How a camping trip reminded me why I started building again!

As someone who’s big into camping and off-roading, I was intrigued when Giles Lowe from Spanner PD invited me to a weekend event he organized, an overnight design meet-up, product pitches and camping trip in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

For context, I’ve spent much of my career in corporate and consulting design, managing teams, working on products, and living the “structured innovation” life.

A few years ago, I stepped away to build Rockworkx, my own small brand focused on outdoor and off-road gear. Getting back to hands-on design, testing ideas in the wild, and creating products for people who love the outdoors has been both grounding and challenging. The ability to connect directly with users has been absolutely refreshing!

So when this invite came through, I didn’t hesitate.

A Hidden Gem in the Redwoods

The event was held at Camp Loma, a tucked-away campground in the Santa Cruz Hills, only about 30 minutes from San Jose, but it feels worlds away. Towering redwoods, fresh mountain air, and a perfect backdrop for open conversation.

The crowd was incredible: designers, engineers, business owners, investors, and product people from all corners of the hardware and outdoor industries.

Giles managed to bring together a mix that just worked, everyone had something to share, and nobody was trying too hard. Many camped overnight, but for those who didn’t, it was an easy drive home, the perfect balance between accessible and immersive.

There was a taco truck parked under the trees, a band playing late into the night, kids roasting marshmallows by the fire, and more good conversations than I’ve had in months.

It was relaxed, unstructured, and authentic, the kind of gathering that reminds you why community matters.

Why It Hit Home

I left that weekend with the same energy I felt when I first started Rockworkx, the kind that comes from building, connecting, and creating without a corporate filter.

As much as I love the business side of what we do, a lot of my day to day is has a fairly sigular focus, these kinds of events are a reminder that great ideas often start somewhere informal, around a campfire, a trailhead, or a shared project.

Huge thanks to Giles Lowe and the Spanner PD team for putting this together. I think he’s onto something special, and I hope to see more of these crossovers between design, outdoor culture, and community.

I especially enjoyed to polar bear plunge the following morning with Gile and a few other brave souls;)

About Rockworkx

For those who don’t know, Rockworkx is my passion project turned full-time business, we design and build premium off-road and overlanding gear for Jeep, Bronco, and adventure vehicles. Everything we make is engineered, tested, and refined on the trail — built for people who want to do more with less.

This event reminded me that design doesn’t always happen in a lab or an office, sometimes it starts in the woods, surrounded by good people who love to build.

Big thanks to Giles Lowe from Spanner PDd for the invite and the inspiration.

If you ever do another one, count me in.

#DesignCommunity #OutdoorDesign #Rockworkx #OffRoadLife #HardwareDesign #SpannerDesign