, he asks the cameraman ”you’re cold too huh?” He then looks at the thermometer outside and it reads minus 2. Few words were spoken in this moment, but those that made it out summed it up completely: ”I can’t wait to go home.”

Gear hack: ”I always have a thermos with hot water with me that I pour into the suit when I get cold, so you can spend another hour in the water when the waves are good.” – Tim Latte

TAKE THE TRAIN TO THE MOUNTAINS Text: Lif Hydén / Photo: Erik Nylander

A man who's always chasing snow, snowboarder and photographer Erik Nylander has put many miles of railway track behind him. We caught up with him to get his top tips on how to pack smart and make your trip as smooth as possible. Erik also explains why there's something magical about travelling by night train through sleepy landscapes.

Many people are sceptical about traveling to a ski resort by public transport. The thought of lugging heavy bags and making stressful transfers evokes fear, and the car, with its luggage-carrying capabilities and ability to stop anytime and anywhere, seems like a knight in shining armour. Erik, on the other hand, is quite happy to hop on the train with his bags and says it doesn't have to be as complicated as people think. In the winter of 2018, he started to look east, recruited some friends who shared his passion for powder and decided to embark on a voyage on the legendary TransSiberian Railway. - We travelled around 12,000 km by train and ferry from Stockholm to Japan. The goal was to find crazy-deep powder

snow in Japan and to venture into the mountains of Russia along the way, without having to take a flight. In addition to having travelled across Russia, Erik has crisscrossed the Alps and travelled around Scandinavia by train more times than we can count on two hands. He has vast experience and enjoys taking his time. He’s also captured two of his longer trips on film: Powder Express to Switzerland and 12,000 km – The TransSiberian to Japan. It’s great fun to hear Erik recount his experiences, and I laugh when he tells me, despite all of his adventures, that his favourite place is still Sweden, his homeland. - My favourite route is the night train between Stockholm

“The thought of lugging heavy bags and making stressful transfers evokes fear, and the car, with its luggage-carrying capabilities and ability to stop anytime and anywhere, seems like a knight in shining armour.”

and Riksgränsen. There's something special about being rocked to sleep while passing through gloomy Härnösand and waking up among the snow-capped mountains outside of Kiruna. So how does this cheerful guy from Sundsvall avoid getting sore arms from all the heavy lifting and running when the conductor announces the station where he has to make his next transfer? - There are two schools of thought when it comes to bags. Some people like big backpacks, but I'm in 'team trolley bag'. I like systems where I can connect a larger trolley bag to my snowboard trolley so I can pull the luggage without having to lift it, like Douchebags. They're great on flatter surfaces for quick train changes, but of course not as good in slush or with stairs. When it comes to 'team backpack', there are many good hiking backpacks that also work great for train travel. Features such as smart storage pockets, a stable strap/ carry system and an easily reachable main compartment via a large panel opening, as well as being able to have a clear overview of your stuff are key. Add a ski bag with wheels that also holds your ski boots, and you'll spare your shoulders the worst of the weight. Make sure the bag has a handle that you can easily grip to deal with stairs and slush.

How to pack your bag – Packing stuff into stuff is key to achieving more compact luggage. Fill your boots, helmet and all other cavities with things. Keep your valuables with you in a smaller bag, that way you don't spend the whole trip worrying about your bags. He thinks for a moment and then adds: - And don’t bring too many everyday clothes. Of course, some glad rags are welcome, but usually, you wear only a few things and come back with unused clothes. And these extra clothes take up valuable space! In addition to the 'party shirt' and snowboard, he always makes sure to bring four more items with him, no matter how little space he has in his luggage: - I always bring my camera, metal camping cutlery, a small headlamp and a power bank. What are the most-common beginner’s mistakes? - Taking large, heavy bags and ski bags you have to carry yourself. I don’t recommend it unless you’re training to become a Sherpa or you’re a masochist. A good tip is to note which items you didn’t use on the trip and can leave at home next time. I keep quiet about my latest train journey, where I took a heavy backpack, boot bag (slung uncomfortably over one shoulder), ski bag (over the other) and my hands full with unnecessary stuff that I thought, last-minute, could be a good idea to bring. My strategy will be different next time. Erik goes on to explain how you can make the trip even smoother: - If you're a group of people on a long train journey and the compartment is crowded, it's worth booking an extra bed and using it for luggage. This saved us on the Trans-Siberian. I think it's also worth avoiding the cheapest sleeping compartment, both in Sweden and abroad. In Sweden, the price difference is usually about 100 SEK for a 3-person cabin instead of a 6-person cabin, and you get a bed with real linen.

And where do you put your bags to handle stressful train changes? - For me, it's essential that I can fit most things in the cabin – under the bed is usually perfect for boardbags. We had one stressful change in Russia, where the train only stopped for about 30 seconds. We stood ready by the door and threw our stuff off the train. Erik has several tricks up his sleeve when it comes to travelling with winter gear and I'm keen to absorb them all. But has he ever made a big mistake himself while travelling, I wonder? He laughs loudly and admits he has: - During a less-than-successful Riksgränsen trip, I left my sleeping compartment between Riksgränsen and Stockholm to work at a seat in another wagon. A little too late, I noticed that the sleeping compartment with my luggage had been

disconnected from the coach I'd been in for the last few hours, and I was on my way to another destination! I was dumped at Hudiksvall at two o'clock in the morning in -10 c in just a sweatshirt, so I ran around and played 'Rocky Balboa' to stay warm before I could reboard my original train which was luckily only one hour behind. The winter of 20/21 will be the season I start going by train to the mountains. Hopefully, more people leave the car at home and put some miles of railway behind them instead. Imagine all the exciting encounters with fellow travellers, all the landscapes you'll see and the convenience of being able to grab the computer and do some work or watch an exciting movie on the way. I look forward to being rocked to sleep while passing through gloomy Härnösand and waking up to snow-capped mountains welcoming me to the north.

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BEHIND THE LENS

As the old saying goes: a picture is worth a thousand words. But what does it say about the person behind the camera? And what happened before they pressed the shutter button? Extreme sports photographers usually take pictures of professional athletes and people who are well known in their field. It's easy to forget that those who take the pictures have to keep up with these world-class athletes. They have to be rock-solid skiers to take impressive pictures whilst flying down a mountain, far from the comfort of the lifts. They need to ski where the pros ski, know avalanche safety techniques, all the while keeping track of equipment, lighting, timing, settings and lots more. Here you can enjoy four fantastic photos, each with a background story, told by the photographers who took them.

Photo: EMMA SVENSSON PERU, YANAPACCHA 2018 The picture shows my climbing partner Felipe Randis about to walk over an extremely exposed ridge to get to the top of the mountain. He was the first-ever to do this: everyone else had turned back before the top the previous day because they considered the conditions too harsh. We'd climbed in a total whiteout all night, but just when we were about to go out onto the ridge, the sun came out, and the light was absolutely magical. So, I had to take some pictures! Because of this, I failed to notice that the rope had slid down behind a cornice and got stuck, so when it was my turn to go, I couldn't free it. I called out to Felipe, but he couldn't hear me. Eventually, he came back because he thought I'd fallen off when I didn't show up. He was angry with me because I'd taken a picture and hadn't noticed the rope sliding down. It ended up with me having to untie it and go over the ridge unprotected. At the same time, Felipe pulled the rope up and threw it to me again when I was about halfway over. I learned a lesson, but at the same time, it was worth it because the pictures turned out magical.

“I’d taken a picture and hadn’t noticed the rope sliding down. It ended up with me having to untie it and go over the ridge unprotected.”

What's your favourite thing to photograph? I love photographing cool artists, creative people with a vision. But I also love photographing mountains in magical light. What's your #1 photo hack? Keep the camera easily accessible because otherwise, you won't get any pictures! That's my best tip. It's better to take a smaller camera which you can hang over your shoulder, or even attach to your chest, than a larger camera that lives in your backpack most of the time.

