We catch Andy Torbet in a brief moment of quiet, at home in Gloucestershire on the English-Welsh border, packing for his next trip. As a seasoned underwater explorer, professional skydiver, stunt performer and outdoorsman (to name a few of his expertise), packing is rarely just a case of throwing a few things in a bag. It requires careful planning and preparation, and a serious amount of kit. After we speak, he’s heading freediving on the south coast of England, before filming some stunts with a friend, “which involves the usual bits and bobs: pads, fire-proof suits… and then popping to France for a quick cave diving project, which requires mountains and mountains of equipment.” What’s “usual” for Torbet, is pretty extraordinary for you or I.
As you might imagine, his at-home storage is extensive, with his most-worn items being kept in a bespoke outbuilding. “I built a gym and a 25 sq m kit store in the back garden, which now houses various corridors of equipment, including a huge wardrobe that’s full of wetsuits and drysuits – more than a man should ever probably own,” he laughs. Given the range of landscapes and challenges that Torbet faces as part of his regular schedule, there’s good reason; having the options to tailor his equipment exactly to any given trip is essential.
“There are a few things that always go with me,” he caveats. “A knife, because you’d be surprised as to the number of problems it can solve. As a skydiver, it’s regulation that you must jump with at least one knife to cut lines, you’re not allowed to get into the aircraft without one. As divers, we are encouraged to carry knives, most cave divers I know will carry at least three different cutting tools as getting tangled in lines is super dangerous. Every climber I know has always got a knife on them. It can be a life saving tool, but it’s also just a handy piece of kit.” The other item that goes everywhere with Torbet is a headtorch, even when he’s just driving to London for meetings. “It’s all very civilised but I'll still take a head torch because power cuts happen! And if you can’t see what you’re doing, you’re in trouble.”
The essentials really do depend on the destination – “If I’m going to Scotland in November: it’s a woolly hat, of course.” A Scottish forest is, incidentally, the environment he feels most comfortable in. “I was brought up in a forest in the north-east Highlands, by a loch and a river. So, as much as I’m known as a ‘man of the ocean’ (and don’t get me wrong, I love the beaches, seas and caves), I have noticed over the years that I’m most attuned to forests, noticing little things that seem obvious to me, but others don’t immediately see. I also enjoy the big landscapes and vistas you get up in Scotland.” Though it’s a variation on the wooded theme, the environment he feels most challenged by is the jungle, a place where even the most waterproof kit might struggle. “It’s a pretty hard place to operate in because everything is wet, all the time. And it never dries, because it’s 100% humidity.”
Torbet’s top tip before any trip whether forest, jungle or anything in between, is to test your kit as far in advance as possible. “Inevitably there have been trips where, because of time constraints, I’ve taken new kit that I haven’t tested, and that’s when things might not work out so well. It can be something as simple as a pair of trousers that you don’t try out and by the end of day one, you realise the seams are rubbing. Or new boots, a classic. It’s one thing to walk around for an hour, it’s another thing to walk 20 miles a day for seven days. If you’re going somewhere remote and your boots start causing you problems you can’t replace them, so your whole trip is compromised because your boots don’t fit properly.” He’s also an advocate for socks. “The critical point is always your feet. Even if you’ve got great boots, bad socks will still cause problems, which is why I do appreciate a good pair of socks.”
Some of Torbet’s most recent trips have involved the Purdey Technical Yorkshire Field Coat – and we’re pleased to say it passed his rigorous testing process. “It’s now my go-to jacket, and I’m not just saying that because this is a chat with Purdey, in fact it’s in the back of the car now.” It’s a piece that won him over immediately, and has since proven itself time and time again.
“I remember when I first tried it on, I knew straight away that it was designed by someone who spends a lot of time outside. It’s the little things. The pockets are for putting stuff in – I find too many pockets are shallow and purely cosmetic, whereas these are bellows pockets, which could be used for cartridges, but are actually extremely versatile. Then behind those are the hand-warmer pockets; the fleece on the inside still keeps you warm even when your hands are wet, they’re just set right. The sleeves have an inner membrane to stop water from running in. The detachable reinforced hood as well… The whole jacket.”
What’s next for Torbet and his field coat? “There will likely be a second series of Defending Europe (the first series aired on National Geographic in September 2024), so the Purdey jacket should get another run out there! The reason I haven’t taken it off is that the detail isn’t just aesthetic, it’s practical. Don’t get me wrong, we all want to look cool. But that quickly becomes a lot less important when you’re freezing in the middle of Greenland, or drenched in the jungle, or out in the desert – then, I need to function and survive, and having the right kit is key.”
Get inspiration from another Purdey Modern Explorer, James Aiken, here.