Field Journal

Exploring the Canadian Wilderness with EXPED Founders Andi and Heidi Brun
Written by Harriet Folkes
Produced in partnership with EXPED

In 1980, EXPED founders Andi and Heidi Brun spent nine months in the Canadian wilderness. With basic tools like an axe and hand saw, along with knowledge from explorers, they settled into a rhythm of living off the land. Despite encounters with bears, frozen lakes, and –40°C temperatures, life felt simple, functional, and sustainable – qualities they have carried with the brand today.

There are many words we could use to describe the Canadian wilderness. In winter, vast expanses of forests, mountains, and lakes, are covered in thick snow, protecting the landscape from biting winds and freezing temperatures. Those who venture out experience solitude and a deep connection with nature in its most raw and unspoiled state. Extreme, beautiful, and otherworldly are words that come to mind. But easy? Not so much.

However, ask EXPED founders Andi and Heidi to describe what it was like to spend nine months there, and their answer was exactly that. ‘Life after a while got really easy,’ Andi explains. ‘The lakes were frozen over and easy to get around, in contrast to summer when there are swarms of mosquitoes. Black bears sleep in winter and are not dangerous because they have no contact with humans—they would run away from us.’

Even the sub-zero temperatures were something to be celebrated. ‘–40°C is actually much nicer than –2°C in Switzerland because it is so dry, and the snow is not sticky at all,’ Andy says. Going to the toilet in –40°C, however, was a different story. ‘You get about three minutes before your better parts start to freeze.’ A sense of humour was essential to their survival, along with their natural ability to keep things simple. A book called How To Build A Log Cabin was the most unhelpful resource, explaining in extensive detail that it would take a year and an electric saw to build. ‘We completed it in six weeks with a manual saw and an axe.’

During breaks from building, Andi and Heidi – who had just 40 per cent of the supplies they needed – learnt how to live off the land. They used a hand-knotted net and a dead tree as a fishing rod to fish through metre-thick ice, and supplemented their catch with rock tripe (an edible lichen grown on rocks), wild chicken, and berries in the autumn. ‘We had some survival skills before their trip, but mostly we learnt by doing,’ Heidi explains.

When the nine months were up, they dismantled their cabin and left no trace, taking away no more than a handful of key lessons: have a plan, be confident in its execution, and (if it doesn’t work) learn from your mistakes and try again. It was from these lessons that they built their first business, EXPED AG, a distributor representing many iconic brands in the outdoor industry in Zürich. The business gave them valuable insight into product trends and problems. At the time, most equipment was designed for the US market and unsuitable for European needs. Andi says, ‘Tent flies were prone to clinging to inner tents, they were set too high and therefore not waterproof, mats were too thin and not insulated enough, and products were overdesigned with too many features.’

So in 1997, EXPED launched their own products for the first time and transitioned from distributor to manufacturer. Their courage to start came from their experience in the wilderness, grounded in the ability to ‘take calculated risks and be ready to fail’.

EXPED’s first product, the Orion tent, still exists within the collection today. The tent addressed a key gap in the market at the time, combining the efficiency of a tunnel design with the functionality of separate entrances for better ventilation. After 20 years of innovation, the tent now features lighter fabric and poles and adjusted dimensions for thicker sleeping bags and taller people. These changes help it excel in various conditions, from rainstorms to sandstorms, making it a versatile, durable, and reliable piece of kit in diverse environments.

Another product milestone was the down mat, developed with the EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) to deliver comfort and warmth from the ground up. EXPED’s Downmat Technology features in the Ultra 7R, Ultra 7R Mummy, Dura 6R and Dura 8R, EXPED’s high-performance sleeping mats designed for human-powered adventures such as trekking, long-distance hiking, bikepacking, and alpinism in sub-zero temperatures.

EXPED relied on storytelling and engaging with their community to grow the collection, which now includes all the kit you would need for adventure: backpacks, bivvy bags, sleeping bags, hammocks, and tents designed for hiking, backpacking, and mountaineering. The products are available in 26 countries and sold exclusively through speciality outdoor retailers today.

EXPED’s enduring appeal lies not just in their products but in their people. Four employees are celebrating over 30 years with the brand. Heidi says, ‘This means it’s more about a lifestyle than a business. We kept the path to personal development open; many reinvented themselves in different roles.’

One of those people is Sustainability Manager Murial Weber, who is responsible for driving environmental initiatives for the brand. EXPED currently measure their carbon footprint using myclimate, setting science-based targets to reduce and offset it as much as possible. This includes switching from virgin to recycled materials, from fossil-based energy to renewable, minimising wastage, and avoiding air shipping. They are also continuing to expand their repair services around the world, using the feedback to improve and innovate within all products.

The challenge is to get renewable components to perform as well as – and be as durable as – oil-based components. Murial says, ‘We still use a mix of bio-based, recycled, and oil-based products and will be for a while. We do not want recyclable products that are thrown away after a short time because they don’t last as long.’

Longevity, repairability, and circularity are key concerns – and Murial believes that working together in the industry will help all brands make long-lasting change. ‘As nature lovers, we do not want our products to harm the environment. Luckily, the outdoor industry includes many conscious and ambitious brands and retailers when it comes to sustainability. Thanks to the collaboration within the industry, we will see steps going forward.’

Andi and Heidi, who are now in their 70s, revisited the Canadian wilderness in 2022, but unfortunately, a huge fire had devastated most of the area. They might return one day, but for now, they are travelling the world in their VW camper van.

Even though the brand is now led by three long-standing employees, and is strengthened by a new generation of young colleagues, Andi and Heidi still attend most sales meetings. Not because they have to, but because they want to keep the brand’s spirit alive, maintaining the same philosophy they had in the wilderness over 40 years ago.

‘We still keep it simple and do what is really necessary for practical use of the product. The joy of experiencing nature is the most important thing for us. Equipment helps, but always keep it at a minimum. Replace it as much as possible with your knowledge. And always keep a sense of humour,’ Heidi says.