The Bomber Gear Story

Bomber Gear was stared in Durango, born out of one car garage in my 3 bed room town home.   It was 1992; I was 18 years old, young, inexperienced and full of ambition.  My then roommate Rob Mauceli, who later became my business partner, bought the first household sewing machine from Wal-Mart.  I credit him with the birth.  He was the one who took the idea and turned it into reality by motivating the dream. Within months, we purchased our first industrial sewing machine.

We stared producing caving gear, primarily rope walkers and knee pads. The motivation was to make better gear for ourselves.  I spent the early 90’s balancing a life of extreme sports and sewing.  Kayaking, Ice climbing and Spelunking became my focus while late nights in the garage sewing was my hobby.  There was no social life - only self exploration of adrenalin and design.  I really connected to designing; I found it to be artistic outlet where function in extreme situations was my medium.  I had dreams of creating the world’s most innovative gear.  It was my calling; a designer for extreme sports. 

We had a little garage stuffed with sewing machines and by 1995 we incorporated Bomber Gear.  Realizing the limitations of the size of the caving market, we turned our attentions to our other passion, kayaking.  In 1997 we attended our first trade show in Salt Lake City.  It was like coming off the crest of a waterfall, stillness ended by a flash of warm air followed by a focused blur of speed.  Bomber gear was in full force. 

We commissioned the Bula factory on the Navajo reservation and employed 50 of their sewers to produce for us. It was a logistic nightmare; however, it worked for the time.  I lived in a trailer home next to the factory and was involved in every aspect of the production.   I was completely submersed in the Navajo culture; I lived there for 5 months.  This allowed me to keep a solid hand on quality, and produce cutting edge garments. 

Incorporating my personal life into my designs, I lived and breathed kayaking.  I qualified as a first alternate on the US Kayak team in the squirt boater class.  Many of my close friends were the best kayakers in the world.  They wore and promoted Bomber Gear to the world, giving the brand a marketing edge.  In 2000, I was awarded Polartec Apex Award for designing excellence, reassuring my love for designing. 

Bomber Gear got a huge boost when Wave Sport decided to outfit their boats with a Bomber Gear back bands the same year they produced the X-Boat.  The boat was enormously successful and was in a class where the industry standard for boat designs had changed.  Bomber Gear was very fortunate to have a logoed back band in every boat.  This gave the brand international recognition.

We then decide to build our own factory in Durango.  We bought a building in an industrial park and all the machinery to make it work.  We took on a huge amount of debt and created the infrastructure for a cut and sew factory employing 60 people.  It was an enormous operation which turned out to be a huge mistake.

During this period Bomber Gear experienced alarming growth. Our production costs were too high and we were not producing enough.  The over head of running the factory was creating a situation of which Bomber Gear could not get out.  We over leveraged ourselves sacrificing margin for growth, which then became uncontrolled growth.  Bad decisions were made and we grew too fast.  After 2 years of this we were left with one choice: sell the factory and move production overseas.

Being born and raised in Asia with the ability to speak Thai, I was naturally attracted to Thailand.  I used my language skills and tracked down factories to handle my production. I once again submersed myself in the culture and lived in Thailand for a period of time.  I even moved my pregnant wife there and had my first born son in Bangkok.  What a surreal experience!

We then spent the next 4 years deeply imbedded in Asian manufacturing.  For the first two years quality was excellent, however, production ran late.  In the last 2 years everything fell apart with the main factory. The factory cut corners in production and on material which caused quality issues.  One year 40% of my drytops delaminated; the following year watch windows fell out of every one of my dry tops forcing a complete recall.  It was our worst nightmare coming true.  This caused a chain of events from which Bomber Gear did not recover. Our relationship with both my customers and my factory were strained.  The Bank came down on Bomber Gear and collapsed its infrastructure.   In 2003 Bomber Gear ceased to exist. 

It was always sitting right on the edge, and when the foundation was rocked it teetered into an atmosphere of chaos.  Internally the company was tearing itself apart while those around the company were acting with shady business principals.  The Vultures of the industry attacked.  I need not point fingers; they know who they are.   It is hard to place judgment when it is human nature.  Designs were stolen, product was illegally sold, and friendships were forever changed.  There is no place for a “he said she said” reflection of the incident.  I can’t blame anyone but myself for creating an environment that this could happen. I’d had enough.

I took all my patterns and spec books, put them in storage, and began a career as a climbing guide.  I spent 3 years climbing in South America and Pakistan, climbing such peaks as Aconcagua, Cotapaxi, Broad Peak and K2 to name a few.  Digging deep into the roots, the reason I got into the outdoor industry, I went back to pushing myself, searching for the meaning in the void.  Once again I was testing and playing with the equipment I had been creating for so many years.  I could not help but realize that not only was my soul being revitalized, but so was my passion for designing.  Ideas and concepts have been ripping through me ever since.  I realize now walking away was the best thing I could’ve done. 