Photo: EMRIK JANSSON ÅRE, SYLARNA 2019 This picture was taken in a classic chute in Tempeldalen in Sylarna. I was there for the first time with a group of friends to shoot and ski. We started at Storulvån, which is about 16 km from the location, and spent half a day getting there. We hiked and hiked, with podcasts in our ears and sleds behind our backs. Then we hiked a little more! The weather was at its best that day. When we arrived, I positioned the drone and waited for the others to get to the chute for a first run. I only had four tries. In the picture, you see Anders Olsson skiing, who came along to show us this particular route. The funny thing is that although he was the only one in the gang who isn't a professional skier, it turned out to be the best picture of the day. I captured the moment with a drone, and the image is completely unedited – I usually edit my images, but this one looked so dramatic that I didn't think it needed anything done to it. The sunlight was incredibly strong that day and in those conditions, only drones work. When the sun is at its highest in the sky, pictures can look relatively flat if you don't look for slightly different angles. If you shoot with a drone,

there's a delay, so you have to shoot a bit before the actual moment you want to capture. It's a bit tricky! I think drones have taken my photography to a new level – it's so easy to get a cool angle of an otherwise quite ordinary run. What's your favourite thing to photograph? I like to capture that 'wow feeling', to depict it just as it was in that moment. I also like when you really have to work for an image; when you spend so much time just getting to a place, arrive and get a few tries to capture a good photo. When you finally succeed, it's extra special. The pictures I'm really satisfied with are often ones that other people aren't so impressed by. It's fun and frustrating at the same time. They can be super impressed by a picture of a reindeer on top of Åreskutan, which is super easy to take, but not understand how much work is behind another. What's your #1 photo hack? I always carry a small air blower in my backpack. It's always there, so I don't have to think about it – it's one of those designed to clean camera sensors. Shooting with a spotted sensor can ruin an entire day!

Photo: SOFIA SJÖBERG FRANCE, CHAMONIX 2020 Skier Jacob Wester (also my better half), our Slovenian friend Bine Zalohar and I were off-piste one afternoon in Chamonix. We hoped the snow had accumulated just enough on this particular face so we could capture some nice, fast turns. I wanted to take a picture that depicted the shared joy of skiing between friends, but also to capture their turns down the mountain in a visually-appealing way. One challenge with ski photography is that you often only get one try. Tracks in the snow from several attempts detract from the overall impression of a picture. On this day, we only found one suitable face, so we had to get it right on the first try. Technically, the challenge lies more with the skiers than with me as the photographer, or at least it did on this occasion. My job was to position the drone and then follow the skiers down the face. How good my picture would turn out depended a bit on the position, but more important is the timing between Jacob and Bine.

Bine stood on a cliff a bit below Jacob, which meant he had to drop off a while after Jacob, but not so much that he ended up too far behind. The picture is a couple of turns down the face, and the skiers needed to be as close to each other as possible. They managed to pull this off especially well. What's your favourite thing to photograph? I love all kinds of nature photography. My favourite is when you combine nature with skiing or surfing. I get a kick out of following the athletes with the camera, even when I'm involved only from a distance – it feels like you share the day even though you often experience it in different ways. What's your #1 photo hack? First of all, make sure your camera is easily accessible and your crew doesn't have to wait for you to get ready for a shot. Take your time finding the angle, sometimes squatting makes all the difference. I also recommend everyone getting an 'okay' camera and taking raw photos. Image editing is not as difficult as many people think, and you're guaranteed to get a better end result.

“I wanted to take a picture that depicted the shared joy of skiing between friends, but also to capture their turns down the mountain in a visually-appealing way.”

Photo: BENNY BYSTRĂ&#x2013;M SAREK, SKIERFE 2020 The picture was taken on Skierfe, in Sarek National Park, in the heart of Rapadalen. It was shot at a focal length of 24 mm and consists of five images that have been sewn together into a panorama. The western slope that can be seen in the picture drops down almost 700 m into the valley, and the mountain rises 1179 m above sea level. For me, it's a gift to be able to take pictures and experience beautiful places in Sweden. In the Alps, it's one spectacular view after another, and it's often no more than an hour's hike up to the top. In Lapland, on the other hand, you have to work for the pictures through long hikes, which make the reward all the more significant. We don't have the highest mountains, but there's something exceptionally aesthetically pleasing about the Swedish nature, especially in the mountains and forests up north. Anyone who's hiked in Sarek knows it's no walk in the park. Getting up to the mountain, we didn't have to cross any streams or deal with mosquitoes, but it still felt like the trail went on forever. After every plateau comes a new valley and the further you go, the longer you realise you have left. You start to feel the long miles you've put behind you. Good

shoes, woollen socks, food and plenty of water are essential to keep your morale up and the stoke high. What's your favourite thing to photograph? People in magnificent landscapes. Taking pictures of nature and landscapes can be wonderful, and different weather conditions can change a scene completely, but people add an extra dimension to an image. A person in a picture better illustrates the vastness of a mountain or width of a landscape, but the human element also provides context and tells a story. With my photography, I seek emotions. A facial expression, how someone tilts their body or how the light filters through someone's hair can provoke different emotions. The human element also pushes me to be more creative, which sometimes results in better images, sometimes worse, but I persevere. Otherwise, I'd get tired of it sooner or later. What's your #1 photo hack? I usually have a Capture Camera Clip that I attach to my backpack's shoulder strap at the chest. This way, I don't have to carry the camera in my hand and can quickly access it when I need to. Walkie-talkies are also a great tool, convenient for giving directions and instructions to the subject, especially in bad weather when sound travels slower.

Gear hacks: •

If you get moisture on the inside of the lens, leave it to dry by itself. If you wipe it off, it’ll start to mist.

•

Don’t put goggles on a warm helmet or hat, they’ll fog up in seconds.

LOOK OUT! Text: Live Jørstad Bakka / Photo: Sofia Sjöberg

Many of us choose goggles based on their design or colour. But if you need perfect visibility, it's important that you think beyond looks and focus on the lens itself. If you don't know so much about this topic, we're here to make things a little...ahem...clearer. We take a closer look at everything you need to know. There are several things to think about when choosing a lens. Many of us are naturally drawn towards whatever we think looks cool, but lenses all have different properties. Lenses are available in all kinds of colours – and how light or dark the lens is dictates the level of light it transmits and how adapted it is to different weather types and environments. With the right lens, you'll be able to see more details and contrasts – which in turn means a better overview and greater control. To get a better understanding of which lenses you need and what works best when, we had a chat with Atle Enberget from Sweet Protection. What's important to consider when buying new goggles? - That the goggles fit your face and helmet is, of course, the most important thing. Next comes the lens itself, which is the most crucial component of a goggle. When choosing a goggle, it’s important to choose a lens that suits the conditions you expect to experience. All lenses have a specified VLT (Visible Light Transmission). This unit of measurement indicates how much light the lens will let through, and thus which conditions the lens works best in. The lower the number, the less light is transmitted through. There are several different types of lenses, including polarised, photochromic, and mirrored. What do you use when? - Polarised and photochromic are not often used for winter goggles. Mirrored is simply explained as a coating on the lens that makes it impossible to see through. The lens gains a mirror effect. This is normally used on lenses with lower VLT; made for good weather and lots of sun.

Does the colour of the lens matter? - The simple answer is no. How dark or light the lens is, however, is important for how much light it lets through. How many goggles do you really need if you only ski a couple of weeks a year? Is there an "all-round" lens? - We recommend having two different lenses: one for cloudy and demanding conditions and one for partial or a lot of sun. If you must choose one lens, we recommend a lens with medium VLT (20-25%). If you’re going on a summit trip and are looking for mountain and glacier glasses, is there anything special you should think about? - For high mountain use, most relevant for goggles, we recommend a pair of glasses with lower VLT. Even in cloudy weather, your eyes will need greater protection at altitude. For sunny weather, you should consider RIG Obsidian (VLT 4%).

Here are some general guidelines for choosing sunglasses based on their VLT percentages: 0–19% VLT: Ideal for bright, sunny conditions. 20–40% VLT: Good for all-purpose use. 40+% VLT: Best for overcast and low-light conditions. 80–90+% VLT: Virtually clear lenses for very dim and night conditions.

