Custom Outdoor Gear for Canyoning and Swiftwater Rescue
We love partnering with fellow climbers and outdoor enthusiasts to create customized outdoor gear, help improve the gear they already have, or work together to design something new. Maybe they have a big objective that requires the use of something that’s not on the market. Yet.
That’s originally how and why we developed the Taco Portaledge and the Ice Hammock!
New Custom Outdoor Gear Collab for 2025: Canyoneering & Swiftwater Rescue Gear with Kraken Whitewater & How NOT 2
We're excited to be working on a new custom outdoor gear project with our friends Ryan Jenks of How NOT 2 and Brent Roth of Kraken Whitewater. Both fellow Washington-based adventurers, Ryan Jenks and Brent Roth have been partners in crime for a while now. Read the whole backstory on how they connected on the How NOT 2 website!
While the new custom outdoor gear pieces are still under development, we wanted to share more about Ryan and Brent, and why we love working with these passionate individuals.
Ryan Jenks of How NOT 2
Ryan Jenks is a climbing gear expert and educator, best known for his YouTube channel How NOT2, where he rigorously tests climbing and rigging equipment. Ryan transitioned from a background in painting to extreme sports after discovering climbing and slacklining in Yosemite. His channel has become a go-to resource for gear safety, featuring break tests of carabiners, ropes, bolts, and harnesses to determine their real-world limits.
Notable videos include his Big Wall Gear Guide and How NOT to Rope Swing, where he explores the physics behind climbing gear failures. He also created The Big Wall Bible, a comprehensive guide for big wall climbers.
With over 100,000 subscribers, Jenks continues to educate the climbing community by blending science, adventure, and safety testing in his content.
Brent Roth of Kraken Whitewater
Brent Roth is the founder of Kraken Whitewater, a technical training provider specializing in whitewater rafting, swiftwater rescue, and canyoning. Based in Bremerton, Washington, Roth retired from the U.S. Navy in 2014 after a 20-year career, where he served as a Division Chief at Trident Training Facility and earned the title of Master Training Specialist.
Following his military career, he pursued his passion for education and whitewater rafting, swiftwater rescue, and canyoning by establishing Kraken Whitewater, which offers high-quality training in some of the most challenging outdoor conditions.
Why Whitewater Rafting & Swiftwater Rescue Custom Gear?
We thrive on collaborating with outdoor enthusiasts to create custom outdoor gear solutions, enhance existing equipment, or innovate entirely new designs. Whether it's for whitewater rescue, big wall climbing, or another action sport, we enjoy refining a trusted piece of gear or developing something that doesn’t yet exist.
We loved having both Ryan and Brent here in our new space in Tacoma where together we could tackle a unique challenge. We can also bring these ideas to life in days, not years. And it's crafted right here in the good old U.S.A.
No matter what adventure problem Brent & Ryan are trying to solve, we’re here to help turn their bold visions into reliable, high-performance gear.
How to Collaborate with Us on Your Custom Outdoor Gear Project
Therefore, If you have a custom outdoor gear design idea that you’d like help with, let's get cracking! Fill out our 'I Have an Idea' Form aka Contact Form with the following info:
- Your custom outdoor gear idea
- The problem you are trying to solve
- Your budget
- Any other details you can provide for Kyle
Back to Ryan and Brent, we don’t want to give anything away, so stay tuned for more details about the pieces we’re working on with this dynamic duo!