Innovation in the Outdoors
On a more personal note, I want to share my experience with creating and designing new products for outdoor recreation, and how I attempt to break the cycle of common products.
I have been 3D printing small items I found online for quite some time before I began producing outdoor gear. Before I decided to launch my Etsy shop, I knew needed to have a small collection of unique products available from the get-go. I started to fill a small notebook with ideas, even the ones I thought were lame because I didn't know where inspiration for something really good would come from. For the last several years, many homegrown brands sold backpacks, stuff sacks, bags, and other textile-based goods, which was something I strived to stay away from as the market was already saturated with these items. My development and design process boiled down to a set of three rules:
If I can, avoid textiles.
Try to improve on existing products by making them lighter, more sustainable, or more affordable.
Make multipurpose products. More bang for your buck!
Nearly every outdoor gear manufacturer has a pack, bag, jacket, or some other piece of kit that I knew wouldn't be able to produce better or in a more unique manner, which formed Rule 1. In my time in outdoor retail, I came across many items that received negative feedback, were produced with non-sustainable materials, or cost way more than they needed to be; thus Rule 2. And Rule 3 was obvious, nobody wants to spend money on something that serves a single purpose unless it is groundbreaking. A great example is the Driver, which is by far the most popular item on my Etsy store.
Made with PLA, a common plastic that is easy to work with.
Lighter and smaller than a tent stake hammer, made with plant-based plastic, and costs less than a single carabiner.
Fits the most common cathole spade AND over a dozen ultralight tent stakes.
With the near-constant stream of new and exotic materials available for 3D printing, the possibilities for new outdoor products grow each day, either with better material properties, more affordable printing mediums, or more sustainable materials to help lessen our impact on our natural spaces.
