About US
I’ve always been an active person. Growing up, my parents would take me to our local arboretum almost every day, where I have lots of good memories of tumbling down snow covered hills and running through rocky forest trails.
When I was 7 years old, my family took a trip to the Dolomites in northern Italy, and it was there that I truly fell in love with the outdoors. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of hiking, camping, and rock climbing all over the world, and plan to continue the tradition of visiting a different mountain range every year! In fact, since 2019, I’ve visited the Himalayas, the Rockies, the Appalachians, the Alaska Range, and the Chugach Mountains.
Here’s a recent photo of me in Alaska:
But it wasn’t in the Last Frontier that Untamed Space started to take form. No, it was a couple of years before then, while I was backpacking along the Annapurna Trail in Nepal. At the time, I was a few months into a new corporate job in healthcare, which was a position that I had been dreaming about for over a year. While it was everything I hoped it would be, it left me with a busy schedule and almost no free time to pursue my hobbies – camping, rock climbing, and traveling.
Needless to say, Nepal was a wakeup call for me. I learned that there’s more to life than sitting in an office all day, waiting for Friday to come. I learned that three weeks of PTO a year is not nearly enough time to experience the things in life that truly matter. And when I came back home to Minnesota, I learned that you don’t have to quit your job and become a digital nomad to make your dreams come true.
While a tight work schedule doesn’t help, most of us choose to stay confined in the mental cages that we’ve made for ourselves. Fear and doubt keep us trapped in our routines, even though the door to freedom is wide open in front of us. It’s stifling and tragic, and it’s time to break free from the old way of doing things.
Along with the rest of the Untamed Space team, I’m here to help you on your journey toward freedom. I’ll be sharing my outdoor knowledge to provide you with the confidence needed to take a risk and try these activities out for yourself. And as a gearhead, I’ll be reviewing plenty of tools that you can use to give yourself an edge against Mother Nature.
Our mission is to help you Escape Your Routine and Achieve Your Outdoor Goals, safely and responsibly.
Why Follow US
All of the content you will find on this site has been carefully written and edited, to ensure we meet the highest quality standards. I never outsource to freelance writers – instead, all of the work is done in-house, either by me or another member of the team. This lets me guarantee that every article is accurate and tailored to your specific needs, so that I can provide the most value possible. That way, you can be sure that all the information on this site is something you can trust when it comes to tips, trips, and purchases.
As much as possible, we try to use the gear that we’re reviewing. Sometimes we aren’t always able to do this though, which is why we rely on extensive research and online reviews to make sure we’re picking the best possible products. Whether we’ve had the product in our hands or not, you can be sure that all of our recommendations are born from our rigorous review process that has your best interest in mind at all times.
At the end of the day, I want this to be a site that you can trust. We aren’t rigged by brand sponsorship, and genuinely want to provide the best resources that will allow you to make the right purchasing decisions.
Sustainability
For anyone familiar with the essayist and poet Henry David Thoreau, you might recognize this quote: “What is the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” The same could be said about a tent, or any other gear that you’ll be using outside. Because of this, there are two things that we focus on when it comes to sustainability:
1) Recycled Materials
2) Reduced Renewal Rates
We’re not saying to stop buying these things all together – just make sure you purchase items that will last you for a long time. The less frequently we change our supplies, the less will be produced, leading to a cleaner earth.
Meet the Team
Spencer Yeomans
Sarah Yeomans
Our Favorite Brands
Arc’teryx is one of our favorite outerwear brands, due to their highly dependable and lightweight selection. We like to use it while rock climbing, but it works great for hiking, backpacking, and skiing as well!
Aside from a few items made by Petzl, all of our rock climbing gear is manufactured by Black Diamond. It’s the brand we’ve trusted with our lives for years, and it’s never let us down, even after the wear and tear generated by hundreds of routes.
Whether you’re looking at their tents or their sleeping gear, NEMO makes quality products that stand the test of time. In our experience, few brands are able to beat (or match) them when it comes to weight reduction, comfort, and durability.
When it comes to rock climbing footwear, Scarpa is the brand that we choose 9 out of 10 times. Hikers, mountaineers, and skiers will feel similarly, due to the overall quality and specialization of Scarpa’s shoes and boots.
What's in it for you?
So why should you read Untamed Space? We all spend time outdoors, or know people who do. If you want to enjoy that time without worry and experience the wild beauty of nature, you’ll want hear what we have to say.
Specifically, if you resonate with any of the following statements, you’ll enjoy the content on this site:
- You want to feel relaxed and secure when you come back to your tent after a day of hiking.
- You’d rather spend your precious moments outside with the people you love, not on the technicalities of camping.
- You want help with your gear based on real customer experience, not commercial advertisement.
- You want to give your kids a chance at experiencing the same outdoor beauty by helping to protect the environment.
If you agree with any of these things, I look forward to having you read our guides and posts. You can start planning your trip by clicking here.
See you around!
Spencer