About

Alex Mercer - Nordic Walking Instructor

Alex Mercer

Nordic Walking Instructor & Outdoor Gear Reviewer

My Story

I started Nordic walking in 2018 after a lower back injury forced me to give up running. What began as physiotherapy rehabilitation quickly became a passion — and eventually, GaitLab.

Over the past seven years, I have completed multi-day trekking expeditions across the Scottish Highlands, Norwegian fjords, and Swiss Alps. I have coached hundreds of beginners from their first steps to confident long-distance walkers, and personally tested over 40 pairs of Nordic walking poles, dozens of trekking boots, and more outdoor gear than most people see in a lifetime.

GaitLab grew from a personal blog because I saw a gap: there was no single, trustworthy destination combining expert Nordic walking guidance with practical trekking advice and transparent gear reviews. Most content online was either too commercial or too superficial. GaitLab fills that gap with honest, experience-based content.

Credentials

  • INWA Level 2 Certified Nordic Walking Instructor
  • 8+ years of outdoor fitness coaching
  • Personally tested 40+ pairs of Nordic walking poles
  • Covered 3,000+ km on Nordic walking and trekking trails
  • 15+ completed multi-day trekking expeditions

Why Trust GaitLab

Every recommendation on this site is based on personal testing and real-world experience. I write all gear reviews myself — no sponsored content, no paid placements. When I recommend a product, it is because I have used it and believe it delivers genuine value.

GaitLab uses affiliate links (primarily Amazon Associates) to fund the site. When you purchase through our links, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This never influences our editorial choices — we recommend what we would use ourselves.

Our Testing Process

Every product featured on GaitLab is evaluated against the same criteria: construction quality, performance over distance, durability after 100+ km of use, and value relative to comparable alternatives. I personally complete a minimum of two full-day outings with any pole or boot before writing a review. Gear that fails early testing does not make it to the site.

Nutrition, training plan, and biohacking content is cross-referenced against peer-reviewed research (PubMed, Journal of Sports Sciences) and validated against my own training logs. I flag when evidence is preliminary and distinguish between what the research supports and what remains speculative.

Get in Touch

Have a question, correction, or gear suggestion? Reach out at alex@gaitlab.pro. I read every message and respond personally.

Walk further. Live better. — Alex