The great outdoors serves as a playground for fun, but in Steamboat Springs it doubles as inspiration for a sizeable cluster of entrepreneurs. “I can’t think of any other small town that has as high a concentration of outdoor companies as Steamboat,” said John Bristol, Director of Economic Development for the Steamboat Springs Chamber.

Steamboat’s Local Companies

Household names in the recreation industry, including Big Agnes, the outdoor gear manufacturer, and Honey Stinger, the energy food company, were founded in Steamboat and continue to operate out of multiple offices and a retail store in town.

Smartwool

Smartwool launched in Steamboat in 1994 and stayed there until it was bought by VF Corporation and the headquarters moved to Denver in 2020. The company may have left town, but many employees opted to keep roots in Routt County and venture out on their own. Travis Campbell, a past President of Smartwool, bought luggage brand Eagle Creek in January 2022 and moved the headquarters to Steamboat. “I joke that at some level I have basically bought myself a job so we can stay here,” Campbell says laughing.

Town Hall

Campbell’s former colleague at Smartwool, Robin Hall, launched her own apparel brand, Town Hall, in 2021 along with two business partners. “A lot of people are doing great things in this corner of the state and we are lucky to have a wealth of resources here in Steamboat,” she said. Hall was one of the first startups to benefit from a new grass-roots initiative started by the Economic Development Council for outdoor gear companies to network and engage.

Fellow outdoor companies Hala Gear, Moots Cycles, Hog Island Boat Works, Grass Sticks, Emerald Mountain Outfitters, Nine Seven Zero, Spiffy Dog, Creek Company, Point6 and Talon Grips are all based in Steamboat, with clients located across the nation and beyond.

Daily flights to Denver from Yampa Valley Regional Airport, good broadband, a committed workforce and a plentiful array of trails, lakes, and the Yampa River to test out their gear proves the ideal recipe for success for these local businesses.