This creator is one you have almost definitely heard of in the Australian Ultralight Makers scene. He heralds from NSW and makes an impressive range of Dyneema goodies, quilts and other skillfully crafted UL gear.
Hi there! Could you introduce yourself and what you do for the readers?
Hey, my name is Tearloch I am 26 and I am the owner and sole maker here at Zero G Gear. My aim is to offer ultralight hiking gear to the Australian scene and abroad with a focus on quality. I offer a wide range of gear from fast packs, dry bags and rain mittens to custom quilts and tarps.
What is your background? How did you start designing and making gear?
I have an interesting origin story and one that was not originally on the cards a few years ago. I have always been active but my first love was cycling. From an early age I began mountain biking which later turned to road cycling. Up until a few years ago I was racing semi professionally both nationally and abroad. during this time hiking was also a major passion that helped split up training blokes and allowed me to mix things up. Unfortunately a knee injury changed my trajectory and from this I turned to hiking as a way to stay active and outdoors. This then slowly evolved, in a roundabout way, to Zero G Gear.
Being a taller person, finding ultralight hiking gear that fit/ suited my needs was a difficult pursuit hence my first steps were taken into the world of Make Your Own Gear (MYOG). It began with small, dry bags, stuff sacks etc but then grew into tackling a full shelter. This was my first ‘large’ project and is a piece of gear is still use today (rough stitches and all).
From here, making gear for friends and family sparked the idea to take things a little further. 5 years on and Zero G Gear has evolved into something I couldn’t have dreamed of starting out.
As a small/micro business owner, how do you think your journey into the world of business impacts making/designing product on a smaller scale?
Being a small business has both major benefits and some disadvantages when it comes to designs and creating products.
Being small allows for much more freedom with the types of products, materials and techniques however this comes at the cost of time, cost. Whilst this can sometimes cause issues I believe the pros outweigh the cons. Small businesses have the ability to make niche or even custom options that better suit their intended user and specific use.
Whilst this is all true, increased material costs due to ‘small’ quantities being ordered, difficulties accessing these materials, competing with larger businesses, time constraints, being a sole owner and operator are all things that need to be considered.
It is often said but when you support a small business you aren’t just buying a product, your are helping directly support people, family’s and the wider community who share the same passion you’d do. Without these small makers I feel the outdoor space would be a little less bright.
What has been your favourite project thus far?
Tough question! Whilst it can change month on month my current favourite has to be the Quenda Quilts. For many in the Australian hiking community the Quenda’s are something of a household name.
This project is a special one, being such a fun product to create has really set this up to be a favourite of mine but it is how I came to offer these that has really helped put it at the top of the list.
The Quenda Quilts were a product designed and created by Tier Gear down in Tasmania and I have had the privilege and pleasure of being able to continue to offer them to the hiking community. I had the chance to travel down to Tassie to meet with Simon, Sarah and the Tier Gear team to learn the ropes before bringing the operation back to Bowral. These few weeks were an incredible opportunity to learn and one I will forever be grateful for. I hope to do the Quenda Quilts proud and must once again thank Simon and Sarah for both their time, effort and contribution to the Australian hiking community.
What are you excited about in the outdoor textiles scene at the moment?
For me, I always get excited by the ever changing scene here in Aus, I feel there is a shift towards embracing smaller makers and all they have to offer. Once upon a time your gear choices were extremely limited but now there really is such an incredible range of incredible designs available.
Fabric choices, designs, construction methods have drastically improved over the years and it seems to finally be available for everyone.
I’m super excited to see what the next five years will take us.
How does the Australian Outdoor scene impact your designs? (Getting materials, finding people to test gear, climate, etc)
Being in Australia, things are often just that little tougher.
Up until recently, sourcing fabrics for these ‘unique’ products has been an overseas endeavour. This definitely impacted my products and prices as shipping, duties and the overall cost to get these materials here was half the battle. Fortunately, a few small suppliers have started to pop up in Aus which has allowed for some of these fabrics to become more accessible and often affordable.
Australia has always been an ‘outdoor’ country yet it seems only recently that people are finally catching on that gear doesn’t have to weight a ton to be tough or that there are people out there willing to create exactly what your after. I feel the shift from ‘old school’ methods is a good thing as it allows small makers to evolve their products to better suit the users ‘new’ needs.
Whilst being so separated from the rest of the world has the causes the occasional headache I think it further emphasises the need for small makers willing to tackle these challenges in the pursuit of their community and craft.
Are there any small brands you'd like to shoutout?
This list could go on forever but I’ll try and name a few:
- Tier Gear
- Terra Rosa Gear
- SchusserThreads
- MYOG AU / Monkey Puzzle Fabrics
- Blue Traverse Gear
There are some many incredible makers out there and it pays to track them down. Often you will find someone who will have the same passion as you who would be over the moon to help add a little something to your story. You know who you are, keep up the good work!
Instagram: @zerog.gear
Website: https://www.zer0ggear.com/
A huge thank you to Tearloch for sharing his thoughts and a snippet of the day to day running Zero G Gear.
I'd love it if you could send this to your friends to share Zero G Gear with the world.
Happy creating!
Abi x
All images courtesy of Zero G Gear.