NAVIGATE WITH A COMPASS 3 EASY STEPS! Text: Jenny Wikman / Photo: Oscar Hessling

Did you know that the liquid-filled compass housing is a Swedish invention? The company behind this innovation is called Silva, and they laid the foundation for today’s compass navigation technique: the super easy Silva 1-2-3 method! You need: a compass with a rotating housing, orienting arrow and/or orienting lines, as well as a direction-oftravel arrow. A baseplate compass or mirror compass will both do just fine.

Place the compass on the map with its long side following your planned path. That is, from point A to point B with the direction-of-travel arrow in your direction of movement.

Turn the compass housing so that its orienting arrow points north on the map – and your orienting lines are parallel with the map’s meridians.

Hold up your compass – point it so that the magnetic needle lines up with the orienting arrow, both pointing north. Now the direction-of-travel arrow points at your direction of travel in real life.

Use it to point out a visible landmark, for example, a tree further ahead in your path, and start walking towards it. When you reach your landmark, whip out the compass to find a new one. Landmark – walk – new landmark. Repeat until you reach your destination!

DIRECTION OF T R AV E L A R R OW

C O M PA S S HOUSING M AG N E T I C NEEDLE

ORIENTING A R R OW

NO MORE SHIVERING! HOW TO KEEP WARM WHILE CAMPING Text & photo: Jenny Wikman

There are few things that will ruin a camping trip as much as shivering all night in your sleeping bag. Addnature sent their chilliest co-worker winter camping to find the best methods for avoiding the freeze. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the recipe for how to keep warm in your tent â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from conventional advice about your sleeping mat and sleeping bag to less traditional gear hacks.

A quick google search for the phrase “freezing while camping” generates over 18 million hits. I’m definitely not the only cold-blooded person out there, but I might qualify for some sort of elite league. HR has even provided me with a little electric heater that lives permanently next to my office chair. So when packing for minus degrees in the Jämtland highlands, my desk became a drop-off station for co-workers’ warm gear – and their advice! A few days winter camping later, and I think I’ve successfully cracked the cold code! GROUND ISOLATION – MAKE YOUR BED AND LIE IN IT The first thing to ask yourself after a miserably cold night shouldn’t be: how can the sleeping bag temperature rating be so wrong? The first place you should look is underneath you, at your sleeping mat. Today there’s an abundance of different mat shapes and technologies, and in our Addnature webshop, you’ll find that most are inflatable. They’re comfortable and provide an air-filled barrier between you and the cold ground. Many of them are also filled with warming synthetic insulation that can cope with snowy conditions. During the winter trek, I slept on a sleeping mat with insulating abilities of down to -17 c. Or, as it’s called in camping terms: R-value 4.8. The R-value is an industry standard used by brands to classify their sleeping mats, which also makes it easier for you to compare them with each other. The scale goes from R-value 1-2 for summer camping, all the way up to R-value 6 + for extreme winter environments – where you can also add an extra foam mat underneath your inflatable mat.

Bear in mind that how cold you feel is highly individual. Environmental factors also play a major role: it could be damp, for example, or very windy, which will have an effect on your gear and your comfort. Like the softie I am, I’ve started using the sleeping mat with R-value 4.8 for my summer treks and bike vacations – and now I sleep like a log!

Gear hack: Add a rescue blanket to your sleeping mat A reflective blanket isn’t just a blessing in emergencies. It’s also handy to bring in case the nights turn out colder than you expected. Spread it between your sleeping bag and sleeping mat – one side reflects the cold air from the ground back down, and one directs your body heat back up towards your sleeping bag. HOW TO FIND YOUR PERFECT SLEEPING BAG Choosing the right sleeping bag means diving into a whole new field of science: down, synthetics, different temperature classifications and different shapes – there are quite a few variables! The choice between down and synthetic insulation is determined by what type of adventure you’re embarking on. During the winter trek I slept very well in a down bag. For all its warming abilities ( down to -30 c) it was very compressible, packable and easy to carry while skiing during the day. In a winter climate with temperatures constantly below 0, snow and ice never have the chance to melt and become wet – the down bag always stays dry, which is absolutely crucial for it to be able to keep you warm. If you’re heading for wetter adventures – maybe kayaking – a synthetic sleeping bag is unbeatable. It doesn’t lose its ability to keep you warm even if it becomes wet. They are cheaper but also a little more sensitive to wear and tear over time. They are mostly heavier and bulkier, but there are still many good options on the market. In the spring, summer and autumn I use a synthetic sleeping bag for anything from trekking to boating – it’s only insulated to keep me warm to around -1 to -6 c but takes up the same space and weighs the same in my pack as the -30 c sleeping bag I used for the winter trek. Temperature-wise, there are three standard classifications to consider: comfort temperature, max temperature and extreme temperature. The comfort temperature refers to the temperature at which an average woman is expected to sleep comfortably. Max temperature concerns the temperature at which an average man is expected to sleep comfortably without overheating. The extreme temperature is the limit within which you are expected to survive overnight – if you stay awake in your sleeping bag.

There are also women-specific sleeping bags, often insulated at strategic ‘cold zones’ such as the feet and hips. They can also have slightly different shapes like more space around the hips and a narrower cut around the shoulders – and they are, of course, shorter than men’s sleeping bags. To increase the lifespan of your sleeping bag, only store it in its compression bag when you’re out and about. Simply push it into the bag – avoid rolling or folding, where the insulation might break up and leave cold spots. At home, it’s best to hang it up in your storage room or put it inside a large, airy net bag. That will help it keep its insulation properties over time.

Gear hack: Shorten the sleeping bag (and your suffering)

transporting moisture away from your skin to the outside of the garment. As a bonus, wool naturally cleans itself when aired out– perfect for longer treks away from home and any laundry machines! You’re best off sticking to this one layer of clothing – as you are the one warming up the sleeping bag, not the other way around. If you pull on your fleece jacket, extra socks and thicker pants on top – make sure they are breathable so the warm air can circulate. Extra layers that don’t breathe well can cause more shivering – followed by a morning with sore muscles, zero energy and a total disinclination to get up and make that fortifying morning coffee. Which mid-layers work then? You guessed it – wool!

Gear hack: Swap your beanie for a balaclava

Did you know your height decides which sleeping bag best suits you? If the sleeping bag is too long and your feet can’t reach down to warm up the foot box, you will get cold feet. You can easily tie off the sleeping bag with a shoelace, the strap around your camping kitchen or anything that you have to hand to make it fit better.

Hats have a tendency to crawl up and fall off your head during the night, while a balaclava stays put and warms your neck and cheeks. Choose one made of soft and warming wool.

Gear hack: Make your own heater out of a water bottle

LINERS – AN ACE UP YOUR SLEEVE Sleeping bag liners are typically made of silk, cotton or wool. If you go for a warmer material – merino wool, fleece or synthetic insulation – it can actually warm your sleeping bag up a bit. It also increases the life span of the bag as you won’t need to wash it as often – it’s much easier to just throw the liner into the laundry machine.

When boiling your evening tea, boil some extra and fill a heat-resistant water bottle. Close the lid really tight so that no liquid can leak out during the night. Put the bottle in a sock or similar to prevent burns, and then into a dry bag to avoid any leakage. Voilá – a heater! The sleeping bag will keep this extra heat in all night.

Gear hack: Hand warmers

PJ’S – A WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING A wool base layer and a pair of wool socks are all you need to keep warm and dry in the sleeping bag. Wool naturally regulates temperatures and keeps you warm, while also

For a modest outlay, cold campers can stock up on chemical air-activated heat packs for extra warmth. If your body’s going to be able to keep its extremities warm, its core has to be warm first. Adding a little hand warmer inside the waistline of your pants might just do the trick!

