Rob Simpson

• Title: Gear Tester & Review Author
• Email: rsimpson1806@gmail.com
• Location: Salida, CO
• Social Media Links: Facebook

Expertise

• Topics of Expertise: Fishing, rock climbing, mountaineering, trail running, backpacking, backcountry skiing & sea kayaking. Wilderness first aid instructor (Desert Mountain Medicine).
• Years in This Expertise: 25+
• Number Of Products & Number Of Hours Expert Has Tested: Although he’s new to Gear Junkie, Rob has spent 25+ years working as an outdoor professional having handled and tested over 1,000 pieces of gear testing gear on the rivers, mountains, lakes and trails all over the western US and Baja Mexico.

Experience:

Growing up in San Diego, Rob cut his teeth fishing the offshore waters of southern California and Baja, Mexico. When he was 12 years old his parents sent him to a fishing summer camp in Bemidji, Minnesota to hang out with a bunch of other weird middle school kids that spent most of their days thinking about fishing.

As a college student in Southern California, Rob got his first outdoor job as a camp counselor and backpacking guide just outside Yosemite National Park. Off and on for the next 25+ years Rob spent his time leading backpacking, rock climbing, and winter camping trips all over the Sierra Nevada range.

In 2020, Rob moved to Salida, Colorado, and has spent the last 4 years exploring the rivers, alpine lakes, and the Rocky Mountains. These days, Rob spends a few weeks every year surf fishing and sea kayaking in Baja Mexico and most of his time fly fishing, trail running, backcountry skiing, and hiking with his awesome dog Luna all over Colorado.

Career Highlights

• Completing the Way Too Cool 50k in a torrential rainstorm
• Climbing my first big wall route in 1999 – Liberty Crack in Washington’s North Cascades.
• Guiding backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing and sea kayaking trips all over the western United States and Baja Mexico.
• Trying to figure out how to share a 1-person bivy sack with my good friend Lee (who is not a small guy!) after an epic alpine climbing adventure on the North Ridge of Mt Stuart in the Cascades.
• Catching a 60+ lb Big Eye Tuna off the coast of Southern California as a scrawny 12-year-old and spending 2 hours getting it to the gaff.

Education & Certifications

• Education: Master’s Degree in College Student Affairs, Azusa Pacific University
• Years of Writing: I’ve been doing technical writing as part of my career as a higher education professional for 24 years.
• Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, Avalanche Level 1
• Club or Association Memberships: American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), National Intramural and Recreation Sports Association (NIRSA)

A Word From Rob Simpson

As a writer and product tester for GearJunkie I get to test awesome gear while doing the things that I love – fishing, hiking, trail running, sea kayaking, rock climbing and spending time outdoors with my friends, my wife and my awesome dog, Luna.

When I’m not playing outside my day job is working as a college administrator and faculty member in a small town in rural Colorado. My passion is sharing my love of the outdoors with young adults and providing them with the skills to recreate safely and responsibly. Along the way I’ve met some amazing people that have become lifelong friends and many of whom have gone on to do big things as outdoor enthusiasts.