Innovative Gear - High Mountain Gear
This section of Alpinesavvy highlights small companies, inventors, artists and other superb humans who make exceptional climbing-related gear.
If you know a company that belongs on these pages, please let me know.
I don't get any sort of advertising fees / benefits / kickbacks from these pages. I simply want to showcase cool companies to a wider audience.
Occasionally these companies may give me a product to review. If that happens, I’ll tell you.
Listings are alphabetical.
High Mountain Gear founder, Kyle Willis
High Mountain Gear is a small-scale gear manufacturer in Tacoma Washington. Founded by Kyle Willis, HMG makes some very cool products for big wall and alpine climbing.
High Mountain Gear website
High Mountain Gear Instagram, @highmountaingear
Kyle is a master at sewing and designing. He strives to use as much recycled and repurposed material as possible, such as extra sturdy sailboat sails.
HMG’s most innovative gear is the Taco portaledge system, the lightest portaledge (and fly!) currently available. Kyle was nice enough to send me one for review, and it's quite amazing. It's a sort of envelope into which you insert a Thermarest-style inflatable sleeping pad, and it's surprisingly comfortable.
High Mountain Gear also makes rope bags, which is pretty much mandatory to keep 6 mm tagline tangle-free. What I really like about his rope bags is the stiffness of the fabric, which keeps the mouth of the bag wide open when you're stuffing the rope, a big timesaver.
Related to the rope bag is the HMG ice screw cannon, a great way to store all of your screws and without them gouging anything else in your pack.
The Ski Guide Sled Tarp is an emergency shelter, and a way that you can hopefully drag out your injured partner if needed. Hopefully you don't need it for either one but if you do, you'll be glad you have it.
Check out some of their products below.