There is a way to become a gear tester. I have absolutely no idea how — and that's exactly the point.
Dear Kula Diaries,
I have some really great news for you.
There is a way for you to become a gear tester.
I have absolutely no idea how.
But I'm going to help you figure that out.
I've seen so many articles about how to become a gear tester, and they often give very well-meaning advice. Usually, though, they're just somebody else regurgitating their own step-by-step process and expecting it to work exactly the same way for you. Here's the truth: trying to replicate the path of somebody else is not your path. Your path to becoming a gear tester is going to be a unique trail that you get to carve out on your own.
The good news is that I think that's actually way more fun.
Many years ago, I took a class called "How to Become a Full-Time Blogger." The instructor meant well, but the class basically consisted of her outlining the exact steps she had followed to become a profitable blogger. So, without taking the time to craft my own vision for what I wanted to create, I started copying her process. I followed the steps. I did the assignments. I tried to recreate what had worked for her.
And guess what?
My blog never got much traction.
In hindsight, this isn't particularly surprising. Since I was essentially imitating somebody else's process, it never felt like mine. It didn't feel like it was coming from me because, well, it wasn't.
In the interest of being completely transparent and vulnerable, I'd like to share a few photographs from my failed blogging era. This included a photo series where I tried on horrible outfits in dressing rooms and what can only be described as a single-attempt food blog featuring roasted kabocha squash chunks (bake at 375 degrees... that's it) and miniature eggplant pizzas. Needless to say, the $275 I spent on that blogging class brought me right back to where I started: frustrated and blogless.
Maybe you've felt the same way about starting an outdoor gear testing brand, writing gear reviews, building a hiking blog, creating a YouTube channel, or pursuing any other dream that feels exciting but just out of reach. If so, I want to offer you something different.
I'm not going to give you a path. I'm going to give you a method.
An exact path assumes that what worked for me will work for you. A method gives you a framework and then allows you to fill in the details yourself.
And this method isn't just for becoming a gear tester. It works for building anything you want to create in your life.
The Method, in Three Moves
There's no single right answer here — just a rhythm you can return to again and again. Here's the quick lay of the land before we walk it together.
See It
Write the vision of yourself as a gear tester — in present or past tense, never future. If you can't see it, it's hard to create it.
Feel It
Name the feelings underneath the vision, then cultivate them right now — before the opportunity ever arrives.
Follow It
Have fun. Chase the little ideas that feel exciting and treat them like trail blazes appearing beneath your feet.
Wait… it comes to you?
"Anastasia," you might be asking, "are you telling me I'm not going to have to frantically pitch myself over and over until some random gear company or outdoor publication takes pity on me and lets me test their gear?"
Yes. That is exactly what I'm saying.
The gear companies, the blogs, the opportunities, the collaborations… they're going to find you. How? I have absolutely no idea. But honestly, this wouldn't be nearly as much fun if it weren't full of surprises and twists and turns.
Before we go further, let go of your current beliefs about how this is supposed to happen. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Four slow inhales and exhales, and simply notice the aliveness inside your body. Seriously. I'll wait.
Meeting the New You
If you're reading this, I'm going to assume you are not currently testing gear professionally, or maybe you're just curious about the idea. Either way, you're in exactly the right place.
- You do not need special experience.
- You do not need a huge social media following.
- You do not need a media kit.
- You do not need permission.
- You just need to be exactly who you are.
The first step is to begin seeing and feeling the gear-testing version of yourself. In my experience, this is the most important step in the entire process, because if you cannot see yourself as a gear tester right now, it's very difficult to create that experience later.
Most people immediately jump into action. They start sending pitches. They start researching what everyone else is doing. They start trying to engineer the perfect strategy. But if your dominant thought is, "I want to be a gear tester, but I'm not one," every action you take will be infused with that energy.
So instead, I want you to start with a vision. We intentionally avoid future tense, because future tense keeps pushing the dream farther away.
If I had written this vision for myself seven years ago, it would have sounded something like this:
My name is Anastasia Allison and, among other things, I test outdoor gear. I work with outdoor magazines, blogs, gear companies, and other creative people in the outdoor industry, and I spend my days planning adventures and feeling genuinely excited about getting to try new things. I love receiving a piece of gear and wondering where it might take me. Sometimes it's a backpack that inspires a weekend trip. Sometimes it's a jacket that accompanies me on a motorcycle ride. Sometimes it's a tiny piece of gear that ends up becoming part of a much larger story.
My favorite part of testing gear isn't actually the gear itself. It's the experience. It's getting outside. It's watching a sunrise from a trail that I've never walked before. It's sitting outside my tent in the evening with a notebook and a cup of tea while I jot down thoughts about what worked, what surprised me, and what I learned. It's realizing that a piece of gear is never really about the gear. It's about the experiences that gear makes possible.
