Actually, I’m not a philosopher. I’m just an outdoors person, a Kiwi who spent his adolescent years tramping across the South Alps and his twenties selling skis in winter in order to fund the next summer’s expedition to the Himalaya/Andes/Karakorum. First-hand experience of trekking, climbing and mountaineering has left me with some very strong ideas about gear, about what you need and don’t need, about what works and what doesn’t, and in particular about what has to work when you need it to. Most of all, I love simplicity. I don’t want fussy extras, features I don’t need that add weight I don’t want to carry. My Lightwave tents, rucksacks and sleeping bags are designed to strike intelligent balances, with a clear focus on function, performance and ease of use in the field. That doesn’t mean re-inventing the wheel, but simply re-evaluating every detail and optimising any limiting (but unavoidable) factors.
I’m also a chemical engineer, so I’m really interested in the properties of the materials I use and how they can support my design ideas. I am constantly exploring and experimenting with new fabrics, coatings, metal alloys, bonding methods etc. that are regularly being developed to see how they can improve the performance and durabilit of our products.
I am proud to say that, at Lightwave, we make only what we believe in. But I am fully aware that great products are the result not of design flair or manufacturing developments, but of their ability to satisfy the most exacting customer requirements. Lightwave encourages and welcomes all feedback – ultimately, our products are the sum of our customers' experiences.