ultralight backpacking gear brands started in the last 5 years
Get an insider's look at new ultralight gear brands with this special panel co-hosted by Treeline Review and Garage Grown Gear.
Meet the people behind cottage gear brands and learn about the inspiration, challenges of being a small brand in a saturated gear market, and what they’re doing differently to make it work.
The event will be followed by a 15-minute Q&A where you can ask the speakers questions about ultralight backpacking gear. Register for free here or scroll down below.
Meet the panelists:
Ray Aldridge (Common Gear):
Common 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: @common.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 and hosted 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.
Instagram: @garagegrowngear
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. She developed the sport of urban thru-hiking, leading Outside Magazine to call Liz a "living legend."