Ola Skinnarmo teams up with Exped
Ola Skinnarmo’s partnership with Exped distributor New Element Scandinavia followed years of using the brand’s sleeping mats.
Ola Skinnarmo bought his first Exped sleeping mat in 2002. It traveled to Svalbard and the North Pole before burning during a moose hunt in Dalarna. A partnership with Swedish distributor New Element Scandinavia meant he could sleep comfortably again, a collaboration we had first reported the previous August.
Skinnarmo reconnected with Exped in spring 2010 after meeting New Element at Swesport. The distributor had handled the Swiss brand since 2002 and reported roughly doubling turnover each year. At the time of this 2011 article, Exped was sold in around 50 Swedish stores, from Malmö to Karesuando.
“We are incredibly pleased and proud that Ola has chosen to work with us. We have worked purposefully to improve sleeping comfort for mountain hikers and others who regularly sleep outdoors. Sleeping well is the key to successful expeditions,” said Ulf Waldekrantz, CEO of New Element Scandinavia.
The announcement highlighted Exped’s Swiss engineering, material choices and unusual practical solutions. New products that year included lightweight tents, sleeping mats, packing bags and sleeping bags. Skinnarmo shared that enthusiasm:
“Distinctive innovations, top quality and, above all, fantastic functionality are some of the reasons I chose to work with Exped. These days I sleep wonderfully well. Exped’s mats are incredibly comfortable and simply have to be tried. They are more comfortable than my bed at home! The built-in pump makes inflation easy, which is another winning feature. Sleeping comfortably matters, but so does sleeping securely. Exped tents will become a regular companion on my upcoming trips to Mongolia, Svalbard and the North Pole.”
