About us
About Us
At Mr Jan Gear, we design and handcraft durable equipment for outdoor photography — from rugged backpacks to innovative floating hides. Each piece is built in our own Slovakian workshop, using top-quality materials and decades of outdoor experience.
Mr Jan Gear - A name you can trust
Mr Jan is Jan Goddefroy, an outdoor industry expert and nature photographer from Bruges, Belgium.
Before founding Mr Jan Gear, Jan co-owned a climbing and outdoor equipment company called Singing Rock. His suppliers often struggled to pronounce his Flemish surname, so they simply called him Mister Jan — and the nickname became the brand.
With more than 25 years of experience in outdoor gear — and just as many spent birdwatching, hiking, and photographing wildlife — Jan saw a need for equipment that performs in the field, not just in catalogues. His friends challenged him: “If you think you can do better, why don’t you?”
So he did — together with Martin Suchan, a skilled Slovak designer and long-time collaborator. Martin’s technical expertise and craftsmanship turned ideas into the durable, field-tested gear that defines Mr Jan Gear today.
Since 2012, Mr Jan Gear has grown from a single backpack into a full range of photo gear and travel essentials — all designed for photographers who live outdoors as we do.
Handmade in Europe
Every product we make is crafted in our Slovakian factory — just down the road from where Jan lives. Our small, skilled team designs, cuts, and sews each piece by hand, ensuring precision and consistency you can feel.
Producing locally means more than just quality control. It keeps us close to our customers, reduces transport emissions, and lets us respond quickly to real-world feedback from our community.
It’s a sustainable way to work — and a commitment to European craftsmanship.
👉 Step inside our Slovakian workshop
Durable Design
We believe true durability starts long before production. Every material, stitch, and buckle is chosen for performance and longevity. Whether it’s a backpack, floating hide, or lens pouch, form always follows function.
Our design philosophy is simple: build what we can trust in the wild. We test and refine every prototype with a network of professional photographers, making small improvements with each new version of the product. Our gear never stops evolving, and that’s why it lasts.
👉 Discover what makes our designs last
