Also called: Product Tester (Outdoor)
Tests jackets, tents, and boots in real conditions.
A gear tester hikes, camps, and climbs in rain and snow to test jackets, tents, and boots, then writes detailed reviews or reports for designers. It is part adventure, part lab work.
Approximate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. A bachelor's degree, often in journalism or a related field, plus deep outdoor experience and strong writing to explain what you tested.
Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Growing about average. Niche.
Low risk for 10 years. Lab machines test materials, but testing gear in real weather and terrain needs a human.
Classes: Physics, Engineering or design, Physical education.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-3029.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.