Bridging the Gap: The Birth of A New Category In Winter Traction

In 1993, Kahtoola founder Danny Giovale survived a 600-foot fall down an icy gulley in the Italian Dolomites. He realized there was a critical gap in winter traction, and he set out to create a solution. A few years later, the KTS crampon was born: a light, packable crampon that allowed hikers and mountaineers to move safely and confidently over icy terrain using regular flexible footwear instead of heavy mountaineering boots.

Today, that same spirit of innovation continues to drive Kahtoola forward. From the first prototype to a full line of traction and gaiters, our goal remains the same: helping people get directly where they want to go.

Learn more: kahtoola.com/about/who-we-are/our-story/