Tierra test-team
Meet Tierra’s Test Team — a key part of product development — putting it to the test.
Tierra’s Test Team consists of qualified mountain guides and others whose demands on outdoor gear are, shall we say, somewhat beyond the ordinary. One example: the wear-and-tear on these professionals’ clothes in a single season can be equivalent to five-years’ worth for a normal user. The team puts our garment designs to the test under natural conditions beginning in the prototype stage, so we can benefit from their feedback right through to final production. As a result, our team’s contribution to product development is invaluable.
The wear-and-tear on these professionals’ clothes in a single season can be equivalent to five-years’ worth for a normal user.
Karin Eknor
Karin finds it difficult to sit still and believes life is so much better when conducted outside. And she would know, living in Northern Norway for large parts of the year, where the captivating combination of mountains and sea offer endless possibilities for adventure. Karin climbs everything—alpine, ice, mixed, rock and bouldering—while also engaging in mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and every kind of alpine skiing.
“The best thing is to be out on your own adventure, and in recent years, my tours have become more and more advanced. I like to challenge myself and learn more about everything to do with climbing and alpinism—to get better and set new goals. That’s a lot of what drives me, but there’s also the adventure itself. In the end, it’s about feeling good, and exercise is good for your health, gets you in shape and makes it possible to reach further and higher.”
“It’s fun to be part of clothing development and influence design and function. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that I use my Tierra clothes every day, and I love them! It’s also great that Tierra has so much focus on the environment—this issue is so important and I’m proud to represent a brand that works hard to reduce its environmental impact.”
Follow Karin on Instagram: @karinsfjelliv
Visit Karin's website: https://www.karinsfjelliv.com
Christian Edelstam
Christian is a mountain guide with the whole world as his workplace. He has been skiing for as long as he can remember and started climbing in the early 1990s. His first big adventure involved a 53-day crossing of the Greenland icecap—a distance of 920 km that included climbing Greenland’s highest summit. Today he runs his own guiding company and loves the solitude and wilderness of his home in northern Sweden. Christian has been with the Tierra Test Team since its inception in 2006.
“I own almost no other clothes and find it difficult to see myself in anything other than Tierra. The testing we do feels meaningful because it shows in the final products that our comments are heard and taken seriously. We don't exist just for looks and I’m a proud test-team member and ambassador for the brand.”
Get to know Christian more in our mini-documentary A life in the Mountains.
Oscar Wahlund
Oscar guides off-piste skiing in the Maurienne region of France, backcountry tours in northern Scandinavia, ice climbing in Sweden’s Jämtland and summer climbing in the Alps. Anything and everything to challenge himself and have some fun. Oscar claims his coolest experience was powder skiing in Norway’s Lofoten islands on a midwinter night where the full moon was reflected on the sea.
“The best thing I can think of is forgetting all my digital passwords and logins as my mind fills with impressions and experiences in the mountains. My favorite Tierra garment is the Ace Pant—it works for all seasons and activities, from ice climbing in –30˚C to rock climbing in +20˚C, from summit tours in the spring to forest mountain biking on a chilly autumn day.”
Sarah Widell
Sarah was the first female member of the Swedish Mountain Guide Organization (SBO and has been with the Tierra Test Team since 2007. Balancing her mountain guiding and work as a forester with being a mother of small children, she enjoys skiing almost anywhere but also likes alpine climbing.
“Being a Test Team member is fun and interesting, above all because Tierra is so interested in what we think. That makes it feel extra good. It's also nice to know that you're wearing great stuff when you don't have much time to think about yourself, whether you’re at work or just sledding with the kids. My favourite thing is good skiing with good friends, but the coolest thing I've done is become a mother and see how it changed my views on almost everything.”
Markus Schubert
As a certified IFMGA mountain and ski guide, Marcus works mostly in the Alps. His home is in the German mountain resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, an ideal jumping-off point for climbing, mountaineering and skiing adventures. Constantly seeking new challenges, he likes to try everything, testing new activities a bit to see if they’re something he wants to develop further. Marcus became aware of Tierra in 1998 while adventuring in Sweden and has been an ambassador since 2015 and part of the Test Team since 2020.
“There are many companies that interpret sustainability in outdoor clothing. To me, however, Tierra has the most sustainable philosophy. Tierra tries to make robust and durable clothes from sustainable textiles. This intersection of environmental awareness and quality management makes me proud to be part of the process as a member of the Test Team.”
Olov Isaksson
Originally from Sweden, Olov moved to the Alps at age 20 because of his passion for mountains. But after 15 years in France, Switzerland and Germany, he’s currently back in Stockholm. Alongside his work as a docent at Stockholm University, he still spends time working as a mountain guide, dividing his time about 50-50 between the Alps and Scandinavia. Olov enjoys all mountains disciplines with a special fondness for ski tours, winter climbing and expeditions.
Karin Isaksson Zgraggen
The mountains have always been an important part of Karin’s life. Growing up in the central Swiss Canton of Uri among beautiful mountains, she enjoyed spending a lot of time outdoors. She hiked and skied with her family as a child, but when she started climbing as an adult, she was immediately hooked. After high school, Karin studied media and communication then worked for a long time in marketing in the outdoor industry. As her climbing and skiing pursuits became more intense, Karin decided to become a mountain guide so she could share her passion with others. Currently an aspiring mountain guide, she divides her time between the Alps and Sweden.
