“In just over 30 days, the campaign raised more than $300,000 from backers in New Zealand, Australia, the US, and Canada. “The Kickstarter campaign allowed me to test actual demand and then raise the cash required to make a few thousand kits,” he says. A successful Kickstarter campaign was a major factor in helping Matt’s vision come to life. Prior to its launch, the KEA KIT spent a year in the product development and pre-marketing stage. “It was a great time but COVID came along and cut all that off so I could focus on this new venture just as I was turning 30.” Getting off the ground Thanks to guiding, Matt was able to chase an endless summer jumping between the northern and southern hemispheres. I fell in love with it so much that I decided I would explore as much of the country and the world as I possibly could before turning 30.” Then at 24, I needed a break from the hustle and bustle so decided to move to Wanaka and just fish for myself. “It all started after I left my first business in the North Island that I started when I was 19. He remembers his guiding years fondly, but Matt says that it wasn’t something he planned to get into or ever saw himself doing. I spend most of my time fishing in these areas as there is a plethora of different landscapes and rivers to explore. Matt also thinks that in terms of opportunities to explore, living in Wanaka can’t be beaten: “some of my favourite spots would have to be South Westland and Southland/ Fiordland. He says having the opportunity to explore and fish throughout Fiordland by helicopter were particularly memorable experiences from his earlier years as a guide. “This is what set up my love for the outdoors and has encouraged me to explore some incredible places it led me to eventually becoming a guide, travelling the world, and, ultimately, founding KEA Outdoors.” “I used to battle away on the wharf on holiday without much luck until I received a fly rod on my 12th birthday,” he says. He recalls loving fishing from an early age, despite no one else in his family sharing the feeling. ![]() Matt knows how rewarding it is to spend time exploring the outdoors. ![]() The hassle of curating your own kit has been made easy with Matt’s bare-necessities selection of quality KEA safety gear in one convenient case. “We’re dedicated to creating the gear that helps you better prepare for all your adventures, so you can explore with confidence and do the things you love most,” he says.Įach kit includes more than 30 products compactly organised into the five pillars of survival – water, shelter, tools, fire, and medical. So, during the first lockdown, I knew it was time to consider future moves – thinking back to my biggest frustrations while guiding,īeing properly prepared sat top of the list.”įrom there, with safety and preparedness at the forefront, Matt says he naturally gravitated towards curating a highly versatile pre-packed survival kit to be used across all types of adventures.įor Matt, the driving goal behind KEA is to create reliable and versatile outdoor gear that caters to adventurers of all levels participating in a wide range of activities. “Once the borders closed, my work totally dried up, as it was wholly reliant on foreign tourists. Matt Butler shared his passion for outdoor adventure as a fly-fishing guide in Otago for six years before his work became another COVID casualty.
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