The three commandments – full, warm and with an empty bladder! • Since you’re the one heating up the sleeping bag, you need to give your body the best chance possible. One way to do that is to eat properly during the evening to make sure your body has energy reserves to turn into heat. • Another tip is to make sure you’re already warmed up before getting into your sleeping bag. A few jumping jacks outside the tent should suffice – you want to get warm but not sweaty. • You see, moisture binds cold, which brings us to pointer number three: long live the latenight wee! Aside from making it terribly difficult to fall asleep, a full bladder will increase your chances of freezing during the night.

MAXIMUM SAFETY MINIMUM IMPACT

DIG IN! Text: Anna Kernell / Illustration: Elin Edling

There are many different types of snow bivouacs and many methods of digging. Which kind and method you choose should, primarily, be determined based on your circumstances. It’s always better to take cover quickly in a storm than to find the perfect snowdrift. Here we describe two emergency bivouacs that are good to know when you’re out ski touring above the tree line.

Position above all else Pay attention to your surroundings at all times when you’re out. Note any suitable bivy-building spots that you pass during your trek, even if the weather seems stable. Then you’ll know where to aim for if a storm threatens to roll in. First and foremost, you need to make sure that the area you choose isn’t avalanche-prone. Then you can look for lee sides and gullies. These are suitable places for bivouac building because the snow has been carried there by the wind and accumulates in smaller ravines, swales and behind small mounds. Furthermore, you’ll avoid the wind, which makes it easier to dig and reduces the risk of large amounts of snow drifting across your bivouac opening.

EMERGENCY SNOW CAVE Build a snow cave in a snowdrift with a clear edge and sufficient snow depth to fit everyone in the group. Probe the snow depth with an avalanche probe so you’re not surprised by a rock when digging. HOW TO DO IT: 1. Remove any overhangs and loose snow. Start by digging high up on the drift; so high you can see over the edge. This is crucial as you’ll need to dig straight up through the roof to escape if the bivvy entrance is blocked by snow in the night. It’ll also mean less work as the snow you shovel will fall and settle below the entrance hole. 2. Use your shovel to form an upside-down V. A sloping roof will direct droplets that form towards the edges instead of causing them to drip straight down. Dig the entrance hole straight in, about 70 cm wide, and make it quite high as it’s easier to work at full standing height. 3. Shovel straight in, about 70 cm per person, and then expand one side. There you’ll dig out a bench at seat height. Next, dig a small watercourse along the wall by the bench, so you create a drain down to the floor. This will ensure that water drops that form on the ceiling don’t collect where you’ll sit. If the storm persists and you’re forced to stay put, you can expand both the width and length of the bivouac (if your chosen drift is large enough). NOTE: Walls and roofs should be at least 20 cm thick to create a sturdy structure and insulate against the cold. 4. Create a ventilation hole about 10 cm in diameter with a ski pole and leave the pole in place so it’s easy to clear if it snows. The hole should run straight up near the entrance hole so it can’t be blocked by drifting snow during the night. Check the ventilation hole regularly and clear it if necessary. 5. Move everything into the bivouac so nothing is lost in the surrounding snow. You’ll need your shovels inside in case you have to dig yourselves out after heavy snowfall. 6. Close the entry hole with whatever you have to hand. You can use poles, skis or a bothy bag and seal it with snow. Your backpack can be used as a door.

EMERGENCY TRENCH If you can’t find a suitable snowdrift, you can dig an emergency trench instead. A snow depth of about 1.5 m is enough. Here, too, the walls must be at least 20 cm thick. HOW TO DO IT: 1. Dig a trench about 70 cm wide. Lengthwise, you’ll need to count approximately 1 m per person. 2. When you’ve dug down a bit under the snow, widen the hole to the sides – about 1 m on each side. 3. Cover the entry hole with skis, poles and bothy bags. Seal with snow and use a backpack as a door.

Remember: • Number 1: Practice makes perfect. It’s of the utmost importance that you make sure to practice building a bivouac before you actually need this knowledge. Stressful situations can rattle even the most experienced. When there’s a crisis, everything should be instinctive – you shouldn’t have to think about what you’re doing at all. • Build on time! Keep in mind that it takes a good while to dig a bivouac. Start before the going gets tough – you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll find yourself in a full-blown storm. • Measure! It’s very difficult to know if the walls are thick enough once you’re inside digging. Have an avalanche

probe, or an approximately 25 cm-long stick close by, and measure while you are digging. • Don’t get wet! It’s almost impossible to dry clothes in a snow bivouac, so try to avoid getting wet while you build. Adjust your clothing and work pace so that you don’t start to sweat excessively and be sure to brush off all snow from your clothes and shoes. • Always carry a headlamp, matches and tealights. • Keep a thermos and insulated jacket easily accessible during the night so that you can drink hot beverages and put the extra jacket over you if you get cold.

SAVIOUR IN DISTRESS

Text: Lif Hydén / Photo: Max-Michel Kolijn

Coffee pot, mosquito repellent, sunglasses – what are the essentials to bring on an adventure? These three are quite important, but one thing you should never leave home without is a first aid kit. Let's take a closer look at this topic with Olivia Kiwanuka – doctor, adventurer and CEO of Adventure Medicine.

Since you are reading this magazine, we're guessing that you like spending time in nature. Maybe you're like Annelie Pompe and Renata Chlumska, always on your way to an adventure, or maybe you're new to the outdoors and hungry for a hearty dose of inspiration. No matter who you are, we want to ask you the same question: what do you know about safety?

person turn around by themselves. Make sure to talk about the leadership role in different situations so you can avoid that debate when the going gets tough. This way, you at least have a familiar plan, even if you have to change it later on. Now, you may like to fly solo and enjoy spending time alone in nature, which is also wonderful. However, a lone wolf must be extra careful:

Most of us have never been face-to-face with death while out in the mountains. Our experience of dangerous situations is rather deficient and quite naively, we often take safety for granted.

– For example, you need to be able to make a compression bandage – this is difficult on someone else, but even more difficult on yourself. Practice, practice, practice in different situations before you head out.

Olivia Kiwanuka is a surgeon at Södersjukhuset in Stockholm, with a background in neurosurgery and orthopaedics. She's also one of Sweden's most experienced expedition doctors, and has, among other things, climbed Kilimanjaro twenty times and treated everything from abrasions to brain swellings. She's an accredited diving doctor and founded the company Adventure Medicine, which educates people about wilderness medicine and provides expedition doctors for all sorts of problems you may encounter in nature. So, definitely the right person to help us brush up on our knowledge. We put the kettle on and gave Olivia a call to talk about what you should know if an accident occurs and lives are at risk!

What should the kit contain? Not an easy question, we know. Of course, it depends on what kind of adventure we're talking about, but Olivia still gives some basic tips on things to pack:

What should I think of before I set off? – To make sure you have a good time, it's important to think ahead and do a proper risk analysis. Above all else, you should consider three things: what can happen? What are the consequences if these things happen? And how likely are they to happen? – Analyse the terrain you're going to be in and grade possible scenarios. Some things are very unusual, such as a glacier cracking, but if they happen, they're life-threatenin. Other things can be annoying but not dangerous, such as abrasions and blisters on a ski-touring trip. You don't have to be MacGyver, but you do have to be ready for both minor and major eventualities. This is where good old experience comes in. Have you done this trip before or do you need to learn about the area? Create a realistic plan, pack correctly for the weather and be aware of the risks involved. Olivia emphasises that before you and your friends head out; it's important that you talk to each other properly: – If you're going in a group, make sure you clear up a few things beforehand: what happens if someone wants to turn around and go back, how do you split up? What do you do if the weather is bad? If someone starts to feel ill, never let that

