How I Built an Outdoor Gear Company
Collaboration and innovation among cottage backpacking brands
August 26th, 2025
Curious about how to start an outdoor gear company? Want ideas on where to start?
Four panelists from the ultralight backpacking outdoor gear industry speak to how to they got started, resources and communities for support, and advice for new entrepreneurs in the outdoor industry.
Hosted by Treeline Review and Moderated by Lloyd Vogel from Garage Grown Gear, Liz Snorkel Thomas and Lloyd Vogel moderate a panel on how to start an outdoor gear company.
Get an insider's look at how to build an ultralight gear brand with this special panel. Meet the people behind ultralight gear brands and learn about outdoor industry trends and how that is changing the world of hiking and backpacking.
We create reader-supported, objective gear reviews independently selected by our editors. This story may contain affiliate links, which help fund our website. When you click on the links to purchase gear, we may get a commission – without costing you an extra cent. Thank you for supporting our work and mission of outdoor coverage for every body! Learn more.
Video
questions to ask when building an outdoor gear brand
We asked thought leaders in the ultralight backpacking space about the outdoor industry including:
What was the inspiration for starting a cottage brand? Did you have an ah-ha moment where you released that an item needed to exist?
What led you to pursue starting a cottage brand (instead of selling your idea to an existing brand)? Were there other cottage brands or people that inspired you to start on your own?
What are some of the initial challenges to starting your brand? What about you, your personality, your team, do you think helped get through the hump?
What role do you think being known in the hiker community and awareness has helped your brand?
What marketing has worked and hasn't worked for you?
What are the rewards of being a cottage brand in the outdoor industry?
In a saturated market, how are you differentiating your brand and making it work?
What advice would you have for others thinking about starting a cottage brand? What surprised you about starting a brand that others should know?
What are you looking forward to as your brand grows?
What communities have helped support you grow as an entrepreneur?
Transcript and Takeaways
Purpose of the Panel
Liz introduces herself as the co-founder of Treeline Review, emphasizing their focus on real people and not being AI bots.
Liz explains the purpose of the panel, which is to discuss what it takes to start an ultralight gear brand.
Liz mentions that the event is part of a monthly series with Garage Grown Gear, featuring ultralight gear brands.
Liz introduces Lloyd Vogel, the co-founder and CEO of Garage Grown Gear, and invites him to start the discussion.
Defining a Cottage Gear Company
Lloyd defines a cottage gear company as one where business operations, including manufacturing and customer service, are handled by the founders or a small team.
Lloyd explains that cottage companies often start as a part-time source of income and are based in small spaces like spare bedrooms or garages.
Lloyd highlights that cottage companies often use small-scale, customizable manufacturing methods and innovative designs.
Lloyd introduces the panelists and asks them to share their names, pronouns, companies, and their inspiration for starting their outdoor brands.
Panelists' Introductions and Inspiration
Ray from Igneous (formerly called Common Gear) shares his background in making gear for himself and how Lloyd's order helped him start his brand.
Martha Diaz from Itacate discusses her inspiration from her immigration story and the desire to make the outdoors more inclusive.
Dan from Anda talks about his inspiration from watching a documentary and his journey from hiking the John Muir Trail to starting his own gear brand.
Jen Loofbourrow from Alpine Fit shares her childhood experiences in the outdoors and how they led her to start her brand focused on versatile outdoor gear.
Initial Challenges and Solutions
Dan discusses the challenge of brand awareness and the importance of trying different marketing strategies to see what works.
Martha emphasizes the difficulty of setting up the business and the importance of finding supportive communities.
Ray shares his challenge of designing products that can be produced in large quantities and the importance of automating processes.
Jen talks about the challenges of being geographically remote and the importance of learning end-to-end manufacturing processes.
Rewards and Community Support
Jen highlights the reward of running a business aligned with her values and the excitement of customers discovering and loving her products.
Martha shares the reward of receiving positive feedback from customers and the importance of community support.
Ray enjoys the opportunity to do product development and the satisfaction of creating products that people enjoy using.
Dan appreciates the sense of community both within the hiking community and among other brand owners.
Advice for Aspiring Cottage Brand Founders
Dan advises not to wait for perfection, to seek community support, and to find something you're passionate about.
Ray suggests doing things that aren't necessarily sustainable at scale to get the ball rolling and to be open to new ideas.
Martha emphasizes the importance of finding a community and working on something you're passionate about.
Jen advises being honest and straightforward with buyers, suppliers, and customers, and to plan for pricing for wholesale.
