About Tanwa Outdoor

Backpacking specialists.
Outdoors at heart.

We’re a UK-based team of backpackers and outdoor enthusiasts, helping customers across the UK and EU choose lightweight, reliable gear with confidence. Our approach brings together careful product research, experience on the trail and support before and after you buy.

Backpackers following a narrow trail through open golden moorland

Our story

It started with a trip to Snowdonia.

In 2023, a simple invitation to explore Snowdonia brought our co-founders together. The hikes, camps and shared adventures that followed became Tanwa Outdoor.

We wanted to make the kind of gear we look for ourselves easier to find: light enough to carry, dependable in use and good value. Today, we connect innovative Chinese outdoor brands with the UK and EU backpacking community, and organise trips that bring people together. Tanwa’s Chinese name, 探(Tàn, Explore) 屲(Wā, Mountain Terrain), reflects that spirit of exploring among the mountains.

Who we are

Meet the people behind your kit.

Three co-founders, a shared love of the outdoors, and different skills that shape the gear we choose and the support we give.

Tia hiking with a backpack in a green mountain landscape

Tia (Zixin Luo)

Commercial Director
  • Bringing people together: An outgoing outdoor enthusiast who loves meeting new people and turning days on the trail into shared adventures and new friendships.
  • At Tanwa: Leads commercial development, brand and retailer partnerships, and social media, connecting innovative outdoor brands with the UK outdoor community.
  • Leading the group: Organises outdoor events and leads the team, bringing her love of the outdoors and social side to every gathering.
  • Outside: Spends her weekends hiking, backpacking, trail running, climbing or cycling — especially when there’s good company along the way.
  • Background: A Nottingham graduate and NHS paediatric dietitian, based in the UK since 2007 and fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
Morton backpacking above a sea of clouds at sunset

Morton (Guanpeng Lyu)

Director of Operations
  • The gear enthusiast: A gear nerd at heart, fascinated by new outdoor technology and always keen to understand what makes a piece of kit work.
  • At Tanwa: Leads product selection, field testing and performance evaluation, alongside outdoor operations and the online customer experience.
  • Into the details: Studies the gear on the market, compares specifications and explores how materials and designs suit different weather, terrain and uses.
  • Beyond the spec sheet: Tests gear in varied outdoor conditions to understand how it performs on the trail and where each piece earns its place in a backpack.
  • On the trail: Has walked the West Highland Way, Tour du Mont Blanc and Iceland’s Laugavegur Trail.
Fei carrying her backpack beside a mountain lake in snowy conditions

Fei (Fei Jin)

Buyer & Director of Supply Chain
  • Drawn to the mountains: A dedicated long-distance backpacker with extensive mountain experience around the world, including demanding routes with technical climbing sections.
  • At Tanwa: Leads sourcing, manufacturer partnerships and quality control, bringing a seasoned backpacker’s perspective to the gear we bring to customers.
  • Trails across Europe: Tour du Mont Blanc, Corsica’s GR20, Sweden’s Kungsleden, Iceland’s Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls, the Dolomites’ Alta Via 2 and Scotland’s Skye Trail.
  • Further afield: Peru’s Huayhuash circuit, Everest Base Camp in Nepal, Georgia’s Mestia–Ushguli trek and the Yading circuit in China.
  • Beyond backpacking: Enjoys sailing and campervan travel, with over a decade living in the US and UK shaping her outlook.

UK-based. Here to help.

A team to talk to, before and after you buy.

Whether you’re choosing your first backpacking setup or refining your kit for a longer journey, our UK-based team is here for customers across the UK and EU. Ask us about a product, discuss your options or get help with an order.

Get in Touch: info@tanwaoutdoor.co.uk

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