Our team recently connected with one of our favorite gear experts Anthony Roe, the mastermind behind Anthony Awaken. Anthony is an outdoor enthusiast with a great eye for capturing the beauty of his surroundings and giving detailed reviews on some of the best survival and outdoor gear.

Hear how Anthony’s expertise in survival and outdoor gear began and where you can find his recommendations.

Anthony Awaken

My love for knives and gear started at a very young age. I can remember my dad handing over my first lock back CaseXX when I was 4 or 5 years old. He taught me to safely handle it. And from there, it was my faithful companion on all of my outdoor adventures as a kid.

About 6 years ago, I began practicing preparedness for my young family, in the event of a disaster or catastrophic event. This prompted me to create kits that could sustain us in the event of something happening. I made all of the typical mistakes putting my first kit together. Number one being that I made my kit way too large (a 110 Liter bag that weighed far too much).

With the creation of these preparedness kits, I wanted to get them outdoors and begin testing them in their natural environment. I was in for a huge shock at how much 110 Liters of gear weighed and how much unnecessary weight I was packing.

“Looking back now, I want to help people avoid the mistakes I made and help them put together sensible kits with gear that works.”

The physical weight of my first kit wasn’t the biggest shock. I had been creating these kits for “doomsday” types of scenarios and had totally missed the point of getting out for the sake of enjoying the outdoors. This is where Anthony Awaken was born and what pushed me into being a photographer/field tester for outdoor brands.

The outdoors is our stomping ground for adventure and to reconnect with who we are at our core. Our ancestors connected with the land in a way that a very small percentage of our generation ever will. And that honestly saddens me.

Adventure and discovery of the outdoors come so naturally as a kid, but we seem to forget it as we grow older. And for me, that was the biggest awakening when I took my 50+ lb. bag into the woods. I was going at things all wrong. The outdoors is not a last-resort safe haven in the event of a disaster. It is a place to reconnect with who we are, to enjoy time with loved ones and to find solace with minimal distractions.

As outdoorsmen, we all pack far too much “stuff” into the woods in our early years. But that’s part of our progression. We are finding our way and growing in whatever genre of outdoor recreation we are pursuing.

At this point in my life and involvement in the outdoors, I strive to create visually stunning gear reviews backed by extensive field testing to my audience. I want to show people that they can thoroughly enjoy the outdoors while packing a minimal amount of trusted gear.

The outdoors has also become a place for my family to grow and reconnect. My wife and I are able to teach our 4 young kids how to use knives, properly maintain them with the Work Sharp Field Sharpener, start fires with ferro rods, and so much more. The outdoors is now a place where we retreat from the busyness of life and show our kids traditional ways of living.

Learn more about Anthony Awaken

Visit www.worksharptools.com for more information on the recommended Guided Field Sharpener.