Type S corporation Website [1] | Founded 1983 (1983) | |
Industry Outdoor equipment and apparel (specialty) retailer Headquarters Spokane Valley, Washington, United States | ||
Mountain Gear is a privately held online retailer of outdoor equipment and apparel, based in Spokane Valley, Washington in the United States.
The company carries clothing and gear from brands including The North Face, Arc'teryx, Mountain Hardwear, Marmot, Black Diamond Equipment, Petzl and Keen Footwear.
Company history
Mountain Gear was founded in 1983 by Paul Fish and Karn Nielsen. At its inception, the company was a manufacturer specializing in handmade backpacks. Over time, the focus of the company shifted from manufacturing to retail and grew to include a nationwide catalogue.
The company first mailed a catalog in 1993 and developed its first website in 1995. In 2001, Mountain Gear acquired MountainWoman.com, one of the first women’s-specific outdoor websites, and in 2003 Shoreline Mountain Products, a web-based retailer that specialized in rock climbing. MountainWoman.com has been updated and rolled into the Devi Outdoor catalog and DeviOutdoor.com website. Shoreline was discontinued as an independent website and catalog a few years after the acquisition. From 2002 to 2006, Mountain Gear was listed by Success Magazine as one of America’s 100 fastest-growing catalog businesses. The company moved into a renovated, 112,000-square-foot (10,400 m2), environmentally sustainable distribution center and corporate headquarters in 2006.