– Communication devices, compression bandage(s), medicines such as over-the-counter painkillers and plasters – preferably plenty thereof, elastic bandage(s) for sprains, wound dressings or an improvised compression bandage. In general, it's good to bring items that can be used for several things. Let's pause for a moment before moving on. Too many people pack a first aid kit but don't know how to use what's in it, or how to correctly ensure that, for example, a person has free airways. See to it that you do your homework. What knowledge is crucial in a tough situation? – It's the ability to act. You rarely do more harm than good, so it's better to try to help than to become paralysed. Even if you can't do anything perfectly, it's often better to do something than nothing at all. For example: if the injured person is in a dangerous environment, for example where a rockfall can occur, you should move the person out of the perilous location rather than not doing anything because you think they may have injured their neck. We can train our ability to act by taking courses, practising and preparing ourselves mentally by thinking through what we do if something happens. Olivia tells us what she does to focus better: – A good way to keep calm in an emergency is to breathe deeply before you do anything. Breathe for five seconds, wait, lower your heart rate a bit and let what's happened sink in – then act. Don't run blindly into a situation that you haven't had time to evaluate or assess. Let's face it: even the most stubborn mountain goat, with

many safety courses under their belt, can quickly get overwhelmed in a stressful situation. In the event of an accident, it's easy to stare blindly at someone who's bleeding and completely fail to notice they've stopped breathing. Olivia explains that there are some important rules to remember during a crisis, and the most common one will help you deal with what kills first: - To know in which order to prioritise actions, remember 'L-ABCDE', which stands for Life-threatening situation, Airway (open airways), Breathing, Circulation (circulation and bleeding), Disability (consciousness, movement, touch) and Exposure (whole-body examination and securing the environment). What happens if I get cold? If you're going on an adventure during winter, you also need to know about frostbite and hypothermia. Many underestimate how cold you can get when you're not moving and forget to take wind chill into account. Olivia elaborates on what you should do if your friend shows signs of hypothermia: - It's essential to continue to protect them against the cold with extra clothing, sleeping bags, windbreakers and more. Give them hot, sugary drinks to increase the body's heatproducing ability and try to create external heat by placing

hot water bottles or handwarmers in the armpits, on the chest and the back for best effect. The best thing you can do is protect and insulate your friend while waiting for help. When it comes to frostbite, you should keep an eye out for early symptoms: numb skin that turns white and cold, tingling or pins and needles. In conclusion, Olivia says that it's important to keep an eye on each other, especially when it gets cold: - A person with hypothermia stops thinking rationally and may become unable to recognise or influence their situation. Therefore, agree on a buddy system in advance where two people are responsible for regularly checking on each other during the trip. As with everything, there are different levels of knowledge, but learn the basics and you'll be in a good position. That means being able to fully enjoy nature and all the experiences it offers. It means getting out there with curiosity in our eyes, butterflies in our stomachs and anticipation in our steps. It's feeling free and howling with joy as our skis cut through freshly fallen snow. It's about knowing how we can save our friend's life if bad luck strikes. It's about taking responsibility. Sure, we want to enjoy our adventures, but we need to enjoy them with humility and respect for the unexpected.

ALWAYS BE READY! With the right preparations, you can handle tricky situations and tackle the unexpected.

COLD: 1. Bring spare clothes so you have an extra warming layer and replacements if you get wet. 2. The body loses a lot of energy when it gets cold, so eat well before, during and after helping someone to prevent hypothermia. 3. Read on further in this edition for info on how to build a snow bivouac (in case a storm creeps in). HYPOTHERMIA: make a heating bag while waiting for help. This is how: 1. Use wind- and waterproof outer material (e.g. canvas). 2. Insulate the inside with sleeping bags and sleeping pads. 3. Place the person with hypothermia in the bag, on a sleeping pad. 4. Place hot bottles/hand warmers on the personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chest and armpits. 5. Wrap a survival blanket around the person to reflect body heat back onto them. 6. If a person has been in an accident and you want to inspect a superficial injury, such as the arm, but at the same time protect against hypothermia, you can cut up half the sleeve, pull it up and then tape the clothes back together again. This way, the person retains some heat.

INJURY: 1. Build a stretcher with four poles and three shell jackets, alternatively a tent cloth. 2. Build a sledge: wrap up your skis, thread a rope/string/ cable tie, whatever you have available, in the hole at the front (many skis have one) and pull your gear. 3. Use a tampon to stop the bleeding if you have a puncture wound, e.g. a ski pole has punctured your thigh. 4. Make an improvised sling of clothes in the event of an arm injury, like a dislocated shoulder.

OTHER SMART THINGS TO BRING: 1. A pen and paper so that you can leave a message in mountain cabins you pass. 2. A waterproof bag to store your first aid kit in. 3. 1-metre cordelette rope that can be used to build a stretcher or a sledge. 4. Dextrosol: fast energy that can also be mixed with a little hot water to make it drinkable. 5. A whistle. 6. A survival blanket.

EPIC GEAR

GEAR HACKS

Text: Olof Lange / Photo: Emelie Voltaire

Epic meaning particularly impressive or remarkable; ”the climb last night was epic”. Gear meaning equipment or apparatus that’s used for a particular purpose; ”I’d never survive without my camping gear”. Put together ‘epic’ and ‘gear’ form a noun describing the epicness of the equipment provided by Addnature: epic gear. By modifying our equipment to suit our specific needs – to hack it – we’re able to take the gear to a new level. At first, we might hesitate to hack something nice, it’s definitely easier to cut into an old worn pack than it is to cut into a new jacket. Hacking opens new possibilities for optimising your gear for your adventures, and reusing pieces will save you money that you can spend on better things. Once you get started, it becomes a fun challenge, and it’ll be hard to stop looking for that next modification. When it comes to gear hacks, nothing is sacred – anything goes. Read on to find out why you should take a putty knife and kids’ snow sledge on your first winter tour in Norway!

Rock your old socks Even if you’re not interested in darning socks, they’re still useful even with a hole in the heel. Save them for the next time you have to wax your boots. Use them like a glove: this works better for applying grease and wax better than any brush or sponge. After that, all you need to do is polish your boots, just like in an old movie, with a sock of course! When the heel and toes have worn through, the leg and cuff can still be in good condition. Cut them off and use them as wrist gaiters or for extra cushioning on shoulder straps. If the sock gives up midway through the hike, it’s your turn to take the stage by the campfire for the evening’s sock puppet theatre.

Light metal Kitchen tinfoil can save your bacon out in the wild too. It’s lightweight, compact and can be re-used for different functions and needs. A foil windbreak speeds up the cooking process as the flame is protected and the heat is reflected by the foil. Use a rock or two to keep it in place. Many cook sets have multiple pots but only one lid. Cover the pots with foil while preparing additional courses or to speed up frying. Alternatively, skip the stove and pots all together by putting the food wrapped in foil directly on hot coals and lighten your load! All too often, we come across discarded aluminium cans out in nature. However, with some ingenuity, they can be put to good use. Cut the can open to make a superlight windbreak for the stove or wrap the thin metal firmly around a pole and fasten it with tape to fix a broken tent. For those of you who like to recycle, there are plenty of instructions on how to create a small stove from empty cans. A tip for your DIY: scrub all the paint off before you start cutting the can.

Elastic fantastic A strap flapping in the wind, something in your pocket banging incessantly against your leg and your water bottle always being just out of reach. There are many small things that might happen during an adventure that aren’t real problems, but over time they become the drops of water that hollow out the stone – so to speak. For those tasks, a thin bungee cord is well worth its (minimal) weight in gold, allowing you to tie down your equipment as well as being easy to remove and reattach. Wahey – your backpack’s hip belt stays adjustable, but the strap doesn’t flap around anymore. With your water bottle on one shoulder strap and binoculars readily available on the other, you can push on without stress. After a long day, stronger bungee cords at tent fastenings and guy lines will reduce flapping material on your tent, ensuring you get a better night’s sleep.

How long is a piece of string? A length of cord or a rope can often save the day! A shoelace can be used to tie down a broken tent, build a makeshift stretcher, fix a strap or to hang newfound treasures from your pack. But what types and thickness are most useful? A braided cord with a 3-6 mm diameter works for just about anything. There are thinner strings made from super-strong fibres like Dyneema or Dacron, but they’re more difficult to work with and not as versatile. Can you imagine trying to tie a 1 mm string with gloves? There are also paracords with kernmantle construction that are easy to handle and work well in most situations. Winter trail marking are placed 40 m apart, so with a line that’s a little longer, you and a friend can safely find the next pole and stay on track – even when you can’t see your hand in front of your face. One of you stands by a pole, and the other walks forward until the full length of the rope is taut between you, then the person in front can ‘swing’ on the rope until they find the pole.

