Klymit is an American outdoor equipment brand headquartered in Kaysville, Utah. Established in 2007, the company is best known for its lightweight sleeping pads and camping comfort gear. [1] Its identity is built on redesigning conventional outdoor equipment through engineering, lightweight construction, and a philosophy the company terms “comfort innovation.” Products are designed for campers, backpackers, road-trippers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. [1]

The brand describes itself as having been “born in the backcountry of the Wasatch Mountains,” stating that its gear is designed and tested in the deserts and mountains of Utah. [1]

Foundation

Klymit was established in 2007 in Utah, emerging from the outdoor culture surrounding the Wasatch Mountains. From its inception, the company focused on addressing comfort in outdoor sleeping systems. Rather than simply reducing the weight of conventional camping equipment, Klymit sought to reconsider how outdoor gear was designed. The company emphasizes a collaborative approach involving engineers, outdoor enthusiasts, and product designers to create products that deliver measurable improvements in both comfort and performance. [2]

Growth through sleeping systems

Klymit became closely associated with inflatable sleeping pads featuring unconventional chamber and baffle arrangements. Its V-shaped chamber architecture, utilized in products such as the Static V family, became a defining characteristic of the brand.

The company subsequently expanded beyond sleeping pads into related outdoor comfort categories, including sleeping bags, camping pillows, blankets, tents, sheets, and other accessories. This strategy aimed to build an outdoor comfort ecosystem based on the premise that better sleep enhances outdoor experiences.

2021 Acquisition

In July 2021, MacNeill Pride Group (MPG) acquired Klymit. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. At the time of acquisition, Klymit was headquartered in Kaysville and was already established as a specialist in outdoor sleeping gear. [3] MacNeill Pride Group was actively building a portfolio of outdoor recreation brands, having also acquired companies such as GCI Outdoor and ORCA. [5] Following the acquisition, Klymit’s management team, including then-president and CEO Cory Tholl, remained with the company.

Transition into Gathr Outdoors

Klymit subsequently became part of Gathr Outdoors, an outdoor products group. This transition broadened the strategic scope of the brand. In 2023, Klymit announced that Rightline Gear, Cascadia Vehicle Tents (CVT), and WaterPORT were being integrated into its product portfolio. The stated objective was to increase investment in product development and quality while expanding beyond traditional backpacking and camping into sectors such as car camping, overlanding, hunting, and fishing. [4]

This marked a significant evolution in brand positioning; Klymit transitioned from being presented solely as a sleeping pad specialist to a broader outdoor comfort brand. Current privacy documentation identifies GATHR and its affiliates as including Klymit, Rightline Gear, GCI Outdoor, ORCA Coolers, WaterPORT, and Cascadia Vehicle Tents. [1]

Klymit’s product lineup centers on outdoor comfort and shelter.

Sleeping Pads

Sleeping pads remain Klymit’s signature product category. The brand offers several families of inflatable pads, including:

• Static V
• Static V Lite
• Static V Luxe
• Insulated Static V
• Insulated V Ultralite
• Double V
• Specialized variants

The company organizes its pads and other products into Base, Summit, and Peak series to distinguish different levels of comfort and performance. [1]

V-Chamber Concept

A key design approach is the V-shaped chamber and baffle construction. Instead of a conventional flat air mattress structure, these pads use strategically shaped air chambers intended to provide support while maintaining packability. This construction is one of the features most strongly associated with the Klymit identity.

Inertia Sleeping Pads

The Inertia family utilizes a distinct approach compared to traditional full-surface inflatable mattresses. The design employs strategically positioned air chambers and relies partly on the sleeping bag’s insulation loft to occupy spaces around the body. This concept aims to reduce material and air volume while providing cushioning at key pressure points, reflecting the philosophy of rethinking underlying construction rather than simply shrinking conventional gear.

Klymaloft

The Klymaloft concept combines air chambers with foam-like cushioning to provide a mattress-like sleeping experience. Representing the opposite end of the spectrum from ultralight backpacking products, this design prioritizes camping comfort over minimum weight.

