GoLite news

Nuts.

That business model didn't work. Time to go back to what did.

Hopefully they can pull out of this a leaner company.

Their flagship store on Pearl St in Boulder is never busy compared with the neighbouring Patagonia and Montbell stores, so I am far from surprised that they have already shuttered a number of their retail outlets.

A lot of their stuff is middle of the road and I don't think anyone bought their "compare to" pricing examples. Despite Coup's statements when they went direct, there have been few truly innovative products in the last couple of seasons. They just got lost in the crowd.

Inflexibility in the contract manufacturers' schedules seems to be a major factor. Popular products sold out quickly and would be missing from their line-up for 9-12 months at a time. They're going to have to be a lot smarter about forecasting if they cannot negotiate smaller / more frequent production runs. Will this mean a narrower product line in future?

Montbell are reported to be going to the direct seller business model next year. They're much leaner the Golite with just two US retail stores, but they have a lot of work to make the website stand out.

Any chance this will affect warranties on existing gear?

One thing I found completely frustrating about them is the fact that nearly every time I accessed the website, whatever I was looking for was out of stock. I would then go to another site and purchase what I wanted from someone else. So, a better supply chain would be a must.

I didn't understand why investing in retail space was a good business move in this day of Internet sales.

especially because lightweight backpacking equipment is such a niche market

no way they could ever pay for brick and mortar stores

even an established store like REI has a hard time stocking lightweight backpacking equipment

I have to admit, I have found little to purchase at GoLite in the last few years. Either they're out of stock or–much more prominent–they haven't been innovating their product line for some time. The truth is, they seem to want to straddle the divide between REI, et al. and the cottage industry. As if UL wasn't a niche enough market.

That said, I hate to see them doing poorly. They've done a lot of good for the outdoor industry, even if they are being copied and squeezed out by mainstream manufacturers–like Osprey, for example, who can make a full-suspension, trampoline mesh pack for the same weight as a frameless Jam. It seems to me like the classic case of an innovator who can't let go of those initial, game-changing products and is eventually overtaken by who came late but learned to play the game better.

Maybe this will spur GoLite into really pushing the boundaries once again and coming up with something truly useful and truly innovative. I for one would love to see that.

GoLite are excluding themselves from the overseas market, all they need to do is allow payments via PayPal and they'd get heaps of overseas business.

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Pretty hard to be everything to everyone, and thats what they tried to be.

Never having items in stock, is a freaking stupid way to run a business, just saying. Or, if the did have something once you wanted, they promptly got rid of it.

Wrote this earlier:

Normally, the fate of gear companies really doesn't concern me. But, being up the road from me quite literally, I took a little more interest. Plus that fact that it is a beautiful fall Sunday and I have to work. ;)

We'll see what happens. GoLite's main problem, IMO, is that they did know what they wanted to be. Half-way between cottage gear and REI gear? Eddie Bauer "life-style" type fashions?

They are a fairly small company. They have to concentrate on one market and do it well. Not several markets with gear/clothing that does not stand out. I have some of their lifestyle clothing (Button downs, short sleeves and so on) and while it is nice, I only bought it because it was on clearance. A button down gray oxford ain't too hard to find. ;)

Likewise, with their Tumalo and Bitterroot. On sale and clearance, they were excellent buys. At their current full price of $80 and $200 respectively, there are other options that may be better. If they can rediscover their original idea of "champagne gear at beer prices", (as opposed to "good white wine at expensive craft beer prices" :) ) with some good innovations, they may regain their footing.

This might explain why I haven't heard from GoLite warranty support after 6 days.

A number of years ago I purchased two different GoLite backpacks within a short period of time. Then GoLite contacted me to ask if I wanted to be a new product tester for ultralightweight gear. I didn't see enough advantage, so I declined.

–B.G.–

"Wrote this earlier:

Normally, the fate of gear companies really doesn't concern me. But, being up the road from me quite literally, I took a little more interest. Plus that fact that it is a beautiful fall Sunday and I have to work. ;)

We'll see what happens. GoLite's main problem, IMO, is that they did know what they wanted to be. Half-way between cottage gear and REI gear? Eddie Bauer "life-style" type fashions?

They are a fairly small company. They have to concentrate on one market and do it well. Not several markets with gear/clothing that does not stand out. I have some of their lifestyle clothing (Button downs, short sleeves and so on) and while it is nice, I only bought it because it was on clearance. A button down gray oxford ain't too hard to find. ;)

Likewise, with their Tumalo and Bitterroot. On sale and clearance, they were excellent buys. At their current full price of $80 and $200 respectively, there are other options that may be better. If they can rediscover their original idea of "champagne gear at beer prices", (as opposed to "good white wine at expensive craft beer prices" :) ) with some good innovations, they may regain their footing."

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Agree. In the beginning they had little competition in the UL market. Then things changed. No one is going to get rich in the UL niche and there is serious competition for the mainstream market. I visited the GoLite store out here a couple of times — nothing I would really want, even if it were free.

That said, I hate to see them doing poorly. They've done a lot of good for the outdoor industry, even if they are being copied and squeezed out by mainstream manufacturers–like Osprey, for example, who can make a full-suspension, trampoline mesh pack for the same weight as a frameless Jam.

Just a note: Osprey Exos 58 is still 200-300 grams heavier than a Jam 50, even if you leave the top lid out.

Golite lost its way and lost it focus a long time ago. This Ch.11 will only delay the inevitable, moving deck chairs around. Golite cannot hope to refocus on UL gear, that market has moved on. Nor do I suspect a trustee or creditors would find embracing a niche market promising. I don't expect they can overcome their supply chain issues for their UL products in a Ch.11 either. It will likely make those problems worse. Hemingway once wrote, I think in 'A Farewell to Arms', "I went bankrupt slowly, then all at once."
I will load up my old school Breeze and Gust packs, turn East to face Boulder, bow my head and shoulder them in silent remembrance of the hope and promise long buried in a procession of crappy shoes, gear and cloths no one wanted to buy.

WEll, really does look like RIP:
http://www.snewsnet.com/news/timberland-terminates-golite-trademark-golite-moves-to-liquidate-unless-competing-bid-arises/

No buyers are biting. Liquidation has started.

So it goes.

As is most things..All comes down to money! Someone got greedy and didn't pay attention. So it goes…

Oh that is too bad. I really like my GoLite Ultra 20. Now I can't recommend it to anyone.

Paul's link has interesting detail. The name is owned by Timberland, who reserves the right to either use it or license it out to an interested party.

I bought a Jam 70 a few months ago and really like it after just one trip totaling 20 miles. Once GoLite is liquidated another company could easily purchase their IP and continue to produce existing designs or even capitalize on what's left of the name recognition and update them.

I don't think it would make much difference since the packs haven't changed (at all?) since the 2012 models were introduced and have been made overseas for years.

Still a nice, inexpensive, comfortable and light enough pack for the masses, myself included. I don't have any of their other gear, but some of it is still well thought of.

Interesting that you say that, Mathew.

http://www.eurekaeurope.com/c/nigor_backpacks-packs

Hah. I think its a little premature but apparently at least some of their creditors are making some of their money back. Don't need the lid, but not bad upgrades to a Jam 50 for the advertised weight. One of the factories is either more innovative than GoLite has been for years or they just started selling an unreleased design.

If I can pick up a couple of Jam's fire saled at 30 bucks a pop, I won't need a new pack for years to come.

I guess the upside is there might be some killer sales in the next couple months.