Haglöfs has set up the weather-fi link in the remote North of Sweden

Haglöfs has set up the weather-fi link in the remote North of Sweden

An outdoors brand has set up a wi-fi link for walkers in a remote part of Arctic Sweden.

But the link, provided by on Haglöfs on Kungsleden trail, will only operate when it’s raining.

The Swedish brand said: “The weather in northern Sweden can get pretty rough, and Haglöfs has helped people endure the weather since 1914.

“But today people seem to believe that being online is just as important as staying dry when the rain is pouring down. According to a survey from 2014, a good wi-fi connection is one of the things we value the most when we are travelling.”

The wi-fi connection is driven by solar panels, and is linked to a local weather station acting as an on-off switch. The worse the downpour, the better the signal.

The location, 250km north of the Arctic Circle, normally has no connection, but Haglöfs have provided the rainy-day service for trekkers on the trail, which runs for 440km from Hemavan in the South to Abisko in the North.

The company’s chief executive Peter Fabrin said: “We want to encourage everyone to get out there, no matter the weather. But even if our products are made to beat the elements, you sometimes need a break.

“With this initiative, we hope to make people’s outdoor experiences even more enjoyable, even when it’s pouring down.”

During October, anyone planning on heading out for Kungsleden can check a dedicated website to get the latest forecast for the region and to see whether the weather-fi will be up and running.

Kungsleden translates as the King’s Trail and typically takes walkers up to four weeks to complete.

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