Driven by a deep desire to help more people experience the incredible sense of connection with self and nature that he taps into while bivouacking, former elite climber, Ghislain Pipers, embarked on an entrepreneurial adventure, founding the outdoor gear brand Samaya.
Offering a line of innovative, lightweight, award-winning expedition tents, custom bivy sacks, and backpacks, Samaya began to take shape after Ghislain retired from competition. He found himself working on a mountaineering tent project as part of his academic pursuits - guided by the principles of lightness and technicality - and informed by his fondness of time spent on bivouacking adventures in nature.
“To understand the starting point of Samaya, I must share my passion for the bivouac experience,” explains Ghislain, “This is really about spending several days in nature with complete autonomy and freedom, guided by your own choices and intuition.”
“In the mountains, as in everyday life, days are often characterized by activity: achieving goals, making progress, and surpassing oneself,” continues Ghislain, “However, once the camp is set up for the evening, time seems to stand still. This is a period for reflection and inner balance, a special moment to elevate oneself and allow clarity and light to shine through. It’s an opportunity to reconnect with oneself, with others, and with nature. A return to the essence of life.”
It was these influential periods of reflection and reconnection that inspired Ghislain, leading him to believe that these experiences could have a positive impact on anyone willing to put themselves in these natural environments - and that his tents could help facilitate that.
Samaya, which is a Nepalese word that means "L’Air du Temps" or "The Spirit of the Times," started making a name for itself in the gear industry from the moment they launched their first tent prototype in 2019 - the Samaya 2.5 - kicking off a five year streak of winning prestigious awards at ISPO, Europe’s leading outdoor trade show.
These ISPO awards were the public acknowledgement of the intricate and innovative work that Ghislain and his team had been putting in behind the scenes at their development grounds in the Samaya High Camp.
Located in the heart of the French Alps, the Samaya High Camp is a 1,000 m2 laboratory that is equipped with a series of advanced machinery that is used to evaluate Samaya's shelter materials - like DCF and their exclusive Nanovent technology - as well as their components, before they go out into the extreme conditions that they are designed and built for.
“We develop our own specialized devices to simulate real-world conditions as accurately as possible,” explains Ghislain, “Our in-house test benches include a cold chamber, an artificial rain system, and a wind tunnel. Additionally, we've created our own digital wind tunnel specifically for outdoor equipment.”
These test benches help ensure that every Samaya shelter will stand up to the harsh realities of the outdoor environments that extreme athletes and adventurers will encounter, places where proper protection from the elements can be the difference between life or death.
In fact, it's the positive feedback and strong bonds that have developed between the mountaineering community that has been utilizing their shelters, and the Samaya team that has been one of Ghislain's favorite parts of starting up.
“Knowing that Samaya's products are trusted by some of the world’s best alpinists and Himalayan climbers gives us a profound sense of accomplishment,” says Ghislain, “Their success and safety in extreme conditions affirm the impact of our innovative designs and rigorous standards.”
But Samaya's strong reputation for lightweight, reliable and aesthetically pleasing products didn't come to life without some challenges along the way.
Bringing the vision for Samaya from a conceptual company in Ghislain's mind to an actual brand and then building up a team as passionate and driven as himself were two big obstacles for him to overcome.
“It was essential to find people who not only had the technical skills but also believed in Samaya's mission,” says Ghislain, “The arrival of my partner Victoire Poinsier was a game-changer, bringing fresh perspectives and invaluable experience that were crucial for our successful market launch.”
Scaling production to meet international demand was also a significant step for Samaya, as their focus on maintaining the highest quality standard was of utmost importance and they wanted to ensure they didn't lose that in the growth.
“Each product had to represent precision and excellence, which involved rigorous testing and continuous refinement,” says Ghilsain, “We’re incredibly proud of how we’ve established an international presence so early in our journey. It truly reflects the brand’s universal mission: reconnecting with the essence of life, which knows no boundaries.”
Samaya, which now boasts a team of 15 dedicated employees, has a diverse range of products that are designed in Annecy, France and produced in both France and Asia.
It isn’t always easy to strike a balance between making gear that is lightweight, durable, beautiful, and dependable, but Samaya seems to have found its stride, and is keen to focus on another important aspect of the business.
“Three key qualities of our gear are lightness, quality, and accessibility,” explains Ghislain “While lightness and quality are often well recognized, accessibility is a crucial aspect that is sometimes less known but equally important to us.”
“We believe that making our products accessible helps us share our passion for the outdoors with a broader range of enthusiasts,” says Ghislain, “By ensuring our gear is user-friendly, available in various versions to suit different budget options, and accessible across diverse regions, we aim to support a wide spectrum of users, from those engaged in high-performance activities to those enjoying more casual outdoor pursuits.”
This focus on accessibility while also prioritizing sustainability, is part of Samaya's broader mission to support more people to get out and connect with something bigger than themselves.
“Our goal is to spread the joy and upliftment that come from bivouac experiences and roaming adventures to as many people as possible, allowing everyone to reconnect with the beauty of nature and their own inner beauty,” explains Ghislain.
As Samaya continues to grow and evolve, so too does Ghislain's dreams for the company, hoping that in three years time, they'll be able to look back and see how Samaya has successfully shared its passion for bivouac experiences and roaming adventures across the globe.
“We envision having expanded our reach to new markets, connecting with outdoor enthusiasts in various regions, and continuously innovating to meet their evolving needs,” says Ghilsain, “Our goal is to build a global community that shares our love for exploration and outdoor living.”
Ali Becker is a freelance writer and adventure storyteller who spends half the year backpacking and bikepacking and the other half sleeping in strangers' beds as a professional house sitter. She and her partner, Mathieu, share their ups and downs on their IG channel at @trip.longer and hope to inspire others to get outside, adventure in nature and find their own freedom. You can learn more about them here: triplonger.ca.
