In a world where the words lightweight, quick-dry and carbon fibre have become synonymous with modern adventure gear, our fourth and final father in the Homecamp Dads series, Tom Farrah, is returning to equipment and materials used by our grandparents and their parents.

We chatted to Tom about his two companies, Farrah and The Field Equipment Company, and fostering a passion for design and the outdoors in his son, Jack.

You’re the owner and designer at two companies that value good design and products that last a lifetime – can you tell us how Farrah and The Field Equipment Company came about?

I guess I’m one of the many people in this generation that have been marketed to since inception – we’ve been exposed to consumerism, fast fashion and a social world that seems to change dynamic every fortnight. Add to that some economic uncertainty and it’s little wonder we find ourselves searching for products that have a deeper value and more of a “real” presence in design and longevity.

I enjoy good design and tangible quality, I also love the diversity and beauty of the Australian bush and so, Farrah and The Field Equipment Company were natural progressions of interests and yearnings manifest.

Where most companies are spruiking gadgets and hi-tech fabrics as the new essentials to outdoor adventures, The Field Equipment Co takes us back to basics with the equipment our grandparents would’ve used camping – what is it about these products that makes them better than their modern counterparts?

The classic quote that “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away” seems to perfectly describe the sleek and minimalist designs of your pieces for Farrah – can you take us through your design process?

It’s a great saying and rings true, it is amazing how long you can spend on developing a “simple” design. My process is probably best described as a little backwards, instead of designing an aesthetic with function, then making the materials achieve this, I prefer to think about the problem and ask myself how much of the problem can be solved with the materials by harnessing more of their inherent properties, typically you will end up with fewer points of potential failure and a unique aesthetic that is derived from the process as opposed to the other way around.

You can browse Tom’s designs and adventure equipment at farrah.com.au and www.fieldequipco.com. Or on Instagram at @farrahdesign and @thefieldequipmentcompany. 

Photos by Alexandra Leary and Kim Landy.