🏕️ What Makes a “Cottage” Gear Company?
If you’ve been around the backpacking world for a while, you’ve probably heard the term cottage gear.
It usually means:
- Small team
- Handmade or small-batch production
- Built by people who actually use the gear
- Focused on quality over mass production
But not every small company truly fits that definition.
So where does Hilltop Packs land?
🧵 It Started in a Basement (Literally)
Hilltop Packs didn’t start with investors, a big launch, or a polished business plan.
It started with Ben McMillen making a custom bear bag in his basement in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania… and posting it online.
That one post turned into:
- Thousands of orders
- A growing team
- And a company built around the idea that gear should actually reflect the people using it
That origin story?
That’s about as “cottage” as it gets.
✂️ Handmade, Not Mass Produced
Every Hilltop product is made by a real person, not a factory line overseas.
That means:
- Attention to detail
- Real quality control
- People who care about what they’re making
It also means things aren’t always instant, and that’s kind of the point.
Cottage gear isn’t about speed.
It’s about doing it right.
🎨 Custom Gear Is the Core
Most big brands offer a few color options.
Hilltop Packs built an entire system around customization.
Customers can:
- Upload their own images
- Choose layouts
- Create one-of-a-kind gear
That level of personalization is something you really only see in the cottage world.
🥾 Built by Hikers, for Hikers
The gear isn’t designed in a boardroom.
It’s tested:
- On real trips
- By real hikers
- In real conditions
And when something doesn’t work?
It gets changed.
Fast.
That feedback loop is one of the biggest advantages cottage companies have over larger brands.
🤝 A Real Team Behind Every Order
As Hilltop Packs has grown, it hasn’t lost the most important part of being a cottage company: the people.
The team, Amie, Kailee, Amanda, Jen, Katelyn, Tim, Diane, and Ed, are the ones:
- Sewing gear
- Packing orders
- Helping customers
This isn’t anonymous production.
It’s a group of people who take pride in every order that goes out the door.
⚖️ Cottage… But Scaled
Here’s where things get interesting.
Hilltop Packs has shipped:
- Over 60,000 orders
- Nearly 250,000 products worldwide
At that point, most companies stop being “cottage.”
But Hilltop has held onto:
- Small-batch production
- Custom builds
- Direct connection with customers
It’s not the size that defines a cottage company.
It’s how you operate.
🎯 Why This Matters for You
When you buy from a cottage company like Hilltop Packs, you’re getting:
- Gear designed with intention
- Higher attention to detail
- A product that actually feels personal
And in a world full of mass-produced gear…
That difference shows up on the trail.
🏁 Final Thoughts
Cottage backpacking gear isn’t just about being small.
It’s about:
- Craft
- Care
- Connection
- Support
And that’s exactly what Hilltop Packs has been about since day one.
Learn more about Cottage Backpacking Gear
