[Closed] Pro Adventurers - how do they do it?

They get their money, generally in small amounts from loads of diff sources - kit is sponsored, they will do coorporate speaking (I know mark does), books, films, etc

Knowing a fair few pro climbers, there arent very many who dont have another job to keep them going

would be interested to hear if the grass really is greener for these chaps

The ones I've known work like dogs and earn enough to survive but not a huge amount. Motivational and promotional speaking seem to pay OK, rep work for brands pays and is fairly steady work, doing "celebrity" appearances at training days and corporate events pays, modelling for advertising pays, books and films can pay. It seems like bloody hard work compared to just having a job though.

edit: then obviously people like Kenton Cool can rake in a fair bit from guiding.

My dad wasn't in quite the same league as the names you mention but he has done plenty of adventuring. Couple of big Nepal hikes, cycling round the world and driving to Cape Town amongst many others. Him and his parter would pack everything into the shed and my Nan's spare room them head off, often for over a year. The rental from the house was enough to pay for travels, not 5* but that wasn't their style. Certainly not beyond the reach of anyone really once the kids have left and the mortgage is paid off. He's written up their last adventure, it's a bit of a travelogue mixed with a how to, available from [url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Driving-Dark-Africa-Accidental-Adventurer-ebook/dp/B013J8DXJO ]amazon[/url]

Some will also involve scientific aims as well, which may be paid for by research grants.

I know a few of these types - Everest climbers, first ascents in Antarctica, recreating Shackleton's voyage etc.

Some work physically hard jobs and live frugally to save enough for the next trip - lots of high access rope work for example.

Others start businesses related to their fields eg climbing schools, yacht management companies. Others have seasonal income streams and follow the seasons around, eg ski boot fitting.

The ones I've known work like dogs and earn enough to survive but not a huge amount. Motivational and promotional speaking seem to pay OK, rep work for brands pays and is fairly steady work, doing "celebrity" appearances at training days and corporate events pays, modelling for advertising pays, books and films can pay. It seems like bloody hard work compared to just having a job though.

This. You might manage it to the point your day to day life doesn't actually cost you much because things like food, gear and travel costs get covered, but you won't end up owning your own house or putting away a decent pension unless you're *right* at the top end of your game. Family life won't be up to much either if you're always travelling. Then there's the constant threat of injury knocking you out for a season (or longer)...

@nick, thanks for the link, something for the Christmas list

OP I know of a few people who done some fairly long adventure trips, they've tended to live simply saving all they can whilst planning the trip. Add in a few donations and some sponsorship and you're there.

Interesting stuff, Nick your dad's book looks good, might give that a go.

The ones I've known work like dogs and earn enough to survive but not a huge amount. Motivational and promotional speaking seem to pay OK, rep work for brands pays and is fairly steady work, doing "celebrity" appearances at training days and corporate events pays, modelling for advertising pays, books and films can pay. It seems like bloody hard work compared to just having a job though.

But the point being is that they're always busy but doing fun stuff like climbing, traveling etc? Sounds like hard work but also pretty varied and a good laugh?

The out-laws do it (scuba diving in Thailand).

Funded a few gap year style breaks by saving in normal well paid jobs in the UK then renting their house out whilst they were away. Did all the expensive stuff (PADI instructor courses etc) and now going full time by selling their house and buying several smaller buy-to-let's to fund the lifestyle, supplemented by working with a diving school.

A few friends do long gap-year style breaks for 6months at a time funded by just saving and living frugally whilst away.

But the point being is that they're always busy but doing fun stuff like climbing, traveling etc? Sounds like hard work but also pretty varied and a good laugh?

I guess that's partially true and partially the image they project. No one want's the 40yr old motivational speaker who stacks shelves in their LBS (or local climbing, sailing, hiking, whatever shop) for 8 months of the year, with no pension or mortgage, bums around for 3.9 months living in interesting places cheaply to generate enough anecdotes in the tiny remainder that'll fill the talks that will subsidise next years trip.

The ones I've known work like dogs

See: Mountain bike guides! nearly all the ones I've met seem to do 3 jobs all winter to have a few weeks battering themselves in the Alps. 😆

http://www.theclymb.com/stories/out-there/become-outdoor-writer-photographer/

Some tips here, specifically relating to becoming a writer/photographer. Essentially, I think it boils down to working your arse off and being frugal the rest of the time. Being able to sacrifice a lot of things in order to spend your life living outdoors and adventuring.

