Mr Jan Gear

I’ve been working with Mr Jan Gear for years now, as an ambassador and core team member, right from the very beginning. That means testing gear, giving feedback, testing again, tweaking things… until it’s just right.
A lot of the gear you see in the webshop today has already been through mud, salt water and freezing temperatures before it was ever approved. It’s been tested and refined by me and a small group of fellow photographers out in the field. That’s what gives it real credibility.

Mr Jan Gear is a small workshop in Slovakia run by Jan Goddefroy and Martin Suchan – two people who truly understand nature photography. And you can feel that in every detail. Their philosophy is simple: if you want to build gear that genuinely helps photographers in the field – even in extreme conditions – you need durable materials and close collaboration with people who actually use the equipment. That’s something I fully stand behind.

What I particularly appreciate:

• Small-scale European production
• Continuous field testing and real feedback integration
• No pointless gadgets
• Clean, functional design
• Durability over marketing hype
• Direct contact with the makers

Below is the gear that has been accompanying me on workshops and trips for years – gear I trust completely.

The Boris IV is built for long days and heavy lenses.

• Easily carries my 600mm lens
• No wasted or hard-to-reach space due to unnecessary styling or rounded shapes
• Rear access → no mud against your harness when you put the bag down in wet grass
• 11 dividers and modular inner pockets → fully adaptable to my workflow
• Cobra buckle on the hip belt → a huge difference when you’re carrying 20 kg on your back
• Easy attachment points for extras like a rain jacket or tripod

And the cherry on top: it still fits within carry-on size while remaining very lightweight. That’s incredibly valuable when travelling. Fewer discussions at the gate, and your expensive gear always stays within reach.

Of course, once the bag is fully packed it often weighs too much, but then I simply spread some gear into my photo vest and personal items bag.

For shorter trips and excursions I go with the Rise: a 20-litre pack that’s compact and very thoughtfully designed.

• Rear opening → again: dry back, clean gear
• Compact and cleverly organised
• Also perfect as a daypack or travel bag
• Discreet in cities, and safer thanks to the rear opening

When mobility matters more than maximum capacity, and you deliberately choose to bring only what you really need, this is the right pack.

The floating hides are the products closest to my heart. I’ve been working with floating hides for more than 25 years and I run workshops with them in Belgium and abroad.

It’s a technique that nature photographers really shouldn’t miss. You’re literally immersed in nature. There’s no path, no viewing platform, no photographers waiting behind you for their turn.

You become part of the landscape, with complete artistic freedom – how you move, the light you choose, your distance to the subject. I’ve even made wide-angle images of species like Little Bittern this way. Images like that are simply impossible from the shore.

What makes the Floating Hide 3 Combo technically so strong:

• Lighter than previous models (crucial when you need to walk hundreds of metres to the water, or take it on a plane)
  • Stable frame and improved mounting plate
  • Compact enough for travel

For the roughest conditions, I still use the incredibly tough Floating Hide 1, which has proven itself for years. Scraping over shallow sandy bottoms full of stones, shells and sharp branches underwater, tied to the roof of jeeps while I’m racing across the steppes of Kazakhstan, baking for days in the summer sun, surrounded by far too curious cows…

I’ve put it through more than enough challenges to know this gear won’t let you down.

If you’ve never tried photographing from a floating hide, you really should! It opens up an entirely new world. Be sure to check my blog for some stories from inside the hide!

• 3-layer breathable waterproof material
• Waterproof YKK zippers
• Neoprene seals at wrists and neck
• Integrated socks

A good suit isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. A lot of work went into designing this one so photographers can spend hours working in the water.

Unlike a classic diving drysuit, the neck seal isn’t restrictive and the zipper is much more flexible. It’s also placed at the front. On top of that, the suit is much lighter than most alternatives, which makes it far easier to take on flights.

I even wear it when I’m out on a zodiac, so I stay dry from spray, rain or snow. I simply adjust my insulating base layers depending on the weather, which is much easier to regulate than neoprene suits.

It allows me to focus on my subject – not on leaking seams, cold feet or hypothermia. Anyone who has ever stood in water for hours knows that every detail matters.

Last but not least: this rain cover for your camera, whether you’re using a short or long lens.

The Showercap is one of those things you only realise you need when you don’t have it with you. Compact, quick to put over your camera, and solid protection.

When it suddenly starts raining during a session, you don’t want to solve a technical puzzle. You just want to keep shooting.

Sometimes simplicity is the greatest luxury. That’s exactly what this showercap is designed for: no unnecessary extras that only add weight and bulk.

That’s why it’s always in my bag.