Some collaborations make total sense on paper but still manage to surprise you when you see them in the flesh. Hiking Patrol teaming up with Swiss mountain institution Mammut is one of those. Serious alpine heritage meeting Wai Tsui’s clean, city-meets-trail outlook.
What could’ve been a straightforward logo swap turned out to be one of our favourite collaborations of the year so far. The link-up features archive references, subtle tweaks to Mammut’s Aenergy silhouette and a calm, earthy palette that feels wearable whether you’re actually on a mountain or just heading out for laps of the city, fuelled by several coffees and a handful of pastries.
We recently caught up with Wai to talk about how the collaboration came together, what he really thought of Mammut before working with them, and why sometimes the best idea is to simply observe.
Hi Wai, are you okay to tell us how the collaboration with Mammut first came about?
The collaboration with Mammut came about through a shared understanding of the outdoor space and a mutual appreciation for thoughtful, functional design. From the beginning, there was a natural alignment between Mammut’s technical heritage and Hiking Patrol’s perspective on contemporary outdoor culture. What started as a conversation around common values gradually developed into a deeper creative exchange, and over time it became clear that there was an opportunity to build something meaningful together.
Hiking Patrol began life as a platform for sharing information about the outdoors and outdoor brands, right? What were your perceptions of Mammut before the collaboration?
Yes, that is right. Because Hiking Patrol began as a platform focused on the outdoor lifestyle space, Mammut was already a brand we had followed and respected for a long time. We saw it as a brand with genuine technical authority, strong heritage, and an authentic place within outdoor culture. What made it especially interesting to us was the opportunity to engage that legacy through a contemporary perspective, while staying true to what Mammut has always stood for.
Have these perceptions changed since completing the collaboration?
Yes, in the sense that our respect for the brand deepened through the process. Before the collaboration, we already saw Mammut as a brand with strong technical heritage and authenticity within the outdoor space. After completing the project, we came away with an even greater appreciation for the people behind the brand, their openness, and the level of care and trust that went into the collaboration.
Did any archive Mammut garments influence the design of the collection?
Yes, Mammut’s archive was an important reference during the design process. We were interested not only in the visual language of older garments, but also in the functional thinking behind them, the construction, utility, and sense of purpose. Rather than replicate specific archive pieces, we wanted to reinterpret that heritage in a way that felt relevant to both Mammut and Hiking Patrol today.
What made Mammut the right partner for Hiking Patrol at this stage in your journey?
Mammut felt like the right partner because they combined genuine outdoor heritage, technical credibility, and a strong point of view at a time when Hiking Patrol was entering a new stage as a brand. We wanted to work with a partner that had real depth and authenticity, and Mammut brought that from the start. Just as importantly, there was a natural alignment between both teams, with mutual trust and a shared desire to build something meaningful together.
Hiking Patrol has built an identity around outdoor culture – how has the brand evolved since its early days? And what role have collaborations had in the evolution?
What has remained consistent is our foundation. Hiking Patrol has always been rooted in a genuine appreciation for the intersection between the city and the outdoors, shaped by a perspective born in Norway and informed by Scandinavian minimalism. While that foundation has remained the same, the way we express it has become broader and more mature. Today, it is not only about documenting that space, but also contributing to it through product, image, community, and experience.
Collaborations have played an important role in our journey. They have allowed us to engage with different histories, technical knowledge, and creative perspectives while continuing to refine our own identity. For us, collaboration has never been only about visibility, but about exchange and learning. Working with established brands has helped shape how we think about design, function, and storytelling, while also giving us the opportunity to place Hiking Patrol in new contexts without losing what makes it distinct.
How do collaborations like this reflect where you want to take Hiking Patrol next?
Collaborations like this reflect where we want to take Hiking Patrol next by demonstrating how the brand can evolve through meaningful partnerships while staying true to its identity. They allow us to broaden our perspective, engage with different points of view and areas of expertise, and continue shaping a world around Hiking Patrol that connects the city and the outdoors through function, culture, and design.
Where do you see the strongest overlap between Hiking Patrol and Mammut?
The strongest overlap between Hiking Patrol and Mammut is a shared belief in function, purpose, and authenticity. Both brands value products with real utility and a clear sense of intention. Mammut brings deep technical expertise and outdoor heritage, while Hiking Patrol offers a contemporary perspective shaped by the intersection of the city and the outdoors. That meeting point created a natural and meaningful alignment between us.
Mammut comes from a heritage of true alpine performance – how did you reinterpret that through a more lifestyle-oriented lens?