I love writing about the things that I test. I love telling stories about adventures, mishaps, discoveries, and unexpected moments of wonder. I love helping people find gear that will genuinely improve their experience outdoors. I love being able to tell somebody, "Yes, this worked beautifully," or, "Honestly, I wouldn't spend your money on that." I love knowing that my perspective can help someone feel more comfortable, more confident, or more excited about getting outside.
One of the things that makes me different as a gear tester is that I don't just write reviews. I write stories. I write poetry. I look for the humanity hidden inside the gear. I pay attention to the feelings, the adventures, the people, and the moments that surround the gear. I notice things that other people miss. I ask unusual questions. I bring curiosity and creativity to everything that I do, and because of that, my reviews feel personal, authentic, and uniquely my own.
I spend a lot of time outside. Some days I'm hiking. Some days I'm backpacking. Some days I'm riding my motorcycle down a winding road and stopping somewhere beautiful simply because it feels right. Some days I'm standing on a mountain summit with my violin. Some days I'm wandering through a tiny town I've never visited before. Adventure shows up in countless forms, and I love that my work allows me to follow curiosity wherever it leads.
I also love the people that this path has brought into my life. I collaborate with outdoor companies whose values align with mine. I meet artists, writers, hikers, adventurers, and dreamers. I teach classes about hiking, backpacking, outdoor hygiene, creativity, and finding a deeper connection with yourself through time spent outside. I love sharing what I've learned, and I love encouraging people to trust themselves and discover what is possible for them.
Every morning when I wake up, I feel energized and excited. I feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be. There is a sense of ease in my life because I am no longer trying to force things to happen. I am simply being myself and allowing opportunities to arrive in surprising and delightful ways. I don't know exactly what adventures are coming next, but I trust that they are on their way.
Being a gear tester feels playful. It feels creative. It feels expansive. It feels like freedom. It feels like getting to wake up every day and follow the things that genuinely interest me. It feels like being trusted for my voice, my perspective, and my honesty. Most of all, it feels like being completely and unapologetically myself.
I love this life. I love the adventures, the stories, the people, the opportunities, and the unexpected twists and turns. Every day feels like an invitation to discover something new. I keep following what feels fun. I keep saying yes to curiosity. I keep trusting the path beneath my feet.
And somehow, every year becomes even more magical than the one before.
Write Your Gear Tester Vision
Take 15 minutes today and write your own version. Include:
- What your days look like
- What kinds of gear you test
- Who you work with
- Where your adventures take place
- How you feel
- What makes your perspective unique
Don't worry about how any of it happens. Just write.
Bringing the Vision to Life
Once you've written your vision, spend five to ten minutes allowing yourself to really feel the reality of it. What does this look like? What does it feel like? How does your body feel when you're living this life?
For some people this means closing their eyes and visualizing their perfect day as a gear tester. For others, it means listening to music and imagining themselves on a trail somewhere.
Personally, I sometimes do fake podcast interviews with myself. No, really. I'll pretend a reporter asks me a question like, "Tell me what your life looks like as a gear tester."
Then I'll answer it. Out loud. Like a complete weirdo. And it's surprisingly effective.
Start Testing Gear Right Now
This is the point where most people think they need permission. You don't. You already own gear. Take it outside. Use it. Observe it. Write notes. Pay attention.
You do not need a sponsorship to become a gear tester. In fact, one of the best ways to become a gear tester is to start testing the gear you already own. Ask yourself:
- What do I love about this?
- What frustrates me?
- Who would this work well for?
- Who would hate this?
- What surprised me?
You already have a unique lens through which you experience the world. The entire point of gear testing is sharing that perspective.
Finding the Feelings
Once you've written your vision and spent time visualizing it, I want you to identify the feelings underneath it. When I imagine the gear-testing version of myself, the feelings that come up are:
- Freedom
- Adventure
- Fun
- Exploration
- Connection
- Ease
- Passion
- Creativity
- Being completely myself
Your list will probably be different. That's the point.
Now comes the interesting part. Look at those feelings and ask yourself:
What can I do from exactly where I am right now to experience these feelings?
What if you practice the feeling first?
Most people think they need the opportunity first and the feeling second. What if it's the other way around?
What if you cultivate freedom before the backpacking trip? What if you cultivate connection before the collaboration? What if you cultivate creativity before the opportunity arrives?
That's exactly what I want you to experiment with.
Harvest the Feelings
Choose three feelings from your vision. Then write down:
- Activities that naturally create those feelings
- Places that create those feelings
- Memories that create those feelings
Then intentionally spend time savoring those feelings. Not chasing them. Not earning them. Not waiting for them.
Experiencing them.
