Why Mountain Ridge Gear?

When you purchase pack equipment, you're trusting more than a piece of gear.

You're trusting the people who designed it, the materials they selected, the experience behind it, and ultimately how that equipment will perform on your animal.

At Mountain Ridge Gear, we've spent years earning that trust.

Built From Experience

Mountain Ridge Gear was founded in 2009 building heavy-duty sewn equipment, including military-style backpacks, duffels, and everyday-carry gear. Around 2015, we shifted our focus toward equine equipment, and in 2013 we began developing pack equipment specifically around the needs of donkeys. In 2015 we decided to shift our primary focus on the equine industry. 

Since then, we've outfitted more than 2,000 pack animals, from miniature donkeys to mammoths and animals used for everything from casual trail riding to serious backcountry packing.

Our customers include hunters, outfitters, pack burro racers, beverage burro businesses, ranchers, recreational packers, and people who simply want another way to enjoy their animals.

Every one of those animals and customers has taught us something.

Designed Around the Animal

One question drives much of what we do:

How can we make it better for the animal?

We don't believe equipment should be built a certain way simply because that's how it's always been done.

Sometimes traditional equipment is still the best solution. Other times, new materials, better manufacturing methods, or a completely different design can solve a problem more effectively.

That philosophy has led us to continually improve our traditional pack saddles while developing products such as the ComfortStride® Adjustable Pack Saddle, TrailBreeze pack pads, ComfortStride cinches, and other equipment focused on fit, airflow, durability, and animal comfort.

We test. We listen. We make changes.

A Mountain Ridge Gear product isn't considered finished simply because people are buying it.

American Made

Our equipment is built here in the United States.

That's important to us for reasons that go beyond simply putting “Made in USA” on a label.

Building our equipment ourselves gives us control over materials, construction, quality, and product development. When we discover something that can be improved, we don't have to wait for an overseas factory to redesign it.

We can walk into the shop and start working on the solution.

That ability to continually improve our products has been an important part of Mountain Ridge Gear from the beginning.

Military-Inspired Durability

My military background has also had a significant influence on how Mountain Ridge Gear approaches product design.

Before we became an equine-focused company, we were already working with materials and construction methods commonly associated with military and hard-use equipment.

When I began developing equine products, I naturally brought that experience with me.

My thinking was simple:

If a material or construction method has proven itself in harsh military environments, it's worth considering for demanding equestrian applications.

That's one reason you'll find materials and concepts such as heavy-duty Cordura®, quality webbing and hardware, BioThane®, and even MOLLE-style modularity incorporated into Mountain Ridge Gear products.

We don't use these materials simply because they look rugged.

We use them because they're proven.

Innovation With a Purpose

We're proud of the things Mountain Ridge Gear has introduced and improved over the years, but innovation for its own sake doesn't interest us.

There needs to be a reason.

Our customizable MOLLE pommel bag was designed to let riders configure their own storage rather than having us decide which pockets they need. Its curved design helps keep the bags away from the rider's legs.

Our TrailBreeze pad system came from years of looking for a better way to manage heat and moisture beneath traditional pack pads.

The ComfortStride Adjustable Pack Saddle grew from the challenge of fitting animals whose backs don't always match the fixed angles of a traditional pack saddle.

Even our traditional sawbuck equipment continues to evolve as we discover better ways to build it.

If we can make something stronger, easier to use, more adaptable, or more comfortable for the animal, we're going to explore it.

More Than Selling Equipment

One of the biggest differences at Mountain Ridge Gear may be what happens after you purchase something.

We spend countless hours every week talking with customers.

Sometimes the question is simple: What size saddle does my donkey need?

Other conversations involve saddle placement, cinch sizing, breast collars, breeching, fitting an unusual animal, introducing equipment, or understanding why a donkey is reacting a certain way.

My experience extends beyond building equipment. I've spent years working with and training numerous wild donkeys, and that experience taught me an enormous amount about donkey behavior, trust, pressure and release, patience, and how animals respond to equipment and training.

We're happy to share that knowledge.

We don't charge for that support. It's part of what we do.

If you buy equipment from Mountain Ridge Gear and aren't sure whether you've set it up correctly, call us.

We'd rather spend time helping you get it right.

Because selling someone a good saddle is only part of the job.

Helping them use it correctly is just as important.

Serious Equipment Without the Endless Wait

We understand that when someone orders equipment, they actually want to use it.

Mountain Ridge Gear builds equipment to order, and quality American manufacturing takes time. We're not interested in rushing products out the door at the expense of craftsmanship.

But we're equally committed to maintaining reasonable production times and communicating honestly with customers about when they can expect their equipment.

Our current lead times are posted on our website, and if you have a particular trip, event, hunt, or deadline coming up, we encourage you to contact us before ordering.

We'll tell you what we can realistically do.

From Colorado to the Other Side of the World

Over the past year and a half, we've watched Mountain Ridge Gear's international business continue to grow.

Saddles and equipment built in our Colorado shop are now being shipped to customers overseas.

That's incredibly rewarding.

It also tells us that the reputation we've spent years building within the American donkey and packing communities is beginning to reach people much farther away.

No matter where the equipment is headed, however, our approach remains the same.

We're Still Learning

More than 2,000 donkeys have taught us a lot.

But we don't pretend they've taught us everything.

We're still learning from customers. We're still listening to packers. We're still testing materials. We're still studying saddle fit. We're still changing designs when we discover a better way.

And we're expanding what we've learned from donkeys into equipment for mules, horses, ponies, and other pack animals.

Mountain Ridge Gear has come a long way since 2009, but we're far more interested in where we're going than where we've been.

Comfort. Durability. Craftsmanship.

Those three words summarize what we want Mountain Ridge Gear to represent.

Comfort for the animal.

Durability for the people who depend on the equipment.

Craftsmanship that we're proud to put our name on.

We're a small American manufacturer. We build our equipment. We use it. We listen to the people who use it. We answer the phone when they need help.

And tomorrow, we'll come back to the shop and try to make it even better.

That's Mountain Ridge Gear.