We approached it by respecting Mammut’s alpine heritage and translating that performance mindset into a more everyday context. Rather than treating it as something purely aesthetic, we wanted to retain the clarity, functionality, and purpose behind that legacy, while reinterpreting it through Hiking Patrol’s perspective on contemporary lifestyle and the connection between the city and the outdoors.
That meant creating pieces that feel versatile and wearable, while still carrying the technical logic and integrity rooted in Mammut’s history.
How did you ensure the collaboration felt authentic to both brands?
We ensured the collaboration felt authentic to both brands by approaching it as a genuine exchange from the start. It was never about one side adapting to the other, but about finding a natural meeting point between Mammut’s technical heritage and Hiking Patrol’s cultural and creative perspective. What made it feel authentic was the level of trust, openness, and mutual respect throughout the process. That allowed us to create something that remained true to Mammut’s performance legacy while still clearly reflecting Hiking Patrol’s identity.
What were the starting points for the design process? Any landscapes, textures, or objects that influenced it early on?
The starting point was to create a natural dialogue between Mammut’s alpine heritage and Hiking Patrol’s contemporary perspective on outdoor culture, expressed through precision in cut, proportion, and construction. We wanted the technical language of the collection to feel embedded rather than overt, shaped less by obvious visual cues and more by the way each garment is built and experienced.
Cutlines were central to that approach. From a distance, the collection appears clean, familiar, and understated, but through closer experience, the depth of its construction and detailing begins to reveal itself more gradually. That sense of quiet complexity was important to us, allowing the pieces to move seamlessly between function and everyday wear while keeping the expression refined and restrained.
What guided the choices around colour palette, materials, and textures?
The colour palette was shaped to create a calm and balanced visual expression. Earthy tones felt natural to the collection because they bring a sense of grounding, versatility, and timelessness, while allowing the pieces to sit comfortably across different environments and ways of wearing them.
The materials and textures were selected to introduce nuance within that clarity. Through subtle shifts in surface, movement, and tactility, they add dimension without overwhelming the overall expression. The intention was to create a cohesive atmosphere where every element feels quietly resolved and carefully considered.
Is the collection intended for specific activities, or is it deliberately open-ended in how it can be worn?
The collection is rooted in function, but deliberately open in how it can be worn. It balances practicality, style, and adaptability for movement on and off the mountain. The idea of “Just Wander” became important to us, not as performance defined by pressure or goals, but as a lighter, more intuitive way of moving through different environments.
How do you hope people incorporate the garments into their daily routines?
We hope the garments become pieces people reach for instinctively, designed for hiking and trail use, but able to integrate naturally into everyday routines. The idea is that they move easily across different settings, becoming part of a personal rhythm and adapting to how people move through their day.
What was working on Mammut’s Aenergy silhouette like?
Working on Mammut’s Aenergy silhouette was about building on an already strong technical foundation and bringing in the Hiking Patrol perspective. The process focused on subtle changes in material, proportion, and detail to give it a different expression while staying true to its performance purpose.
Were there any particular pieces that best encapsulate the collaboration’s intent?
The pieces that best encapsulate the collaboration’s intent are the ones where Mammut’s heritage and Hiking Patrol’s design perspective come together most naturally. Across the collection, the classic Mammut branding remains an important anchor, with the red logo giving many of the pieces a direct connection to Mammut’s history and technical identity.
That balance is carried further through the organic seamlines and seamlessly integrated pockets, which create a clean and contemporary appearance while serving a clear functional purpose. Together with the customized care labels and hangtags featuring the collaboration logo, these details help define the collection as a thoughtful expression of both brands.
How closely did you work with Mammut’s technical team during development?
We worked closely with Mammut’s technical team throughout the development process. Their expertise was an important part of shaping the collection, helping ensure it felt authentic not only from a design perspective, but also in terms of function, construction, and performance. It was a genuine exchange between both teams from start to finish.
What role do collaborations play in building the long-term vision of Hiking Patrol?
Collaborations play an important role in the long-term vision of Hiking Patrol because they allow the brand to evolve through meaningful exchange. More than visibility, they give us the opportunity to engage with different perspectives and expertise while continuing to refine our own identity. For us, they are part of building a lasting brand, helping expand the world of Hiking Patrol in a way that feels thoughtful, relevant, and true to our foundation.
Thanks for chatting, Wai.
Find out more about the Hiking Patrol x Mammut collaboration at Mammut
