For the last 20 years, whenever Big Agnes co-founder Bill Gamber and his employees ventured into the woods for an overnight adventure, they had to stuff the sleeping bags, tents, and other gear they had produced into a pack made by another brand.

That will no longer be the case starting next year. The Steamboat Springs, Colorado-based gear maker decided it should use its two decades of experience making outdoor equipment to round out the Big Agnes line, and in the spring the brand is formally launching into the pack category.

Adding packs was the logical next step for a company that prides itself on making other essential camping products.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been carrying our gear in other brands鈥� packs for 20 years now, so we felt it was time to take it to the trail on our own,鈥� Gamber, also the brand鈥檚 president, told 国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal.

Big Agnes will debut its line of technical backpacks for Spring 2022. The collection of six backpacks will range in capacity from 20 liters to 63 liters, and the packs will be made with GRS-certified recycled nylon fabric. Most models will include an accessory called the Trash Can, in conjunction with Leave No Trace, to help reduce litter on public lands.

Gamber said that as Big Agnes leverages its extensive knowledge of outdoor needs, the brand hopes to attract both brand evangelists and BA newcomers alike to the new line. When asked about the expectation for the packs, however, he said this move is more about building the new category for the long haul rather than looking at any specific metric such as units sold or top-line improvement.

鈥淲e鈥檙e focused on providing our customers with the best packs we can, and we have years of R&D in the project,鈥� Gamber said. 鈥淲e never set first-year sales projections or ROI metrics or determined what would make for a successful pack launch beyond making folks comfortable on the trail and happy about their purchase. Big Agnes has so many loyal customers who expect high quality and well-thought-out designs, so if anything, we鈥檙e feeling the pressure to deliver on that.鈥�

And while Gamber said the brand was 鈥渘ot willing to share information about investment in the project to date or our production or forecasted amounts at this time,鈥� he did say that Big Agnes has 鈥渂een surprised by the positive reception and pre-season orders from our retail partners large and small so we鈥檝e upped our initial production numbers over initial forecasts.鈥�

The Big Agnes pack collection includes two technical daypacks for hiking and travel and backpacks designed for multi-day excursions. The backpacks will also be offered in women鈥檚 specific fit models, which the brand said were 鈥渙ptimized by Big Agnes鈥� female designers.鈥�

The brand is bringing its proprietary Load Wrangler and Load Wrangler+ suspension systems to each pack. These systems 鈥減rovide an easy to set, precise fit for a well-balanced load that remains comfortable throughout a full day on the trail,鈥� Big Agnes said. Other features include a hoist compression system, open range hip belt systems, hydration bladder sleeve, accessible pockets, daisy chain webbing, and others.聽聽

Along with the line of packs, Big Agnes is also launching the seven-liter Big Agnes Trash Can, an accessory that attaches to the pack for collecting litter on the trail and in camp. The brand says the Trash Can is made from the same fabric as the packs and will be included with all 45-liter to 63-liter packs, as well as sold separately as an accessory.

Big Agnes is partnering with Leave No Trace by 鈥渄onating a portion of sales from every pack and Trash Can to assist in its global efforts to sustain healthy public lands. All Trash Cans will include an informational card to help drive awareness of Leave No Trace鈥檚 mission and to help educate consumers on backcountry best practices.鈥�

鈥淏ig Agnes has been a longtime partner of Leave No Trace, and we鈥檙e excited to collaborate with them on their upcoming pack launch,鈥� said Dana Watts, Leave No Trace executive director. 鈥淲e love the energy and commitment they have put into reducing trail and campground litter, and we鈥檙e excited to be a partner in their education campaign.鈥�

Gamber noted that this partnership with Leave No Trace was as natural as the pack launch itself.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been a longtime partner of Leave No Trace, and they have been great to work with on this project,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t only took a few phone calls and some meaningful discussions, and we had a campaign.鈥�

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For roughly four decades, the ski industry has grappled with getting more people out on the hill. Conventional wisdom says that Baby Boomers are retiring; young people aren鈥檛 picking up the slack; there鈥檚 not enough diversity; skiing is too expensive or inaccessible; and unpredictable weather due to climate change makes planning a ski vacation a costly gamble.

