Outdoor Element’s Products Make Enjoying the Outdoors Safer, More Fun, and More Accessible for Everyone, So We Can All Explore with Confidence
By Steven John
Some people see a problem in life and say something along the lines of: “Y’know, they oughta do something about that!” OK, most people say something like that. But Michael Mojica and Joe Brown aren’t most people – they’re in that minority of the population who instead say: “Hey, what can we do about this?” And then, what’s more, they do it.
Among the things these gentlemen have done is found Outdoor Element, a company that produces some of the finest outdoor adventure, camping, and survival gear we here at Dad Gear Review have tested – and said testing involved starting a campfire in a rainstorm in the mountains of Colorado earlier this summer, by the way! So yeah, Outdoor Element’s gear works, according to our outdoor product reviews expertise, not to mention the user experience of thousands of others. Which is little surprise given that Michael’s background is engineering and Joe’s is growing small businesses into successes.
There is an elegant simplicity to each and every Outdoor Element product. Be it the company’s flagship Firebiner, one of their Charlotte’s Webbing Camp Organizer gear lines, or their 1.4-ounce but amazingly rugged Phoenix Feather Caping Blade, you can tell at first glance – and certainly at first use – that this is purpose-built hardware informed by careful consideration, research, testing, and iteration.
Having spent a few days with Michael and Joe in the woods (and on one very cold Gunnison River) there in CO, I got to know their products pretty well, but I wanted to know more about what led to the founding of Outdoor Element in the first place, so I caught up with the guys for a longer Dad Gear Review interview.
Joe Brown and Michael Mojica - Founders of Outdoor Element
Let’s start with the “origin story,” meaning both of yours and the Outdoor Element story.
“I was an Army Brat,” Michael replied. “I used to spend my time finding other Army base kids and digging holes and building tree forts. My dad and older brother are both Eagle Scouts – I’m a failed Eagle who still loves to hike and camp, and I grew up loving the outdoors. As I raised my family, the outdoors was always big. I take a little pride in the fact that I have never been to Disney World or Land, but I have been to several National Parks with my family. We have experienced wonderful moments in Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Glacier, in the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone, the Tetons, Great Smoky Mountains, Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Redwoods, Olympic National Forest and Rushmore area – and some of them multiple times. We’ve met a couple of moose, bald eagles, a bear family, herds of buffalo – all at safe distances except for one bear and one moose where it was more of a bumping into event. There is something about rivers, waterfalls, beautiful trails that make the magic happen. The Mojicas love an outdoor adventure.”
“I grew up in Connecticut taking advantage of any opportunity to be outdoors,” Joe said. He went on to explain how his mom, Dora, was well loved in the community as a big supporter of both the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts; she pushed Joe to get his Eagle award just before he turned 16. “As a kid, I was able to hike Philmont, experience the Florida Sea Base, and canoe the Adirondacks, among many other outdoor scouting adventures,” Joe said. As an adult, he volunteered as a Scout leader for many years, supporting both his boys in earning their Eagle badges as well. When their kids were young, Joe and his wife decided to invest in a popup trailer where they created many awesome memories over the years to come.
What was the inspiration for starting Outdoor Element? Was it a “light bulb” sort of moment or more of a slow, methodical development?
“I love the outdoors and have always had a love for design, but it all solidified when I met a mountain,” Michael Mojica replied. “I ‘defected’ up from Texas about 10 years ago – we live in the Denver area now – and one day my neighbor asked me if I wanted to hike a 14er. I said: ‘Sure!’ Then I asked: ‘What’s a 14er?’ He explained the elevation reference and then we planned a trip for Mt. Yale.”
“Two things happened on Yale,” Michael continued. “First, I didn’t know it was going to make me emotional. I got to the top and thought: ‘Why do I want to cry right now?’ I was taken to a new place, a place I felt I could receive personal revelation and inspiration. I didn’t see a burning bush, but I felt like I could relate to Moses for a second. It was magical and inspiring. I feel that more people need to feel that experience.”
“The second thing was on the way up, I met a young lady who summited the mountain for the sunrise. We crossed paths at about 12,500 feet, just above the treeline, and she had a horrible limp. I stopped her and told her to take off her boot. It was obvious she rolled her ankle. I was carrying a simple first aid kit and wrapped up her ankle, she thanked me, and we continued on our separate journeys. It hit me: ‘We all need to be outdoors more, but we need to be prepared.’ I knew I had something to give to this space.”
“With this backdrop and inspiration and a love for the outdoors and design, I leaped into my American dream. I left a comfortable career as an engineer in the aerospace industry. My first design started with a spark. I believe fire is critical and can be lifesaving in times of emergency, so I invented the Kodiak survival bracelet with its fire-starting buckle.”
