Ultralight Outdoor Gear

What Ultralight Outdoor Gear does

Ultralight Outdoor Gear is a UK-based, direct-to-consumer specialty retailer of lightweight outdoor equipment and apparel, founded in 2006 by Mark Richardson and operated from a single showroom at Wynyard, Billingham (TS22 5FE). The business sells through its own BigCommerce storefront at ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk, carrying curated inventory across more than 20 product categories (tents and shelters, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, rucksacks, stoves, camp kitchen, water treatment, hydration, first aid, food, trekking essentials, lighting, eyewear, hardware, tech and power, bikepacking, men's and women's apparel, travel gear, and accessories) sourced from brands including Rab, Montane, Patagonia, Mountain Equipment, Sea to Summit, Big Agnes, Montbell, Outdoor Research, Exped, and Fjallraven, alongside its own 'Gram-counter Gear' accessories line. A sister site, BasecampGear, operates as an additional retail channel, and UK customers can collect orders or seek in-person advice at the Billingham showroom.

The company generates revenue through one-time retail product sales with no subscription or licensing model, supported by free UK tracked delivery on orders over £15, a multi-tier international shipping offering, and Klarna-based flexible payments. Pricing is set at standard retail levels with no disclosed enterprise contracts, and customer concentration is a long tail of individual hikers, backpackers, fastpackers, bikepackers, and UK hill walkers. International reach is provided via Royal Mail Standard International shipping across 14+ currencies (GBP, EUR, USD, AUD, JPY, SGD, CAD, NZD, SEK, DKK, PLN, CZK) with a free worldwide delivery threshold on orders over £15, though some brand-territorial and product-shipping restrictions apply. The company's 2024 TGO Reader's Awards 'Online Retailer of the Year' recognition and 20-year operating history anchor its positioning as the UK's leading lightweight outdoor gear specialist, while founder Mark Richardson operates in a semi-retired capacity.

Name

Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Legal name

Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Website

https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ultralight Outdoor Gear is a UK-based online specialty retailer of lightweight outdoor equipment and apparel, serving backpackers, hikers, fastpackers, and bikepackers through a BigCommerce storefront, a Billingham showroom, and a sister site, BasecampGear.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Equipment Retail

NAICS

Shoe Retailers (45821), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Shoe Stores (5661)

akta.pro primary industry

Camping, Hiking & Climbing Specialty Retail (CRAMABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor Clothing & Footwear Retail (Camping/Hiking/Climbing) (CRAMAMAK), Navigation, Lighting & Outdoor Electronics Retail (CRAMAMAF), Outdoor Travel Gear (Duffels, Packs, Dry Bags) Retail (CRAMAAAI)

Keywords

• Outdoor gear retail
• Ultralight equipment
• Hiking apparel
• Camping supplies
• Outdoor clothing

Headquarters

HQ city

Billingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Direct retail sales of ultralight outdoor equipment and apparel through their e-commerce platform and physical showroom. Revenue is generated through one-time product transactions with various brands including Rab, Montane, Patagonia, Mountain Equipment, Sea to Summit, Big Agnes, Montbell, Outdoor Research, Exped, and Fjallraven.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ultralight Outdoor Gear is a UK-based retailer specializing in lightweight outdoor equipment and apparel. The company sells both third-party brands (including Rab, Montane, and Patagonia) and its own brand, Gram-counter Gear, through an e-commerce website and a physical showroom in Billingham, UK.

Product overview

Ultralight Outdoor Gear is a UK-based online retailer specializing in lightweight outdoor equipment and apparel. The company operates as an e-commerce platform offering a comprehensive range of ultralight outdoor gear across multiple product categories including Tents & Shelters (218 products), Sleeping Bags (274 products), Sleeping Mats (191 products), Rucksacks (331 products), Stoves (90 products), Camp Kitchen (379 products), Water Treatment (92 products), Hydration (153 products), First Aid & Emergency (102 products), Food (319 products), Trekking Essentials (470 products), Lighting (97 products), Eyewear (75 products), Hardware (63 products), Tech & Power (39 products), Accessories (89 products), and Bikepacking (74 products). The company also offers extensive Mens and Womens apparel lines and Travel gear. Product offerings span across major brands including Rab, Montane, Patagonia, Mountain Equipment, Sea to Summit, Big Agnes, Montbell, Outdoor Research, Exped, Fjallraven, and the company's own Gram-counter Gear brand. The company operates a physical showroom in Billingham, UK, and provides free UK delivery on orders over £15.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gram-counter Gear: Own-brand lightweight gear accessories including tent pegs, guy lines, grip clips, and nylon paracord.
• UOG Anniversary Neck Tube

Products and services

• Ultralight Outdoor Gear Online Store Direct-to-consumer e-commerce retail offering of ultralight outdoor equipment and apparel, including curated third-party brands (Rab, Montane, Patagonia) and the company's own Gram-counter Gear line, targeting individual hikers, backpackers, and campers.
• Ultralight Outdoor Gear Showroom (Billingham) Physical retail showroom in Billingham, UK, giving customers the ability to browse, inspect, and purchase ultralight outdoor gear in person, complementing the online store.
• Gram-counter Gear Own-brand product line of ultralight outdoor gear sold by Ultralight Outdoor Gear, offering the company's own design alternative to third-party brands such as Rab, Montane, and Patagonia.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20 years in business helping hikers reduce pack weight

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BasecampGearminorOthersSister company/website operating as an additional retail channel for outdoor gear. Customers have ordered from both websites with excellent service reported.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• BasecampGear: Sister outdoor gear retail site operated alongside Ultralight Outdoor Gear — closely related channel selling comparable gear to similar customers.

Direct peers

• SportsShoes.com: UK online footwear and outdoor retailer with broad running, hiking, and trail assortment — overlaps with UOG's footwear and apparel categories for outdoor-focused customers.
• Cotswold Outdoor: UK-based outdoor gear and apparel retailer selling premium brands alongside expert advice — directly competing with Ultralight Outdoor Gear for UK hiking and camping customers.
• Ellis Brigham: UK specialist outdoor retailer focused on mountaineering, climbing, and hiking gear from premium brands (Rab, Mountain Equipment, Arc'teryx) — directly comparable assortment and target customer.
• Blacks Outdoor: UK outdoor retailer carrying hiking, camping, and ultralight gear across major brands — directly overlaps UOG's assortment and serves the same domestic customer base.
• Snow+Rock: UK outdoor and ski retailer stocking premium hiking and camping equipment (Rab, Mountain Equipment, Hilleberg) — competing specialist positioning around expert service and brand depth.
• GO Outdoors: Largest UK outdoor retailer with broad outdoor gear assortment including ultralight products — competes for the same UK hill-walking and camping customer base, with deeper scale and broader price range.
• Trekitt: UK online outdoor retailer specializing in curated hiking, climbing, and camping brands — closely comparable specialist online model with similar brand mix and target customer.

Emerging players

• Backcountry: US-based outdoor retailer specializing in technical hiking, camping, and ultralight gear from premium brands — comparable curation model with similar specialist audience in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Decathlon: Global mass-market sporting goods retailer with its own branded ultralight gear (Quechua, Forclaz) at lower price points — broader incumbent competing on price and accessibility rather than curation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uog_tweets
• Facebookfacebook.com/ultralightoutdoorgear
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ultralight-outdoor-gear

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ultralight Outdoor Gear