A year ago, total skier numbers dropped by 3 percent to 53.3 million (down from 54.8 million in the 2016-17 season), according to the National Ski Areas Association. The decrease is in line with the 40-year average.

But then, this winter happened. Skier numbers won鈥檛 be out for another few weeks, but if you believe what people are saying on chairlifts and in bars, this season should be one for the record books, both in snowfall and visitation in the Western U.S. Pulled out of drought, Mammoth Mountain, California, was buried under more than 200 inches of snow during February alone and plans to keep a lot of the mountain open until at least July 4. Skiers and riders in Utah鈥檚 Wasatch say the storms looked like 鈥渢he good ole days鈥� with powder for days on end.

However, along with the snow, there were suddenly too many people. In ski towns across the country, people complained about long lift lines, crowded buses, and not enough parking. For many locals, the primary culprit was the Ikon Pass. From Mammoth to Big Sky to Jackson Hole to Aspen to Solitude, the rookie Ikon was the talk of the town.

鈥淚鈥檝e lived here for 30 years and I鈥檝e never seen lines like this nor has anyone else who鈥檚 been here for any length of time,鈥� said Joaquin Hanson, a 73-year-old skier from Jackson Hole who is out on the hill up to five times a week.

Iconic Mountains “Ikonized”

The Ikon Pass, a new multi-resort season pass from Denver-based conglomerate Alterra Mountain Company, offers a host of ski days at 38 resorts ($899-$1,049) and is a direct competitor to the Epic Pass, Vail Resorts鈥� multi-resort season pass with 27 resorts ($899-$949). For some places like Steamboat, Colorado; Solitude, Utah; and Mammoth, California鈥攁mong others鈥攖he Ikon acts as the de facto season pass since those resorts are owned by Alterra.

While Alterra isn鈥檛 saying how many Ikon passes it sold for winter 2018-19, the pass gave hundreds, if not thousands, of skiers an incentive to hit the road and try a spot that鈥檇 always been on their hit list. 鈥淲e are thrilled with the success of the Ikon Pass, it鈥檚 doing exactly what it鈥檚 meant to do鈥攄rive skiers and riders to all destinations on the pass and invite pass-holders to explore new resorts and places they鈥檝e always wanted to visit,鈥� Alterra spokeswoman Kristin Rust said.

Todd Jones, co-founder of Jackson Hole-based Teton Gravity Research, agrees and sees the Ikon Pass as a welcome disruption to the one-pass/one-mountain formula.

鈥淚 think the Ikon Pass is amazing,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he ski industry has been so unattainable for so many people for so long. From hardgoods and lodging to lift tickets, everything is so expensive. Then along comes this pass that makes everything more affordable. I鈥檓 sitting here thinking, 鈥榃here was this thing when I was a kid?鈥欌��

But while multi-resort passes may provide a boost in skiing numbers and enthusiasm, at what point does the need for increased visitation start to erode the skiing experience? If a ski resort gets too crowded, with locals and visitors alike, what happens to the qualities that made such a destination so attractive in the first place? These are tough questions to answer as resorts attempt to balance an increase in economic vitality with their community鈥檚 values.

Locals and Tourists Vie for Powder

In Jackson Hole and Big Sky, parking lots overflowed and tram lines were often more than an hour long. Though skiers have come to expect crowds on holiday weekends, this winter they saw those crowds midweek. As the gripes mounted, including verbal altercations in lift lines and the proliferation of stickers suggesting that Ikon skiers should 鈥済o back to Colorado,鈥� executives from three Ikon partner resorts鈥擩ackson Hole, Big Sky, and Aspen鈥攑leaded for civility in their local newspapers. Big Sky GM Taylor Middleton wrote in Explore Big Sky that he hopes locals treat visitors with respect, as he was when he moved to the area 40 years ago. 鈥淚鈥檓 committed to working hard to help Big Sky grow better, and I know countless others that are too,” Middleton wrote. “I鈥檓 also committed to keeping this a fun place, with loads of fun people, who do fun stuff, and I know a boatload of you feel the same way. We鈥檙e a friendly and welcoming bunch. Please keep sharing that, continue paying it forward.鈥�

Bill Gamber, co-founder of Steamboat-based Big Agnes and its sister, Honey Stinger, says he definitely noticed the crowd influx this winter at his ski area. He speculated that the Ikon gave Front Rangers the chance to bypass familiar trips to Summit County along the dreaded Interstate 70 and ski Steamboat instead.