But the point being is that they're always busy but doing fun stuff like climbing, traveling etc?

Most of the time they're driving from what I can tell and they don't get much more time to actually climb than someone with a normal job who decides to structure their life around their climbing. Remember that someone like Mick Fowler has had a full time job for more or less his whole climbing career!

Remember that someone like Mick Fowler has had a full time job for more or less his whole climbing career!

I spoke to him once and asked him if he ever wanted to be a full-time climber. His take - he's a high-ranking Inland Revenue official - was that it would take the adventure out of his climbing. When he goes away he's still excited precisely because it's different from his day-to-day existence and it doesn't seem to have stopped him climbing some of the hardest lines ever.

I think the short answer is that those who make a living from adventuring, climbing etc, work very, very hard at monetising their adventures through films, speaking tours, books, magazine articles and through doing a good job for their sponsors. Leo Houlding is a good example, he's paid a wedge of money by Berghaus to represent them and is a dab hand at getting them coverage, but he's an exception to the rule I think.

Joe Simpson, as I understand it, now pretty much makes his living recounting Touching The Void for corporate/motivational speaking events. But the bottom line is that you have to work out how to monetise your adventures, but of course you run the risk of taking some of the adventure out of it all by doing that, maybe.

There was an article years ago in one of the sailing mags (PBO?) about 'liveaboards' and how they pay for the lifestyle just cruising round the world constantly. And the topic of communications came up. Ironically since the internet took off it became much harder to make a living writing about the experience as the magazines no longer paid for it. Every man and his dog had a blog updated day by day about sailing round the world so there was no market for a monthly column. This was leading to a reduction as previously every developed country must have had 2-3 magazines, each publishing 2-3 'blogs'. Whereas now there are far fewer popular blogs because the only funding is from brand ambassadorship/product placement type streams and it's much more cuthroat, so ironically despite the blogs being free and open (both to create and read), the number of (popular) creators has dropped and the quality gone up.

So looks like sponsorship is the key - i.e. I guess if you're getting sent off round the world on some crazy adventure by your sponsor then they'll pay your tickets, food etc. Which if you're away all the time then you shouldn't need much else? That and being a shameless self promotionalist?

You wouldn't be away [i]all[/i] the time though, and then where do you go- back to your parents or staying with mates?
I suspect that sort of lifestyle is actually quite hard to sustain after a few years, there certainly wouldn't be room for much else in it which doesn't sound like a big deal but might be as you get a bit older. Unless you're Leo Houlding I'd imagine you'd have to work quite hard just to stay in a holding pattern financially. Again, you might not care when you're in your early twenties but you might later on.

A couple of films I saw at Kendal were done by professional guides on their holidays basically.

This lot seem to manage - http://lifeisgoodfollowus.com/ put's us all to shame!

Adventures can be really cheap and my wife and certainly had that moment of "shall we keep playing". We didn't and had kids and got a mortgage

Now this isn't quite what the Op is on about but I had 2 adventures

The first was post university. It cost about £2,500 for 9 months away. We bought a lorry between 9 of us and drove to tanzania. I earnt most of the money in the 3 months before we left as i lived at home for free. For reference that would have been a quarter of my first annual teaching salary

I then taught for 4 year and did another 9 months off. We did 3 months in Colorado and around walking cycling and climbing. Then cycled the length of New Zealand South island stopping off to do stuff. We came home via Australia for climbing, India and treking in Nepal. We easily earnt the money teaching for 4 years but living like students albeit with nicer holidays. I think that trip was £10 a day plus £1000 and flights, say £4500-£5000. So in those days I'd look at any slightly flash car (XR3i) and think if you'd stuck with an escort you could have gone round the world

Coming home was expensive. Flat deposit, getting to interviews etc. I took 15 months to find a teaching job I liked and we bottled doing it again.

But we did cheap stuff. If you are climbing Everest then either you are working as a top end guide already and got paid to go. Or you have real wedge. Infact I'd say that some one is funding you, you made a fortune yourself or you inherited well.

I'd say Bear Gryhlls got stared as a name due his parents could afford to pay for his Everest trip. But that is speculation on my part

OLD GIT COMMENT FFS Do this before you have kids

It all comes down to priorities. TBH living the 'life' is pretty easy and can be done on a shoestring if you are single. Raising sponsorship is bloody time consuming but not hard if you have a vision and no other responsibilities. The real challenge is doing it and running a family - that is pretty much impossible even when talented in your field unless you are a truly selfish bastard.