Sleep on it Inflatable matrasses are comfortable, but foam mats are completely puncture-proof and can be used for more than just sleeping. Many backpacks have a foam back panel that can be removed and used as a seat, or you can make one yourself from a sleeping mat. A common solution in the world of lightweight backpacking is to loosely roll your sleeping mat inside the pack and then fill it with the rest of your gear like a burrito. This gives the whole pack surprising stability that also can replace a broken frame in the field. Why do workers’ trousers have pockets for knee pads while outdoor trousers don’t? You can tape a piece of a sleeping mat around the knee of your trousers to protect yourself from sharp objects and from the cold ground and snow. In emergency situations, a foam pad along with your spare cord can also be used to splint a broken arm or leg.

Three quick winter hacks: • How can snow be so slippery and yet sometimes so sticky? A putty scraper is perfect for removing packed snow and ice from skis and ski-skins – a neat solution for something that can be quite a hassle. • When tour skating, a small mistake or a crack can quickly cause a fall, and black ice can be very painful to land on. A set of knee pads can take the blow so that you can get back up, say “I’m all right” to your comrades and glide on. • Anchor your tent with skis or ski poles. Dig the pole down lengthwise and compact the snow on top to secure it, you can then attach a few guy lines to one pole. Skis are better to use as (massive) tent pegs, just push them into the snow tail-first to avoid snow clogging up the bindings. A tent held up by ski poles also looks pretty cool!

TAPE IT OR LEAVE IT Text: Olof Lange / Photo: Emelie Voltaire

A piece of tape can fix just about anything. Who doesn’t have patched garments or equipment at home? There are many types to choose from, but out in the field, we need one or two reliable allrounders. Tape is at its most useful in unpredictable situations. ONE TAPE TO RULE THEM ALL Silver tape, gaffer tape, Gorilla tape – it has as many names as it does applications. Duct tape has even been used in space, and many people always keep it in their pack. It owes its success to its three-layer construction. The adhesive sticks to virtually anything and the weave makes it strong and easy to tear neatly. Duct tape truly shines in sealing and joining pieces of equipment together. The stiffness allows for camping hacks like making a bowl out of tape, a case for binoculars or saving your sight with temporary glacier glasses. Twist the tape into a string or stick it glue-to-glue to make a strap for your pants or backpack. A few times around a boot and trousers keeps water out while crossing a stream and wrapping some tape around your shoe keeps a loose sole in place. If duct tape can’t fix it, you just haven’t used enough.

weight-obsessed, a little bit extra is better than not enough. Wrapping it around another object is a great space saver, though. Try wrapping tape a few times around your water bottle, a lighter or a trekking pole to always have it close at hand. TAPING A TENT A rip in your tent is a real nightmare, and the typical silicone coating makes the fly difficult to mend with tape. There is specialised tape that bonds with silicone for a permanent repair, but is has a curing time of several days, so for field repair, you are left with glueing and stitching a patch. A fly fabric with PU backing can be taped with our hero, duct tape, or even better, a light and strong tape used for sail repairs. Ease of repair is worth considering when choosing your tent.

TAPE AID On your body, fabric medical tape is the right choice, not duct tape. It’s breathable and won’t tear your skin off. Tape your feet on the first sign of chafing and avoid blisters altogether – this is priceless while trekking. A strong cloth-tape without coating can be used as an alternative for flexible repairs on a garment or for extra grip on a ski pole.

BEST IN CLASS Office tape and masking tape both have their place, but it’s not in the backcountry. For demanding adventures with no margin of error, the sail tape mentioned above stands out in both strength and price. Much stronger than usual cloth tape, it can be used to make flexible repairs that withstand exposure to salty water and sunlight. Available with different reinforcements and thicknesses, you can buy this tape in lengths of just a few metres.

ON A WINTER TOUR Many materials get brittle when the temperature drops and the adhesive on normal tape might not work at all, so consider carefully what you bring with you in wintertime. More advanced products often have a temperature rating. If your tape doesn’t stick well, you can try warming it under your jacket before applying it.

TAPE IT OR LEAVE IT? For times when tape doesn’t work or can’t be fastened to equipment, a few cable ties can come in very handy. Best in class are ties with a plastic-coated metal core: they’re super strong, easy to use and even work in very cold temperatures. Also, you can thread them through eyelets, holes and buckles that are otherwise difficult to repair.

IN YOUR PACK How to pack the right amount of tape when a full roll is too much? Weight weenies take the smallest possible amount rolled up on some other gear, which is fine, but unless you’re

Ps. Fold over the end of your tape before putting it away, it takes a second and will keep you from frustration and premature grey hairs!

GEAR CARE Text: Anna Kernell / Photo: Emelie Voltaire

The outdoor gear that accompanies you on your adventures is both much loved and frequently used. And sooner or later itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bound to break. So, do you just chuck it out and buy new kit? Not at all! If you take care of your stuff, you can ensure it'll live a long life. And if it does suffer from wear and tear, there are many repairs you can handle yourself. Hooked advises!

TENT MAINTAIN In order for your tent to last as long as possible, you must first and foremost make sure you don't use it for something that it can't handle. If you're hiking above the tree line, your tent should be specially designed for high mountains and more exposed terrain. You should also have a tent that's suitable for winter camping if you head out during the winter months. UV radiation breaks down both fabrics and impregnation, so remember not to leave the tent in the sun for too long. Leave your shoes outside, shake out the tent after use to remove dirt and use a protective floor print. It's much easier to replace a floor print than to repair the floor itself.

REPAIR The seams of your tent are exposed to severe stress, so be sure to check them regularly and apply Seam Grip where it needs to be reinforced. You can also easily fix small holes in the tent fabric using Seam Grip, so it's a really good thing to have in your arsenal. If you do have a tear or a hole in the middle of a floor or wall, a repair patch in the same material as the canvas is enough to solve the problem. The patch should cover 1-2 inches outside the hole in all directions and have rounded edges, which you can fix with scissors if the patch isn't already rounded. Cut off loose threads and fibres along the hole, clean the area and apply the patch. Apply Seam Grip along the edge for extra durability and weather resistance. Then weigh the patched area down and leave to dry for 24 hours.

Gear hack:

It's very important that your tent is dry before you pack it down and put it away. Hang it up to dry and store it as loosely as possible so it has room to breathe.

Do you have a steamer? If so, steam iron the area on both sides of the tent fabric. This will smooth the material, so the patch is easier to apply and adheres better to the fabric.

Over time, your tent's impregnation will lose its waterrepellent quality and you'll have to give it a bit of a boost. Nikwax and Fibertec, for example, have more environmentally-friendly alternatives in convenient spray form. Set the tent up properly so you won't miss a single spot. Make sure that all zippers are closed and that the tent is well cleaned before you start, as the impregnation won't adhere to a dirty surface. Read the impregnation instructions and follow them carefully.

If there's a tear in a strained or stressed area (such as in a corner near a pole attachment point or close to a zipper) you'll need to sew the hole together before sealing it with a patch. This also applies to materials that are difficult to glue or tape due to their structure or surface. If the tent has had a long, deep tear or puncture along a seam and you feel unsure of your repair skills or the tools you have to hand, it's best to leave it to an expert and send it off for repair.