鈥淲hereas in the past they might come to Steamboat once a winter, they are now coming more often,鈥� Gamber said. 鈥淲e definitely seemed to be affected by the Ikon, but not in a bad way. More people are loving skiing and that鈥檚 great for the businesses in town, but it鈥檚 a double-edged sword. The balance is in sustaining business but then still being able to do the things you love to do. This year, you just had to hunt a little harder to find the powder.鈥�

Andy Olpin, who has owned and operated Wilson Backcountry Sports in Jackson Hole for 26 years, chuckled when asked about the Ikon Pass, joking that it was everyone鈥檚 favorite target if they were having a bad day. 鈥淲e probably saw some residual business,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut as a backcountry shop, they鈥檙e not our typical customer.鈥�

While locals claimed it was the “Ikoneers” gumming up the works, others pushed back, arguing that it was more complex than placing blame on any one group. In February, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort President Mary Kate Buckley wrote in the Jackson Hole News and Guide that locals accounted for nearly 40 percent of skier days, whereas Ikon passholders attributed just 16 percent. Aspen-Snowmass president Mark Kaplan similarly noted that local season pass use was up 40 percent, while the Ikon accounted for 8 to 15 percent.

Just this week, both Jackson Hole and Aspen announced that they were bundling the benefits of the Ikon Base Pass鈥攑roviding five days of skiing at 25 resorts, and unlimited skiing at 12鈥攚ith the purchase of a full season pass. Though this may alleviate the gripe that locals were being treated unfairly, it likely does not address concerns of crowding.

Big Sky Resort argues that the increase in tourism is good for the community and helps support local initiatives like workforce housing.

鈥淚kon visitation represents an important, albeit smaller portion of our growth in skier visitation this season,鈥� said Stacie Mesuda, Big Sky Resort鈥檚 public relations manager. 鈥淎dditional visitation allows for [us] to improve the guest and employee experience, such as adding 75 additional beds of seasonal workforce housing this summer, adding more than 250 free parking spots, and completely remodeling the Mountain Mall food hall with 300 additional seats.鈥�

Traffic Jam in the Mountains

Whether it was Ikon passholders, locals, or tourists in general, the increase in visitation laid bare the poor travel habits of skiers. In the age of social media, where millions of people are alerted to storms and powder days in a moment鈥檚 notice, suddenly everyone drives their own personal car to the ski hill at the same time.

In the Wasatch, the traffic was particularly bad this winter, even in Big Cottonwood, which has historically seen fewer traffic issues than its neighbor Little Cottonwood. All four resorts in the Cottonwood Canyons accepted the Ikon Pass this winter. w: 鈥淚kon, Epic passes may be working too well. They make already-bad traffic in Utah鈥檚 Cottonwood Canyons even worse.鈥� In the article, Alta GM Mike Maughn said that a third of all cars in the ski area鈥檚 upper lot were rental cars.

But longtime Solitude skier Nick Como said blaming the Ikon Pass ignores the bigger issue.

鈥淭he congestion caused by single-occupant vehicles really underscores the need to rethink canyon transportation on a holistic level,鈥� he said. 鈥淧arking lots fill up earlier [across the Wasatch] which means skiers have to get on the road even earlier to snag a spot on weekends and powder days. More parking isn鈥檛 the solution, and the Ikon Pass is often pointed to as the cause. It鈥檚 not, in my opinion. It鈥檚 our behavior and reliance on cars that needs to change.鈥�

Along Colorado鈥檚 Front Range, Eldora Mountain just 20 miles from Boulder went through similar growing pains this winter, as the majority of its business came from the Ikon, according to marketing manager Sam Bass.

