About Explorer Approved

Hi, I’m Claudiu, an outdoor enthusiast, hiker, camper, and photographer. Over the years I’ve explored trails across the rugged terrains of Canada, from coastal hikes to moutain treks. Most of my adventures combine hiking and photography, and I’ve learned firsthand what makes outdoor gear reliable (or not) in the real world.

Why I Started Explorer Approved

I created Explorer Approved with a simple goal:
to cut through media hype and influencer bias and give people fair, practical gear advice.

Too often, reviews online push specific brands or sponsored products. That’s not how it should be. My approach looks at:

• Quality & durability
• Practical design for real outdoor use
• Value for money

How We Review Gear

Explorer Approved uses a mix of human experience and modern tools:

• I rely on my own background as a hiker and camper to filter what actually matters in the field.
• I also use AI to help analyze and compare information across multiple brands. Why AI? AI can look at more brands, review materials, what matters in relation to different products and look at more data better than any human can. As with people , AI seems to also have built in bias but with careful prompt engineering I was able to remove its intrinsic bias towards what it sees the most from different sources from media, training or other sources.
• This balance helps keep recommendations objective, comprehensive, and useful, rather than influenced by a single voice or sponsor.

The Mission

Explorer Approved exists to help you:

• Explore smarter & safer
• Find gear you can truly rely on
• Save time & money by avoiding poor-quality products

Join the Community

I’d love for you to follow along.

• 📬 Sign up for the newsletter to get outdoor tips and fresh guides delivered to your inbox.
• 📷 Share your own outdoor experiences with us — the best knowledge comes from the trail.

Thanks for being here. Let’s keep exploring, the outdoors are great when prepared.