Investors who fund the first $125,000 of this fundraise will receive 100% of their principal and an additional 200% on top.
Ridgemont supporter t-shirt
The above, plus a free pair of shoes!
When we couldn’t find the perfect adventure footwear for people like us, we set out to design it ourselves. Ridgemont is all about form and function. It’s great quality, good looking footwear that performs when you’re walking the dog or conquering the trail—but also feels comfortable enough to wear at work or out for dinner. We combine the best materials and construction techniques but with a modern aesthetic. Our mission is to move the outdoor footwear market forward to the 21st century.
Ridgemont appeals to all – the traditional outdoorsman – the casual trail hiker – the fashion conscious individual. Our ambition is to continue to offer stylish footwear that incorporates the latest technical innovations. By selling direct to consumers we have had the flexibility to introduce new styles and designs frequently and respond to feedback and stay ahead of the curve. As we grow we will make our products more widely available through national retailers to fuel continued growth.
We’re aimed at the casual hiker and traveler who is looking for a product that’s a bit more aesthetic than your standard outdoor footwear. Soon we’ll also be an apparel and luggage brand!
We doubled sales in our second year and are on track to double again this year. Our focus is to ramp up our direct-to-customer channels and create a loyal customer base.
75%
Direct-to-Consumer
Gross Margins
$342,660
Sales revenue
Fiscal Yr 2016
4/100
Website visitors
convert to buy
*These revenue projections are based on web sales growth over the previous years plus one planned collaboration Kickstarter project per quarter. Additionally, the increased marketing budget from the Wefunder, spent digitally and traditionally, will generate more web traffic and increased conversions.
“The time that I get on the water is my release. Fishing is freedom to me. “
– Justin Reynolds, Professional Angler and Skateboarder and Ridgemont Delegate
“Ridgemont is shoes for your entire life. Shoes to take you from the trail, to breakfast in the morning, to work, to dinner at night.
This is a really good middle ground between full blown hiking and a floppy skate shoe. “
– Stacy Lowry, Founder
“What’s important here is that you get a stylish boot that is built to be taken off the track but still looks good enough to be worn any time of day. You can easily pair these with some jeans or some khakis. “
– Isaac Tud, Footwear Critic
We’ve spent years designing and perfecting our shoes. We use the same leather tanneries as Timberland and Wolverine and combine that high quality grain leather with bullet proof construction to ensure your feet are protected in any situation.
Where most vulcanized shoes use a Texon lasting board, Ridgemont uses a custom composite lasting board to provide variable flex characteristics along the length of the shoe. We wanted a shoe that would be very flexible at the ball of the foot (since that’s pretty important for walking!) but more rigid from the arch to the heel so the shoe is more rugged over uneven terrain. This is also one of the main reasons our shoes are super comfortable right out of the box.
All Ridgemont shoes are stitched together with non-wicking thread in order to prevent the cotton from pulling moisture through the upper into the lining. As the natural fibre thread gets moist it expands slightly to ‘block’ the stitch hole and seal the moisture out. Clever huh?
We use only the best full grain cow leather from European hides dyed in tanneries that are gold rated for their environmentally responsible processes. We treat our leather with various oils and waxes to ensure that the leather itself is waterproof as verified by the shoe authorities at SATRA. Of course, we stitch our shoes together (poke holes in them) so we don’t claim our shoes are 100% waterproof, but they are more water resistant than most light hikers on the market.
We worked directly with Ortholite utilizing their patented Open Cell Foam Technology to develop an insole that would be extremely comfortable, yet not completely isolate you from your environment. Additionally, and we feel super importantly, we designed real arch support to help abate fatigue and keep your arches well formed and not flat as a board. The foam in our insoles is anti-microbial, non-absorbing, and it will never compress more than 5%.
Gusseted tongues are designed to keep dust and debris from getting into your shoe through the throat opening. We didn’t invent them, but we’re one of the few outdoor lifestyle brands that use them, and the next time you walk through a field without getting a briar, thorn or annoying little stone in your shoe, you’ll be glad we do.