鈥淎s devoted skiers and as an industry as whole, we shoot ourselves in the foot when we don鈥檛 welcome new skiers or more skiers,鈥� Bass said. 鈥淧eople complain about high prices and they want the industry to flourish, but then they get mad when these multi-mountain passes bring new and more people to the sport.鈥�

To alleviate traffic congestion to Eldora, the mountain created several initiatives aimed at getting people to carpool or use the bus. The ski area created online forums for people to hook up for carpool, and gave away $10,000 in free bus passes. (This came after Eldora received major pushback for announcing it would impose $20 parking fees for vehicles with fewer than three occupants.)

鈥淚f we want the sport of skiing and snowboarding to continue to thrive, we need to appeal to as many people as we can and figure out how to get them on snow and give them a good experience, and figure out how we do it in sustainable way so that the industry can still exist in 50 years and still have enough snow,鈥� Bass said.

As ski season winds down and resorts discuss how to better manage crowds next season, the winners are skiers who take advantage of the Ikon and, of course, Alterra.

If you鈥檙e local, you can always hope for less snow next year.

The post Ikon Pass Lays Bare Lack of Ski Town Infrastructure, Poor Driving Habits appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If it鈥檚 not a big-box store and it鈥檚 not an independent specialty retailer, then what exactly is it?

REI Co-op defies easy definition. It鈥檚 a builder of brands and a risk to them. It competes with smaller shops around the country while throwing its weight around to protect recreation access and grow outdoor participation. It鈥檚 a powerhouse that holds influence over its partners, customers, and politicians. And it鈥檚 a profitable business that isn鈥檛 totally profit-driven: annually, it gives back millions of dollars to co-op members in the form of dividends, and reinvests millions more into industry causes. Still, in some ways, it鈥檚 also a bully.

Undeniably, REI鈥攚ith its 154-plus stores in 35 states and Washington, D.C., and six million members鈥攊s the big fish in the outdoor industry鈥檚 pond. And for every small retailer who bristles at yet another brand giving REI an out-of-the-gate exclusive on new gear, or company that feels compelled to target new products to an REI niche, there鈥檚 a brand hitting it big-time with the co-op鈥檚 help, or a nonprofit enjoying its largesse.

One thing鈥檚 for sure: the industry would be a very different place without it.

The Competitor

Independent retailers have always feared REI moving in next door, and that concern has deepened as the co-op targets smaller markets around the country. Case study: REI鈥檚 first New Hampshire location will open in North Conway, population 2,300, next fall.

Michael Scontsas, the manager of one of the last Eastern Mountain Sports stores, said he鈥檚 not sure what REI hopes to get out of North Conway, nor what to expect when EMS moves out of its current 20,000-square-foot building for a smaller footprint鈥攁nd REI moves into the space. (EMS announced its plans to downsize first.)

鈥淚t鈥檒l be interesting to see what happens because, you know, the pie is only so big here,鈥� Scontsas said. 鈥淭he other three gear stores are definitely going to feel an impact with REI coming to town.鈥�

But according to a statement REI provided to The Voice, it isn鈥檛 out to steal customers: the co-op opens stores where member bases already exist. 鈥淲hen we add a new store, we help impact the outdoors positively, which tends to float all boats,鈥� it noted, adding that REI invests in local communities where it has stores.

Rick Wilcox, president of North Conway-based International Mountain Equipment, doesn鈥檛 expect problems: 鈥淚 think there鈥檚 room for everybody if [we鈥檙e] careful about what [we] do.鈥� IME鈥檚 bread and butter includes specialty ice climbing gear that more generalist stores like REI don鈥檛 sell. That鈥檚 where problems start, he said鈥攚hen a generalist store tries to sell specialized gear its customers don鈥檛 want, and then floods the market with discounted goods.

