Outdoor footwear and apparel isn't made with us in mind

Legacy outdoor brands aren’t designing for a younger, multi-ethnic generation. But the outdoors are for everyone.

If you walk into any REI or outdoors store in the U.S., you’re likely to see a uniform demographic. Customers at these stores tend to be white and upper-middle class, making the outdoor lifestyle that these places promote feel exclusionary and intimidating. Popular outdoor brands also tend to design products that perform in the wilderness, but are impractical in the heart of the city. Reaching a younger and more diverse audience is more than just a marketing challenge—it requires products built for the lifestyles that people actually have.

Season Three exists to bring you closer to the outdoors

Season Three is an outdoor lifestyle brand making heritage footwear for a new generation. We believe that the outdoors is for everyone. As such, we make products that inspire and enable a younger, multi-ethnic demographic to have a relationship with nature.

The Ansel is our updated take on a classic European hiking boot. It's a shoe rugged enough for the trail, but also refined enough for the museum. Hiking is the outdoor activity with the lowest barriers to entry—the only thing you need is a good pair of boots. The Ansel is a boot that will not only comfort you as you walk around the city, but also remind you to spend a little time in nature while you're out.

The Ansel is a boot unlike anything you’ve ever worn       

The Ansel is engineered to be comfortable, stylish, and functional. It can be used as a technical hiker on most terrain or for casual wear. Unlike most boots, which are notoriously uncomfortable, The Ansel is as comfortable as a pair of sneakers. And unlike sneakers, these boots can go from taking a beating on the trails to looking clean at a fancy dinner.

This is one of the first boots to pair a full merino wool lining with high-quality waterproof Italian leather. And not just any old wool either—The Ansel uses ZQ-certified merino wool, one of the most sustainable materials on earth.

Featured in Hypebeast, Esquire,  Highsnobiety, Forbes, Gear Patrol, Maxim, Cool Hunting, and GQ

We launched The Ansel in February of 2020. By December 2020, we had generated over $140K in sales. Our revenue has seen consistent growth ($10K in September, $15K in October, $38K in November, $30K in December). Over 450 units were sold in 2020, with 200 sold in the last few months alone.

We’ve been featured in some of the world's most influential style magazines and publications, including Vogue, Hypebeast, Esquire, Highsnobiety, Forbes, Gear Patrol, Maxim, Cool Hunting, and GQ. 

Rave reviews and a growing community

In addition to numerous glowing reviews, our customer satisfaction has been proven out by a 15% return rate – half of what most of our competitors experience.

Operating with a DTC model

Right now, our business is 100% e-commerce. Our products are exclusively available through our web store.

Global hiking gear and equipment market expected to reach $28.7B by 2027    

The global hiking gear and equipment market size was estimated at $21.6B in 2020, and is expected to reach $28.7B by 2027. General consumer attraction towards heavy-duty boots has resulted in a spike in growth for hiking boots. Millennials form the largest consumer base for hikers in the market and are propelling demand for these products.             

We have an opportunity to expand the outdoor apparel and footwear market because the legacy players have failed to reach a younger and more diverse audience.

Legacy brands are missing the opportunity to appeal to a younger, multi-cultural audience living in cities

We're one of the only companies targeting a multi-cultural, young, and diverse audience. The big players have failed to keep up with changing consumer tastes and values. Our products and brand values reach an audience that isn’t being served. We see this as a massive opportunity not only for Season Three, but also for the outdoor apparel industry as whole. We fully plan on leading the change. 

Ushering in a new era of outdoor apparel and footwear

We're building a global multi-category outdoors brand. With your investment, Season Three will continue to create innovative, accessible, and stylish footwear and apparel that performs in both the city and the outdoors. We plan on introducing a new era to this industry—one defined by creativity, inclusivity, and sustainability. 

Raised $600K to date

Season Three has raised $600K to date. Notable investors include Rough Draft Ventures, The Met Fund (MIT-affiliated fund), Rich Pierson (founder of Headspace), and SKU'D Ventures. We are now raising up to $1M to scale the business.

The key areas for use of proceeds are:

• Product development and inventory
• Social media marketing
• Content creation
• One and a half new hires (one in design, one-half in operations)

Meet the founders

Season Three's founders, Adam Klein and Jared Ray Johnson, met one another at MIT's Sloan School of Management in 2017. The pair bonded over their shared passions for fashion, footwear, and well-made physical products. In 2018, they founded Season Three with the simple goal of reinventing the hiking boot.

Jared brings a background in finance and product development, having spent time at J.P. Morgan, IDEO, and ABInbev/Zx Ventures. Adam brings a background in law, finance, and operations, having spent time in investment banking and the energy startup, U.S. Grid Company.