Long live Mate!

Mate is one of those things that feels like it was invented for bicycle travel.

Not just because of what’s inside the cup, but because of everything that comes with it: endless roads, overnight buses, Patagonian wind, and people sitting on the ground sharing a drink while watching the sun disappear behind the horizon.

In Argentina, Uruguay and across much of South America, mate is not a trend or a lifestyle accessory. It’s a social ritual, an excuse to spend time together. There’s always someone preparing the mate, someone waiting for their turn, someone passing the cup around.
And somehow, it often happens during a journey.

That’s why we’re genuinely happy to have Coolmate joining BAM! as a partner this year.
We immediately liked each other. Probably because the founder of Coolmate has the kind of open smile that usually belongs to people who have spent a lot of time on the road.

But also because mate has a lot in common with the spirit of BAM!: people leaving without too many plans, conversations with strangers that turn into friendships, riders crossing countries just to get to the festival and then ending up sitting on the grass until three in the morning sharing stories and drinks.

Coolmate takes that South American tradition and turns it into something simple, refreshing and perfect for long summer festival days. A ready-to-drink mate you can throw into your bag before a ride or grab after hours spent under the sun talking about improbable journeys.

And honestly, mate has always had the aesthetic of a real traveller.
A worn notebook.
A dusty backpack.
A bicycle leaning outside a bus station somewhere in South America.

So yes, it felt pretty perfect for BAM!.