Changing times play a role in retailer attitudes, too. 鈥淎 decade ago, REI was the number-one threat to mom-and-pop specialty retailers,鈥� said Ross Saldarini, co-founder of Mountain Khakis (he left in late 2018). 鈥淭oday, Amazon has replaced REI as the ecosystem threat.鈥�

The Gatekeeper

To keep its offerings fresh, REI tries to get in on the ground floor with new brands whenever possible鈥攁 game-changing boost for a fledgling company. Kuju Coffee landed in all REI shops in September 2018, when the brand was three years old. Co-founder Jeff Wiguna says selling at REI gives instant legitimization to a new brand like his: 鈥淭hey are essentially the industry authenticator,鈥� both to stores and consumers.

But that credibility has its price. To maintain its outdoor-focused product mix, REI requires brand partners to keep distribution tight鈥攚ithout much presence in big boxes or mass e-tailers.

鈥淲e draw the line at some stage鈥攊f [vendors] are ubiquitous, then that鈥檚 not specialty anymore,鈥� said REI general merchandishing manager Marshall Merriam. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when we start to pull away and say, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 not the best thing for our members.鈥� So yes, we push them.鈥� That鈥檚 on Wiguna鈥檚 mind as he works to grow Kuju Coffee beyond the outdoor crowd.

REI was a huge boon to BioLite, too, which launched in 2012 and was scouted by REI while it was still selling direct-to-consumer only. When BioLite started distributing its CampStove in REI stores, it was too short-staffed to both manage the REI account and work to expand in independent shops. The company has grown exponentially since REI lifted them from obscurity, but co-founder and CEO Jonathan Cedar said the brand has found it challenging to break into specialty shops because they didn鈥檛 build the necessary relationships from the get-go.

鈥淚f I were to go back and do it again, I would probably put larger effort [on specialty retail] right out of the gate,鈥� Cedar said.

What REI wants, or might want, impacts the rest of the industry, too. Brands angling for a spot within REI often develop products with that goal in mind, said Grassroots Outdoor Alliance president Rich Hill, who has previously held executive titles at brands like prAna, Patagonia, Marmot, and Ibex. And they don鈥檛 just think, 鈥淲ill REI buy this?鈥� but, 鈥淲ill this specific buyer at REI want it?鈥�

鈥淚t gets down to that level,鈥� Hill said. 鈥淲ith clothing, is it technical or is it lifestyle? Which one of those departments will buy more? REI is a huge organization with tons of layers, and you have to be really specific when you go in there. People absolutely target their product development on the needs of REI.鈥�

United by Blue CEO Brian Linton acknowledges his brand considers REI鈥檚 needs in the design stage. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e a significant player in the industry and an important part of our business,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e also very careful we don鈥檛 let that overly dictate our product strategy.鈥�

And Bill Gamber, co-founder of Big Agnes, said his brand鈥檚 partnership with REI is a bit of a balancing act. 鈥淩EI has been a great partner, and supported us early on,鈥� he said. 鈥淥n the other side, REI can tend to try to control the direction of your brand, product assortment, and more. We just need to fight for who we are sometimes.鈥�

The Changemaker

Because it鈥檚 so big ($2.62 billion in sales in 2017), REI has the budget to pack a lot of positive punch, like donating $1 million to create the Nature for Health program at the University of Washington in 2018; celebrating outdoor women of all sizes, skin colors, and ages with its Force of Nature campaign in 2017; and inventing the #Opt国产吃瓜黑料 movement in 2015.

The retailer is also in a position to make a huge environmental impact. Even as the industry publicly grapples with sustainability issues, brands aren鈥檛 facing many external pressures to do business more responsibly, either from legal standards or consumer demand.

But REI is stepping into this vacuum: in April 2018, the co-op announced product sustainability requirements for all vendor partners, including having a supply chain code of conduct regarding social and environmental standards. The co-op will also put the kibosh on long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (commonly used in DWR treatments) starting in 2020, as well as on certain toxic flame-retardant chemicals used in tents, and sunscreen products made with oxybenzone, a chemical found to be harmful to coral reefs. REI requires all apparel and footwear brand partners to regularly complete a Higg Index Brand Module to evaluate their sustainability, and share the results with REI.