Balancing Sustainability and Scaling
Jen discusses the challenge of balancing sustainable and ethical production with the need to scale the business.
Lloyd shares Garage Grown Gear's approach to sustainability, including switching to compostable packaging and reducing plastic use.
Dan talks about the difficulty of using eco-friendly materials and packaging, which can be more expensive.
Martha mentions the importance of not compromising on values like using meat-free ingredients in her products.
Balancing Feedback and Intuition
Dan emphasizes the importance of listening to customer feedback and seeking out diverse perspectives.
Jen shares her experience of balancing her own intuition with customer feedback and the importance of customer interviews.
Lloyd highlights the need to gather feedback, process it, and then make design decisions based on passion and intuition.
Martha discusses the importance of being open to feedback and making changes based on customer needs.
Community and Collaboration
Ray finds community through Instagram and has partnered with other cottage brands for product development.
Martha started on Reddit and found support through the REI Founded Outdoors program and the Startup community.
Jen emphasizes the importance of converting internet friendships into real-life interactions and collaborations.
Jen shares her experience of collaborating with other businesses for marketing campaigns and photo shoots.
Final Thoughts and Q&A
Lloyd and Liz thank the panelists and the audience for their participation and emphasize the importance of supporting small businesses.
The panelists share their excitement for upcoming product releases and events like PCT Days.
The audience asks questions about researching product ideas, balancing sustainability with scaling, and finding community support.
The panelists provide valuable advice and share their experiences in addressing these challenges and opportunities.
Meet the panelists:
Ray Aldridge (Igneous gear, formerly common gear):
Igneous Gear crafts ultralight outdoor equipment that emphasizes simplicity, intuitive design, and ease of use, allowing adventurers to focus on the journey, not the gear.
Our products, developed with meticulous attention to reducing weight, enable hikers to travel lighter and further, enhancing their connection to the outdoors. Each item—from our sleek bidets to our streamlined bottle caps and efficient hanging systems—is designed to integrate seamlessly into any trek, ensuring that your adventures take center stage.
Instagram: @igeneous.gear
Martha Yolanda Diaz (Itacate Foods LLC):
Itacate is a brand of Latin backpacking food for adventurers with great taste and strong values!
The idea for this brand came from a desire to see Latino culture properly represented in the outdoor industry and to diversify the outdoors. Since our launch in late 2022, Itacate has been bringing bold flavors to the backcountry while fostering an inclusive community of outdoorists of all backgrounds.
Instagram: @itacate_outdoors
Daniel Gerken (ANDA):
My first thru-hike changed my perspective on how fleeting the human existence is in relation to the timelessness and magnitude of the outdoors. I was filled with an immense level of gratitude and humility on that trip, and would be reminded again repeatedly during later moments as I hiked along the Pacific Crest Trail and Colorado Trail.
Connecting with nature provides a transformative, unparalleled experience. I believe these outdoor experiences provide sustained benefits to your quality of life, just like I have experienced on my own thru-hikes. By making quality, ultralight, eco-friendly gear I want to inspire you to venture deeper into the outdoors.
Instagram: @andaultralight
Jen Loofbourrow (Alpine Fit):
Jen Loofbourrow is the founder/owner of Alpine Fit, a backpacking clothing brand based in Anchorage, Alaska. Alpine Fit focuses on making an ultimate kit of clothing essentials for people who love to adventure for long distances and multi-day/week/month trips. Base layers, hiking shirts, bushwhacking leggings, ultralight merino wool hats, headbands and neck gaiters. Alpine Fit is extremely values-driven offering responsibly sourced recycled fibers and merino wool materials, anti-odor fabrics for longer adventures, fit options for body shapes, a robust warranty and repair service, and Made in Alaska/Made in USA.
Instagram: @alpinefitco
Moderated BY:
Lloyd Vogel Garage Grown Gear
Lloyd is the Co-Founder and CEO of Garage Grown Gear. An avid backpacker and paddler, Lloyd first entered into the outdoor industry through trip-leading and outdoor education. Based in Minneapolis, MN, Lloyd is a huge fan of small brands, light packs, and large meals.
Hosted by:
Liz “Snorkel” Thomas Treeline Review
Snorkel is Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Treeline Review. A Triple Crowner who once held the women’s self-supported Fastest Known Time on the Appalachian Trail, she’s the author of Long Trails: Mastering the Art of the Thru-hike, which won the National Outdoor Book for Best Instructional Book, with judges calling it "destined to become the bible of the sport."
She's thru-hiked over 40 long distance trails and developed the sport of urban thru-hiking, leading Outside Magazine to call Liz a "living legend."
