SASTA FRONTLINE – OUR FRONTLINE
Sasta Frontline is the core of Sasta’s passionate Nordic hunters – a group whose experience, high standards, and deep love for the hunting lifestyle guide the future of our gear. In places where silence decides the outcome and nature shows no mercy, gear is born that will not fail, even in the harshest conditions.
Jyri Hänninen – Hunting lives in me
Jyri is a hunter who never needed a spark – it has burned within him since birth. His path began in Kuhmo, Finland, following in the footsteps of past generations, leading him from lakeshores and riversides all the way to the grouse fells of northern Lapland. He has roamed the forests for over four decades, shaped by nature, seasons, dogs, and experience.
For Jyri, hunting is not a performance but a way of life. He knows the sound of true silence and how changing conditions make every moment unique. Hunting dogs have been at the heart of his journey since childhood: hounds, spitzes, bear dogs, and now, more recently, the shorthaired German pointers Ares and Ukko. With them, Jyri’s hunting season stretches from August to the end of March. Side by side, Ares and Ukko remain his trusted companions in the forest – a teacher that still has lessons to give.
In everyday life, Jyri works in the food industry, specializing in product development and sourcing. But the forest is where he truly breathes and feels alive. He doesn’t hunt for a living, but out of passion – and that is why he is part of the Sasta Frontline team: helping develop gear that never fails when the forest demands the most. For 15 years, Jyri has also been an integral part of Sasta’s product development, contributing strongly to the evolution of our Mehto product family.
Viivi Matinlompolo – Life in Finnish Lapland’s eight seasons
In Finnish Lapland, the year doesn’t change four times but eight. Each one reshapes the landscape and adds its own richness to life: the midnight sun paints rivers gold, the pastels of polar night invite skiing between snow-laden trees, autumn colors set the forest ablaze to the rhythm of a bird dog’s bark, and from the top of a fell, one can listen to the song of the northern lights when the world seems to stand still.
This is where Viivi lives – as a forager, hunter, and fisher, but also as a mother, partner, and entrepreneur. She has grown up in rhythm with nature; her hunting license already in her pocket at ten, and the thrill of her first shot just a few years later. Autumns still carry her through the wilderness in pursuit of forest birds and moose, accompanied by her young Finnish spitz, whose eyes reflect the same anticipation as Viivi’s.
For Viivi, nature offers more than peace – it is a second home and a provider. Fish, game, and berries fill the family table, and every meal carries the memory of the moment when nature gave its best. Cooking dinner is a way to revisit those landscapes and moments that make life meaningful.
When Viivi first encountered Sasta, it wasn’t just a new acquaintance but a breeze promising something lasting. Curiosity grew into interest, and interest into the hope that Sasta could walk alongside her on her paths. Lapland’s ever-shifting conditions demand clothing that breathes, endures, and blends with nature – just like Viivi’s way of life. That is why Sasta feels like a natural part of her everyday existence.
Nordic Hunting – With passion and a camera
It began with a simple idea. In 2015, somewhere along the hunting paths, a thought emerged: what if we captured these moments, just for ourselves? The camera followed, recording the dim light of dawn hunts and the excitement of the dogs, and soon the first clips were shown to friends. The feedback was immediate and clear: “Why not share these with others?” And so, Nordic Hunting was born – a YouTube channel quickly embraced by hunters and nature lovers alike.
Since then, the flame has burned bright. Hunting trips around in the Rauma region have since carried the team across Finland – and even aborad. Each journey tells a new story, each moment in nature is unique.
Behind it are three people bound by the same fire. First came Kalle and Niko – two friends for whom the camera was a natural extension of the rifle. Later, Ida joined, bringing with her a new sensitivity and an eye for capturing what cannot be staged.
For Kalle, hunting is an inheritance – a quiet chain passed down through generations. He received his first hunting license at just eight years old, and ever since, his free time has belonged to the outdoors. He is fascinated not only by hunting but also by observing animal behavior and monitoring local game populations, devoting as much time to preparation as to the hunt itself. Dogs have always been by his side: first his father’s moosehounds, and now his own partner, Kaapo, a bear-line Finnish hound.
Ida grew up close to nature, and hunting became a natural continuation of her childhood landscape. Though she had learned much from Kalle, her own spark was already there. Her favorite is stalking hunts – quiet, patient, moving in tune with nature. Behind the camera, she is irreplaceable, capturing moments that cannot be staged or repeated. Recently, a new companion has joined her journey – Hilla, a Labrador puppy.
Niko’s path led from mopeds to hunting, and there was no turning back. He has pursued many kinds of game, but deer hunting, alongside his dachshund Wäinö, is where his heart beats fastest.
Through rain, frost, wind, and blazing sun, Nordic Hunting has learned that gear must be utterly reliable. Their journeys and stories stand as proof of how hunters live on nature’s terms – and how the right equipment gives the freedom to focus on what truly matters. It is the same quiet respect for nature, and the same will to do things right, that unites us both in the forest and beyond.