Brand Close-Up: Mountain Standard
The idea behind Mountain Standard, a relative newcomer to the outdoor scene, born and bred out of Boulder, Colorado, is to embrace community and location rather than the fascination on traditional outdoor sports. While Mountain Standard is an outdoor brand, their focus isn’t on high-powered athletes, travelling to the four-corners of the Earth. Rather it’s focused on a tribe of enthusiasts, like the weekend-warriors, the casual camper, and those who have a zeal for being outside. The design is technical and cool; meant to be worn just as effortlessly on a bouldering day as afterwards for happy hour. Their hashtag #RIMBY (Right In My Back Yard) embraces exploration and adventure where it’s close, fun, and convenient, with emphasis on stylish design as well as rugged, durable, mountain wear.
Featured Items: MS022 Performance Hoodie & MSW003 Performance Zip
The MS022 Performance Hoodie is a lightweight breathable layer, meant for warmth in high exertion activity, but which also features a light DWR coating for spindrift or light showers. The hood itself is lined and stretchy, making it perfect for fitting over caps, beanies, or helmets.
The MSW003 Performance Zip is a fully zipped fleece featuring a soft, yet durable jersey-lined collar, chin high zip, accessible pockets, even while wearing a pack with a hip strap, and stretchy cuffs with thumb loops. The MSW003 is easy to zip even when wearing gloves and has a slim athletic yet true to size fit.
Interview With Brennah Rosenthal
Gearographer: What are the goals that Mountain Standard wants to achieve?
Brennah Rosenthal: We want to be that new brand for the outdoor industry, one that people can connect with deeper and have a connection to a community rather than just a product. That’s the main reason Mountain Standard was created.
G: What advantage does Mountain Standard have over its more famous counterparts?
BR: The fact that we have a Field Agent program is important and different from everyone else. The other brands are just showcasing their products around town and on people and as well as high mountain peaks like Everest. We’re the fun brand rather than showing the suffering aspect of the outdoor industry.
G: How do you market your brand without a large advertising budget?
BR: Instagrams and socials and through the Field Agents as well.
G: How do you inspire your users not only to purchase your product, but to venture out and use it?
BR: Our blog posts help a lot for that. Showing places that are around the Mountain Time Zone and outside of it. The Field Agent scholarships are for our users who are aspirational, and the imagery that we use on social media as well. We want people to say ‘Hey that’s really cool, I want to do that this weekend.’
G: How can a company make gear more affordable without sacrificing quality?
BR: We did a really good job with our first line. We use a lot of excess materials that was waste from the rest of the industry to offer our first line at a good price and being directed at the consumer. We’re not in any retail store, which is usually a huge cost for most brands, which is why they have to markup their prices so high.
G: How can the company appeal to casual outdoor enthusiasts as well as niche users?
BR: Our products are developed for the person who wants to wear it for everything either around the mountain town or out climbing or biking. It’s casual tech side of things. The black and grey palette helps a lot. We call the Henley ‘dirtbag tuxedo’ because it works really well. It’s a synthetic fabric for activity but it looks super good if you want to go out to dinner in it.
G: How does Mountain Standard maintain environmental ethics?
BR: Excess material is one of the ways that we did it. We make what we need and no more of it so there’s not leftover stuff.
G: What is the best way for consumers to interact with the company?
BR: Hashtag #RIMBY (Right In My Backyard) is a good way to interact with the brand. We’d love for more people to apply to the field agent program if they want a deeper level of interaction. All the information is on our website. If they’re interested and stoked about it we’re welcome to have them onboard.
G: Why do you feel indie outdoor brands are becoming much more common now?
BR: It’s a different way for people to connect with the outdoors and it’s newer brands, like the hipster movement. People want something new and connecting with indie smaller brands is easier than being a part of larger brands. There’s a deeper level of storytelling.
G: What is your company planning in the next year?
BR: We’re going to go steadily from where we are now. We have more stuff coming out for the fall. We’re expanding the line and adding more colors and grow the field agent program to a big level. We’ll be putting on and hosting events and it’ll help us grow. They’ll be products coming out that you might not expect to see from us like food, socks, and packs. They’ll be a product launch of apparel in the fall. There’s going to be both lifestyle and technical wear.
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