Our Philosophy: Stripped Down

Hyperlite Mountain Gear is not about bells and whistles, nonessential features or the latest trending colors. We build stripped down, high performance, outdoor gear that’s dialed in to meet, in as minimalist a manner as possible, the exacting requirements of the goal-oriented adventurers who use it.

Our Vision: A Simple Idea

Hyperlite Mountain Gear is precisely what’s needed and nothing more. This simple idea drives our design and innovation technologies. It informs the technologies, materials and fabrics we use. And it’s the very basis of our commitment to building packs, shelters and accessories that enable our customers to increase their speed, distance and efficiency. Our goal is simple—to arrive at the ideal balance of strength, weight and performance to create gear that’s bombproof and foolproof.

Our Story: Designed to be Used. Hard.

Hyperlite Mountain Gear was born from dissatisfaction. Founder Mike St. Pierre realized he couldn’t find good, durable, lightweight, design-driven gear for his outdoor pursuits because it didn’t exist. So he schooled himself in fabrics, technologies and production processes, and then started building minimalist gear that was exactly what he needed to succeed in his pursuits. Word about the new, cutting-edge equipment spread quickly, and soon a worldwide team of ambassadors started putting the packs, shelters and stuff sacks through the paces. With their valuable input, St. Pierre optimized the gear. He knew it needed to meet their needs and expectations because, otherwise, it would end up in a corner somewhere, gathering dust. Now, six years later, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear community extends around the globe, and the company has grown to be a significant competitor in the outdoor industry. But our goal remains the same. We are committed to building fully functional gear that goal-oriented, passionate outdoor adventurers can use hard and rely upon even harder.

Hand-Built in the U.S.A.

Most outdoor gear companies outsource their production to foreign countries. We don’t. We design and manufacture gear in a renovated textile mill located at 40 Main Street, Biddeford Maine. The reasons are intuitively simple as the gear we make. We believe “Made in the U.S.A.” is a worthwhile endeavor that benefits our customers, our company and the community where we do business. Our employees are highly skilled craftspeople who care deeply about the quality of their work. And the 180-year old repurposed textile mill where we operate is part of a successful effort to revitalize the local economy, fueled in part by mid-size companies like ours.

Designed and Built Where We Use It

We believe it’s critical that our gear is designed and built in a place that’s relevant to its end use. Maine is filled with the mountains, forests, trails and rivers that initially formed our passion for the outdoors. It’s the kind of place that inspired us to found this company… the kind of place that now serves as our local test lab. Being outdoors, immersed in adventure keeps us connected to what’s truly important and to what core outdoor adventurers really need. We pursue our outdoor activities with a passion, and then we funnel those experiences directly into our products and our company culture.