Mountain Hardwear

Mountain Hardwear Inc.
Subsidiary
Industry Apparel, Outdoor Gear
Founded 1993
Headquarters Richmond, California
Key people
 Topher Gaylord, President
Products Outerwear and sportswear
Parent Columbia Sportswear
Slogan Radical Thinking
Website www.mountainhardwear.com

Mountain Hardwear, founded in 1993, is a California (USA) -based company that manufactures high-end outdoor clothing, backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, and gloves. Columbia Sportswear purchased Mountain Hardwear in 2003. The company is headquartered in Richmond, California.

History

In 1993, a small group of former employees of Sierra Designs decided to form Mountain Hardwear. In addition to working in the outdoor industry, the Mountain Hardwear founders were avid outdoors people themselves and included Jack Gilbert, Paul Kramer, Mike Wallenfels, Paige Boucher, Ingrid Harshbarger, Claranne Knittel, Roberta Hernandez, Alan Tabor, and John Cumming. Newly formed Mountain Hardwear had the challenge of bringing technologically-advanced products together to form a product line.

Mountain Hardwear's first sponsored athlete, Ed Viesturs, the first American to climb all fourteen 8,000 meter peaks (8000ers), helped develop several of the company's products. Two of those original products are still in the line today: the Exposure Parka and the down-filled Sub Zero Jacket . Viesturs no longer endorses Mountain Hardwear equipment.

The company currently has over 90 people in their California office, more than 35 sales reps and associates across the United States and Europe, and representatives in Canada, Asia, South America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Retail locations

Mountain Hardwear opened its first retail location in Portland, Oregon in April 2008. A Seattle, Washington retail store opened on December 5, 2008.

Sponsored athletes

Mountain Hardwear sponsors a number of athletes. Most are alpinists, climbers, or skiers. Sponsored athletes include:

Andrew McLean, Andrew Lock, Bruce Cornell, Dawn Glanc, Erik Weihenmayer, Ethan Pringle, Matt Moniz, Freddie Wilkinson, Jake Meyer, Jamling Norgay, Janet Bergman, Jim McNeill, Julia Niles, Kenton Cool, Kevin Mahoney, Mike Libecki, Neil Gresham, Robert Jasper, Ryan Boyer, Tim Emmet, Ueli Steck.

Timeline

External links