Vulcanization is a process of chemically bonding materials together using high heat. If done right, this creates very strong bonds and allows for a unique “board feel”. We tap in to these characteristics and improve upon them for use in the outdoors with a harder 70 A rubber along with 3mm thick foxing to improve lateral and torsional stiffness. We believe that feeling the earth beneath your feet is a benefit, and something that has been all but eliminated from most hiking boots.
We worked hard to find the ideal outsole thickness which allows us maintain our connection to the terrain, while still providing protection from rocks, or the dreaded Lego block your kid left on the wood floors! In addition to paying close attention to our outsoles thickness, we were very mindful of providing as much grip as possible in a variety of terrains. The softness of the rubber (70 asker) combined with the thickness and slightly lugged tread pattern provides comfort and grip.
There’s something about canvas shoes that we just love. Maybe it’s the texture or the way they feel. What it isn’t is their ability to stand up to the elements. We want our canvas shoes to perform better, so we take our raw material and impregnate it with a 14% dry wax layer. This gives a natural canvas look but creates a water resistant barrier to prevent moisture coming through the fabric. Finally we add a water repellent coating for a final top moisture barrier.
Projections are dependent on variables outside of our control and may not materialize as displayed.
Brand conception and market research
Sourcing of materials and vendors in Asia
Production Line Established
Appointment of Asian production agent. Development of first vulcanized styles, Outback, Mesa & Crest. Commissioning of bespoke tooling and moulds.
Press Launch
Presentation of first collection at Agenda Long Beach & Vegas shows.
First Wholesale Orders
First production orders placed with factories. Sourcing and implementation of cloud based accounting, inventory, order processing, logistic and e-commerce systems.
First Deliveries & E-commerce Launch
Delivery of first production to US & UK warehouses and to retailers. E-commerce sites go live. Development of new retro inspired styles, Monty Hi & Lo.
First Year Sales $120,000
Press launch of Monty Hi & Lo to great acclaim.
Second year sales increase 50% to $180k
Development and testing of Iron and Resin collaboration boot
Nearly 100% Growth
Third year sales increase nearly 100% to $342k
Development of USA made luggage line and new footwear style Ridge Runner
International Expansion
We already have a distribution center established in the UK. We plan to expand retail to Japan, Australia, New Zealand and more of Europe.
Invest in marketing initiatives online and at selected events to increase the profile of the brand and drive consumers to the e-commerce sites.
Explore niche retail unit opportunities.
Continued expansion of international e-commerce distribution and liaising with quality retailers domestically and internationally to develop a strong wholesale base.
November 18, 2016
I spent my youth battling against compromise. I followed my passions with the unshakable tenacity of a heat seeking missile. I participated in only hardcore activities, and I expected the things I spent my money on to furnish me with an uncompromising purity of design. All or nothing. Do or die.
That was then. I’m not old, in fact, I’m still quite young compared to many land tortoises and mountain ranges, but I’ve seen the world and experienced a lifetime of, uh, experiences. Not that much has changed, really. I still follow my passions with the heat soaking tenacity of an electric blanket, but I increasingly find myself searching for compromise. Compromise, in fact, was the inspiration for Ridgemont. The fact is, I don’t often forge rivers, but I do cross the occasional puddle. I don’t climb mountains, but I regularly climb hills. I’ve never hiked the Appalachian trail, but I hike the trail by my house all the time. I hike lots of trails, and not once has a mountain suddenly sprung up in front of me.
You see what I’m saying? I want some traction. I want some water resistance. I want some durability, but I don’t want to look like I’m about to summit Denali. I go places and have adventures and I need great quality gear that won’t let me down, but I’m not exploring Mars. I’ll surely never explore Mars, so I don’t need boots built to survive a Martian winter, and blend in with the Martian natives. I need to hike to the surf break, then go get a breakfast burrito. I need to walk my dog, then go to the office. I want to go on vacation to far flung places, but I’ve got to navigate an airport before I can get there, which definitely doesn’t require more spikes than a football boot. I wanted great looking, well made, simply styled shoes and clothes.
I couldn’t find it so I made it. I named it Ridgemont. And I’d love for you to join us on this adventure.
Sincerely,
Stacy Lowery
Stacy Lowery