As Lowe Alpine prepares for its next chapter under ATG ownership, John B Gearing, Operating Partner for Lowe Alpine Europe, sets out the plans for a return to shops in Autumn/Winter 2027.
Following ATG’s acquisition of the Lowe Alpine brand intellectual property from Equip Outdoor Technologies, the focus is on hillwalking and trekking, with multi-day packs and day packs at the centre of the first collection.
In this interview with Outdoor Insight, Gearing discusses his personal connection to Lowe Alpine, the work already under way on product development, and how independent retailers will fit into the relaunch. He also explains the intended position below the premium end of the market and why the brand’s future rests on dependable products, fit and long-term partnerships.
Your connection with Lowe Alpine began during your time in the army and police. What experiences shaped that relationship, and how will they influence your approach to leading the brand?
My connection with Lowe Alpine goes back to both my time in the 90s as an Army officer cadet, and then as an officer in the Royal Hong Kong Police with the Police Tactical Unit. Even before that, I knew Lowe Alpine as a young man in need of dependable gear backpacking across North Africa with no plan. When you’re relying on your equipment in demanding environments, you quickly develop an appreciation for the difference between products that look the part and those that perform. This appreciation only grew over time; I came to lead the Asia Pacific operations for both Kipling and Eastpak during my time at VF Corp.
Lowe Alpine was a brand I came to know from the perspective of someone using the equipment, rather than simply as a business. That creates a very different relationship with a brand, and it’s something I’ve carried with me throughout my subsequent career in the sports and outdoor industries.
Taking responsibility for its next chapter is therefore particularly personal. I want us to build a business that respects the qualities that first made Lowe Alpine such a trusted name: technical credibility, practical innovation and products that people can depend on.
What convinced you and ATG that now was the right time to acquire Lowe Alpine, and where do you see the biggest opportunity?
When Equip announced the sale of Lowe Alpine, it said the brand needed a new owner who could give it full focus and investment. ATG can, and that’s why the timing made sense. There’s a nice symmetry too: Greg Lowe launched the Expedition pack in 1967, so our first range arrives in Lowe Alpine’s 60th year. The biggest opportunity is the everyday walker and trekker, who wants a pack that fits and lasts without paying for features built for alpinists.
ATG brings more than 30 years of experience across product design, manufacturing, sourcing, retail and international brand development. Combining those capabilities with Lowe Alpine’s established reputation gives us an opportunity to rebuild its presence in key markets.
We also see a broader opportunity as people increasingly recognise the physical and mental benefits of spending time outdoors. Our ambition is to make Lowe Alpine relevant to that growing community while retaining the technical credibility that established its reputation.
What is the greatest challenge in rebuilding Lowe Alpine’s market presence, and what will you tackle first?
The hardest part is time. The news is out there, but our first range reaches shops in autumn 2027, and other brands have filled the space Lowe Alpine left. We’re working in order. Product first: our pack designer is working through the Lowe Alpine archive now, with first samples due before the end of the year. Partners next: we’re talking to retailers and distributors across the UK and Europe and have had approaches from distributors in several countries since the announcement. Then the sell-in, with retailers seeing the Autumn/Winter 2027 range in the first half of next year. ATG owns the brand and runs product development, sourcing and brand
marketing from China. I lead it in the UK and Europe, working with retail and distribution partners in each market.
Which parts of Lowe Alpine’s heritage must remain at the heart of the brand, and where does it need to evolve to attract a new generation of customers?
Innovation has always been central to Lowe Alpine’s identity. From the pioneering work of the Lowe brothers in 1967 and the development of the internal-frame backpack, the brand has a history of solving real problems for people spending time in the mountains.
That spirit of practical innovation, together with fit, comfort, durability and technical performance, must remain at the centre of everything we do.
Where the brand needs to evolve is in how we interpret those qualities for today’s outdoor consumer. People are engaging with the outdoors in different ways; for some it’s a short local walk, others embark on multi-day trekking adventures, and many bring the outdoors into the everyday: stand on a train platform and count the number of commuters carrying their laptops, notebooks, and sports kit in outdoor packs.
We want to make that technical heritage relevant to a broader audience without compromising what makes Lowe Alpine distinctive. To that end, we are working with a designer who has worked on Lowe Alpine packs before and so knows the brand inside out. We will look to both preserve and revive classic Lowe Alpine designs, alongside efforts to innovate. Many of the brand’s beloved pack features will be retained in the re-launch, although a select few will be renamed as part of the re-energising of the brand. This is about evolution rather than reinvention.
