Kahtoola, Inc.

About Us — The Kahtoola Story

Early inspirations

Danny Giovale founded Kahtoola® after surviving a life-changing experience in the Dolomites of Italy. In the early 1990s, 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. This terrifying experience was the catalyst for developing the 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 began exploring 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 at the January 2001 Outdoor Retailer Winter Show. The KTS weighs just over a pound per pair and sports a flexible LeafSpring® extender bar, nimble but aggressive 3/4-inch spikes, a folding rear support, and an adaptable strap system for running shoes.