Go With the Flow
Once you've created the vision, identified the feelings, and started intentionally cultivating those feelings in your everyday life, your job becomes remarkably simple.
Have fun. That's it. Have fun.
Pay attention to the little ideas that arrive. Follow the impulses that feel exciting. Treat them like tiny trail blazes appearing along a path that is gradually revealing itself beneath your feet. The more you practice this, the more momentum builds.
And one day, somebody will look at your life and ask, "How did you become a gear tester?" And you'll probably laugh, because you'll realize there wasn't one path. There never was. There was only your path — and you created it by believing it was possible, allowing yourself to enjoy the journey, and being brave enough to trust your own voice.
Friends, I truly believe that every single one of us has the brilliance to create things that don't yet exist. You are not the exception to the rule.
The gear company you're dreaming about doesn't need a polished pitch from you. It needs the one perspective only you can bring. Go be unmistakably yourself.
close the door ↩So write the vision. Find the feeling. Test the gear. Follow the trail blazes. And most importantly, have fun.
Wishing you curiosity, courage, and a trail that reveals itself one joyful step at a time.
Love,
Anastasia
Founder, Kula Cloth®
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Gear Tester
Sometimes.
I think this is one of the biggest misconceptions people have about gear testing. Most people imagine gear testers lounging around their house while boxes of free gear magically arrive on their doorstep.
In reality, most gear testers spend years buying and using their own gear before anybody sends them anything. Even after opportunities start showing up, many gear testers continue purchasing plenty of their own gear because they genuinely enjoy trying new things.
The free gear isn't really the point. The point is building trust, developing your own perspective, and creating useful content that helps other people make informed decisions. If free gear happens along the way, wonderful. But if that's your primary motivation, you'll probably get frustrated pretty quickly.
No. A blog is one possible path, but it certainly isn't the only one.
Some gear testers primarily use YouTube. Others focus on Instagram, TikTok, newsletters, podcasts, Facebook groups, Reddit communities, or a combination of platforms. Some people simply become known within their local outdoor communities as the person who always has thoughtful opinions about gear.
What matters most isn't where you share your thoughts. What matters is that you develop your own voice, pay attention to details, and consistently share your experiences in a way that is helpful to other people.
That said, I do think having some type of home base for your content can be valuable. Whether that's a blog, a newsletter, a YouTube channel, or something else entirely is up to you.
Absolutely. One of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming that brands only care about follower counts.
Follower counts are easy to see, but they don't tell the whole story. A person with a small but highly engaged audience can often be far more valuable than someone with a huge audience that barely pays attention. Brands are increasingly interested in authenticity, trust, expertise, and genuine connection.
If you consistently create thoughtful reviews, share honest feedback, and cultivate a unique perspective, opportunities can arise regardless of your audience size.
Remember: every person who has a large audience today once had an audience of zero.
If you're interested in writing gear reviews, absolutely.
One of the easiest ways to start learning how the outdoor industry works is to join an affiliate program. Affiliate programs allow you to recommend products you genuinely use and trust, and earn a small commission if somebody purchases through your link.
One of the largest affiliate networks in the outdoor industry is AvantLink. They work with many outdoor brands and retailers and can be a great way to begin learning how affiliate partnerships function.
That said, I would encourage you to focus on helping people first and commissions second. The most successful gear reviewers aren't trying to sell people things. They're trying to help people make informed decisions. If you focus on being helpful, the rest tends to take care of itself.
Start reviewing gear. That's it.
You don't need permission. You don't need a website. You don't need a media kit. You don't need free gear. You don't need a huge audience. Just start.
Review the gear you already own. Talk about your favorite backpack. Share your thoughts on your hiking shoes. Explain why you love a particular water filter or sleeping pad. Write about what worked and what didn't.
You can share your reviews with your friends, your family, your hiking group, your tiny Instagram account, your blog, your newsletter, or even just in a notebook if that's where you're comfortable starting. The point isn't where you share it. The point is that you begin paying attention.
The more you practice observing gear, testing gear, and talking about gear, the more you'll develop your own unique voice and perspective. That's the thing that ultimately makes somebody a valuable gear tester — not follower count, not sponsorships, not free gear.
Just start. The trail appears beneath your feet when you begin walking.
The best gear reviews answer questions that real people actually have. At a minimum, consider including:
- Where you tested the gear
- Weather and trail conditions
- What you loved about it
- What frustrated you
- Who you think it would work well for
- Who you think might not enjoy it
- What surprised you
- Whether you would buy it again
Most importantly, be honest. You do not need to love every product. You do not need to hate every product. You do not need to sound like a professional gear magazine. You simply need to share your actual experience.
Your unique perspective is the most valuable thing you bring to the table. The backpack, jacket, tent, water filter, or sleeping pad is available to lots of people. The way you experience that gear is something only you can offer.
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