Kahtoola, Inc.

About Us — The Kahtoola Story

Early inspirations

Danny Giovale founded Kahtoola® after surviving a life-changing experience in the Dolomites of Italy during the 1990s when he and his brother climbed Campanile Basso. During their descent in the dark, Danny slid down an icy gully, headfirst. Fortunately, his helmet and daypack saved him from injury but planting the seed that there was a need for a better traction system when traveling in winter terrain. What would emerge is today’s Kahtoola Traction System (KTS).

The origins of Kahtoola & the KTS

Inspired by the pioneering spirit of his grandparents Bill and Vieve Gore (cofounders of W.L. Gore & Associates) Danny recognized an untapped need in the marketplace for lightweight, flexible crampons. After finishing his B.S. in Physics at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, he explored design concepts in a makeshift garage workshop. By summer 1998, he returned to his hometown, Flagstaff, Arizona, with his wife Melissa and began focusing more on product development. Eventually, after dozens of design iterations and a few patentable inventions, Danny founded Kahtoola and launched the KTS aluminum  at the January 2001 Outdoor Retailer Winter Show.