Aron Snyder leaving Kifaru

[satchamo]

I read he sold all his shares. No ties left to the company. Seems like the relationship went south for some reason.

It seems like every relationship he has goes south…..

 

[Dave0317]

All the best to you Aron!!!

And wish him the best in his new position with BP.

He moves the needle wherever he goes.

Will be strange to think Kifaru without Aron, though!

And for the FNGs around here, if it wasn’t for Aron, this site wouldn’t exist.

Off topic, but curious if that site history is documented in an article or thread somewhere?

Just curious how it all unfolded. I remember there being a pretty good Kifaru forum, and then around the time it shut down, this place got big quickly.

 

[Spoonbill]

Off topic, but curious if that site history is documented in an article or thread somewhere?

Just curious how it all unfolded. I remember there being a pretty good Kifaru forum, and then around the time it shut down, this place got big quickly.

This thread comes to mind…..

Who "mansacpes " Before a backpack hunt?

I can tell you that I look like a 10 year old boy when I go...full on manscape! Anyone else?

rokslide.com

 

[kevingm1987]

Could be - even so, cash out and put all your energy into a growth brand with universal appeal, even outside of hunting
Kudos

It still seems odd. The guy lived and breathed hunting. I had never looked up the company he went too until this morning. Seems kinda the opposite direction from what he was doing.

At the end of the day, it comes down to dollars and cents. Assume that the budget for innovation was getting smaller, while cost continued to climb. The board probably voted to pull bag and stick with the line up they have. Kifaru didn't have a ton of gear options to sell. I have never used their pack, but heard good things. Good things to a point that people weren't replacing them because they weren't wearing out, breaking down. A good customer is a repeat customer.

Personally, in the video he looks exhausted and fed up. Or maybe the Kifaru team was exhausted and fed up with him, who knows.

Assume the new company showed up with a big fat cheque and freedom to innovate with capital to back it up.

 

[robby denning]

Off topic, but curious if that site history is documented in an article or thread somewhere?

Just curious how it all unfolded. I remember there being a pretty good Kifaru forum, and then around the time it shut down, this place got big quickly.

gosh my man, it's not. Basically Aron Snyder, David Long, Ryan Avery started it. I was just a contributing writer (and there were others). David was around just the first 6 months or so, Aron about 3 years, then all these years later, it's me & Ryan but it all really started with Aron.

 

[BBob]

My only question is, who owns/is running the company now? Have they been bought by something like Vista Outdoors?

Previously posted in another thread.

Kifaru owners are (were): Aron Snyder and Chad Shumway
Shumway brought BJ Thompson with him from other businesses. Shumway stated BJ was his CFO in those businesses. BJ is listed as an employee of Kifaru. BJ is listed as working elsewhere as well so it may not be his only gig.

 

[cuerro viejo]

Majority investors expect consistent yearly growth. Every minority shell holder CEO is beholden to the temperament of the majority. Thus is life….

Aaron did a great job, I doubt the company will continue down the same legacy, will be interesting. As much as Aaron was hunting I’m sure his heart was far from doing stand ups in front of Shareholders discussing growing ebitda, but that what you get when you have to raise capital

 

[robcollins]

Majority investors expect consistent yearly growth. Every minority shell holder CEO is beholden to the temperament of the majority. Thus is life….

Aaron did a great job, I doubt the company will continue down the same legacy, will be interesting. As much as Aaron was hunting I’m sure his heart was far from doing stand ups in front of Shareholders discussing growing ebitda, but that what you get when you have to raise capital

I wonder how the costs of moving to Wyoming were structured, and ultimately, how profitable it is.

Instagram followers might correlate with profitability. But.....

I heard Wolfpack gear had a design position open up...

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[tony]

Anyone post the video for us none facebookers.

Place wasn’t the same after they pushed Mel out, granted he was on the military side but, those packs are classics.

I remember when this place was just getting started, I browsed a lot then.
Best wishes to Aron

Maybe yeti is sniffing around

 

[Wprinkle]

Man I hope they don't sell out to Vista

 

[Wprinkle]

So he moved the company to the state of his choice, goes hunting seemingly all the time, and he was in a funk? I don't understand it, but ok. Best of luck to everyone I guess.

The move was due to economical and political problems in Colorado. Countless companies have left that place.

 

[TMG73]

Interesting! Curious of new direction with Kifaru...

 

[Wprinkle]

I wonder how the costs of moving to Wyoming were structured, and ultimately, how profitable it is.

Instagram followers might correlate with profitability. But.....

I heard Wolfpack gear had a design position open up...

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[Wprinkle]

Riverton has been dumping money into companies to come there. I'm guessing the Rez has a lot to do with it.

 

[cuerro viejo]

I wonder how the costs of moving to Wyoming were structured, and ultimately, how profitable it is.

Instagram followers might correlate with profitability. But.....

I heard Wolfpack gear had a design position open up...

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

I’m sure that move saved them
Immensely. CO politics, tax and over all COLA has gotten stupid.

Pay role alone I bet they saved 20-30%, which really allowed them to hire more.

 

[StuckoYota99]

Aaron leaves Kifaru and the born and raised crew breaks up! Coincidence? I think not.

But seriously I've learned a lot from Aaron's videos and podcasts. The gritty bowmen podcast with Aaron is what got me into archery and backcountry hunting.
He has come a long ways and I sincerely hope he does well at Born primitive.

 

[307]

I’m sure that move saved them
Immensely. CO politics, tax and over all COLA has gotten stupid.

Pay role alone I bet they saved 20-30%, which really allowed them to hire more.

Trying to build and maintain a team in Riverton would be a very large challenge.

 

[TheTone]

Trying to build and maintain a team in Riverton would be a very large challenge.

I was there this fall and while I didn’t see a ton of it, I did like what i saw. Meant to go to kifaru but was never in town while it was open

I doubt this will be a good thing for kifaru. Designs and product options have went down a bunch since the move and added to a new frame design that seems less labor intensive and more of a mass production item IMO makes it seem as though a shift in business model or company structure is coming

 

[FAAFO]

When I started guiding I would say over half the clients showed up with Kifaru packs. This year was the first year zero of the clients packs were Kifaru. Speaking to other guides it seems they noticed the same as I. I don’t know what Exo is doing but most the clients show up with those packs now. Which is unfortunate because I don’t know if it’s just the models I’ve seen but sure don’t seem as good as a kifaru. Hope to see Kifaru make a comeback.

 

[Team4LongGun]

When I started guiding I would say over half the clients showed up with Kifaru packs. This year was the first year zero of the clients packs were Kifaru. Speaking to other guides it seems they noticed the same as I. I don’t know what Exo is doing but most the clients show up with those packs now. Which is unfortunate because I don’t know if it’s just the models I’ve seen but sure don’t seem as good as a kifaru. Hope to see Kifaru make a comeback.

No dog in the fight, but I've owned several Kifaru packs and have always preferred EXO. Prob just a personal fit decision for each hunter.
As far as "unfortunate" and "seem" can't speak to those.