Canada / French
Canada / French
25 OCT. 2023
Pangal Andrade: TV Host With + 1.7 Million Followers On Riding Chile’s Wild Backcountry
From the high country outside Santiago to remote Andean bowls, Chile’s most visible outdoor creator rides where most people only hike. Meet Pangal Andrade, a TV host and builder whose adventures reach 1.7 million followers on Instagram. He believes a snowmobile is the most powerful way to explore Chile’s vast terrain. We talked to him about sledding gear, backcountry riding, and and the lessons the harsh Andes taught him
Quick facts about our rider Pangal Andrade:
Favorite piece of gear if you only pick one: The Novo Suit. It keeps me warm, dry, and comfortable all day — no matter how deep the snow gets.
Best riding spot in Chile: San Alfonso in Cajón del Maipo and Paso Pehuenche in Maule.
Why do you choose TOBE: Because I trust the gear. I can ride deep into the mountains knowing I’ll stay warm and free to move — and that’s what matters most.
Instagram: @pangalandrade
For those who do not know you yet, who are you, what do you do, and why are you passionate about sledding?
I was born and live in Chile, and my life is the outdoors. I host a TV program that travels the country to show big adventures and the most beautiful places. I also build homes, but the mountain is where I feel most alive. Sledding lets me reach deep into the Andes. Places that take days on foot become a single push on a snowmobile. That freedom to go farther is why I am passionate about it.
Chile is not the first place people think of when they hear snowmobiling. What is great about sledding there, and what are your top places to ride?
Chile stretches from desert to icefields, so the variety is huge. You can ride high alpine terrain, old southern forests, and around volcanoes where hot springs sit near snowfields. Close to Santiago there are zones that still feel undiscovered. My personal highlights are the high country outside the capital for big views, the southern Andes for trees and deep snow, and the volcanic regions for unique lines and long days.
You live close to nature year round. How does that lifestyle shape your approach to adventure and riding?
When you live in the mountains you know where the magic places are. You follow the weather, the wind, and the snow. The mountain teaches respect. If the mountain says no, you go home and try again tomorrow. I think about the mountain like a living person that decides if I can enter.
What lessons have the harsh Andes taught you over the years?
Respect first. Patience second. The mountain is alive and you need to read it. There are days to push and days to turn around. You learn to listen and you learn to come back. That is how you keep riding for many seasons.
What kind of terrain do you ride most?
Backcountry with technical sections. We cross creeks, climb steep faces, and drop into wide valleys. There are cliffs and difficult access. It is a mix of deep snow and technical lines that demand focus and good decisions.
You spend a lot of time outside. What do you look for in your gear?
Comfort, warmth, and durability. I need gear that stays dry in heavy snow and stands up to rocks and ice, but still lets me move. Safety is feeling warm, dry, and confident so I can focus on the ride.
Which TOBE pieces do you reach for most, and why? Any item you will not ride without?
I ride a full kit. A waterproof one-piece or a jacket and bib that stay sealed, breathable midlayers, locked-in boots, a balaclava, and helmet-compatible goggles with a clean seal. That setup keeps me comfortable from the first climb to the last valley. If I had to choose one must-have, it would be the dry outerwear that moves with me and stays sealed all day.
Your adventures reach about 1.7 million followers. What draws people to your content, and what advice do you have for gaining traction on social?
People connect with real adventure and the feeling of nature. Everyone has that part inside that wants freedom and adrenaline. I try to show that honestly. For traction, be consistent, be yourself, and share what you truly love. Show the journey, not only the highlight.
What drives you to keep pushing limits, on a snowmobile or in other adventures?
Curiosity. I want to know what is behind the next ridge and then the one after that. Riding with friends makes it even better. You push each other and you share the view.
You have built a lifestyle many dream of. What has been the hardest part behind the scenes?
Working for it every day for a long time. As a kid I dreamed of a snowmobile, a big truck, and big adventures. To get them I worked and never stopped thinking about the goal. It can take years, but if you keep going you will get there.
What are your goals for the next few years?
Keep being the same person. Keep traveling, keep pushing limits, and keep doing big adventures with the people I love. I never want to lose the feeling that makes me who I am.
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