A Near Death Experience Leads to 25 Years of Outdoor Innovation and Philanthropy at Kahtoola

December 3, 2024

Celebrating the positive potential of people and being a force for good since 1999

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Dec. 3, 2024) /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – Kahtoola, the market leader in flexible footwear traction and manufacturer of other products designed to make the outdoors more accessible to everyone, celebrates its 25th anniversary with a continued commitment to sustainable growth, product innovation and giving. Kahtoola means “directly” in Tibetan and was founded in 1999 by avid climber Danny Giovale on a simple idea: celebrate the positive potential of people and empower them to go directly where they want to go.

After a near fatal climbing fall in the icy Italian Dolomites, Giovale developed the Kahtoola Traction System (now the KTS Crampon) in his family’s small backyard workshop determined to improve safety for alpine approaches. The KTS invention pioneered the world’s first-ever flexible traction system and a new product category was born in the outdoor industry. Fast forward a few years and Kahtoola’s flagship product, MICROspikes® footwear traction, has become a household staple enabling hikers, explorers and trail runners to safely and efficiently navigate snowy, icy trails with ease.

Over the past two and a half decades, Kahtoola’s product line has expanded to include a full line-up of gaiters for year-round hiking and multisport adventures, and additional traction devices built for navigating slick city sidewalks, icy roads and snowy local trails. Each flexible footwear traction system is designed to easily slip over shoes and boots to keep winter runners, dog walkers, hikers, professional athletes and grandparents upright in icy conditions while avoiding injury or a costly trip to the emergency room.

“Kahtoola was born from the desire to make people vitally more capable in the outdoors through product innovations and to create a company that is not only a responsible Global entity, but truly makes the world better overall,” notes Danny Giovale, founder and owner of Kahtoola. “Our Product + Purpose mindset is fundamental to Kahtoola. Without both elements at play, I would not have started the company. I was personally deeply motivated to help save lives by filling this critical safety gap in the traction market, but only wanted to start a company if I could truly make it a force for good.”

Since its inception, Kahtoola’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility has provided a grounding energy and deeper purpose for the brand. Each year, Kahtoola contributes 1% of its annual revenue to non-profits focused on protecting the natural world, supporting indigenous cultures and building community.

In celebration of Kahtoola’s anniversary, an inspirational documentary “Designed by Disaster” is screening at film festivals worldwide including Banff Mountain Film Festival and Kendall Mountain Film Festival with an online release planned for spring 2025. The film follows Giovale back to the scene of the climbing accident that compelled him to address a critical safety gap in mountain travel.

For more information on Kahtoola’s story, products, retail partners and philanthropic endeavors please visit www.kahtoola.com.

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About Kahtoola:

Established in 1999, Kahtoola crafts exceptional outdoor gear with a commitment to philanthropy, conservation, and sustainability. Kahtoola’s gaiters, hiking crampons and traction systems, including MICROspikes® footwear traction, are built to elevate human potential in the outdoors. Every product is thoughtfully designed and vigorously tested at the brand’s Flagstaff, Ariz. headquarters high on the Colorado Plateau. Owned and operated by founder Danny Giovale, Kahtoola proudly grants 1% of annual sales through the Kahtoola Philanthropy Program to organizations that support indigenous cultures, outdoor community and environmental responsibility. For more information, please visit Kahtoola.com.

Media Contact:

Catherine Donovan
Terra PR
323-708-6953
CatherineD@terrapublicrelations.com

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