I’m always happiest outdoors, and as a travel journalist, most of my time is spent out and about exploring new hiking trails or back at home writing about my adventures. Part of my job involves testing out adventure kit, and over the years, I’ve put hundreds of pieces of outdoor gear through their paces before settling on my tried-and-tested favourites.
I’m definitely not someone who is overly obsessed with pricey equipment, despite writing about it so much. I don’t really mind if I shave off a few extra grams with a super-expensive lightweight kit, and I’ll just as happily go exploring with a cheap backpack from a discount retailer as one of the best hiking backpacks from a big-ticket brands - all that matters to me is that a piece of kit does its job well. I’ll also readily admit to going on short walks or casual camping trips in jeans and Birkenstock sandals (controversial!).