Why put hillwalking and trekking at the centre of the business, and what unmet needs do you see among today’s walkers and trekkers?
Our customer is the walker and trekker: someone heading up Helvellyn on a Saturday, or spending a week on the West Highland Way. Too many of them choose between a cheap pack that doesn’t fit and won’t last, and one priced for the high mountains. We want to be the third option: buy once, buy well.
We’ve been very deliberate about our focus on hillwalking and trekking. It’s an area where Lowe Alpine has genuine credibility, and where we believe we can make a meaningful difference.
The objective isn’t to be everything to everyone. It’s to build a clear, compelling proposition around the activities and customers where Lowe Alpine has the strongest right to succeed.
What can retailers and customers expect from the first range in terms of pack design, fit, durability and pricing, and when will it reach shops?
The first range will concentrate on the categories where Lowe Alpine has historically built its reputation, with multi-day trekking packs and day packs at the heart of the collection.
These will be complemented by hydration packs, waist bags and selected lifestyle essentials.
Our guiding principles are straightforward: dependable products, thoughtful design, comfort and durability, priced below the premium end of the market.
We recognise that fit and carrying comfort are fundamental to a good pack, particularly for customers spending extended periods outdoors. Those considerations will be central to the product development process.
We’re targeting a return to market in Autumn/Winter 2027, with further details on the collection and availability to follow as plans are finalised.
How will ATG’s design, manufacturing and sourcing experience translate into better products, and what standards will you set for responsible production and repairability?
One of the biggest advantages of the acquisition is the expertise and infrastructure ATG brings to Lowe Alpine.
With more than three decades of experience across design, manufacturing, sourcing and retail, ATG provides an established platform from which we can develop and deliver the next generation of products. We’ll publish our production standards alongside the range.
The opportunity is to combine that operational capability with Lowe Alpine’s technical heritage and a clear understanding of what outdoor customers actually need.
We want to create products that deliver lasting value, where quality, durability and thoughtful design are treated as fundamentals rather than optional extras.
Responsible production will also be an important consideration as we establish the brand’s future operating model. We recognise that customers increasingly want products that are built to last and produced with care.
What role will independent outdoor retailers play in the relaunch, and what support will you provide for staff training, pack fitting and selling the range?
Independent outdoor retailers have always played a vital role in helping customers choose the right equipment, and we see them as important partners in Lowe Alpine’s future.
A good backpack isn’t simply a product someone picks off a shelf. Understanding fit, intended use, carrying comfort and technical features can make a significant difference to the customer’s experience.
That’s where specialist retailers offer real value.
We want to build relationships that recognise that expertise, giving retail partners the confidence to recommend Lowe Alpine and helping customers understand the products they’re buying.
Our ambition is to establish long-term partnerships that support both the brand and the specialist outdoor retail community.
How will you balance direct online sales with wholesale partnerships so that retailers have confidence in stocking and investing in Lowe Alpine?
We recognise that wholesale partners need confidence that the brands they invest in are equally committed to their success.
Our objective is to build a sustainable, balanced distribution model in which our own digital presence and retail partnerships play complementary roles.
For a technical brand like Lowe Alpine, the expertise of specialist retailers is particularly valuable. Customers benefit from knowledgeable advice, product comparisons and proper fitting guidance, all of which contribute to a better experience.
At the same time, our digital channels can help us communicate the brand story, build awareness and connect with a wider audience.
Ultimately, the aim is to create demand for Lowe Alpine that benefits the wider retail network rather than undermining it.
Looking three years ahead, what would success look like for Lowe Alpine, and what would you want retailers and customers to say the new ownership had delivered?
Three years from now, I’d like Lowe Alpine to be recognised once again as a trusted and relevant name in the outdoor market, with a strong product offer and a growing community of customers who genuinely value what we produce.
Success isn’t simply about putting the brand back on shelves. It’s about building something sustainable, with products that deliver on their promises, retail partners who are proud to represent the brand and customers who are confident recommending it to others.
We have the benefit of a remarkable heritage and an experienced ownership group committed to supporting the next chapter.
For me, the ultimate measure of success would be hearing that we’ve respected what made Lowe Alpine special in the first place while giving it the energy, investment and direction to thrive for another generation.