I'd say Bear Gryhlls got stared as a name due his parents could afford to pay for his Everest trip. But that is speculation on my part

Military connections I seem to remember from reading his Everest book.

Military connections I seem to remember from reading his Everest book.

Not sure many of the adventures do quite as well as some think, I think covering costs and being able to eat after are top of the list.

http://tomallen.info/why-i-feel-deeply-uncomfortable-when-people-call-me-an-adventurer/

Great article Trail Rat, that puts things in perspective for sure.

Couple of books I've read that come to mind - Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know - Ranulph Fiennes' autobiography. He's one of the "top of their game" that you were less interested in, but it was fascinating to me to find out just how hard they had to work to get the funding for their expeditions, and how challenging they had to make the expedition goals in order to generate the funding - the Transglobe expeditions particularly - 14 months circumnavigating the earth via the poles, including 36 days in a RIB in near freezing/actually freezing arctic sea, constantly wet with sal****er? No thank you very much.

Another is/are Alastair Humphreys' 2 books on his 4 year round the world cycle trip. Tried all the avenues he could for support, no help from anywhere, so all he had to get going was 7K of saved up student loan. Got some support along the way, some living expenses for speaking for a charity, and some small amounts of kit at some points - new bike (or frame?) from Spesh UK (?)after his Rockhopper gave up after ?0,000 miles. Now it seems he's a "brand ambassador for one or several companies, blogs, occasional bigger trips, part self funded, talks, books sales, and I think he might have a "proper job" as well.

Also here, linked from the Tom Allen blog: [url= http://www.wanderingearl.com/why-concerned-about-travel-blogging/ ]Reality doesn't sell[/url]

Ir certainly helps to be "family funded" at the start. It's difficult to get sponsorship without previous experience so getting that first adventure done is very important.

sounds moderately more impressive than 'Daddy paid'; I wonder where the truth lies?

He's well connected without a doubt so even if it's military connections (he was an SAS reservist for a little while before he broke his back), it's not really easy to say whether or not family connections didn't help.

I remember talking to Nick Sanders- round the world motorcyclist and former fastest cyclist round the world- and maybe I was feeling uncharitable but his secret seemed to be "have a great support network and exploit it way past the point any reasonable person would" Lots of being given an inch and taking a mile, lots of... well not so much asking forgiveness than permission, more asking neither and just presuming forgiveness. Or maybe not even occurring to him that forgiveness might be reqiured.

Mind you it also kind of felt like he was doing it just because he didn't know what else to do... That tour was "So I went round the world on an R1, [i]again[/i]" and what was really weird was, he didn't actually go right round the world- he went like 4/5ths then flew home because (IIRC) he'd run out of money and had to meet the deadline to write the book about riding round the world, or something. And again, never really seemed to cross his mind that this might be taking the piss, "80 days to go quite a lot of the way around the world"

So I suppose where I'm going with this is, he got the job done by being kind of a monomaniac.

I follow Gaz Parry on face book, a pro climber I guess is the description. He has sponsors. He publishes climbing articles online and in magazines, it looks superficially glamorous, but when I watch his postings on face book I've quickly realised, he flies a lot, rarely gets down time, is constantly moving, doesn't seem to do much else than travel and say he's travelling and then climbing. I like him, he's made me not jealous and not aspire to live like that!

sounds moderately more impressive than 'Daddy paid'; I wonder where the truth lies?

The real challenge is doing it and running a family - that is pretty much impossible even when talented in your field unless you are a truly selfish bastard.

That reminds me of riding with a bloke once who was shaming me with his fitness. I asked him how he managed to ride so much when he had a family to raise and his simple answer was "I'm selfish".

It’s worth remembering that Chris only turned full time pro 5 years ago at 32 when a lot of riders are thinking of winding down he was a coiled spring. All his riding before that was done whilst working at a bike shop six days a week.

[url= http://dirtmountainbike.com/longform/pro-bike-chris-akrigg-mongoose-trials-bike#P1gtIUGsEEUFsdWw.97 ]from here[/url]

Joe Simpson, as I understand it, now pretty much makes his living recounting Touching The Void for corporate/motivational speaking events. But the bottom line is that you have to work out how to monetise your adventures,

At least one of the names mentioned above is, I'm sure, married to an accountant, so has a decent reliable primary family income.

At least one of the names mentioned above is, I'm sure, married to an accountant, so has a decent reliable primary family income.

