Utah Whitewater Gear

What Utah Whitewater Gear does

Utah Whitewater Gear is a privately held, founder-owned specialty outdoor retailer founded in 2011 by brothers Anthony and Clinton Monson and headquartered in Midvale, Utah. The company was started after the founders struggled to source gear locally for a Dolores River trip, and it remains focused on whitewater and river-based paddlesports. Its offering spans rafts, catarafts, whitewater and inflatable kayaks, packrafts, fishing kayaks and boats, stand-up paddleboards, trailers, frames, oars, paddles, PFDs, helmets, safety and rescue equipment, camping gear, apparel, footwear, and outdoor electronics. Products are sourced from a broad set of brand manufacturers including AIRE, NRS, Hyside, SOTAR, Star, Maravia, Jackson Kayaks, Dagger, Pyranha, Liquidlogic, Alpacka, Kokopelli, Werner, Sawyer, Cataract, and others, positioning the firm as a multi-brand specialty dealer rather than a manufacturer of proprietary products.

The business operates four revenue streams: one-time retail product sales (via e-commerce and a brick-and-mortar store at 7307 S. State St., Midvale, UT), usage-based equipment rental, professional repair services covering Hypalon, PVC/urethane, valves, drysuits, SUPs, kayaks, and packrafts, and digital gift cards. Pricing is unit-based across an SKU catalog that ranges from accessories under $50 to rafts above $7,000; rental and repair pricing is determined per engagement. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer across both digital (Lightspeed-powered online storefront, SEO, blog, email newsletter, Instagram) and physical (retail store plus demo days, Jackson Fun Tour, river permit parties) channels. The primary customer base is whitewater sports enthusiasts in the Utah/Intermountain West region, with a secondary segment of commercial outfitters and guides seeking fleet equipment and ongoing repair support. The company is bootstrapped, with no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, or external institutional ownership identified in the available data.

Name

Utah Whitewater Gear

Legal name

Utah Whitewater Gear

Website

https://utahwhitewatergear.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Utah Whitewater Gear is a Midvale, Utah-based specialty outdoor retailer founded in 2011 selling rafts, kayaks, packrafts, fishing boats, SUPs, safety gear, apparel, and accessories via e-commerce and a physical store, with repair and rental services for whitewater enthusiasts and commercial outfitters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Paddlesports Retail

NAICS

Boat Dealers (441222), Recreational Goods Rental (532284)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Paddle Sports Retail (Kayak, Canoe, SUP, Paddles) (CRAMAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Parts, Accessories & Maintenance Supplies Retail (CRAMAIAB), Water Sports Equipment Retail (Wake, Ski, Tow, Tubes) (CRAMAIAC), Marine Trailer & Transport Equipment Retail (CRAMAIAL), Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)

Keywords

• Whitewater paddlesports
• Outdoor gear retail
• Raft and kayak sales
• Paddling equipment
• River sports apparel

Headquarters

HQ city

Midvale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Retail sales of whitewater rafting, kayaking, packrafting, fishing, and camping equipment through both online store and physical retail location. Products include boats, frames, oars, paddles, safety gear, apparel, and accessories from multiple brand manufacturers.
2. Equipment Rental: Rental services for equipment including packraft cargo fly rentals and general outdoor equipment rentals.
3. Repair Services: Professional repair services for boats, kayaks, rafts, packrafts, and drysuits including Hypalon repair, PVC/urethane repair, valve replacement, and drysuit repair.
4. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards available for purchase, with instant email delivery to recipients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Utah Whitewater Gear is a specialty outdoor retailer selling whitewater rafts, catarafts, kayaks, inflatable kayaks, packrafts, fishing boats, SUPs, frames, oars, paddles, safety/rescue gear, PFDs, apparel, camping equipment, and electronics from top brands such as AIRE, NRS, Hyside, Jackson Kayaks, and Alpacka. The company also offers professional repair services for Hypalon/PVC/urethane boats, drysuits, and valves, as well as equipment rental and digital gift cards, operating through both an e-commerce store and a physical retail showroom in Midvale, Utah.

Product overview

Utah Whitewater Gear is a specialty outdoor retail e-commerce store offering a comprehensive portfolio of whitewater paddlesports equipment. The product lineup centers on rafts and catarafts from multiple brands (AIRE, NRS, Hyside, SOTAR, Star, Maravia, Rocky Mountain Rafts), whitewater kayaks (Jackson, Dagger, Pyranha, Liquidlogic), inflatable kayaks, packrafts (Alpacka, Kokopelli), fishing kayaks, SUPs, and SUP equipment. The company also offers a full range of paddling accessories including frames, oars, paddles, PFDs, helmets, safety/rescue equipment, camping gear, apparel, and electronics (GoPro, GPS, satellite communicators). Services include professional repair for Hypalon, PVC, and urethane boats, equipment rental programs, and gift cards. The business operates as a traditional e-commerce retail platform rather than a technology or software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rafts
• Catarafts
• Whitewater Kayaks
• Inflatable Kayaks
• Packrafts
• Fishing Gear
• SUP (Stand-Up Paddleboards)
• Safety and Rescue Equipment
• Raft Frames and Oars
• Camping Equipment
• Apparel and Footwear
• Repair Services
• Equipment Rental
• Gift Cards

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AIRE: Inflatable raft, cataraft, and kayak manufacturer selling direct to consumers. Comparable as a premium whitewater boat brand carried by Utah Whitewater Gear and a competing direct channel for high-end rafts and catarafts.
• Jackson Kayak: Whitewater and fishing kayak manufacturer selling direct. Comparable as a flagship whitewater kayak brand carried by Utah Whitewater Gear and a competing direct-to-consumer channel for the same product categories.
• NRS (Northwest River Supplies): Major manufacturer and direct-to-consumer retailer of paddlesports gear (rafts, PFDs, apparel). Comparable as both a key supplier brand carried by Utah Whitewater Gear and a competing direct channel for many of the same product categories.
• REI: Cooperative outdoor retailer with extensive e-commerce and physical footprint selling kayaks, paddles, PFDs, and apparel. Comparable as the dominant broad-line outdoor retailer competing on assortment and pricing.
• Moosejaw: Outdoor and active lifestyle retailer (acquired by Walmart) selling apparel, equipment, and gear online. Comparable as a broad-line online outdoor retailer competing on assortment, pricing, and fulfillment speed.
• Backcountry: Large online outdoor specialty retailer offering apparel, equipment, and gear across many outdoor activities including paddlesports. Comparable as a broad-line online competitor carrying many of the same brands.

Direct peers

• Rutabaga Paddlesports: Long-standing specialty paddlesports retailer based in Madison, WI selling kayaks, canoes, SUPs, paddles, and paddlesports accessories. Directly comparable as a multi-category paddlesports specialty retailer with both retail and e-commerce channels.
• Confluence Kayak & Ski: Pacific Northwest specialty paddlesports retailer offering kayaks, skis, and accessories. Comparable as a regional specialty retailer focused on paddle and outdoor sports with deep category expertise.
• Outdoor Gear Exchange: Burlington, VT-based outdoor gear retailer specializing in new and used paddlesports, climbing, and backcountry gear. Comparable as a specialty outdoor retailer with strong used-gear and trade-in ecosystem serving enthusiasts.

Emerging players

• Alpacka Raft: Boutique packraft manufacturer selling direct-to-consumer. Comparable as a premium packraft brand carried by Utah Whitewater Gear and a competing direct channel within the rapidly emerging packrafting category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/utahwhitewatergear
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/utah-whitewater-gear

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Utah Whitewater Gear