The idea around simplicity and the sense of connectedness with the things we own is a huge part of Topo Designs. Being outdoors is a very spiritual thing, we really enjoy the quietness and calm that is ever present. We wanted to compliment that idea by creating things that worked very well but weren’t unnecessarily complicated or overshadowed by the latest technology so the outdoor experience was undisturbed and took center stage. We wanted to take off our bag or coat for a rest on the trail and feel like we were removing a little piece of who we were and not a piece of gadgetry that just didn’t meld into that natural environment.

A big part of that inherent connectedness also relies on how and where we make our products, we really value the fact that we can work here in Colorado. We are lucky enough to work with our friends and neighbors to make our products and every time we use them we carry a little piece of that community around with us. We like to compare the idea with the amazing new world of food here in the US, we’ve seen such a rise of interest and engagement within the organic and local food movement lately it is incredible. We can now go to just about any grocery store and buy local, organic, high quality food, or run to any number of farmers markets on the weekend and meet the people who are producing it.

So why should what we wear and what we carry be any different? We love the idea of being able to translate that movement to the outdoor world with high quality gear and clothing that is produced locally by our neighbors. People can stop by our shop, meet us in person, and hopefully feel a little sense of a bigger community every time they use one of our products.