鈥淲e want to make sure that we鈥檙e aligned with the science, and that we鈥檙e reflecting the way that the industry should be headed,鈥� said Greg Gausewitz, product sustainability manager for REI.

And many brands applaud the effort, even if it poses a challenge. Linton says the new standards are pushing United by Blue to address some issues, like Fair Trade and bluesign certification, sooner than it otherwise would have. 鈥淭he standards they鈥檝e set forth are by far the highest expectations we鈥檝e seen from any retailer,鈥� he noted. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important for key retailers to do these things, so the industry makes progress faster.鈥�

The Gateway

No one seems to dispute that one thing REI does better than most is broadening the outdoor base, converting more people into outdoor lovers by giving them an affordable entry into activities with high upfront costs. Not only do members enjoy dividends, special sales, annual 20-percent-off coupons, and access to garage sales, but REI鈥檚 in-house brand also offers products at a lower price point than many of its vendors.

That emphasis on affordability means that brands selling at the co-op should be wary of pricing, Hill said: REI can 鈥渓ove a brand to death.鈥� Once a brand gets to the point where its products are sold in all REI stores, the co-op may ask them to discount gear for its promotional periods. 鈥淎s brands participate more and more in the requested off-price activity, it can ruin the brand鈥攏ot within the industry, but within REI,鈥� Hill said, because customers quickly learn to expect discounts.

The Friendly Giant

鈥淲e should be thankful about [REI鈥檚] willingness to participate in the outdoor industry the way they do,鈥� Hill said. 鈥淭hey want us all to succeed. They do a lot of things that they don鈥檛 necessarily have to do, but they know it鈥檚 for the greater good. I give them credit for that.鈥�

And unlike companies that must hold market value above mindful business practices, REI鈥檚 co-op model offers it flexibility for taking stands on issues and making investments that shape the outdoor industry and recreation for all.

So imagine that there hadn鈥檛 been an REI these last 81 years. The industry might be without a household name that has, in turn, helped build other brands into household names. We might lack a major power player that has helped to influence public policy. And what other retailer would have both the influence and the freedom from shareholders to force advances in sustainability?

Maybe someone else would have evolved to take on these roles. Then again, maybe not.

The post Is REI Too Big? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

国产吃瓜黑料 the outdoor industry, in cities where people wear dress shoes to work and their blazers are blazers, not technical jackets in disguise, 鈥渄irtbag鈥� is a dirty word. It鈥檚 an insult not taken kindly.

But here, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, it鈥檚 a badge of honor and authenticity. It鈥檚 a word you might use to describe the roots of Big Agnes, which has expanded so quickly since its founding in 2001 that it has outgrown building after building, creating a sprawling campus, of sorts, of commercial spaces and houses converted into shops and offices. Late last year, the brand moved to consolidate into a building that will accommodate the majority of its staff members. People who had typically communicated via phone and email, even though they were working just a few minutes away in the same small town, are now mostly all in the same location, which will increase the efficiency of an already well-run machine.

The story of how this once-tiny business grew into the award-winning enterprise it is today has a lot to do with that dirtbaggy authenticity. It only took Big Agnes three years to win its first Backpacker Editors鈥� Choice Award, for its Insulated Air Core, and now it has 11, among dozens of other awards from endemic and non-endemic media.

That authenticity comes largely out of the brand’s desire to solve problems as they come across them, instead of designing new gear just to have something fresh to put on shelves the next season.