“Initially this was launched as a Kickstarter campaign, and we raised over $50K. I applied for both a utility and a design patent and honestly, I thought I had made it. Outside Magazine wrote an article that included the Kodiak saying it was one of five items to have to survive a Doomsday event. I thought: ‘I made it! This entrepreneurial thing is easy!’ I was so wrong.”
“With time, the design patent was granted, but the utility patent was not, and within six months of the product launch, there were cheap knockoffs on the market,” Michael lamented, adding: “And by cheap, I mean both quality and price. And while imitation may be the highest form of flattery, it sure hurts the bottom line! Did I fail? I believe failure only happens when you stop at that moment or refuse to learn from it. I loved the process and loved seeing an idea come to life, so I kept designing new things. Plus… our product is superior. It was a win-win for continual innovation.”
“We have since launched four other campaigns on crowdfunding platforms. These platforms have allowed us to prove product utility, marketability, and overcome typical market barriers like funds for tooling, first production runs, and intellectual property fees. We have just completed an accelerator program with Moosejaw and ICELab, providing further insight to marketing, branding, business financing, mental fortitude, press releases, and opportunities with both wholesale accounts and direct to consumers channels. This mentorship has been invaluable to us. And we are about to start an accelerator program with REI! We are beyond excited and humbled to have this opportunity to build this type of supportive network.”
“Honestly, in the beginning, bringing a product to life was a slow process, but now I feel we have the processes down and have a ton of momentum. We plan to strike while the iron is hot. Expect many more products at a faster pace from Outdoor Element!”
What are some of the primary “problems” Outdoor Element is trying to solve, and what sets you apart from other products that have the same mission?
“The primary problem? Fire creation,” Michael says. “Our goal is sparking confident outdoor adventure through innovative gear by [getting] good gear in the hands of every outdoor-oriented person. This [can] result in epic adventures and ‘big fish’ storytelling. But the central theme started around fire creation. We feel the ability to make fire is critical, especially in times of emergency. Knowing that you can successfully make a fire is empowering. Some people get paralyzed thinking about potential problems as they dwell on fear. We aim to solve that problem. My native name is Bodaway meaning ‘fire maker,’ so there is a common theme around fire amongst most of our product line. We have started to expand to other base camp items, but at the end of the day we just hope our products invoke confident outdoor adventure.”
Tell us about your flagship product – how did you develop the Firebiner?
“When I made the Kodiak Survival Bracelet, one of my kids was six at the time,” Michael said. “I tried to get her to make a fire with it. It was really hard for her because you have to aim the spark, and it required a healthy amount of force on the ferro rod to yield some good sparks. I wanted to empower my kid. I thought of the idea of a spark wheel, which can be operated with a single hand. The single-handed operation is ideal for aiming. You can use your other hand to hold a piece of tinder to the Firebiner and easily get your tinder ablaze. I also feel that a carabiner is somewhat of an icon for the outdoors. People often use them for holding gear, hammocks, keychains, as well as rock climbing and repelling. When I see a person with a carabiner not in their ‘natural habitat,’ instantly I think: ‘That person loves the outdoors.’”
“I took that idea of an icon, added some utility features to it, and the Firebiner was born. I put the fire in the carabiner. In addition to the EverSpark wheel, I added a flat head screwdriver, bottle opener, small utility line cutter blade, and some hang slots for keychain split rings. I did my best to keep the traditional carabiner form factor. My Texan machinist buddy made me a few prototypes. I gave one of them to my daughter with a cotton ball and within one minute we had a flame. I knew I was onto something. This product came to life with Kickstarter and Indiegogo and, in less than two months, we had over $130K of preorders. At this point, we knew this was more than a solution for one small family.”
Designed with both convenience and safety in mind Outdoor Element's Firebiner is a purpose built multitool that genuinely has many applications; first and foremost, it can help you start a fire anywhere.
What are a few of your other signature products, and what informed their development?
“After I made the Firebiner, I met a group of SAR guys,” Michael said. “They told me they liked the Firebiner and requested that I design one themed for first responders. I took a bunch of notes, and the Fire Escape was born. I probably had too much fun with a couple of R&D sessions at a local vehicle junkyard! At one point I had my 13-year-old daughter practice saving me. She successfully punched out a window allowing me to escape. As a dad, it was an awesome moment to see your daughter be completely empowered. The multitool stainless steel carabiner is equipped with a seatbelt cutter, window breaker, oxygen tank valve wrench, ¼” bit driver, bottle opener, and is rated for 125 pounds functioning as a carabiner clip. So that’s a big one for us.”
Quality accessory items are what you get with Outdoor Element – if we can use the word “accessory” to describe something that will definitely make your next campout or hike easier and more enjoyable, and that may just come in clutch in a survival situation.
Photos credit: Trent Bona c/o Meyvn Creative