2016Year5Month,MAMMUTMammut#project360successfully summited Mount Everest, marking another milestone in the history of virtual reality mountaineering. Four Nepalese mountain guides Lakpa Sherpa, Pemba Rinji Sherpa,Kusang Sherpa, andAngKaji Sherpaused360° camera equipment to record the climbing route on the southern slope of Mount Everest for the first time in the world. From then on, anyone can sit on the sofa in their living room and experience the real feeling of climbing Mount Everest by watching the video. Without special effects, animations, or computer-generated imagery, it presents the iconic route and thrilling moments of reaching the summit of Everest. This is also aMAMMUTMammut#project360 project initiated two years ago by the Swiss professional mountaineering and outdoor sports brand, offeringVRa visual feast for outdoor enthusiasts around the world.
Undoubtedly,VRtechnology is the hottest tech topic of2016. Whether at the recently heldMWCorGDC, technology and gaming companies have been making collective efforts in theVRfield. Previously, Facebook’s acquisition of the renowned20billion-dollar purchase of a leading company in theVRfield—Oculus—and Microsoft’s acquisition of1.5billion worth of virtual reality technology patents fromOsterhoutfor81patents, all indicate one message: “VRis the future.”
According to a report released by Goldman Sachs earlier this year,VRis set to become the “next computing platform” after computers and smartphones, with multiple industries poised to be reshaped—not just the gaming and video sectors, which currently have the broadest involvement in theVRfield. Additionally, Goldman Sachs also predicted that by2025years,VRandARthe hardware and software combined annual sales are expected to reach800billion U.S. dollars. If the issues of battery life and mobility are resolved, the annual revenue could hit1820billion U.S. dollars.
Gaming as well as video experiences do play a significant role in the maturity of theVR system; however, you should know thatVRhas applications in the modern tech field that go far beyond this. In recent tech news, a groundbreaking technology known as#project360has sparked widespread discussion and attention. Why is it attracting so much interest? First,#project360is developed by a company namedMAMMUTMammut, which most people in the tech community claim to know nothing about, often asking, “Is this just another startup?” Not quite—MAMMUTMammut is a top-tier Swiss outdoor brand and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of mountaineering, climbing, skiing, trail running, and hiking gear. Its product range covers nearly all outdoor activities and leads global trends with reliable quality and innovative design; more importantly, originating from1862theMAMMUTMammut brand, it can be said to represent the highest standard of safety in the industry.
So here comes the question—why would a heavyweight outdoor brand suddenly venture into the tech world?
RegardingMAMMUTMammut’s motivation behind this initiative, the company’s Chief Marketing and Communications OfficerChristian Gisi(Christian “Gisi”) explained: “As a Swiss mountain sports company, we have been dealing with the Eiger and its north face for many years. This mountain is also the backdrop for product testing, brand photo shoots, and major events for many other companies. Therefore, forMAMMUTMammut, it is particularly important to be the first to use cutting-edge photography technology to showcase the ‘The Mountain Is Home, Within Reach’ campaign to a broader audience.”
How to bring iconic mountains from around the world to everyone through virtual experience has always been a vision forMAMMUTMammut. Because in one’s lifetime, it’s impossible to travel to every corner of the world, and in fact, only about1%of people can successfully challenge those world-class peaks, reach their summits, and witness the breathtaking heights. However, with the advancement ofVRtechnology, this regret may become a thing of the past. Now, withVRglasses, we can travel the world without leaving home and experience the beauty of perilous landscapes that are normally out of reach, all within an immersive environment. With this grand vision in mind,MAMMUTMammut has created#project360—a revolutionary, authentic, and unique technological masterpiece.
What does “revolutionary” mean?
#project360The project was launched a year earlier than GoogleARGlass, makingMAMMUTMammut the world’s first company to useVRA brand that presents authentic mountaineering visuals through technology.
As early as2014the beginning of the year,MAMMUTMammut had already teamed up with photographerMatthias Taugwalder(Matthias) to launch an ambitious project called#project360. This initiative pioneered the third dimension of digital alpine landscapes, allowing users to experience the legends of the world’s most famous mountains up close on their screens. Through#project360, users can not only enjoy the breathtaking scenery of each classic alpine climbing route but also discover lesser-known details about each path — such as the origin of a particular boulder’s name.
This virtual reality experience, derived from real-life settings, is similar to Google’s2015-year-launchedARglasses. With these glasses, as you walk down the street, information about the streets and shops pops up like bubbles; when you’re heading to an unfamiliar place, just say the location and you’ll get route guidance; when you’re in a foreign country, language you don’t understand is instantly translated into words you do — doesn’t that get your blood pumping? And in the pursuit of exploring alpine climbing,MAMMUTMammut has once again taken the lead.
What is “real”?
Unlike otherVRproducts on the market,#project360is not a pair of glasses or a hardware device like an all-in-one system, but rather a transformation of climbers’ experiences into virtual reality through technology.
First, every participant in the creation of#project360is a mountaineer; then, the mountaineers carry a specially designed360°filming system in their backpacks, weighing approximately2kilograms and consisting of6oneGoProcameras; next, the mountaineers record the entire climbing trajectory of the route during the actual ascent, while capturing awe-inspiring views from the cliffs that are otherwise unseen, which are then synthesized into360°panoramic masterpieces, vividly visualizing high mountains around the world.