SLEEPING BAG MAINTAIN If you take good care of your down sleeping bag it should maintain its loft and insulation level for more than 20 years. Synthetic loses its loft faster but is also affected by care. Make it a habit to use sleeping bag liners and covers. These will not only make the sleeping bag more comfortable and warm, they'll also make it last longer since it won't need to be washed as often, which wears on the bag. Make sure the bag is completely dry before putting it away after an adventure. Store it in an airy place, never compressed. Preferably hang it, otherwise keep it in the large packing bag that usually comes with it. If stored in a compressed state, it'll lose its loft and insulation capacity prematurely. WASH Your sleeping bag will inevitably get dirty over time and will need a good cleaning occasionally, even if you try to wash it as little as possible. Read the washing instructions carefully before you start. Wash with a mild detergent, preferably one that is specifically designed for sleeping bags, and if you have a down sleeping bag, make sure to wash with a down detergent so that it retains its loft. Please don't use fabric softener as it'll break down the dirt and water-repellent surface of the material. Synthetic bags can be tumble dried or hung to dry, while down bags should tumble dry for a long time on low heat. Expect a drying time of about 3-6 hours depending on the thickness and quality of the down. Interrupt the cycle 1-2 times an hour and work any lumps of down with your hand so that the down becomes fluffy and evenly distributed. If the sack has long or large channels, you'll need to make sure that the down is evenly distributed over the entire sack. REPAIR If you rip a hole in your sleeping bag when you're out on a trip, a little gaffer tape is usually enough to make an emergency repair. When you get home, you can either sew the hole together or easily fix it with self-adhesive repair pads. If feathers start to stick out from the sleeping bag, it's better to try to poke them back in again by pulling them back from the inside. If you pull them out this will simply create a larger hole, which will ultimately lead to even greater down leakage.

SLEEPING PADS MAINTAIN In order for a sleeping pad to retain its original shape and optimal functionality, it must be stored correctly. Store an inflatable sleeping pad dry, unrolled and with the valve open. A sleeping pad made of cellular plastic/ foam rubber is preferably stored flat, but if you don't have the space, you can roll it up a little looser than you would when going on a hike. WASH Keep your sleeping pad in shape by washing it once every season. If you've used insect spray, wash the pad's surface as soon as you get home. You can easily rinse it off or clean it with a mild all-purpose detergent in the shower. However, if you're washing an inflatable sleeping pad, be sure to close all its valves first so that you don't accidentally get water inside it. REPAIR If there's a tear in your cellular plastic pad, you can repair it with a piece of gaffer tape. With an inflatable pad, it's a little trickier, but with repair patches or a repair kit, you can fix most small holes in a jiffy. If you know where the hole is, deflate the sleeping pad fully, lay it flat and clean it, preferably with alcohol (if suitable for the material). Cut out a self-adhesive repair patch of appropriate size (unless you have pre-cut patches in the repair kit). Apply the patch and allow to dry under pressure. If you don't know where the hole is, inflate the sleeping pad and dab the surface with a sponge soaked in soapy water. Look out for small bubbles. Wipe the area and then mark the place where it started to bubble. Deflate the pad and then allow to dry before patching it.

ENCHANTED BY ICE Text: Anna Kernell / Illustration: Elin Edling

Our colleague Olof Lange is not only a devoted minimalist with a background in fashion and kayak building but also a dedicated tour skater. Here, he tells us about his three favourite tours â&#x20AC;&#x201C; pure poetry on the ice.

MOONLIGHT ON MJÖRN Drifting through the dark with the moon as a spotlight and ice under your feet is something I wish everyone could experience. Ice skating at night can be both exciting and a little scary: you can't see the ice that well and you can't read it as far ahead as you can during the day, so you need to be extra careful. It also feels a bit forbidden and thus extra special – almost like when you were little and were allowed to stay up late to watch shooting stars or celebrate the new year. I was fairly new to Gothenburg when I set my sights on Mjörn, a large lake near Alingsås, frequented mainly by local skaters. It's easy to get to Mjörn by train and bus from Gothenburg – you can get off at one place, go for a skate and then hop on the train at another stop. If you're going to skate at night, you need to be sure the ice is in good condition. A good tip is to go with a tour-skating club that knows the area well. I went with Gothenburg's Tour-Skating Club – some of them had skated the same route during the day and knew the ice was skateable. When we arrived at Mjörn, it was a couple of degrees below zero. The starry sky and moonlight lit up the bare ice in front of us. The first thing that struck me was how barren the scene was; how the darkness limited my experience to only what I felt under my feet and the little I could see. Somehow, the experience intensified as my 'world' shrunk. Apart from the moonlight to light our way, (we also had car headlights as a backup) it was pitch black. Just like it does on a completely calm lake, the night sky reflected on the ice. And in front of me, ice crystals mingled with the stars in the night sky. It almost felt like skating on the sky itself. There in the darkness, it was just me, the sky and the ice. It gave an unreal feeling of having access to a hidden, mysterious world where I floated in the unknown.

WINDOWS OF ICE IN VISTASDALEN Vistasdalen is a beautiful area that I've explored by kayak several times during the summer. It's a broad, flat, open valley surrounded by bare mountain peaks. You can also see slightly taller and more-jagged mountains to the north. Many people hike here during summer and ski during winter, but for others, it's little more than a place you pass on the way to Kebnekaise. I've heard people say that Vistasdalen is a boring place for hiking, because it feels like a pit-stop on the way to somewhere else, and it can be quite wet and grey. However, tour skating there is something else entirely. The first time I skated in Vistasdalen, I went with a friend who had never used a pair of touring skates before. At the time, there weren't many ice skaters in Kiruna: sometimes you can't skate there at all because the snow settles at the same time as the ice. There were some enthusiasts, but nothing like the numbers you get in the Stockholm or Gothenburg areas. Instead, you have to keep your eye on social media and rely on hearsay. This time, we assumed there would be ice at Vistasdalen. We started near Nikkaluokta. Here, where the river runs into the lake, it's almost like a small delta. We headed north towards Vistasstugan, along the river as it winds through the landscape. In places, the water was very shallow, and we could see rocks and sand on the bottom. We could even sometimes see fish swimming along underneath. Right at the start, by the river mouth, we could lie down on the ice and watch the seaweed sway in the current below. The river was at its widest and calmest at the beginning.

There were many tributaries, wetlands and lakes that we could explore when we felt like it. But the higher up we got, the more exciting it became, and the more we had to find our way and carefully read the ice. The landscape transforms and becomes hillier up north, and you'll see more curves and bends you'll want to explore. We couldn't wait to see what lay beyond each turn. Being completely alone in the wilderness, in the mountains and valleys, and travelling on new ice was incredible. Henke, who had never tour skated, was often to be found laughing in sheer astonishment. However, having never been to this area before and knowing it could be dangerous in places, we were somewhat nervous and went carefully. And of course, we weren't completely alone; there are a lot of animals in the area, and we saw reindeer and wolverine spoor. We followed the river higher and higher until it told us we had gone far enough. We reached a sharp bend with a wide sandbank, a place where you'd typically have to be careful as the current is often stronger around corners. I thought to myself, "I'll go on the inner side, just to be safe." But as I started to cross, I felt the ice begin to sag and crack and just managed to turn back in the nick of time! We stood there at the bend for a while and gazed longingly up the river, imagining what was beyond the next bend. Then we turned back. When we got back to the car, we were more than happy with our voyage of discovery, and just as we sat down to drive back to Kiruna, it started to snow. Heavy wet snow turned into heavy snowfall, reminding us how capricious the tour skating season is. At least we'd managed to enjoy some of the few skateable hours the year had to offer.

Gear hack: A good tip when you go tour skating is not to carry any equipment at the front of your body (except the ice studs of course). This is because it can become a hindrance if you go through the ice and something gets stuck in it when you try to pull yourself up. It's hard enough to handle an unintentional dip in the ice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you don't need one more obstacle to contend with if you end up in the drink!

â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the best things about tour skating is how the conditions vary so much. You never know how the ice will be, because the ice changes: it moves, it's alive and morphs with the weather and the seasons. On those few occasions you catch one of those rare ice-skating moments, it's so much fun.â&#x20AC;?

