Staff Picks: A Trip to North Wales

When it comes to outdoor gear, comfort, durability, and functionality is essential. As part of our staff picks series, we’re focusing on the FTG Porte Backpack- recently put to the test by Jake, our Lead Graphic Designer, on a journey to one of the most beautiful and historic locations in Wales: Ynys Llanddwyn.

It was a classic Welsh afternoon- wet, windy, and wild. My partner Lucy, our dog Riley, and I left Colwyn Bay early in the morning and headed towards Anglesey. Ynys Llanddwyn, a small tidal island, has always fascinated me for its mix of history, legend, and sheer natural beauty. So even though the weather was less than ideal, we were excited to finally make the trip.

I packed up the FTG Porte Backpack with all our essentials for the walk: snacks, extra layers, water for us and Riley, and a few other bits and pieces. With its 17.5L capacity, everything fit perfectly, and I even had room to spare. Honestly, I’m usually a bit of a last-minute crammer when it comes to packing, but this backpack made it easy. I love how the exterior pockets give you quick access to things without having to stop and dig around inside.

The walk from the Newborough Beach car park to Ynys Llanddwyn is about two miles, and I noticed almost immediately how comfortable the Porte Backpack felt. Despite being fully packed, it felt so lightweight, and the extra padding on the straps was a game-changer.

One feature I didn’t expect to love as much as I did was the front strap support. The backpack literally hugs you, keeping everything securely in place as we trudged through the rain and wind. It really helped with balance, especially when the wind picked up.

We’ve done similar walks before with other backpacks, and I usually find myself constantly adjusting them or shifting the weight around. Not this time.

As we got closer to the island, the weather predictably decided to turn against us. The rain came down hard, and the wind whipped up, and I have to admit, I started worrying. I’ve had other backpacks completely fail in the rain before, leaving my stuff soaked. But the Porte Backpack came through like a hero! Its water-repellent coating kept everything inside bone dry.

You may know that FTG stands for Field Tested Goods: I really feel like we put this backpack to the limits.