Quickly start googling accountant speed dating nights near me . . .

sounds reminiscent of my time as a 'pro' music producer and DJ.

it was great, but as a mid-table player the reality was mega hours, writing articles for blogs and mags, the odd days of teaching, PR work, pitching for TV ads, Ryanair flights, and getting by on about 8K a year. It's doable and i loved it, but it gets wearisome as you start hitting your mid 30's.

Of course no-one wants to hear that side - much more fun to imagine it's all groupies & tequila - and there is an industry based on perpetuating this myth.

Much as there is behind outdoorsy stuff. It creates its own industry of talks, magazines, gear reviews, fashions, and it's in everyone's interests that people believe that This Could Be You etc. Just buy the mag, attend the talk, get this season's Essential New Gear. Because we'll all be out of a job if you don't 😉

This is all interesting stuff. I'm self employed, successful, earn a very comfortable income, have a lot of flexibility in when I work and don't work, travel etc but by attending these talks, films, reading blogs etc about what others were doing I somehow felt that something is missing. Hence the desire to perhaps seek out a different path.

Saw Sean Conwy in Kendal and he comes across as an inspirational guy, thought, yes I'd like some of that please but now reading some of this, now seems like he could be the ultimate manipulator of image and social media whore? Wonder what a slot on Russel Brand etc would actually pay? Not enough to live on surely?

ah man that Tom Allen blog post is SO spot on. Amazing. Change a few words and he could be talking about the music industry.

I'll bet it applies to plenty of others, too. On fine art degrees, they tell students that they should expect to spend about 30 or 40% of their time making art, and the rest looking for funding, trying to sell it, etc. Unless you're a big shot with the gift of the gab, artists need to really enjoy sitting behind a stall at craft fairs...

Sorry, minor thread derail. But fascinating to see this stuff from another perspective.

So guessing however good your 'adventures' 'art' 'music' etc actually are then I'm guessing you're never going to make a living from them unless you happen to be a marketable person in the eyes of the media?

now seems like he could be the ultimate manipulator of image and social media whore?

never posts pics of himself putting the bins out on Instagram

Hmmm.... well some people are genuinely amazing and will have no trouble making a living - these are the people who other adventurers or musicians look to, and go "How do they DO that? This person is a genius". And fair play to them, they deserve it.

Most others - the 99% - muddle through with a mixture of hard graft, luck, marketing, sales, luck, networking, etc.

I'd file 'being a charismatic and photogenic public speaker' mostly under 'luck', and partly under 'graft' 😉

What a great bit of cultural analysis on that Tom Allen blog.

OP - Did you read the bit about "you’ve been sucked in by a powerful mythology"?

From a layman's POV, I'd have thought it was the kind of job that evolved from an involvement in whatever "scene" and developing an audience that you could then monetise or use to leverage sponsorship.

Heard a very interesting interview on The Bike Show podcast last year with a round-the-world cyclist who was very anti-Mark Beaumont and all that he stood for.

Agents

If you look up some of the web sites of adventerers, you will see most of them employ an agency to seek out work, appearances, writing opportunities etc on thier behalf. So I would say, get some experience in some subject, then track down an agent or 2 and ask what they can do for you, then pick one.

I kind of had the opportunity to become a ski bum in years gone by.

Ok you might get free equipment, but sleeping on floors, and in grotty, pokey rooms didn't appeal to me. Actually quite a lonely existence too with no real home or constant group of friends.

All the lifestyle and alcohol leaves you burnt out by 40

Methinks there's a bit* of a difference between being a ski bum and being a pro adventurer.

*possibly an understatement 😉

I long ago acknowledged my skills, talent and stories of skiing/rock climbing/mountain biking are barely enough to impress my family and friends, never mind people who might pay to see me do it and hear me talk about it. Fair play to those who possess the magic

Methinks there's a bit* of a difference between being a ski bum and being a pro adventurer.

The pro adventurer has a blog and a YouTube channel.

No one's yet menioned STW's favourite (almost) northerner Guy Martin?

50 weeks of the year spannering trucks, 1 week at the TT, a few weekends in Ireland and an infinite ability to make that sound interesting. Because let's face it, outside of the podium most of the people at those races are enthusiastic amateurs little removed from mountainbikers at a trail center.

Can't help but think we have it pretty hard in mountain biking / climbing / running / whatever. I came 89th in London marathon last year - can you imagine how much I'd be earning if I came 89th in the Premier League?