BARE ICE IN FJÄLLBACKA There's something special about skating on the icecovered sea. Partly, because opportunities to skate on the sea are much fewer than on lakes, and partly because 'sea ice' behaves differently. It's stickier, a little softer, doesn't crack and doesn't break as easily. Sometimes there's a swell from the sea under the ice so that it looks like the ice is moving in soft waves. If you skate on thinner ice, you can see your companions in front of you sinking slightly, the ice flexing to support their weight. One year, I got to create a unique ice-skating memory that I'll cherish for a long time, and probably recount every Christmas when we're surrounded by fog, rain and wind. This particular year, during the holidays, Fjällbacka offered unique tour skating conditions. The sun was shining, and the ice stretched to the horizon where it lay, flat and shiny, like a newly-polished mirror. It's important to realise that these conditions are relatively uncommon for the West Coast. Usually, on those rare occasions when it's cold enough, it's so windy that the ice gets blown away before settling. Against these odds, a crisp, cold -10 c day lay ahead of us, accompanied by a clear blue sky and eight centimetres of bare ice. Magical! Together with a group of experienced skaters, I set out to discover the sea in a new way; a sea that we usually navigate with kayaks, SUPs and boats. We zigzagged our way between rugged rocky islands, with picturesque west-coast houses in the background and a seemingly endless sea in front of us, frozen in time and space. We felt as if the world was ours, and we could go anywhere. That feeling was clear by the big smiles on our faces, which remained throughout the trip and well into the evening. When we got back to the car, we unanimously decided to go back and do it again. Nobody wanted to leave – we knew it might be years before we had another opportunity like this.

CONNECT, DISENGAGE, UNWIND CUT THE MOORINGS AND SAIL AWAY FROM EVERYDAY LIFE Text: Lif Hydén / Photo: Fabian Omne

Digital nomad – it’s hard to find a concept more 2020 than that. Throw in the term ‘van life’ and surfing and we’re talking 100% ultra-hip lifestyle. But how do you successfully manage remote working, and is it as wonderful as it seems? Sometimes I can't help but laugh at myself – I'm basically a rolling cliché. I live in a rebuilt van (which of course has a surfboard on the roof) and work remotely. Now and then I meet people who call me a ‘digital nomad’, and it sounds so Instagram-friendly that I almost start giggling. I’m definitely not one of those cool people who’s outwitted the system; however, I do enjoy having adventures right outside my ‘house’ and not always knowing what the future holds. Let me start by explaining the modern concept of a digital nomad so that we’re all on the same page. In short, it can be described as follows: a person who works locationindependently using digital tools and having the world as their office. The part about having "the world as their office" is open to interpretation because you can just as easily sit on a couch in Skegness as lie on a beach in Indonesia. It all depends on who you are and what makes you happy. Personally, I get creative and motivated by the freedom to decide the environment for myself and prefer to park my rolling home by the big blue. I’ve always been someone who enjoys the unexpected, and as it turns out, the van life offered me just that: the opportunity to discover new places and always have adventure just around the corner. I can park at the foot of a mountain and hike after work or sleep next to the sea and hit the waves before my first morning meeting. It makes me feel alive. The luxury of working remotely is that I get to do something rewarding without giving up on the lifestyle that makes me a better person. To be able to open my tailgate to nature and pour a cup of coffee next to my computer makes me perform at my best. One lesson that many of us have learned from the corona

pandemic is that we don’t have to go into the office every day to do our jobs. People who use the computer as their main tool have gone from stepping into the office at eight o'clock every day and out into reality again at five o'clock, to working from home in the kitchen, or in the garden, or at their summer cottage...so now it doesn’t seem far-fetched to take your office on the road with you.

IT STARTED WITH A RUSTY CAR BY THE SEA I started dreaming of the ‘free life’ years ago when the boy I love and I went to Australia and moved into a rusty 1985 Toyota HiAce with a pop-top. For eight months we lived alongside the seemingly endless coast and discovered the charms of having nature as your living room. When we returned to Sweden, life suddenly looked different: an apartment in Åre, tacos on Fridays and a job that meant selling stuff to stressed tourists. The contrast was jarring! It didn’t take long before we gave in to the longing in our hearts and found ourselves on the road again. I took my first, uncertain steps into the digital world by starting to freelance as a writer for ski forums and ski magazines in Sweden. I kept abreast of the skiing scene and enjoyed writing, which gave me something to start from. I set up as a sole-trader – and even though I knew absolutely nothing about business economics, I gave it a wholehearted attempt. At the same time, my partner and I started rebuilding a van, and even though neither of us are gifted carpenters, we eventually finished it. I’m aware that I sound even more like

Check out Lifâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s van life on Instagram: @fab.lif 71

JOBS YOU CAN DO REMOTELY: Customer service Social media manager Marketing in all forms Editor Digital specialist (statistics, SEO etc.) Writer/ journalist Photographer Economist Graphic designer Copywriter Translator Web designer Salesperson

a cliché, but I still have to say it: believe in your own abilities and give your dreams an honest chance. Of course it’s scary, but my God is it worth it.

There are lots of ways you could make it work, and maybe my best advice is: don’t buy new, unessential things; spend that money on your future dream instead.

Look for more solutions and give it a try

Will I get tired of living in a car? One question people often ask is what it’s really like to live in a van. You’ve probably seen pictures on social media of sun-kissed digital nomads working from their cars, sipping ice-cold drinks with big smiles on their faces. This isn’t my reality – unfortunately, most of the time I look like trash with my hair standing on end and dirty dishes on the table next to the computer. When you live in 7 square metres – as I do with my partner – you have to give up certain things. You obviously stay fresh by showering or swimming in the sea but having a large wardrobe with seven different pairs of sneakers and five models of jackets, for example, isn’t compatible with this life. Don’t be discouraged, you’ll get used to having fewer possessions pretty quickly and you’ll have more time to see the beauty in simplicity.

I really enjoy my work, but there are some things I have to compromise on. I do miss out on physical meetings with colleagues and I have to be very disciplined so as not to be distracted by my surroundings. For me, the positive benefits are still more attractive, but if you’re curious about remote work, you need to reflect on what kind of lifestyle makes you happy. Ask yourself what you value most in your life. Is it security? Is it routine or chit-chatting with your favourite colleague over lunch? If so, remote work may not be your cup of tea. If, on the other hand, you long for a more adventurous everyday life, it might be the way to go. To get started, you can begin by answering these three questions: What prevents you from trying? Preconditions obviously play a big role but consider this question based on your situation and figure out what’s stopping you. Do you come up with various excuses that stem from your fear of failing? What’s the worst thing that can happen if you try and then regret it? The answer is probably nothing very dramatic. Be humble and don’t take things too seriously. It will all work out! What are your strengths? Write down your main strengths and skills, as well as different ways to use them. Allow yourself to think big and small without judging the ideas that come up. Think about what you would like to work with and what that would look like. Do you lack the relevant skills? Gain new knowledge to pave your way forward. Take a course or watch Youtube tutorials, read books, take an internship and practise. It really is just a matter of putting the first pieces of the puzzle together and being prepared to do the work. How do you want to live? If the van life sounds like something for you, I highly recommend it in combination with working remotely. It’s much more comfortable than many people think, and although you have less space, you don’t have to agree with your partner on every little thing. Are you worried it’ll be too expensive? I sold off a bunch of stuff I had at home, found a car for a fair price on Blocket and rebuilt it with leftover wood I bought cheaply. I also cancelled my rental contract so I didn’t have to pay rent, which reduced my cost of living.

For me, life in my yellow car and working remotely means a better quality of life. I feel good spending a lot of time in nature, whether it's sitting on a surfboard waiting for waves, in a kayak on still water or just by being able to have lunch with my toes in the grass. It’s a cliché, but I absolutely love it. When I get to mix nature with everyday life, I’m more focused and deliver at work, which in turn makes my employer happy. There are endless paths to choose from for someone who wants to do something like this, and as the world becomes more connected, more opportunities are opening up. There are a variety of professions where you can work remotely - at home on the couch or in a hip cafe, with the obligatory juice next to you, whatever floats your boat. Tips for those of you who already work remotely: Sometimes the boundary between business and pleasure can get blurred, and it can be difficult to keep concentration levels high. One trick is to maintain certain routines even when you’re travelling, such as deciding working hours even before the day starts.

Three important things for a digital nomad living in a car: 1. Good mobile internet, both in terms of quantity and strength. 2. An inverter to charge the computer from different power sources. 3. Solar panels and/or batteries so you have enough electricity.

How many sports are you?