Daniel Varghese

• Title: Contributor
• Email: varghesedanielr@gmail.com
• Location: Brooklyn, NY
• Pronouns: he/him/his
• Website: DanielVarghese.co
  Strava, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Substack

Expertise

• Topics of Expertise: Cycling, Running, Skiing, Hobbies, Tech Accessories
• Years in This Expertise: 8
• Number Of Products & Number Of Hours Expert Has Tested: 200+,1,000+ hours

Experience

Daniel Varghese is an editor based in Brooklyn, NY. He was formerly the Gear and Gadgets Editor of Off Duty, the weekend lifestyle insert of The Wall Street Journal. In the role, he edited stories about a wide range of topics, including the flip phone renaissance, high-design gardening tools, spearfishing equipment, and over-designed multitools. 

In 2023, after years of being too afraid, he decided he would try to become a New York City cyclist. Within the first twenty minutes, he realized there was actually nothing else he wanted to do with his time. These days, he writes Leg Day, a newsletter about pursuing joy as a city cyclist. He also covers menswear, fitness culture, hobbies, coffee, and urban design for publications like GQ, Conde Nast Traveler, Men’s Journal, and Hard Pack. 

Varghese’s journalism career began at The Georgetown Voice, a student-run newsmagazine in Washington D.C. He moved to New York City in 2017 for an internship at The Ringer, before taking a position at Wirecutter, which had just been purchased by The New York Times, later that year. He honed his research, reporting, reviewing, and editing skills over the next few years in jobs at Conde Nast and New York Magazine.

Education & Certifications

• Education: Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service
• Years of Writing: 8
• Previous Publications: The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, GQ, Conde  Nast Traveler, Men’s Journal, Wirecutter, The Ringer

A Word From Daniel Varghese

A few years ago, I was stuck in a rut. The topics that once got me excited—mostly new tech releases—no longer felt interesting enough to track with genuine gusto. Becoming a cyclist reawakened the obsessive within me. Through biking, especially in New York, I’ve gained a sense of wonder both about the machine under my feet and the environment around me. I could not have imagined this at the beginning of the pandemic, but I now think about activities like skiing, running marathons, backpacking, as real possibilities. 

My goal, especially with a publication like GearJunkie, is to bring an energized, but not too credulous, attitude to the stories and topics I am covering. I hope you’ll reach out if you feel I’ve missed the mark, but also if you think I’ve succeeded. I will never turn down a pep talk.