‘You don’t need to be climbing Everest to be adventurous’ — Alec Farmer

Founder of Trakke and perpetual adventurer Alec Farmer is a man with an appetite for fresh air. Alongside his Glasgow-based team, Alec creates wares destined for explorations in faraway lands and rugged terrains. Luckily, we got him to sit behind a computer long enough to answer our niggling questions. Here’s what he told us:

Where did your love for adventuring stem from?

Before I moved to Glasgow, I lived in the countryside in Derbyshire. I spent my childhood camping, building mountain bike trails and exploring woodlands, so I’ve always been into the outdoors. Now I live in Scotland, there’s way more amazing outdoor spots to access, so it’s pretty exciting to be up here.

When did you decide to create your business, Trakke?

I started Trakke from my living room in 2010. I was a student at the time, but I’d find materials in the skips of Glasgow and turn them into new bags. To be honest, I’m not that great at sewing, but I learnt the basics of construction and bag design using free materials, which helped a lot when I started using nicer materials like waxed cotton in 2012. Now, we make bags using some of the best materials available in the UK today, and hopefully we inspire people to get outside and enjoy the amazing British landscape.

You’re based in Scotland, did exploring the terrain of your home country inspire your products?

For sure. When I first came to Scotland, I had no idea how amazing the Highlands were. I remember driving through Glencoe and thinking ‘This is insane!’ It’s ideal now though, because our workshop is based in Glasgow, so we make the most of city life, but we’re never more than an hour away from a great adventure.

Tell us a little about the ethos/philosophy behind your wares …

First and foremost, I’m passionate about making stuff right here in the UK. So much industry has died out over the years, but I think it’s important to keep making things locally. When things get made overseas, people lose that connection between what they are buying and where it is made, who it’s made by and how it’s produced. Our workshop is open to the public, so people can actually come in and see bags being made right in front of them. That’s awesome for us, because it’s a great opportunity to meet our customers too. You can take a virtual tour of our workshop here.

The philosophy behind the brand centres on the idea of ‘Adventure Everywhere’. All of us are adventurers – whether it’s exploring a new city, climbing a tree, scaling a mountain or swimming in a loch… we all do things that are new and exciting – things that are a little bit out of our comfort zone. For us, it’s about being inclusive. You don’t need to be climbing Everest to be adventurous.

Is it exciting to see your customers taking their Trakke products around the world?

That’s the best bit! It’s always amazing to see our bags being used and abused all over the world! We’ve had customers send us photos from South America, Australia – even Antarctica! We’re always so stoked to see stuff like that, and it’s a great chance for us to get feedback about the bags themselves, so we can continue to develop and refine our designs.

What’s one of the most memorable adventures you’ve been on?

We relaunched our website in 2013 and we took a bunch of friends up to the Isle of Skye to take some photos of the bags. The weather was awful for the whole time. We got soaked to the skin and on the way home, we had a pretty nasty car-crash. Despite all of that, we had the best time. Sometimes, it’s the unplanned events that make a trip really stand out, and when you head out with a group of amazing people, it’s hard to have a bad time!

What are your favourite places to take a hike?

We’ve been heading up to Glencoe recently, and we’ve spotted a ridgeline called Aonach Eagach. It’s a legendary spot, so that’s top of the list of challenges for the summer.

What’s your top advice (or tips) for wannabe explorers and adventurers?

It’s all about having fun. You don’t need to be doing the biggest, longest, highest or scariest adventure – do what makes you happy – but don’t be afraid to find new places, and try new things.

Sometimes, if we’re looking for new spots, or trying to plan a trip, we search it on Instagram. Although there’s always lots of information online, Instagram can give you that real-life point of view from other people who have been to the same place, so it can be handy for finding good camp-spots and viewpoints.