鈥淲e go camp, and we come back and say, 鈥榃e really should make a tent that does this, or Wow, we should make it lighter, or make it have more room, but still be really lightweight,'” said Bill Gamber, founder and co-owner of Big Agnes. Even after 17 years in business, Gamber is still heavily involved in the product design process鈥攁nd humble about his achievements. We never just say, 鈥榃e need something new.鈥欌��

The Founder of Big Agnes Got into Product Design to Create a Better Sleep System

Gamber started Big Agnes because he wanted to make a better sleep system. He was sick of having his sleeping bag roll off his sleeping pad, so he developed a set that worked together: slide the pad into the bottom of the bag, so you stay put. It鈥檚 a fairly simple idea鈥攁nd one that has since been widely mimicked among competitors鈥攂ut Gamber was the first to make scalable product. He believed in the brand, and so did a few now long-time staff members who worked for free until the company turned a profit.

The first Outdoor Retailer trade show they went to was in August, 2000, with a 10 x 10 booth, remembers Len Zanni, co-owner. At the time, he was on the PR side of things, working for Backbone Media, which still represents Big Agnes nearly 20 years later. Three years into representing the brand, Gamber and his former business partner split, and Zanni and third co-owner Rich Hager had opportunities to essentially buy themselves jobs, Zanni said. They bit, and invested in the company.

At that first trade show, Big Agnes brought along two sleeping bags and two pads and scored a handful of media appointments. They had no idea where they would manufacture product on a large scale should it blow up, Zanni said.

鈥淚 remember my first visit to the Big Agnes booth at that 2000 show. Big Agnes was way in the back of a pavilion, I think, and it was hopping. It was one of the buzz stories of that show,鈥� said OBJ editor-in-chief, Kristin Hostetter, then Backpacker鈥檚 gear editor. 鈥淭he integrated pad sleeve was a pretty far-fetched concept at that time, and the first real shakeup we鈥檇 seen in sleep systems in years. But Gamber had a good story, and he was refreshingly authentic. He spoke about his personal camping experiences, and it resonated. We tested the gear and it became pretty clear right away that he was onto something.鈥�

Backbone Media, one of the biggest PR companies in the outdoor industry, took on Big Agnes early. Penn Newhard, founder and managing partner of Backbone, met up with Gamber in a back room at a gas station off of I-70, and they talked for hours until they got kicked out. There are three key questions Newhard asks himself when taking on new clients, he said, which boil down to this: Do we believe in the product? Do we like the person, would they be fun to work with, and would there be mutual respect? And do we feel like we could really help them, and would they push us to be a better agency?

鈥淚t was super apparent, in those first three hours, that those boxes were like check, check, check,鈥� Newhard said.

The two companies have stuck together ever since the beginning. You might expect Newhard to be complimentary of his own client, but he gushed about Gamber and Zanni from both personal and professional standpoints. They鈥檙e driven, smart, focused, and know their customers鈥攑artly because they are their own customers鈥攁nd know not to take themselves too seriously, Newhard said. Gamber is tenacious, thoughtful, and humble. Zanni is understated and a fast and talented cyclist whose 鈥渜uiet ability鈥� scored Honey Stinger investments from Lance Armstrong, back when he was the biggest name in cycling.

What Big Agnes Does, It Does Well

Big Agnes Mint Saloon

The Mint Saloon tent is the first Big Agnes tent to feature its own custom aspen print.

Big Agnes Insulated Air Core

The Insulated Air Core was Big Agnes’ first big winner: It won a Backpacker Magazine Editor’s Choice award in 2004.

Helinox Chair Zero

In addition to its own products, Big Agnes also distributes Helinox’s ultralight camp chairs. The Chair Zero, here, is a backpacking frill that packs an incredible weight-to-comfort ratio. “On Backpacker’s Editor’s Choice trip to Colombia, everyone who didn’t have one of these was jealous,” said OBJ Assistant Editor Kassondra Cloos, who was on the trip. “When the ground is soggy, sitting on a chair instead of crouching in the mud is worth packing the extra pound.” The chair easily won an EC award.

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2

Big Agnes’ line of Copper Spur tents nearly tops the market for tent sales. The HV UL2, here, is a backpacking tent for two. The HV UL4, spacious enough for four men to sleep comfy, recently won Backpacker Magazine’s Editor’s Choice award.

