Samaya and Snowleader collaborated on the occasion of an intimate evening at the Annecy store. About thirty guests were able to participate in a discussion with Christophe Dumarest, seasoned mountaineer and guide, before leaving with a Samaya product to test for a weekend. Adrien Guillon, Product Manager at Samaya, questions Christophe about his habits, his practices and his vision of the high mountains.

Adrien Guillon : Can you introduce yourself? Who are you and what are you doing?

Christophe Dumarest : I'm from Annecy, I know the mountains around the store well. I started the mountain very young, constrained and forced by a tyrannical family! But it was still great to attack skiing at two years old and finally to make it my job by moving towards the high level and the profession of guide.

AG : You were there at the beginning of Samaya, what connects you to us?

CD : I really experienced the birth of the company. A hell of a long way has been covered since then, which is quite amazing, an evolution from a small chrysalis to a butterfly, which is great and I was able to participate in the design of the Samaya ULTRA35.

AG : Exactly. How did you participate in the design of Samaya's first backpack?

CD : There is a real listening, expectations, needs, feelings and finally a request that will be heard and materialized. We end up being able to make the product we are missing and the product of our dreams, even if there are compromises. It is not easy to arbitrate between the wishes of athletes who can take the brand into stratospheres that are not necessarily commercially appropriate. When we test the products, we experience some difficulties, to obtain quality products. When we go on an expedition, there is all our life insurance in a bag that is 35 or 40L. It is therefore necessary to ensure reliability. Even in the approach phases, if there is breakage, it's complicated. The mind is completely focused on a goal that terrifies us, so you have to be completely calm about the material. We put the gear to the test and that's what you're asking us: see how far we can push lightness, robustness, waterproofness. What was missing on the market today was lightness. With the ULTRA35, we have a bag that is super light, with which we can almost go on an expedition: there is the resistant side and the waterproof side. Among a huge backpack offer, here we have this added value, which makes sense.

AG : Absolutely, it is in the interest of the athletes who will test our products, sometimes in extreme conditions, even if the equipment is also used for less committed outings. What is your view on this?

CD : I would say that what makes the beauty of the guiding profession is the diversity of outings. You can take groups into the canyon, do initiation in ski touring, glacier walking, treks, trails, mid-mountain roaming and rock climbing. And it's great. I don't see a hierarchy to be made between a Himalayan and a modest hiker. Just go to Everest base camp to see what a fair it is. On the contrary, in the massifs which are closer with extremely reasonable carbon footprints, we can make hyper powerful experiences by reinterpreting a map, by showing a little originality, by going off the beaten track. What I also find beautiful today is the hardware revolution that allows you to go beyond what was possible before. I who am fragile, a small build, I was able to do a few things in the mountains. Before, it's simple, if you weren't part of the force of nature category, the mountains weren't for you.