2014Since the beginning of the year, professional mountaineers andMAMMUTMammut employees have trekked with these camera-equipped backpacks across more than40mountains worldwide, documenting not only numerous classic peaks but also some rock climbing and ski mountaineering routes. Among them, ten journeys are now live: the South Col of Mount Everest (Nepal), the North Face of the Eiger(Eiger North Face)(Switzerland), the Hörnli Ridge of the Matterhorn(Matterhorn H...(Switzerland), El Capitan(El Capitan)(USA), Mount Elbrus(Mount Elbrus)(Russia) and the icefall of Rübzel(Rübezahl)(Switzerland), and so on. It can now be viewed onwww.project360.mammut.ch, and is also available through Android andiOSmobile apps.
By the way, let’s talk about the backpack that can carry this tech gear. Although the weight of the filming equipment has been kept to2kilograms to minimize the load for the shooter as much as possible,it’s still far from enough for mountaineering and rock climbing. The safety of the person during filming and the integrity of the captured footage also need to be considered. As a result,MAMMUTMammut’s team modified their brand’sTrion Nordwand 35Lclassic mountaineering backpackby attaching the camera device externally via a camera pole and tripod, ultimately creating a suitable equipment system.Trion NorwandPart of the Egger Extreme Series, it isMAMMUTa star product among Mammut’s professional mountaineering backpacks. The main body of the backpack is made from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene(UHMWPE) fiber, similar toDyneemafiber andSpectrafiber, but with greater toughness and durability, making it one of the highest-performance fiber materials. The bottom of the backpack is made from a lightweight, abrasion-resistant, durable, and high-toughness nylon fiber—Cordurafabric.
So what makes it unique?
Whether for skiing, rock climbing, or mountaineering,MAMMUTMammut is increasingly applying this technology in the outdoor field.
MAMMUTMammutCEORolf・Schmid (Rolf Schmid) appliedMAMMUTMammut’s#project360panoramic imaging technology to document the climb of Mont Blanc (360°) in a skiing context,Mont Blanca project that was truly eye-opening in terms of its application in skiing.
#project360The year2016year4MonthMAMMUTMammothA team of professional athletes usedPatrouille des Glaciersas their premier ski route for full-course filming, bringing enthusiasts eager to experience the mysterious allure of this alpine skiing paradise “right there.”In the video, skilled skiers are seen speeding down a vast expanse of snow-capped mountains, with realistic360° panoramic imagery truly recreating the captivating sights of classic snowy slopes, ridgelines, glaciers, and steep peaks, making users feel like part of the pro athlete team or a roped team with mountain guides—delivering that adrenaline-pumping thrill of speed and excitement.
And in the realm of high-altitude mountaineering, what stands out most is#project360a project that in2014recorded the climbing route on the north face of the Eiger, thus allowing the public to have a virtual experience of ascending this legendary peak. The route was completed byMAMMUTMammoth brand’s two world-class star climbers,Daniel Arnold(Daniel Arnold) andStephan Siegrist(Stephan Siegrist), who are intimately familiar with the Eiger North Face and have successfully climbed this route multiple times.2016On 5month19, four Nepalese mountain guides successfully summited Mount Everest and, for the first time in the world, used360°camera equipment to document the climbing route on the South Col of Everest. This was a tremendous success for the dedicated Sherpa climbing team and also an exceptionally brilliant chapter inMAMMUTMammoth’s#project360virtual mountaineering offerings.
Now, by simply visiting the#project360official website, visitors can be immersed in sights personally captured by mountaineers, following every legendary step of those who conquer perilous peaks and experiencing the astonishing magic of climbing snow-covered mountains.
In fact, these breathtaking images of towering peaks are just a part of#project360. Even cooler, capturing the extraordinary perspectives of mountaineers during their climbs and then processing them post-production creates a unique and novel user experience, transforming the site into an explorable vertical street view. With just a few mouse clicks, we can find ourselves on a1,600-meter-high boulder, traverse mountain slopes, gaze down into deep abysses or up at towering peaks, freely switching360° viewpoints, or even zoom in to follow the climbing route.
MAMMUTMammoth CEORolf “Schmid (Rolf Schmid) spoke passionately about the results achieved: “Through#project360, we not only continue the breadth and depth achieved by Google Street View—we’ve also pioneered a third dimension through an overhead perspective, which surpasses anything previously possible in quality.” Even more excitingly: using devices connected to smartphones and tablets, users can freely control the360° viewpoint.
We believe that in the near future, thanks to#project360the project—a technology tailored for on-demand virtual mountain climbing—ordinary people will be able to get closer to mountaineering by using headsets to experience virtual reality imagery (such asOculus Rift,Zeiss VR One,Homido, and more). Accompanied by professional mountaineers, they can boldly take on the challenge of climbing the most famous peaks, and even relive or experience those classic and thrilling summit routes—especially for those who may never have the chance to reach the summits in person...
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MAMMUTMammut, originating from Switzerland, is one of the significant and successful brands in mountaineering, climbing, and outdoor gear, with154years of development and history. Its products have become a benchmark for quality and innovation, as well as a trendsetter in the outdoor industry.MAMMUTMammut represents an outstanding level of safety and has now become an all-around equipment brand for virtually all mountaineering activities, whether in mountaineering, climbing, freestyle skiing, trail running, or hiking.2012InMAMMUT, it celebrated its magnificent150-year history.2013In2,, MAMMUTMammut established a wholly-owned subsidiary in China. The company offers a full range of products including underwear, mid-layers, hardshell jackets designed to withstand various harsh weather conditions, mountaineering boots, alpine boots compatible with crampons, sleeping bags, backpacks, climbing ropes, carabiners, harnesses, as well as headlamps, avalanche safety gear, and more.