Backcountry Returns to Its Roots: Retailer Launches "Backcountry Garage" and Acquires Coalatree

Thirty years after its founders began selling avalanche beacons out of a literal garage, Backcountry is officially returning to its entrepreneurial roots. The outdoor retail giant announced this week the launch of Backcountry Garage, a new brand incubator and innovation engine designed to scale the next generation of outdoor startups.

To kick off the initiative, Backcountry has completed the acquisition of Coalatree, the Utah-based apparel brand known for its deep commitment to eco-friendly materials and community-driven design.

A Platform for the "Tinkerers"

Backcountry Garage is being positioned as more than just a venture arm; it is an "innovation engine" intended to provide emerging brands with the resources, distribution, and technical expertise they need to break through a crowded market.

“At Backcountry, we believe constant innovation is the most powerful way to improve our customers’ experience outside,” said Kevin Lenau, President of Backcountry. “Backcountry Garage is how we keep pushing when much of the industry is waiting—partnering with builders and founders who are rethinking how great gear should perform.”

JM Fabrizi to Lead the Charge

As part of the acquisition, Coalatree President JM Fabrizi will transition into a new leadership role as the Director of Backcountry Garage. From this post, Fabrizi will oversee the next stage of Coalatree’s growth while identifying new brand partners that align with Backcountry’s values of sustainability and performance.

The partnership allows Coalatree to maintain its unique identity. The brand will continue to operate its own direct-to-consumer website, preserving its distinct community voice, but its "fan-favorite" products—such as the Trailhead Pants and the versatile 3-in-1 Kachula blankets—will now be featured prominently on Backcountry.com.

“The Coalatree community has helped shape every product we make,” Fabrizi said. “Partnering with Backcountry means we can stay close to that community while bringing new ideas to life that were simply too big for us to tackle alone.”

Coalatree: Sustainability by Design

Founded in 2010, Coalatree has built a loyal following through its "mountain-to-city" aesthetic and radical approach to materials. The brand is famous for incorporating repurposed coffee grounds and recycled plastic bottles into its fabrics, creating gear that "treads lightly on the planet."

The acquisition marks another significant expansion for Backcountry, which has been on a strategic growth tear. Following its 2025 acquisitions of Level Nine Sports and BikeTiresDirect, the launch of the Garage incubator signals that the retailer is no longer content just selling other brands—it wants to help build them.

Seeking New Partners

Backcountry confirmed that the Garage is currently in its early development phase and is actively seeking other brand partners. Founders who align with the retailer’s high product standards are being invited to submit their brands for consideration as Backcountry looks to fill its "garage" with the outdoor industry’s next big ideas