Quick Read By Gareth Henderson Correspondent
This spring, Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, Vermont, offered its first gear design and repair course.
The new class has the potential, say instructors and those in the industry, to not only help students be better prepared for surviving in the wild, but also expand both local gear manufacturing and an understanding of the design process overall.
Why We Wrote This
Sometimes knowledge has a ripple effect. The skills these college students are learning could help keep hiking gear out of the landfill and make outdoor activities more accessible.
“Everything – and I do mean everything – is designed and developed the same way: through a series of steps that visualize, confirm, and then create,” says Kurt Gray, who runs the design and product operation at Jagged Edge Mountain Gear in Telluride, Colorado. “The major benefit to the community,” he adds, “is teaching young people how to realize their dreams throu