Finders Keepers with Scotty and Mattsy

Conducted and written by Dave Sonntag.

This week we were thrilled to chat with our newest ambassadors, Aussie outdoorsmen Scott Williams (Scotty) and Jason Matts (Mattsy). From hardcore packrafting to deep, philosophical discourse, the two mates expose all the delights outdoor adventure provides them and share why everyone has the ability to get out there and explore.

Okay, you’ve got the choice of one adventure: coast, mountain or river. Which is the winner and why?

Scotty: Definitely river. I grew up on the coast, but as I've gotten older, I’ve really come to love river-based adventures. There’s usually fewer people, beautiful terrain, good fishing… and quite often on rivers, you have epic campsites.

Mattsy: I want to say river for all the same reasons Scotty just mentioned, but I have to say mountains. There’s a lot to be said for the challenge versus reward aspect: the grind on the way up, the place it takes you to inside yourself as you begin to question everything… and the mind asks more of your body than it’s sometimes willing to give without a push.

You learn a lot about yourself in those moments, and it’s where I do some of my deepest thinking.

Speaking of deep thinking, you boys both have some beautiful, philosophical messages on your socials. Tell me about how time in the outdoors has helped you find meaning in life. What has nature taught you?

Scotty: Man, where do I start? The bush has given me so much insight into who I am and what I want out of life. Since getting into the outdoors, it has completely changed the way I look at the world.

I feel much more connected to my surroundings and it gives me an incredible sense of peace. It’s also allowed me to experience a wide range of emotions, especially when doing big trips. From complete exhaustion and hardship to absolute joy and euphoria. You just don’t get that in everyday life.

And you, Mattsy?

Mattsy: Life is overwhelming a lot of the time. There’s so much to think and worry about, so many decisions to make. And then, you step out there on the trail—or you paddle down a river—and what do you see? What do you hear? The world as it was intended to be. You very quickly begin to see what’s important to you. It helps you slow down. It takes away the noise. It teaches you that everything out here lives and dies and that life is simple if you let it be.

In the recent campaign video we did with you both, you mention how you never know whether an adventure might lead you to find that “one thing” you want to do in life. Was that how you found yourselves as outdoorsmen? Was it just one trip that did it?

Mattsy: I always enjoyed camping, bushwalks, fishing, and stuff like that as a kid/teenager, but it wasn’t until I spent time as an infantryman in the ADF [Australian Defence Force] that I really immersed myself into the real, deep bush. That’s where I discovered I had a lot of questions about the things I was seeing out there: the rock formations, the plants, the animals and insects… everything. You’ll never hear me speak about strange energy any other time than in those moments out in the bush—that’s how unique and special it feels.

I loved the simplicity of living out of my pack. Everywhere I went, I had all I needed. And once I left the army, exploring these places solo really sealed the deal for me, and my YouTube channel was born.

Scotty: For me, it was more of a gradual progression. When I was about 19, two mates and I walked about 50 kilometres from Sussex Inlet to Bawley Point, spending our nights sleeping on the beach under the stars. It was the first proper backpack adventure I’d done, and I absolutely loved it. From that point on, I knew this was the kind of stuff that makes me happy.

How do you get out there and explore with your weekly obligations? With work, family, etc?

Scotty: The benefit of working for myself [as a freelance photographer] is dictating when I’m available or not. This gives me the flexibility of taking a day or two off every fortnight to get out on an adventure. I definitely consider myself lucky.

Mattsy: I did work four days a week for the first two years of running my YouTube channel. To be honest, if I hadn’t been trying to film and edit the trips I was doing out in the bush, that would have been the ultimate balance. I’d found my passion, and my other job allowed me to transition into doing it full-time. But until that point, I was feeling a lot of anxiety having to rock up to the nine-to-five and not be able to put all of my energy into what I really wanted to do. Some people balance those things well… but I never have.

Very fair. All that said, what advice would you give to someone who feels they don’t have the time or resources to start exploring the outdoors? How can they get out there despite their busy lives?

Scotty: Start small. You don’t always have to go on some big adventure to reap the rewards from nature. It can be as simple as finding a nice spot to sit under a tree or next to a creek or river.

Mattsy: Yeah, and it will surprise you how much you can see and experience in one overnight trip. Just use what you have, and once you decide this is for you, invest in some quality gear that’ll serve you for years. Make no plans; just take the pressure and expectation out of the trip entirely.

Sound advice. Any stories from when you both started in the outdoors? Anything you look back on now and laugh at?

Scotty: Pretty much everything [laughs]. I remember carrying in my mum’s fluffy throw blanket on one of my first backpack camps [laughs], and the food I used to eat was pretty much just canned ravioli and baked beans.

Mattsy: I don’t even know where to begin. So many stories from the army. You certainly have to have a solid sense of humour to endure the role of infantry! Many freezing nights sitting on a pile of rocks on the side of a mountain in the middle of winter. No sleeping gear, no shelter. Just sitting there soaked, from sundown to sunup, staring off into the darkness and questioning all your life’s decisions. So many stories that not many people would look back on with fondness and laugh—but we do, for sure.

How do you prepare for short, spontaneous trips compared to longer expeditions?

Scotty: Having done this for so long now, I quite often get away on quick, spontaneous trips fairly easily. I’ve got a list of locations as long as my arm I’d like to check out, so I never struggle finding new spots. Also, my bag is pretty much always half packed.

As for longer trips, they always require a lot more planning, especially if heading interstate or overseas. But once again, having done this for years now, I’m pretty quick at organising things. I went to New Zealand at the start of this year for a six-day packraft trip, and I only booked my flights 36 hours before I flew out, as there was a decent weather window. You need to adapt quickly in this line of work.

Mattsy: For the most part, my pack is relatively standardised, but I’m still almost always leaving something at home. Once I’m out there though, I just laugh and adapt to the situation. I generally know my start and end points but I’m a lot less calculated about the guts of the adventure. To me, that’s what adventure is all about; not knowing where you’ll find camp or what it will offer.

And no doubt that’s where high quality gear comes in… You’ve both recently become Sea to Summit ambassadors. Tell us what that means to you.

Scotty: It’s an honour to team up with a brand that has such a great reputation all around the world for producing quality gear. I’ve been using Sea to Summit gear pretty much from when I started, so it’s a great fit to jump on board. Plus, being an Australian brand is a bonus!

Mattsy: Me too, I’ve used STS gear nearly all my outdoor life. Especially the good ol’ dry bags. Those things went everywhere with me in the army. So, to be able to team up with a brand that I’ve always looked at as being reputable and quality… It's pretty awesome and humbling. It’s another great reminder that doing something I truly love is being noticed and valued.

We’re over halfway through 2024 already. Upcoming adventures planned for the rest of the year?

Scotty: Well, my wife and I just had our first baby. So that’ll be my biggest adventure yet.

Amazing, mate. Congrats!

Scotty: So, not sure what the rest of the year holds for me. Probably a lot of changing diapers [laughs]. But this year has already been fairly big. I went to the Kimberley in remote Western Australia in May, where I spent four days hiking in the Bungle Bungles. That was also incredible. And I did a six-day packraft adventure in the South Island of New Zealand, which was absolutely unreal. Probably my favourite trip to date.

Mattsy: Right now, I’ve made my way down to Tassie and just ticked off a beautiful hike around the Walls of Jerusalem. I’ll be down here exploring everything I possibly can, filming my adventures. After that, it’s back to the mainland to continue the journey west and then wherever the wind takes me!

We can’t wait to see where it takes you. Scotty, Mattsy… thanks for taking the time to chat.