Before Off Trail Market was a website, it was a frustration my buddy Jerry and I kept running into on the side of a mountain.

The two of us set out to build an outdoor gear company. Gunnison Gear. The whole thing started the way a lot of good gear does: we were deep in the backcountry on elk and mule deer hunts, hit a problem, and figured we could build something better than what was out there. So we did. We started making products that solved real problems for us, the kind you only notice when you hoofing it up a steep climb.

Turns out, making good gear was the easy part.

We ran straight into a wall. How do you introduce a product into a crowded market when you have a tiny budget and almost no contacts? We beat our heads against that wall for a while before the obvious finally hit us. We were not the only ones. Other small and newer brands were fighting the exact same fight. I would bet nearly every new maker knows the feeling, you have built something you genuinely believe in, and then you are left standing there going, okay, now how the heck do I find someone to buy it?

That question is where Off Trail Market came from.

We decided to build the place we wished we'd had. A place where makers can find their initial footing, test their products in front of real people, and sell to an audience that actually wants what they are making. Folks who would rather not be boxed in by the big manufacturers and big box shelves. The people looking for something built by hand, with intention, by someone who uses it themselves.

We founded the business in February of 2025 and have spent the last 16 months getting it ready for the world. It has been a long haul, and I am genuinely excited that we are finally launching in July 2026. This is the first chapter, and we are writing it out loud, in public, with you.

Here is what I believe. With the support of this community, we can build an environment that plays a small but real role in launching the next great outdoor businesses. Jerry and I are the only two owners, which means there is no committee to wait on and no red tape to cut through. If something needs done to make this site more useful and more helpful, we can just do it.

So please, do not hesitate to reach out. If you hit an issue, have a concern, or have an idea for how we can make this place better, I want to hear it. We are building this thing for you, and the best version of it gets built with your help.

See you out there.

Matt

Matt@offtrailmarket.com
Off Trail Market