For those who’re on the lookout for distinctive mountaineering and backpacking gear or items, Etsy is a craft-oriented buying web site that hosts the retailers of many up-and-coming ultralight backpack gear producers. There are about 30-40 corporations actively making backpacking gear at present on Etsy and so they all have distinctive histories that depart from the norm. Please give them your assist in the event you see one thing that fits your adventures. Shopping for immediately by way of Etsy places extra money of their pocket than if you are going to buy their gear by way of one other channel. For those who worth the improvements they provide, please assist them.
Listed here are a few of our favorites.
Mannequin Mountains
We take Digital Elevation Fashions and switch them into 3D fashions. We are able to even overlay your .gpx observe onto the mannequin. I then hand-paint each element onto the mannequin primarily based on satellite tv for pc photographs and reference photographs. It takes further time, however the element is value it. Grasp our framed fashions in your wall, or you can show an unframed mannequin in your desk. Both means, we’re positive there’s one thing you’ll like.
Mountain Blaze
As avid hikers, the mountains are residence to Dave and Sumiko, an Appalachian Path (AT) Via-hiker and an AT SectionHiker. Our knit hats and DCF merchandise are handmade, impressed by our love of the woods, and made with performance in thoughts. All listings are able to ship, however you probably have a particular request, please e-mail us and we’ll see what we are able to do! Thanks! Hope you get out in nature at present!
Trailsigns
Philip, the proprietor of TrailSigns writes, “All of us have a backcountry path or a spot within the wilderness we love; a spot that holds recollections of a trek that fed our souls and examined our resolve. Need your favourite path signal hanging above your hearth? Ship us an image, and we’ll make you a reproduction. To create essentially the most genuine wanting duplicate indicators, we use reclaimed wooden sourced from throughout New England. Species of wooden varies upon what we’ve in inventory. Variation in wooden floor, tone, coloration, and texture will happen due to make use of of reclaimed supplies. Each effort is made to faithfully replicate the unique signage, and to create genuine weathering results, however every duplicate is exclusive. For brand new signal items that can reside outdoor, we typically use cedar.”
Packback Designs
Co-founder Jim Toel writes, “we actually get pleasure from being a small and versatile cottage store at Packback Designs. It grants us a singular alternative to do small runs of high-quality, artistic, and revolutionary product concepts. Issues the larger gear corporations can’t discover the economics with. We’re not a {custom} pack maker however a bunch of avid hikers that basically wish to give one thing “particular and distinctive” again to the mountaineering and backpacking neighborhood. We love to listen to suggestions and concepts.”
PeakQuest
Homeowners, Lynn and Jennifer, two avid hikers, had been on the lookout for a enjoyable and distinctive solution to report their peaks climbed and progress in a number of areas together with the New Hampshire 48 x 4000 footer, the Adirondack 46ers, and the Catskills 3500’s and others. They designed scratch-off peak lists so you’ll be able to visually observe and share your accomplishments. It is a good reward for all ages!
GearBagsandMorebyCP
Cindy and Bryan Payne are a husband-and-wife staff that likes to hike and mountain bike. “We primarily make water bottle holders in 5 sizes on your backpack shoulder strap, that options simple attachment, a shock twine to securely maintain your water bottle, giving you quick access to your water. As well as, we provide Dyneema roll-top baggage, Dyneema zipper pouches, cellular phone/misc. pouch holders, and sq. finish zipper baggage. We’re situated in central Indiana and have the power to take our store on the street in a van that we personalized ourselves, so we may nonetheless get pleasure from all of the issues we like to do. We began GearBagsandMorebyCP to create high quality, sturdy, light-weight, and purposeful gear at an inexpensive value for the on a regular basis individual.”
HikeLite
Andrea started HikeLight in early 2024, due to her love for the outside. She began off making her personal gear some gear, and it quickly changed into the little enterprise that you simply see at present. All HikeLite’s gear is 100% handmade and designed by her in Bowling Inexperienced, KY. Making the gear is simply half the story; in her down time, she enjoys going backpacking together with her husband and two wonderful canine.
UltraliteSacks
Luke Nalley, founding father of UltraliteSacks writes, “we concentrate on high-end out of doors organizational gear using solely the perfect supplies and technical materials accessible. From thru-hikers to weekend warriors, we’ve you coated.”
Justin’s UL
Justin Anderson of Justin’s UL focuses on making water bottle sleeves which have a near-cult following within the thru-hiker neighborhood and promote out week after week. He writes, “Within the fixed pursuit of happiness, nature has been my private escape for many years now as I proceed to unfold the love for getting again to our easy roots.” All merchandise are hand-made on my own right here within the USA.
Ponds Edge
Jason Pond, the proprietor of Pond’s Edge, based his enterprise in 2019 in Northern Wisconsin just some miles from the Ice age nationwide scenic path. “I get pleasure from making the best high quality gear and the occasional {custom} piece”, he writes, together with working with Dyneema, nylons, polyester, cotton, and leather-based. I completely love working with individuals to get them the gear they’ve all the time wished and will by no means discover.”
