Golite Part 2 Begging for Money

"What makes them think people will invest in a company that already failed?"

Powerpoint.

“GoLite on the Planet” "being able to: present the complete brand, holistically; tell the lightweight and sustainability stories with integrity"

Maybe all that emphasis on sustainability wasn't so sustainable.

http://mytrailco.com/

"My Trail Company is a Colorado Public Benefit Corporation founded by Demetri Coupounas (Coup) in 2015. While a new company, My Trail has acquired the proven product designs of GoLite, a company Coup co-founded in 1998 and that served the outdoor community with great lightweight clothing and equipment for 16 years."

I own several Golite products which have served me very well.

* Hex 3 tent
* Hut 1 tent (x2)
* Ion Pack
* Dome Umbrella
* 3oz windshirt

I do like the functionality of these items, as well as their reasonably light weight given their durability.

All my Golite products are pre-reclaimed fibre so far as I know. I don't know whether the reclaimed stuff is as light or durable, but if the new trail company wants my custom and intends to continue with this policy, they need to persuade me it is, or that they don't use it where consistency/reliability is critical.

Their problem wasn't in the backpacking products, it was in the rapid expansion into the non-backpacking market. Did they really expect to compete against Patagucci and TNF for the outdoorsy-casual fashion market? That mistake plus a bunch of retail locations just sapped the life out of them.

Small businesses fold all the time, and most successful entrepreneurs don't make it on the first try, so no hard feelings. I wish them all the best, but I do hope the new company (if it materializes) does the right thing and honors the warranty on GoLite products.

Reading the mytrailco.com 'about' section, there doesn't seem to be any difference in overall business philosophy. While I respect Golite's supposed commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing (my BitterRoot jacket is made in China, is that responsibly sourced?), I fear they may over extend themselves like they did last time. Although the fact that they are currently only registered as a Colorado company does show me they are starting over at a much smaller scale (but that may have been their only option anyway).

From their website:

"POSITIONING → There are many great brands focused on epic mountain adventures – My Trail is not one of them. We are focused on the trails in your life, and on helping you enjoy them more, and more often. And we honor all trails whether they are steep or flat, wilderness single track or suburban side walk, and whether they take you from Canada to Mexico or around your local park. What’s your trail?"

They are obviously going to be attempting to join in on the outdoor fashion trend again. I don't feel like this strategy works with 'affordable' clothing. People who buy a softshell to wear at the ski lodge WANT expensive gear; it's a status symbol, such as is all fashion clothing. Patagucci and Arc'teryx knows this, and therefore charge whatever the hell they want. People will pay it because they want to pay it. People will believe a product is inferior simply because it costs less, even when overall functionality isn't their main concern.

Just a couple thoughts I've had. I really like the few Golite products I own and I would love to see them available again, but I'm just afraid that the management team aren't trying hard enough to make necessary changes.

Repeating the same process over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.

An article popped up in the Boulder Daily Camera the other day on this subject: http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-business/ci_28585541/golite-2-0-founders-launch-my-trail-defunct

One thing that might be hopeful is that cofounder of the new incarnation, Kale Klontz, is a pretty sharp cookie and no stranger to outdoor retail, having worked successfully as an REI store manager for several years. He might bring some balance and experience to Coupounas' team. OTOH, Jeremy Hendricks is also no stranger to the business, and his comments and insights are certainly worth heeding.

It will be interesting to see how the new company does.

I wonder if the reason Coup was allowed to buy the rights to GoLite's designs was so that he could make good on his debts.

I am astonished though to read that the new company intends to open retail stores, albeit smaller than GoLite. In this day and age, bricks and mortar seems like an unnecessary luxury when the designs are already known and the core products are reasonably well respected in the marketplace.

From that Boulder Daily Camera article:

"We're going to have a tighter product line. We won't be coming out with casual apparel which our customers weren't asking for."

That's encouraging to hear.