Pillows

Klymit produces inflatable and travel-oriented camping pillows, including products in the Pillow X family. These align with the company’s philosophy of treating comfort as a central part of the outdoor experience rather than a luxury accessory. [1]

Sleeping Bags

The brand sells sleeping bags, including the Sojourn Stretch line, designed to complement its sleeping pads and provide a complete outdoor sleep system. [1]

Blankets

Blankets constitute a significant portion of the current portfolio. Examples include:

• Horizon
• Versa
• Homestead
• Specialized camping and travel blankets

These products are positioned for camping, road trips, and general outdoor use rather than exclusively for technical backpacking. [1]

Tents and Shelter

The portfolio includes camping tents such as the Maxfield series, representing an expansion of the original sleeping comfort focus toward the broader campsite environment. [1]

Klymit’s identity is tied to engineering-led product design. The company challenges conventional approaches to the conception and fabrication of outdoor goods, intending to combine lightweight construction, comfort, durability, ease of use, packability, practical engineering, and value. Products are designed and tested in the Wasatch Mountains and Utah’s desert environments, maintaining a connection to the brand’s founding location. [1]

A core tenet of Klymit is that outdoor equipment should facilitate experiences rather than become the experience itself. Brand messaging emphasizes spending time outdoors with friends and family, summarizing the philosophy that location matters less than the people one is with. [1]

Unlike highly technical mountaineering brands focused exclusively on extreme expeditions, Klymit addresses a broad spectrum of users ranging from backpacking and camping to road trips, car camping, overlanding, and general outdoor recreation. The website explicitly organizes products around Camping, Backpacking, and Roadtrip activities. [1]

Backpackers

For backpackers prioritizing weight, packed size, and efficiency, Klymit offers lightweight inflatable pads and compact sleep systems.

Campers

Casual campers who prioritize comfort over weight savings are served by larger sleeping pads, blankets, and pillows.

Car Campers

Recognizing that car camping allows for heavier equipment, Klymit offers products oriented toward increased comfort rather than extreme weight reduction.

Road Trippers

The brand has increasingly positioned itself around road-trip and vehicle-based outdoor experiences.

Overlanders

Following the integration of Rightline Gear, CVT, and WaterPORT, the broader Klymit/Gathr portfolio has gained relevance to overlanding and vehicle-based recreation. [4]

Sleeping-pad Specialization

Despite portfolio expansion, Klymit’s reputation was built primarily on sleeping pads, providing a recognizable specialty compared to companies originating in apparel or climbing equipment.

Unconventional Construction

The brand frequently employs unusual chamber structures and material combinations rather than replicating conventional camping mattress designs.

Comfort as a Core Value

While many outdoor brands emphasize performance or durability first, Klymit places considerable emphasis on sleeping comfort, explicitly connecting rest with a better outdoor experience. [1]

Utah Outdoor Heritage

Association with the Wasatch Mountains and Utah provides an authentic outdoor development environment.

Broadening Beyond Backpacking

The incorporation of additional brands and categories has facilitated a shift toward a broader outdoor lifestyle positioning. [4]

Klymit operates within the larger Gathr Outdoors ecosystem. The wider group has included brands such as Klymit, Rightline Gear, Cascadia Vehicle Tents, WaterPORT, GCI Outdoor, and ORCA. The 2023 restructuring specifically brought Rightline Gear, CVT, and WaterPORT into Klymit’s product portfolio to create a broader source for outdoor comfort products. [4] Consequently, Klymit functions as part of a larger outdoor products platform rather than solely as an independent entity.

The current website utilizes a tiered system to categorize products:

• Base Series: Positioned as dependable essentials.
• Summit Series: Positioned around elevated comfort.
• Peak Series: Positioned around premium performance.

This structure allows Klymit to address different user needs without requiring customers to understand technical specifications prior to selection. [1]

Klymit is a privately held outdoor equipment business. LinkedIn lists the company as headquartered in Kaysville, Utah, with a founding year of 2007. [2] The corporate entity associated with Klymit has also appeared under the name Argon Technologies, Inc., while GATHR documentation identifies Klymit among its affiliates. [1]

Brand messaging consistently revolves around outdoor comfort. Two primary expressions define this communication:

“Sleep Outside.”

“It doesn’t matter where you are, it matters who you’re with.”

The former captures the product heritage in sleeping systems, while the latter reflects the emotional positioning regarding social outdoor experiences. [1]

Klymit occupies a specific niche within the outdoor equipment market. It is distinct from apparel-focused companies like Patagonia or The North Face, backpack specialists like Osprey or Gregory, and expedition brands like Black Diamond. Its historical niche is outdoor sleeping and comfort technology. The brand was built on the question of how to make outdoor sleeping more comfortable without making equipment unnecessarily heavy or bulky.

1. About Us – Klymit
2. Klymit | LinkedIn
3. MacNeill Pride Groups completes acquisition of Klymit – Utah Business
4. KLYMIT WELCOMES RIGHTLINE GEAR, CASCADIA VEHICLE TENTS AND WATERPORT BRANDS TO ITS PRODUCT PORTFOLIO
5. Centre Partners Management LLC | July 16 2021