Inoxtag: the youtuber who conquered Everest in one year

Inoxtag, one of France’s most popular content creators, has astonished the world with his ascent of Everest after just one year of preparation. The story of this Frenchman with a passion for Minecraft is told in the documentary Kaizen and has so far generated more than 25 million views and multiple reactions of both admiration and controversy. Climbing Everest is an extremely expensive and elitist project. In the case of Inoxtag – whose real name is Inès Benazzouz – it is estimated that the total cost of her adventure exceeded 1.2 million euros , according to the French media outlet Libération, due to the inclusion of the production of the documentary and the film crew that accompanied it. This figure is well above the standard cost for mountaineers, which is usually between 35,000 and 120,000 euros depending on the type of service contracted, such as the use of sherpas, permits, transport and equipment.

On the other hand, during his ascent, Inoxtag had the support of a high mountain guide, Mathis Dumas, of Léo Slemett, freeride world champion, as well as a team of Sherpas led by Dorji, who had already climbed the highest mountain in the world 19 times, to guide him through the dangerous routes of Everest. This audiovisual piece relied on 15 guides and Sherpas to ensure the transport of oxygen and other essential supplies. The documentary briefly introduces four young Sherpas Tendi, Pathan, Milan and Sama who help the team to carry all the equipment and luggage up to the base of Everest. The youtuber climbed several peaks in the Alps to train and familiarise himself with the high mountains. He also passed the Covid, saw a helicopter crash at one of the base camps,… A whole adventure narrated in first person by one of the most renowned influencers in France.

Inoxtag also used supplementary oxygen from an altitude of 6,000 metres, where the risk of death is evident due to the drastic decrease in oxyhaemoglobin saturation – which is common on commercial expeditions to Everest – as the extreme altitude makes breathing without support very difficult.

Since 1953, when Everest was first conquered, more than 300 climbers have lost their lives on its slopes. A third of them were victims of oxygen deprivation.

Preparation under the Kaizen philosophy: What is it and how did it help Inoxtag?

Inoxtag was not an experienced mountaineer. In fact, before he began his challenge to climb Everest, he had hardly any experience in high mountain sports or endurance sports. What made his journey stand out was his approach under the philosophy of Kaizen.

Kaizen is a Japanese concept meaning “continuous improvement”.

During his year of preparation, Inoxtag underwent a training regimen that not only strengthened his body, but also his mind in a progressive manner following the Kaizen method where “Kai” means “change” and “Zen” is “improvement”.

TheKaizen method was applied after the defeat in World War II in Japan to overcome the national trauma. Apparently, applying this method helped Inoxtag to create a team and structure his preparation in small steps and achievable goals. The youtuber needed to improve his physical endurance and pass different tests. From doing a hypoxia stress test to see how his body responded at 4,000 metres, to learning to cope with the harsh climatic conditions, to survive the so-called “death zone” above 7,500 metres above sea level. Despite the physical and mental preparation, as well as the huge investment to reach the summit of the roof of the world, is one year enough time to prepare for such a monumental challenge? According to many experts, the answer is no, which has led to criticism of the ease with which public figures can undertake extreme challenges under the supervision of professionals.

The Kaizen Documentary: Hitting Cinemas and YouTube with the Commodification of the World’s Ceiling

Following its epic ascent, Inoxtag released its documentary Kaizen, a film that chronicles in detail its journey to the top of the world. Premiered at the Grand Rex cinema over two days (13 and 14 September 2024), the feature-length film has registered 340,000 admissions, and since the following day the documentary has been available for free viewing on Youtube. The film was enthusiastically received, attracting its most loyal fans and other prominent youtubers such as HugoDecrypte and Michou. Not only was it a hit in cinemas, but its release on YouTube further catapulted its visibility, reaching almost 25 million views and 1.8 million likes to date.

