Boulder Outdoor Specialty Group grows design team, brings R&D in-house

Posted: 07/01/2009 In Category: Outdoor Manufacturer

Written By: Scott Kaier

BOULDER, COLO. (For Immediate Release)- The Boulder Outdoor Specialty Group (BOSG), a collection of six cornerstone outdoor industry brands, is strengthening a commitment to excellence and driving innovation by growing their design team and bringing all research and development in-house. 

With two new designers on staff, all six Boulder-based brands will benefit from a unified design perspective and the creative energies of a product development team able to share ideas and communicate more effectively throughout the design process. 

An in-house research and development department will allow the product design team to create, test, and alter samples quickly and efficiently, producing highly functional, innovative gear in a fraction of the time.

“We’re very excited for the opportunity to work with a dedicated design team, developing new and innovative products across all six brands here in Boulder,” said Kenny Ballard, president of the BOSG.  “Our brands have a strong heritage rooted in innovation and we’re certain that bringing more of the product creation process in-house will allow us to turn out innovative, more functional outdoor gear faster and more effectively.”

The Boulder Outdoor Specialty Group is currently in the process of hiring two industrial designers who will be charged with creating and refining a wide variety of outdoor gear including apparel, tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and hydration systems. This will bring the internal design team to a total of three designers, led by Design Manager Jason Belaire.  BOSG will continue to utilize a team of talented outside designers to augment the efforts of their in-house design staff.

A new product manager will also come on board to manage BOSG’s equipment lines.  Gail Ross, current backpack and KIDS product manager, will move over to Sierra Designs where she will take the reigns as product manager for apparel. Gail will leverage her 20+ years of apparel product development experience to ensure that the Sierra Designs apparel represents best in class innovation, quality and value.

A team of sponsored athletes currently working with Sierra Designs will assist with the R&D aspect of product development, testing gear and providing feedback from such far-flung and extreme environments as Mount Everest, the Alps, and the North Pole.

The BOSG will dedicate space in their Boulder offices to the purpose of sample creation and pattern development.  A team of talented gear and apparel fabricators will be on hand to create samples and assist with the research and development process.

The Boulder Outdoor Specialty Group is a collection of six of the best-known and best-loved brands in the outdoor industry, offering a wide variety of gear to compliment any outdoor pursuit.   The Boulder Group’s brand family includes Kelty, Kelty KIDS, Sierra Designs, Slumberjack, Wenger, and Ultimate Direction.  Drawing upon decades of experience and a love of the outdoors, the Boulder Group develops, tests, and produces some of the finest camping, backpacking, and outdoor equipment and apparel available.   For more information, please contact Scott Kaier at scottk@madriver.com, 802-583-6070.                      ###

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