About Us

Backpacking in the Lake District

Live for The Outdoors is created by the teams behind Trail and Trail Running, the UK’s biggest and most influential hillwalking and hiking magazines.

The internet is an endless maze of information when it comes to finding the best places to hike and run, and the best outdoor gear to wear while you’re out there. So our mission is to bring all of that information together on a website you can trust.

All of the gear reviews on Live for the Outdoors are written by experienced industry experts, who as well as doing this for a career also spend most of their spare time climbing mountains, sleeping under the stars, and running trails. The kit we test is chosen purely on merit and the products we select are determined by their suitability to meet the criteria for each review. All of our reviews are completely independent and free from commercial interests.

Our route guides and destination-focused articles are written either by Live for the Outdoors staff or our trusted team of freelance contributors, many of them guidebook authors and all of them leading authorities in the outdoor industry.

There are hundreds of articles on Live for the Outdoors (maybe even thousands, we’ve lost count) but here are some good places to dive in:

Gear reviews and advice…

Buying Guide: The best waterproof jackets | How to choose the perfect hiking headtorch | What are the best budget hiking boots? | Which backpacking tent should I buy? | How to choose sustainable outdoor gear | What are the best backpack brands to look for?

Guides to Britain’s best hiking routes…

Ultimate guide to the 3 Peaks Challenge | The Lake District’s best hiking routes | Guide to scrambling Striding Edge, Helvellyn | How to walk the South Downs Way | Kinder Scout walking route, Peak District | Best mountain walks in Snowdonia | Best hikes in the Scottish Highlands | How to nail the Welsh 3000s challenge

Video inspiration for hiking adventures…

The best route up Great Gable | A celebration of Britain’s mountain ridges | Guide to scrambling Sharp Edge, Blencathra | Lake District Peak to Pub trail | Classic loop walk on Stanage Edge | Why hiking is great for your mental health | Can you handle Scotland’s toughest mountain ridge?

Who's behind Live for the Outdoors?

The Live For The Outdoors team together on a mountain ridge

We are! Trail magazine has been the leading authority on UK hillwalking and backpacking for more than 30 years, with more decades (possibly even centuries) of experience between the team than we’d dare to admit. Our team is packed with award-winning writers, editors, photographers, videographers, and gear testers, all passionate about sharing our outdoor experiences and adventures with you.

And it doesn't end when the working week finishes, because the reason we've all turned this into our careers is that we're obsessed with the outdoors. Every morning, lunchtime, evening, and weekend you'll find one of our team out running, hiking, cycling, camping, or climbing a hill somewhere. Probably the best example was when our gear editor Ben went on holiday last summer, then casually WhatsApped us a photo of himself on top of the Matterhorn a few days later.

Climbing the Matterhorn

At Live for the Outdoors, our goal is simply to create an informative and trusted website that gives you all the inspiration you need to get outdoors more, and to make sure you’re wearing the best kit to keep you safe while you’re doing it.

You can find us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube too.

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Do we make money from our reviews?

We work with a variety of affiliate partnerships and we may receive a commission for purchases made through our links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

How does this impact our gear testing?

Our affiliate partnerships do not impact the product choices we make or the reviews we write. There is no pressure on our editorial team to choose particular products or brands; we won’t recommend a product we don’t believe in. The products will speak for themselves when you invest in them.

To find out more about how we test outdoor gear, CLICK HERE

Writing for Trail magazine

If mountains are your passion and you’re interested in writing for Britain’s best-selling hillwalking magazine, then we’d love to hear from you. We’re always looking for new contributors who can bring fresh ideas, destinations and voices to Trail. Click here for submission guidelines

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