Episode #19trollveggen

An icon in the Scandinavian Outdoor Industry (1:2)Tomas Carlström

A person wearing Norrøna clothing is hiking up a snowy mountainside. The sky in the background is a pale pink.

FeaturingTomas Carlström, Eivind Eidslott

Guest

Tomas Carlström

Climber. Innovater. Legend.

Norrøna legend and a pioneer

Host

Eivind Eidslott

Journalist, Author, Outdoorsman

Chasing Summits, Capturing Stories.

Introduction: Eivind welcomes Tomas Carlström and sets the stage for his legendary status in the industry.

00:00

Early Beginnings: Tomas recounts his first memories of the outdoors and how he started working with gear.

00:56

The Norrøna Connection: How Tomas first met the Jørgensen family and began his journey with the brand.

02:31

Developing the Trollveggen: The technical challenges and breakthroughs in creating the world's first Gore-Tex jacket.

05:21

Testing in the Wild: Stories from early expeditions where the gear was put to the ultimate test.

09:01

Design Philosophy: A deep dive into why "less is more" when designing for extreme mountain conditions.

13:01

Evolution of Materials: Moving from heavy canvases and leathers to modern technical fabrics.

16:01

The Outdoor Community: Reflection on how the Scandinavian outdoor culture has shifted over the decades.

19:01

Closing Thoughts: Tomas shares his perspective on the future of the industry and sustainable design.

22:01

Tomas Carlström is an engineer, designer, skier and photographer. He’s also an ice climbing legend and an excellent storyteller.

In this episode, we sit down with outdoor icon Tomas Carlström to uncover the untold history of Scandinavian gear design. From the development of the legendary Trollveggen suit—Europe's first Gore-Tex jacket—to his decades-long partnership with Norrøna, Tomas shares the trials and triumphs of innovating for the high mountains.

Listeners will gain a unique perspective on the shift from traditional materials to modern tech, the importance of field testing in extreme environments, and the timeless philosophy of functional minimalism that continues to define the industry today.

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