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— A U.P. ROCK CLIMBING ADVENTURE
JUNE 2O25
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Up North Outdoors
TRAILBLAZERS by ALLISON JARRELL ACOSTA
A homegrown Hancock business is crafting next-level hiking gear—and every stitch is made in Michigan.
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ustin gongos and nathan ackerman crossed paths as first-year engineering students at Michigan Tech. It didn’t take long for them to bond over their love of hiking; together, they explored the Upper Peninsula’s trails and fell in love with the region’s wild beauty. After graduating, the duo spent a summer hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, a path that runs 2,650 miles from Canada to Mexico. They decided to sew their own lightweight packs and accessories for the trip to cut down on extra weight, and during the trek, kept getting questions from fellow hikers.
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photos courtesy of MEDC and Pure Michigan
“We realized there was a gap in the market for durable, ultralight, custommade gear,” Nathan says, “and with our engineering backgrounds, we knew we could combine our passions and design something better.” The duo started small: in a Milwaukee apartment, sewing everything with a tabletop machine. They cut fabric by hand, tweaked designs after long hikes and filled orders one by one. They even enlisted fellow hikers who were trekking at least 1,000 miles to test their packs. The young entrepreneurs had big dreams for Chicken Tramper Ultralight Gear (CTUG for short). They wanted to design high-quality, durable gear built specifically for long-distance hikers. As engineers, their focus would be on efficiency, functionality and weight savings, without sacrificing comfort or durability. They eventually moved back up to the Keweenaw—another apartmentbased operation—but as demand grew, Austin and Nathan knew they needed more space and better equipment. They set up a dedicated workshop, began growing their team and connected with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), which helped them turn an idea into a scalable business. A $10,000 Industry 4.0 grant allowed them to invest in advanced sewing machines and 3D printers. MEDC also helped with supplier connections, international shipping guidance and networking opportunities—“all things that helped us grow faster and smarter,” Nathan says. Today, their eight-person team in Hancock is a full-fledged manufacturing company. Chicken Tramper is also expanding into gear repair services, to help hikers keep their equipment in use longer and reduce waste. They rent gear, too, for folks who want to try the ultralight setup or are doing a one-off trip to Isle Royale or the Porkies. “Our hope is that the more people we can help enjoy the outdoors, the more motivated people will be to help protect it,” Nathan says. “We’re committed to keeping our business in Michigan, supporting the outdoor industry and helping grow the U.P.’s reputation as a hub for adventure.”
WHY ‘CHICKEN TRAMPER’?
Tramper comes from a group chat with the trail family Austin and Nathan made on the PCT. They like that it’s a downright silly word, and in New Zealand, tramping means backpacking. Chicken comes from a hand sign—to visualize, touch your index finger to your thumb, the other fingers extended—used at their Michigan Tech fraternity that originated back in the ’80s with a man named Dan Lorenz. They called up Lorenz to see if they could use it in their name and logo; he happily agreed. chickentrampergear.com GEAR ON THE GO
Austin and Nathan have taken their ultralight gear all over the U.P., from multi-day trips to quick weekend hikes. Here are some of their favorites: Trap Hills Section North Country Trail The Maasto Hiihto Trail System Hancock Mt. Baldy Trail, High Rock Bay, Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary Keweenaw County JUNE 2025
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