Hilltop Packs Creator | Ben McMillen on Beyond the Trailhead Podcast Ep. 21

In this episode of Beyond the Trailhead, I sit down with Ben McMillen, founder of Hilltop Packs, one of the most recognizable custom gear companies in the ultralight backpacking world.Hilltop Packs is known for their one-of-a-kind custom printed food bags, stuff sacks, backpacks, and ultralight gear that hikers proudly carry on trails across the world.But the story behind the company is just as fascinating as the gear itself.Ben shares how a photography studio, a print shop, and a simple idea to customize backpacking gear turned into a thriving outdoor brand.We dive into the early days of Hilltop Packs, the explosive growth during COVID, and the huge risk Ben took when a Dyneema shortage threatened the entire company.🏔️ In this episode we cover🥾 How Hilltop Packs started in a basement🎨 The origin of custom printed backpacking gear📈 How COVID unexpectedly launched the brand forward🧵 The challenge of sewing and producing one-off custom gear📦 Why Hilltop focuses on small customizable items⚠️ The massive risk Ben took buying nearly $100k of Dyneema🧠 Lessons from running multiple businesses at once🌲 The mindset required to grow an outdoor brandIf you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build a gear company from scratch or why so many hikers carry Hilltop gear — this episode is packed with insight.🌄 Connect with Hilltop PacksWebsitehttps://hilltoppacks.comInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/hilltoppacksYouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@hilltoppacks🎧 Listen to Beyond the Trailhead▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@Beyondthetrailhead🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-trailhead/id1860050826🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/11g9jx9Oyd2YSHipi0mmDy?si=72d97f11c5f64ea6📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/beyondthetrailheadpodcast🌐 Website: https://obristimagery.comFor those asking about safety gear we use outdoors — you can get 15% off Overwatch x Rescue with code BEYOND15.