(I'm partly being tongue in cheek - I appreciate if there was football-levels of money in sports that are fun then the depth of UK talent would be much greater too)

Guy Martin

I thought he had a Isle of Man TT lap record?

I'd say alot of the things he does 99% or more couldn't do

I'd say alot of the things he does 99% or more couldn't do

My point was, that aside form costing a bit more (probably averaged out by driving a LWB transit rather than a T5) there's not much to separate what Guy does/did from a weekend warrior who does XC mountianbike races. He just market's it better (and motorbikes are televised).

By ski bum, I meant going from continent to continent chasing the snow, and paying your way by doing films etc

Another climbing autobiography worth reading is Andy Kirkpatrick - Physcovertical and cold wars. He's very driven and a world class climber but it took him a long time to make a living from it and he worked for a significant number of years in Outside in Hathersage.

On the subject of illusions I have a friend who for a few years was a pro skier for Rossignol. He showed me a article that had him "partying" in a bar in Switzerland. In reality apparently it was 11am on a poor condition day with a paid model. He wasn't out late as he often needed to be up at first light for the photography and to get the best lines...

Friend of mine has been a pro adventure racer for a long while, has variety of other jobs on the side but does OK AFAIK, shameless plug for his book here [url= http://amzn.com/B017TQE7DI ]Nathan Fa'avae biog[/url]

Friend (25 years+) of mine is professional (well...it's his job) windsurfer.He's in New Caledonia now before spending the winter in Oz.
This september/october he also drove from the middle of the UK to Denmark (freezing-full competition) then straight to Sylt Germany (freezing-no competition) then straight to Tiree- Hebrides (freezing-had to leave before comp ended) to France with 20 minutes to spare before the last ferry (freezing-no competition).3 up in a Transit.
He gets paid in kit from his sponsors (which he can sell afterwards as long as it's not trashed) and also commentates on the events in between competing in his heats (imagine Warner/Claudio going "hang on...I'll be back in 10 minutes.I've got to do my run!).
When at home he's stopping at his parents/friends whilst constantly on the lap top trying to secure enough money to get to the next event.And he's been doing this for over 10 years now......and somehow he still loves windsurfing (when his back and knees are'nt killing him) despite not actually being able to do much of himself!!
I'd not ever want to trade places with him tbh!Mainly because he is short and irritating.

I'd not ever want to trade places with him tbh!Mainly because he is short and irritating.

Haha - Ben Proffitt?

On the subject of illusions I have a friend who for a few years was a pro skier for Rossignol. He showed me a article that had him "partying" in a bar in Switzerland.

So there are some that seem to constantly be on the move, constantly positive, constantly traveling, constantly (seemingly with enough money) able to sustain that lifestyle. Couple of examples here:

http://www.jennyjonessnowboarder.com/blog/

http://www.timemmett.com/

Exceptional talents there for sure, but I wonder how much of the 'ideal lifestyle thing' is due to a particularly groomed social media profile as above? I wonder how much is written by an agent? I wonder if they ever have a particularly shi**y day spent indoors infront of a laptop dreaming of other things? Surely they can't always be so damn positive all the time eh?

Yup...he's a right arsehat 😀
[url= http://www.boardseekermag.com/features/en-route-ep-5-leg-waxing-tow-in-and-the-local-85-stuff/#biAYt2jlEQguspTV.97 ]But this is funny (and NSFW)[/url] @1.30

Another climbing autobiography worth reading is Andy Kirkpatrick - Physchovertical and cold wars.

100%. And go and see him talk as well. Very entertaining. Can't recall many books making me laugh out loud as much as cold wars - amazing ability convey the black humour that comes in (or when recalling!) desperate situations. So good at finding laughs in his feelings of inadequacy, and so unassuming about his achievements, that it needs a bit of reminding sometimes quite how impressive his climbs are.

And the blogs of his I've read have been funny, interesting and informative as well. I'm thinking particularly of the cold camping and the hardshell ones.

So good at finding laughs in his feelings of inadequacy, and so unassuming about his achievements

Alex Honnold is world class at this, too. Saw the Reel Rock 10 thing a couple of weeks ago with the full film of his and Tommy Caldwell's Fitz Roy traverse: "dude, it's like the stuff you see in Alpinist magazine, except we're actually doing it." Piolet D'Or for an alpine climbing novice.

He's a chap living within in his means. He might be travelling a bit more, and he's had a carpenter to do his van up, but it's still the same van he's been living in for years.