About Us
About HERO GEAR: From Deep Caves to Beta Testing
Our Story: It Started with 8mm Film
HERO GEAR is a small, family-run business specialising in Action cameras Accessories, based in Maitland, NSW, founded by Bryn and Annette Coan in 2015. However, our history with cameras goes back much further than that. Bryn bought his first 8mm film camera in 1980 at just 15 years old. From splicing film by hand to progressing through Beta, VHS, Mini-Disc, and eventually working with broadcast cameras for live events, Bryn has spent over 40 years mastering camera technology.
Tested in the Harshest Environments
Long before GoPro existed, Bryn and Annette were devotees of rope-related sports. They spent years abseiling, rock climbing, canyoning, and caving, often lugging big cameras and expensive waterproof housings into wild, hard-to-access cave systems and canyons to document their adventures. This hands-on experience in "gear-killing" environments is what makes them the experts today—they know exactly what it takes for equipment to survive the elements and where the common points of failure are.
The GoPro Era & The YouTube Legacy
In 2009, they launched their YouTube channel, "Brynmag Productions", to share their skiing and outdoor pursuits. When the first GoPro was released in 2010, Bryn was immediately hooked. He began making videos about using GoPro cameras and designing DIY accessories. The channel catch-phrase was “GoPro News, Reviews and How-To’s”. ”The channel grew rapidly, eventually reaching over 18,000 subscribers and 7 million views.
His technical insights caught the attention of the industry, leading to Bryn becoming an official GoPro Beta Tester while living in the Snowy Mountains. He didn't just use the gear—he helped improve it. In fact, the Time-lapse “Video” feature found in all model GoPro cameras after the HERO3 was a standard improvement suggested by Bryn during his testing years!
The Birth of HERO GEAR & The Return to Maitland
After years of reviewing accessories, Bryn had an epiphany: Why not use this expertise to help Australians get the best gear directly? HERO GEAR was born in 2015. The business was based in a shed at their farm in Jindabyne, but eventually, a larger base was needed. At the height of the COVID pandemic, Bryn and Annette made the move from the Snowy Mountains to Maitland in the Hunter Valley. This relocation was a turning point, providing the space and logistics needed to enable the further growth of the business and better serve their customers nationwide.
Why Shop With Us?
While Bryn and Annette miss the snow, Brynmag Productions is now renamed Travel with Brynmag and refocused on international travel vlogging—meaning the gear they sell is the same gear they rely on for their own global adventures.
"Unlike large-scale marketplaces or retailers where employees simply process orders, HERO GEAR is driven by decades of technical experience. We are active creators who understand the gear we sell. Our customers benefit from mature, expert advice and a level of product knowledge that only comes from forty years behind the lens and in the field."