WILD RIVER
Built outside. Proven outside.
Wild River wasn't created because we thought the world needed another outdoor store.
It started because we couldn't find the one we wanted.
There are plenty of places selling outdoor gear. What we struggled to find were people genuinely using it - taking it into the bush, down rivers, on hunts and into remote camps, then being prepared to tell you what worked, what didn't, and what they'd actually take with them next time.
So we decided to build it ourselves.
Wild River Outfitters is built around a simple idea: real gear deserves real-world testing.
NOT A SHOWROOM. THE REAL WORLD.
A spec sheet can tell you how much something weighs. It can't tell you what it's like after three days of rain.
A catalogue can tell you how a pack is designed. It can't tell you how it carries after kilometres through rough country.
And a product description certainly won't tell you about the little things that start to matter when you're a long way from the car.
That's the difference we're interested in.
We use gear where it's meant to be used - on rivers, in boats, around camp, through the bush and out hunting. Some of it gets used through our own adventures, some through Wild River trips, and some simply because we want to know whether a product deserves a place in our kit.
We're not interested in stocking everything.
We're interested in finding good gear from good brands, putting it into the real world and building a range we genuinely believe in.
That's also why we're selective about the companies we work with. We want partners who understand what we're doing and aren't afraid of their products being genuinely used.
TWO FOUNDERS. A LOT OF COUNTRY.
Wild River was founded by David Copperthwaite and John Payne, two outdoorsmen whose experience comes from slightly different sides of the bush.
DAVE
Hunting | Rivers | Fishing | Guiding
David's outdoor life has always revolved around getting further into wild country.
A hunter, fisherman, paddler and river guide, he has spent years exploring remote rivers and bush throughout Australia. Through Wild River's guided multi-day trips, that experience also means gear isn't just taken away for a weekend - it's used repeatedly in environments where reliability and simplicity matter.
For David, the test is pretty straightforward:
Would I take it myself?
If the answer is no, there's probably a good reason.
JOHN
Bushcraft | Survival | Self-Reliance
John brings the bushcraft side of Wild River.
With a strong interest in survival skills, remote camping, hunting and practical self-reliance, he's the bloke who wants to understand not only whether something works, but how and why it works.
His approach is methodical, practical and based around being capable in the bush with the right equipment - without carrying half the outdoor store with you.
Together, that gives Wild River a pretty broad testing ground. From river country and remote camps to hunting, fishing and bushcraft, we're interested in equipment that earns its place.
FIELD TESTED MEANS SOMETHING
You'll see the words Field Tested around Wild River.
We don't want that to become another marketing badge.
When we've genuinely put a product through its paces, we'll tell you where we used it, what we liked, what we'd change and who we think it's actually suited to.
And if something hasn't been personally tested by us, we're not going to pretend it has.
As Wild River grows, so will that library of experience.
Because we'd rather give you an honest opinion based on dirt, kilometres and time outside than repeat what's written on the side of the box.
RIVER | HUNT | CAMP
That's Wild River.
Gear chosen by people who use it.
Brands we're happy to stand behind.
And an outdoor store built for people who would rather be out there than talking about it.