The documentary, while featuring spectacular footage, is not one of the best films set in winter. Kaizen is a project that aims to be inspirational and shows key moments of the climb, including the harshness of the weather, the physical challenges and the mental exhaustion. However, many critics have pointed out the lack of depth on certain crucial issues, such as the ecological impact of the journey. The film spends only a few seconds mentioning the pollution at base camp, without going into the problem of waste in the high mountains. Moreover, critics have also pointed out that there is not enough emphasis on the risk that such a challenge represents, and that during the team’s descent, six climbers collapse and fall into the void. A reality that the youtuber has decided to show to his audience in the audiovisual piece by Inoxtag.

Sponsors: the power of the brands behind the challenge

Inoxtag’s rise would not have been possible without the support of major sponsors. Companies such as Air Up, Nike, Deezer, Fitness Park, Erborian, Les Produits Laitiers, Orange and Therm-ic who largely funded his expedition, providing everything from specialised equipment to promotion for the documentary. These sponsors saw the project as a perfect opportunity to align themselves with the values of self-improvement and adventure that Inoxtag represents.

However, there has also been criticism of the role of brands in projects such as this. In particular, Orange’s sponsorship , which promoted Inoxtag’s “digital disconnection” during its adventure, has been mocked as the “disconnection” was linked to a marketing campaign. This has led to a broader reflection on the role of influencers and the impact sponsors have on the authenticity of their challenges.

A dumping ground for altitude: the ecological impact and commercialisation of Everest

Despite Kaizen‘s massive success, it has not all been praise for Inoxtag. One of the most significant criticisms has been the lack of awareness of the environmental impact of its ascent. According to various media and analysts, Everest has become a “poubelle à ciel ouvert” (an open-air dump), with piles of rubbish left behind by previous expeditions. In addition, the round-trip air travel between Paris and Nepal and the logistics required for the ascent contribute greatly to the project’s carbon footprint.

Apart from the ecological impact, Inoxtag’s access to Everest has challenged the growing commercialisation of mountaineering. Traditionally, Everest was a challenge reserved for experienced climbers who spent years preparing for it. With the ascent of influencers and celebrities to the summits, many sport purists see this as a trivialisation of the challenge, where what once required a lifetime of dedication now seems to be within the reach of those with the right financial and media resources. And these criticisms were championed by, among others, photographer Pascal Tournaire, who criticised the “premium experience” of these expeditions and suggested that turning Everest into a “tick box” was dangerous and a distortion of the sport. Tournaire commented that

“The commercial and mediatic approach of these projects contradicts the purity of traditional mountaineering”.

In defence of the youtuber, his mountain guide Mathis Dumas responded in France Bleu: “I don’t think the critics have understood the message of the documentary. The message is that everyone can find their own Everest, at their own level, and realise their own dream”. He added: “We don’t want to invite people to go and climb Everest, on the contrary, we show all the difficulties behind this project, which requires a lot of time and money”.

What this milestone means for the mountaineering world

Inoxtag’s ascent has reignited the debate about who should climb Everest and how. On the positive side, his success has inspired millions of young people who see him as a figure of self-improvement. His story shows that with the right determination, it is possible to achieve extraordinary goals.

However, the question also arises as to whether this democratisation of mountaineering is a positive or a negative thing in the true”Kilian Jornet” style. While figures like Inoxtag bring the sport to a younger and more diverse audience, critics argue that the core values of mountaineering, such as self-management, rigorous preparation and respect for the mountain, are being lost. The question remains: is this a new era in mountaineering or just a fad driven by the power of social media?

Ultimately, Inoxtag’s ascent of Everest has marked a before and after in the way the general public views extreme challenges. Through his charisma and determination, he has achieved the seemingly impossible: climbing the world’s highest mountain with only a year’s preparation and a huge investment. But his story has also highlighted deeper questions about environmental impact, the commercialisation of mountaineering and the role of influencers in adventure sport.

With 8.44 million followers, Inoxtag will remain an influential figure on social media, but his success raises the question of how far we can take personal challenges in a world increasingly influenced by marketing and technology.