Kyle ‘Te Kiwi’ Mulinder is ‘Bare Kiwi’ – an online adventure blog/social media/travel resource sensation that’s captured audiences around the world with stories, images and videos of New Zealand and beyond.
Kyle has a contagious energy and this strong personality and sense of adventure shows through in all of his posts, gaining him a large group of followers who actively interact with his page, and seek advice from him on all things ‘adventure travel’ in New Zealand.
good friend of Macpac since 2015, Kyle regularly tests our gear on his travels around the globe where he always needs to take an all conditions approach.
A small town farm boy at heart, Kyle grew up in the rural North Island town of Norsewood. His first full time job took him south to the Buller River where he worked as a white water raft guide.
“I never looked back – the fast-paced adventurous lifestyle really appealed to me. There was something different every day, and inspiring others to step outside of their comfort zones and experience something new was what really encouraged me to eventually set up Bare Kiwi,” says Kyle.
A self-taught photographer and filmmaker, it was while he was working as a guide that he felt inspired to start documenting his journey.
“I wanted to share my adventures – and New Zealand – with as many people as possible. I noticed tonnes of ‘disposable’ tourism literature being created and dumped year on year, with no-one out there to educate and show travellers what it’s really like to explore our beautiful country.”
So, Bare Kiwi (New Zealand Uncovered) was born. It was 2009, and the world was yet to experience the rise of social influencers. Kyle set up his website, hoping it would become a free and inspiring resource for anyone looking to travel around New Zealand.
“I put myself in front of the camera, called a few friends to help, jumped on the road and started filming. I’ve built up information from every region, sharing insider tips to give people a genuine glimpse of life in New Zealand.”
From there, Bare Kiwi took Facebook and Instagram by storm. As Kyle’s following grew, so did his adventures. He’s gained a name for himself as the go-to guy in NZ for social media and regularly speaks at events and mentors up-and-coming influencers seeking to make it a full-time career. Bare Kiwi has seen Kyle become an official ambassador for GoPro and Macpac, and has taken Kyle not only around New Zealand, but to Australia, Canada, India, Dubai, America and Malaysia.
“I’m just a small town kiwi boy playing in a big beautiful world, and I want to show my adventures from that perspective.” His rise to Insta-fame has seen him named as the No.1 social media travel account showcasing NZ by both stuff.co.nz and buzzfeed.com.
“Social Media Influencer is probably the country’s newest job description, and it’s exciting to be part of. It all started with a monthly email to my friends and family, followed by the website and all of my social channels, and it’s really just taken off.”
Kyle’s been a long-time friend of Macpac, and in 2017, he joined us as an official brand ambassador, putting our gear to the test on his travels all around the world.
“Having the right gear is so important when you’re travelling – I really can’t understate how vital it is that you’re properly equipped. You don’t always have to take a lot, but you need to know that what you do take, you can rely on.”
Kyle’s go-to travel kit consists of a few key favourites – the Traverse Jacket, the Global 80 Luggage and Travel Lite Shirts.
“I believe there’s no bad weather, just bad gear – my Traverse Jacket has never failed me – it’s kept me warm while shooting the Northern Lights in the Yukon, and dry in that surprise rain shower while travelling through… well, anywhere. As far as the travel bag goes, it’s basically a beast. Last year alone, I flew 51 international flights, so just imagine the beating this bag took, and she’s still going strong. I can fit my whole life comfortably into it and it still stays organised. Finally, my Travel Lite Shirts – I’m honestly not sure what magic they used making these shirts, but they are the best. Light yet warm with a shirt under, formal enough for a fancy dinner, and casual enough to bike around the streets of Delhi. You never need to iron them even after a long haul flight in the bottom of my bag, and they’re super quick-drying so those dinner spills are a quick fix if you know what I mean.”
On top of Bare Kiwi, you can catch Kyle spending his kiwi summers as a sea kayak guide in Abel Tasman National Park where he has been working for the past 14 summers!
You can follow Kyle’s adventures on the Macpac logbook, and at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Barekiwi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barekiwi/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/barekiwi
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/barekiwi
Web: http://barekiwi.com