Our Story
In 2014, two climbing partners named Casey and Drew were spending more time repairing gear than climbing. The harnesses available at the time were either too expensive for their budget or too flimsy for the routes they wanted to climb. So they started modifying what they had, and then they started building from scratch.
The first Ridgeline harness was sewn on a used industrial machine in Casey's garage. It was heavy, slightly lopsided, and held up better than anything they had used before. Friends started asking for one. Then friends of friends. Then a local gear shop in Boulder asked if they could stock a few.
That was the beginning. What followed was a slow, deliberate process of learning how to make things better without losing what made them different. Ridgeline has never been the cheapest option or the flashiest brand. We build gear that works reliably, lasts a long time, and does not get in the way of the climbing.
Today the company operates out of a 12,000-square-foot facility in Boulder, employs 28 people, and ships to climbers across the US and Canada. Casey still leads product development. Drew handles operations. And the original sewing machine is still in the building, though it mostly handles repairs these days.
Our Mission
We exist to make climbing gear that performs when it matters. That means every product goes through field testing on actual climbs before it reaches our warehouse. It means we do not cut corners on materials to hit a price point. And it means we stand behind everything we sell with a lifetime warranty on structural components.
Climbing is a sport where equipment failures have real consequences. We take that seriously. Every harness, every cam, every quickdraw that leaves our facility has been individually inspected and load-tested. That process is slower than what most companies do, and we are fine with that.
The Team
Casey Ridgeway
Co-Founder, Product
Drew Nakamura
Co-Founder, Operations
Maria Chen
Head of Design
Our team of 28 includes product designers, seamstresses, quality control technicians, and a small marketing group that would rather be climbing. Most of us live within an hour of the Flatirons, and it is not unusual for half the office to be empty on a Friday afternoon when conditions are good.