A true Swedish adventurer

Bjorn Olsson was born and raised in the countryside outside Stockholm, Sweden.  He began his career living in the city working for his family business in advertising but soon realised he was escaping to the mountains at every opportunity he could get. He then followed his passion for the outdoors and became a tour guide for Fjälläventyr.  He now takes guests on inspiring tours in the Swedish mountain resort of Salen on dog sledging adventures, ice climbs, mountain tours, packcrafting and so much and so much more.  

In March 2022, still 9 months until launch, we wanted to put our new Revolution 3 in 1 Parka to the test in an extremely bitter mountain setting. Bjorn stepped up to the challenge. Spending his days out in the snow with his energetic pack of huskies, he donned a Parka and we set off on a day of incredible adventures.  

Full of confidence but with a classic Swedish charm, the Red team all warmed to Bjorn instantly. “What a cool guy” we all thought and “what an incredible life”. We wanted to find out more about how Bjorn fell in love with the outdoors but also how he manages to make time for his own adventures alongside working as a busy tour guide.  

‘’I work right in the middle of a ski slope, so in my spare time I certainly enjoy skiing. My go to activity is a split board with a couple dogs and a few friends. However, I get away from people if I can as it can be so busy, a bit like Disneyland on the slopes some times, so as a guide I do know where the quieter places are to go to get some downtime’’  

’You get kind of ‘home-blind', you start to take it for granted. But, when I return to the city for visits, I do miss the hills straight away.  To try and keep things fresh, I escape to other mountain areas for ‘me’ time."  

"When I was younger, when I went off exploring in the mountains it was really exciting, a real thrill. But now, I just get a homey feeling when surrounded by the hills and mountains like I'm in an environment I trust.  I guess it’s a nature thing.”  

‘’I know I chose this lifestyle but sometimes I envy people that can go to work and then come home and not think about work and just do a 9-5 job. But I know ultimately, I have the best deal as I get to do what I love every day.  I work with dogs, mountain bikes, pack rafting and still on a day off I will do those activities and that says a lot.’’  

‘’I'm raised in the countryside and rollicking in the forests as a kid was the norm!  I had a lot of plans, dreams and expeditions when I was younger.  My life took a turn, and I started working in the marketing and wine industry for almost 15 years. My family had an advertising firm, so it was kind of the go-to role that I fell into. I admit, it was the easiest choice that got me stuck. I woke up one day and realised I'm living a dream life but realised it wasn’t my dream.  I knew there was something that felt off. I was escaping the city every chance I could, so I knew I needed to chase that boyhood dream, the thoughts and passions I’d always had in the back of my mind. Finally, they took over and I got rid of everything in Stokholm and bought a scrappy van and had a dream about developing mountain biking tours in Norway. So, I went to Norway to look up every possible trail in the van and ended up finding my feet and working in dog sledging in Norway with a boutique adventure company. And now, here I am in Sweden, finally living the dream!”  

So, let’s cut to it....what did Bjorn really think of the Revolution Parka?  

“I really don’t like to be cold! I know it’s ironic but as I work outside in all weathers, every year that goes by I have to learn a bit better how to dress more effectively.  I do have a good routine now for layering, that really is the key for me when out in the elements. The Revolution is a clever piece of kit. At first I wore my normal kit underneath the Parka and had to strip off a few layers straight away. A Parka like this can definitely come in handy when dog sledding as it's very easy to come on and off, strip back the layers for your appropriate body temperature. That outer layer is important to protect yourself from the elements, especially the show flying up around your legs but also if the weather turns, you’re prepared. It’s also convenient for me that I can use the different layers for the right climate. In the spring I can just see myself wearing the inner fleece lining as a coat’’