Fredi Kalbermatten snowboarding Holden Outerwear

Meet Fredi Kalbermatten in person, and before you will stand a sheepish, polite man whose words are carefully chosen through a heavy Swiss accent. He lives a picturesque life in the Dorfblick of Saas Fee, Switzerland with his wife Nicole and his son Johan, where he runs his eco-forward apparel company, Atreebutes. This is what meets the eye. See him ride a snowboard, and all of that changes.

Fredi is among an elite group of riders, including Nicolas Müller and Gigi Rüf, that claim the Alps as their playground. Over the years, his growing proficiency to read terrain has made him one of the best all-mountain freestyle snowboarders in the world, with explosive parts in Standard Films, Absinthe, X Games Real Backcountry, and more. This past winter he linked up with Nico, a fellow Atreebutes owner, for his new project Fruition, and he’ll make an appearance with his brother-in-law John Jackson in The Book of John J, a new web series. And finally, at the end of the year we’ll get to see Fredi at his best when he releases a full part to the world.

He is honest, true, and I am proud to call him a friend. Congratulations on your next adventure with the Holden team, Fredi. You’re in great company.

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Official release from Holden:

Holden is proud to announce the addition of Frederik Kalbermatten to the Holden Explorers team. Known for his clean style and all-mountain riding skills, Fredi is a living snowboard legend and a resident / local at the Saas Fe resort in the Swiss Alps.

“There are just a few snowboarders that combine amazing style, power and finesse in the history of snowboarding, and Fredi is one of them.” said Holden co-founder Mikey LeBlanc. “I have been watching Fredi ride for years, and he’s always been on my short list of all-time favorite riders.”

Fredi said, “Holden really resonates with me, as it’s in alignment with the way I live my life. The eco factor is really important to me, but also I like to dress well. There is a lack of fashion in the mountain world in general. I can wear my Holden jacket shredding or hiking but also DJing in downtown Hamburg. I like how Holden understands the mountain lifestyle – it’s more than just mountaineering or alpine wear.”

Look out for Fredi’s upcoming projects. Last season Fredi collaborated with Nicolas Müller for the upcoming movie, “Fruition”, and also with John Jackson for his web series, “The Book of John J.” Both projects are set to release this fall. Fredi will also release a full online part at the end of the year.

What does it mean to be a Holden Explorer? “We look for like-minded contributors who naturally fit the brand, who we are, what we represent, and share in the ideology of where we’re headed.” Says Mikey LeBlanc, Brand Founder and Sales and Marketing Director. “Fredi lives the life; he shreds, lives the outdoor lifestyle (that many aspire to), and runs an eco-conscious brand, Atreebutes, with fellow legend Nicolas Mueller. I’ve been waiting on this guy for years to join our Explorers team.”

Fredi joins current Holden Explorers including, but not limited to, Brendan Gerard, Cale Zima, Gus Engle, Mikey LeBlanc and Chad Otterstrom.