Built by the Trail

After returning from 30 days on the 500-mile Colorado Trail, founder Joe La Pointe kept thinking about a unique fabric he’d seen on the trip and wondered whether it could replace the 200-gm beanie he’d worn every night. So he taught himself to sew, made a few lightweight Polartec® Alpha™ beanies in his garage, and put them up for sale. When those first beanies sold almost faster than he could make them, he took a leap of faith, left restaurant work and started what has since grown into a small manufacturing company where every product is still designed, cut, sewn, and finished in-house.

Field Tested

At FarPointe, product development happens during morning runs through the woods, design innovation during weekend backpacking trips and long days spent exploring outside. The team’s motto is simple – make products that people can trust enough to use again tomorrow. And this philosophy shapes everything from the company’s local production strategy to the value it places in customer feedback.

Refined by Use

Just like the team itself, FarPointe has grown alongside a community of passionate adventurers, including endurance athlete Will Ditto and thru-hiker Katie Gerber, in addition to outdoor storytellers like Cotezi, Scott, and Becky – all of whom have put FarPointe gear through demanding real-world conditions. Along the way, innovations such as the Alpha Cruiser with Polartec® Alpha™, helped introduce the brand to a wider audience. Yet for Joe, the story has always been bigger than any single product. It’s about proving that thoughtful manufacturing still has a place in the outdoor industry.

Made By Outdoor People for Outdoor People  

FarPointe is a small American manufacturer who believes people appreciate knowing exactly where their gear comes from and who made it. Every garment is still designed, cut, sewn, and finished under one roof by a team that spends as much time on the trails as they do behind a sewing machine. And in an industry where outdoor gear is often treated as a commodity, this commitment to homespun craftsmanship is increasingly rare. But this is exactly what FarPointe wants. So, when long-distance hiker Will Ditto recently carried FarPointe’s gear when setting the fastest known time on the Lone Star Trail, the team wasn’t surprised. Because stories like these represent what FarPointe’s products are built for: extreme use by people just like Joe and his team, who share an authentic love for life outdoors.