Gidday I’m Dave Greig,
I grew up on the West Coast of the South Island with a Mum and Dad who got me involved in the outdoors as a little fella, which I’ll be forever grateful for. The typical tramping, hunting and fishing interests were always there, before getting more serious into hunting when I was old enough to hold a firearms license. I moved over to Canterbury for the tail end of high school and university which opened a whole new world of open tussock tops and big valleys.
Over the next few years, I started knocking out some memorable trips in the hills with a few good mates. Fresh faced and green, we slowly learnt a few things off the back of a good many mistakes. Some of those early years hold some of the most memorable moments for me, as I had no expectations and there was a lot of excitement in tearing into something new and unknown.
I have always had an appreciation for photography and film which is something I stepped up a few years back when I started filming a few trips with mates and things just progressed from there.
I then approached Davey at Swazi for a bit of a gear due to the fact I had sunk all my tin into camera gear! The Swazi brand has always been synonymous with the New Zealand outdoors and something that’s had a tried-and-true reputation amongst the honest punters who have spent honest time in the hills, so I felt pretty bloody lucky to be a very small part of their brand, putting the odd bit of kit through its paces.
Fly fishing has become the most recent hobby to add to the list, which I have become pretty keen on. It’s revealed another layer of wonder to the outdoors. I don’t claim to be anything special with a rod, rifle, or camera for that matter. I think if you’re heading into the hills with the intention to compare and compete against others you might have missed the point.
For me, it’s about creating unforgettable memories in the hills with like-minded people and going about your business with respect and a bit of grace. You’re never going to be bigger than the hills and they will still be there long after your gone.