Meet the Team: Toby, Product Development Manager

We recently caught up with Toby, our newest team member here at Alton.

As our Product Development Manager, Toby spearheads the development of our products to ensure every piece of Alton gear performs exactly as it should.

In this interview, we chat about what his days look like, what drew him to Alton, and of course, his favourite ways to get outside. Here's what he had to say:

What's your job title?

I’m the Product Development Manager at Alton.

When did you start working with Alton?

Recently, in August 2025.

What does a typical day working for Alton look like for you?

You know, that's actually a tough question. Every day is a bit different, which is something I really love about this role.

Some days I'll dive straight into researching new products – really digging into the latest materials and technologies. Other days might be all about reviewing testing data for a particular product or material, or tackling some of the bigger picture stuff like organising our technical documentation.

Then there are times when I spend hours in CAD (Computer-Assisted-Design), working through different design iterations to solve a particular problem. Some of my favorite days are when I'm actually hands-on at the sewing machine, stitching together a prototype.

All that variety definitely keeps things fresh and interesting!

What do you enjoy the most about working at Alton?

I really love being able to dive deep into the technical details of things. I'm the kind of person who can genuinely spend hours reading through scientific studies or articles about a particular product or topic, and sometimes I'll even set up my own tests just to see how things perform under different conditions. I like understanding how things work, and why they’re designed a certain way.

What were you doing before joining Alton?

Before Alton, I was working as an Aerospace Engineer at Airbus. So yeah, quite a different world in some ways! But I’m stoked to be able to bring that experience across to something that aligns with my love for the outdoors.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Hiking. That's kind of a given in this industry, right?

To be honest, I'm just really into sports in general. I play a lot of volleyball, netball, and I go running pretty regularly too.

What's your favourite outdoor activity?

Ooh, that's tough. I'd probably have to say hiking or beach volleyball. Beach volleyball is amazing because you get the best of both worlds – you're outside, you're being active, and there's this great social element to it. But hiking is hard to beat... I mean, I wish I could get out hiking more often than I do. Don’t we all?

What's one piece of gear you can't live without (and why)?

This might be a bit unusual, but I'd have to say my smart watch. I'm totally that person who loves seeing all my health stats and tracking all my data. Steps, heart rate, sleep quality, elevation gain on hikes – I want to see it all! I think it comes from that engineer mindset of wanting to measure and understand everything.

What's your bucket list activity, destination or expedition?

I would love to climb Mt. Fuji one day. And I’m keen to do some hiking in Iceland – the landscapes there just look so otherworldly. Hopefully I'll get to tick both of those off the list one day!

Tell us about one of your most memorable outdoor experiences.

You know, some of my best memories are actually from when I was just a kid, going camping with my Dad. Those trips were so formative for me – I think that's really where my love of the outdoors started.

More recently, I did this incredible hike to an abandoned mine on the side of a mountain in Canada. You're hiking through this beautiful alpine scenery, and then suddenly you descend down into this old mining village that’s literally built into the cliffside.

The mountain slope is incredibly steep, and the old wooden buildings are perched there, looking like they could go crashing down into the valley below any minute. I remember realising how temporary our mark on the landscape actually is – like, this was once a bustling operation with people working there every day, and now it's just quietly disappearing back into the wilderness. Those kinds of unexpected discoveries always stay with me.

Has being outdoors ever changed how you see yourself or the world?

Yeah, absolutely. I think being out in nature really helps me focus on what's actually important in life. It gives you this perspective where you can step back and realise that a lot of the stuff we stress about doesn't really matter that much in the grand scheme of things.

What motivates you to keep going on a hike when things get tough?

Ha! Honestly? Knowing that once I get back to camp or the car, I can have a really good feed! That definitely keeps me putting one foot in front of the other when things get challenging.