Big Agnes Tensleep Station 4

鈥淭he Tensleep Station 4 is a family palace,鈥� said Kristin Hostetter, OBJ editor-in-chief, who tested the tent on family camping and canoeing trips in New England with her husband, two teenage boys, and 60-pound Lab. 鈥淚 love the headroom and the ventilation. We never felt stifled on warm summer nights.鈥�

A Small-Town Recipe for Success

Small towns like Steamboat鈥攚hich grew nearly 60 percent between 1999 and 2013 to a booming population of 12,000 people鈥攁ren鈥檛 generally where you鈥檇 expect to find the kind of talent that has made Big Agnes so successful. But people want to live that kind of lifestyle, Zanni said, and a lot of experienced and passionate people end up in towns like Steamboat for one reason or another. They don鈥檛 seem to have any shortage of job applicants when they鈥檙e hiring.

At Big Agnes, employee turnover is fairly low: Mmany of the earliest employees have stuck with the brand. Staff members enjoy perks like bringing their dogs to work, a powder clause (10 inches of snow + manager approval = paid snow day), employee campouts where staff can leave at noon on a weekday and return by noon the next day, and getting paid to volunteer on projects like trail work. In 2016, Big Agnes earned a coveted spot on 国产吃瓜黑料 Magazine‘s list of Best Places to Work.

鈥淎 lot of times, some of the best ideas might be hatched on the chairlift, amongst a couple colleagues who just happened to meet up that morning skiing,鈥� Zanni said. 鈥淚f we didn鈥檛 offer that sort of thing, why be based in a place like Steamboat Springs?鈥�

The brand鈥檚 success is 鈥渁 combination of a great crew, hard work, a lot of passion, some luck, and timing,鈥� Zanni said. 鈥淧ut that all in a blender, mix it up on high, and somehow that鈥檚 what鈥檚 helped us get to where we are today.鈥�

Award-Winning Products Lead To Strong Growth for Big Agnes

In 2016, Big Agnes ranked second in sales among brand name tentmakers (behind giant, Coleman) according to data from the NPD Group. It grew sales by 15 percent last year, which was ten times faster than the total tent category. In the sleeping bag category, Big Agnes ranked fifth, with sales remaining steady as category sales declined elsewhere.

The answer to how and why Big Agnes has grown in such a noticeable way is an easy one, according to Newhard: it comes down to award-winning product. Time and again, Big Agnes stuff works.

鈥淚t has almost become鈥攁nd I say this with a grin鈥攈o hum to go to Outdoor Retailer and find out which Editor鈥檚 Choice or Gear of the Year award Big Agnes has won this time,鈥� said Steven 鈥淟eon鈥� Lutz, director of branding and merchandising for retailer Backcountry Edge. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a big [deal] for any brand to win an award of that type, but when a brand is winning multiple awards, that鈥檚 going to fuel growth. And it鈥檚 certainly an exciting thing for us to be able to tell our customers.鈥�

Big Agnes is always one step ahead of its competitors, Newhard said, giving the example of the mtnGLO tent, which has an integrated lighting system. 鈥淭hat dedication and focus鈥攊t鈥檚 almost sounds contrite to say, but truly understanding your customer and being one of them yourself leads to great product design, and leads to that intuitively. Tenacity has put them into a place where, quietly, they鈥檝e become a dominant brand in tents and sleeping bags.鈥�

Big Agnes first started making tents in 2003, but they’ve quickly toppled some of the biggest names out there that have been around much longer.

According to NPD Group, Big Agnes has increased its tent sales by double-digit growth in each of the past two years; its top sellers are the Copper Spur and Fly Creek models. Big Agnes has edged out big-name competitors like The North Face and Black Diamond.

That kind of success can be a bit jarring, Gamber said. And it鈥檚 hard, maybe even harder, to stay at the top once you鈥檝e gotten there.

鈥淲e see different trends, and see where we are [ranking among competitors], and that makes it, sometimes, scarier,鈥� Gamber said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 easier when you鈥檙e just chipping away and no one鈥檚 really paying attention. It鈥檚 harder when you鈥檙e on top and people want to knock you off.鈥�

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