During this period my wife gave birth to my second child, which made a life of being away in the mountains difficult no matter how great of an experience.  Having kids only comes around once; true lighting in a bottle.  An internal conflict about my career began to surface.  

Late in 2005 the Bank came knocking on my door with huge amount of Bomber Gear debt that was being applied to me.   I was facing personal bankruptcy, while harnessed with the responsibility of a family.  There was an enormous amount of inventory that the bank had on a lean.  A deal was made with the bank to sell the inventory on eBay to pay back the debt. 

I moved my family to Steamboat Colorado, and started a new life as an eBayer and stay-at-home Dad.  My wife worked as a school teacher while I sold product online. 

Known on eBay as pure-passion4ever, I did, and have done over 3500 transactions holding a 100 percent approval rating and have received a badge as a top rated seller.  I spread my roots deep into the eBay culture and found refuge.  I focused on giving people a positive online shopping experience with no risk and quick shipping.  It was a morally demeaning time, watching the bank take all the money for my work.  However, inspired by the success, and with the necessity to be a good provider for my family, I pushed through; like a slow slog to the base of a climb.  It took a year and a half to pay off the note, which was about half the time I expected, but not soon enough for the bank.  I found an amazing amount of support for Bomber Gear online, people actively seeking my product.  That’s flattering.

Winter of 2007 I found myself without inventory but with plenty of avenues to sell.  I was overwhelmed by how many people emailed me asking me to bring it back.  I received email after email praising Bomber Gear with a tone of despair.  As the company had been like a child to me, these comments were heartfelt.  The brand didn’t even seem close to dead, and it felt shameful to walk away.  I contacted my long time close friend Eric Southwick and told him my dreams and situation.  Without hesitation he immediately got involved and we began to scheme the rebirth of Bomber Gear 2008.

Eric and I first met in 1992; he was an aggressive 16 year old Slalom racer with a gift for paddling.  He lived in my garage before the sewing machine took over the space.  Recognizing his natural athletic ability, he became a steady partner during my exploration of extreme sports.  We tested the realms of Ice climbing, Caving, and Kayaking; experiences beyond describable in words.  This became the source and inspiration for all my designs, testing the limits of mind, body and gear.  Much of my designs were born from these experiences.  We dropped huge waterfalls, danced on the edge of dream like ice, and explored the taverns imbedded in mother earth.  I fell in love with the mystery move and never came back.  I still have a tingle in the back of my spine, a part of me that never came down.  I live, breathe, and exist for a glimpse into that void; fiending for the next opportunity of spiritual enlightenment; pure adrenalin.  That is the heart of all my designs and the nature of my relationship with Eric.

Little to my surprise Eric became the world champion freestyle kayaker and received a second place metal in the following world champion competition.  He is, undoubtedly, one of the best freestyle kayakers to ever paddle the earth. I guess those adrenalin filled experiences we shared paid off.  Drawing on his experience, he has become an integral part of the Bomber Gear designs. 

Eric has not only had success in the water, he has also created a solid business with nose plugs. Shaman’s Smiley Nose Plugs have become the industry standard for sinus protection.  Virtually every paddler has a pair.  A business he started on the road dancing the rodeo circuit has evolved into an international business that has sustained itself for over 10 years.  Eric is the type of guy that you would show how to do something and he would figure out a better way to do it. The way he paddles is the way he goes about life; a perfect partner for the rebirth of Bomber Gear. 

I will be running business very differently this time around.  We are going to focus on keeping our over head low and growth within healthy margins.  We have evolved into a grassroots business that encompasses a “by paddlers for paddlers” attitude.  Bomber Gear has modest expectations for 2009 only producing a limited amount of productions.  We are going to focus on margin and keep our growth in check.  Bottom line: we are only going to sell what we can afford to produce.  Never again will I be involved with a company that is running beyond its debt.   I am taking all of the lessons learned and hoping for a better outcome.

Last summer I got a deep mystery move, known as a meltdown.  It had been 10 years since I visited the caverns in those deep dark halls.  As I rotated the blades on my paddle and felt the rush of the whirlpool whip around the boat, the reality hit me.   It’s not just about making gear; it’s about creating art for a new dimension of sports.  I felt at home.  And as my boat shot to the surface I knew Bomber Gear was back in my heart.   An artist must create to be fulfilled …

Rick Franken

rick@bombergear.com