KAMOutdoors
KAM Open air focuses on custom-designed, ultralight out of doors gear. Every merchandise is hand constructed with the best high quality materials and equipment. “My greatest sellers embody the UL Dyneema Path Pockets, Path Pouch, and Sternum Pouch,” writes proprietor Chris Stoy. “My love for being exterior and backpacking with my family and friends led me to start out making my very own gear, in addition to for others.”
HangTightShop
Steve Hazel at HangTight has been on a mission to make tenting cozy, heat, easy, inexpensive and lightweight by doing the be just right for you. He writes, “Within the ultralight neighborhood of hammock and tenting, I wished to make Down quilts attainable for the common hiker. My ardour is to convey this unbelievable means of having fun with the outside to of us with out breaking the financial institution. I can’t imagine it began years in the past as a result of I wanted to arrange the household for an enormous journey!”
QiWiz
Rob Kelly aka QiWiz (path identify) is now in his twelfth 12 months of constructing ultralight backpacking gear, most produced from titanium, in his basement workshop in Ohio. Lots of his hottest objects (3 sizes of cathole trowels and three sizes of cooking spatulas, a number of sizes of windscreens, a twig-burning range, and a singular buck noticed) can be found in his QiWiz Etsy store. He makes every part himself, by hand, one merchandise at a time. He himself is an avid backpacker and LNT fanatic.
Hartford Gear Firm
Georgia Wetmore began backpacking 5 years in the past and started modifying and making her personal gear. She writes, “I liked doing it a lot that I made pouches and fanny packs for family and friends and ultimately began an Etsy store as a side-hustle to my 9-5 job. I by no means anticipated Hartford Gear Co. to change into my full-time job, however I’m elated and flattered that so many people need what I make. I describe Hartford Gear Co. as “No Frills” as a result of I attempt to make the only, strongest, most purposeful baggage I can. I’m a one-woman operation understanding of the home I lease in Hartford, CT together with my cat Paco.”
NAPACKS
My identify is Mike and I’ve been an lively out of doors fanatic since I moved to Southern California about 14 years in the past. I really like the outside, creating, and the artistic course of and have all the time adopted my passions in life. Like others within the MYOG group, the enchantment of constructing gear to suit my wants was a calling. All the things I promote is designed, minimize, and sewn at my residence on an industrial Brother strolling foot stitching machine. I’d like to accommodate variations of my merchandise if there’s something that may very well be accomplished to make it higher suited on your wants. I additionally welcome new construct concepts!
Been Campin
I’m the Ben of Been Campin. Ever since transferring to the Tetons in 2013, I’ve been obsessive about mountaineering, tenting, and usually being outdoor within the mountains. I’m at present in Colorado and have climbed 49 of the 58 Colorado 14ers (14,000’+ mountains). I’ve all the time been very bold with my mountaineering targets and the ultralight world was useful in making a few of these targets a bit extra obtainable. With the Dyneema choices in the marketplace being so restricted, I discovered to stitch in late 2018 and began creating my very own ultralight gear.
SomeDaveOutdoorGear
Dave writes “Ever since I used to be a child, I’ve been developing with neat concepts. I like to unravel little issues to make life simpler. I wish to ‘plus’ stuff… tweak it…make it higher. What I promote right here will assist my mountaineering targets, and hopefully convey a little bit resolution to your out of doors life too. In case you have a {custom} alteration you want to me to do, simply ask. I’ll see if I can accommodate you.
Stitchbackgear
Have you ever ever wished to stitch your personal ultralight backpack or considered beginning your personal cottage firm to make backpacks? StitchbackGear sells detailed stitching patterns for making your personal backpacks, backpack accent pockets, and stuff sacks. Stitchbackgear is owned and operated by Drew Soderborg an industrial designer primarily based in central Utah who likes to make issues with all types of supplies. He particularly likes to make his personal out of doors gear. He additionally enjoys backpacking, climbing, and canyoneering in Utah’s backcountry along with his spouse and daughters.
Classic Camp and Path
Not precisely ultralight, however distinctive. Dave, the proprietor writes “I concentrate on obscure items for the outdoorsman that enjoys Classic gear, Re Enacting, Gathering interval items, and for these all for Tenting the way in which our forefathers did it. I feel that camp cookery is among the most necessary components of having fun with your time outdoor so I look excessive and low for good classic items to suit your package wants and solely listing objects I’ve hand chosen, and would use myself in Camp or on the Path. Most objects can have been cleaned and serviced previous to inserting on the market so they’re prepared to be used once you get them. A few of my costs could appear a bit excessive however keep in mind that I’ve pushed to go looking them out, hand chosen them, cleaned or serviced them, and the Transport is free within the USA.”
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