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Preface:
Titanium Goat started out as a small two man operation, run by a father and son team, DJ and Josh Leavitt. We are
located in Ogden, Utah, at the foot of the Wasatch front range.
A little history:
Growing up in Northern Utah has given us the opportunity to be exposed to a wide variety of outdoor related activities.
As a youngster, DJ spent most every weekend with his father exploring everywhere that was in reach of a day or two
Willy's wagon ride. When not ranging far and wide, it was just a short two block walk into the foothills and mountains at
the edge of the neighborhood, where adventure was always waiting. In his early 20s DJ bought a house in the same
neighborhood he had grown up in, and Josh enjoyed a similar upbringing of mountains and wildlife at arms reach, and
grandpa's Jeep was only two blocks away. We are a few blocks further now from those mountains we grew up so
close to, but not too far.
Over the years we have been involved in backpacking, rafting, canoing, mountaineering, and rock climbing. In all these
ventures we did as our fathers and grandfathers did, we built a lot of our own gear. Backpacks, tents, climbing
harnesses, cams "friends", chalks, clothing, etc. If we could not afford it, or we could make it better, well thats just how
we always did it. Coming from an early pioneering family, tools of self sufficiency were the norm. Torches, welders,
lathes, mills, drills, and sewing machines were common items around the house and garage... Well at least we thought
they were common.
When it came to backpacking we were always on the light side of things, not because it was in, or the thing to do, but
because we didn't like carrying heavy loads. We have never been "ultralight", but we've never been "traditional" in our
approach to packing either. We have always liked to lighten our load, but not sacrifice too much durability, Titanium Goat
is just an extension of this continuing journey that we have been on.
The shop:
During the winter of 2007 we moved the sewing machine from the living room to a small, but larger than the living room,
750 sq ft basement area, where we sew the soft goods, and assemble stoves, poles, and other hardware. We have
another 750 sq ft of space equipped with 2 lathes, a mill, welders, presses, and saws, where we manufacture the parts
and pieces for our "hard gear". As time goes by we have added 3 more sewing machines and a few people to help with
layout, assembly, and sewing. Two of the guys have each been sewing for well over 20 years.
- Update: In the late summer of 2010 we moved a short distance to a larger place on Ogden's main street. We gutted the
basement and the resulting shop is about 30% larger than the old shop. The larger space allows for better layout of tents,
as well as having more shop space over all for fabrication and assembly. We also gained sewing, shipping and office
space on the first floor. Our old shop is still in use... all of the bivys and about half of the tents are still being sewn there.
Changing Times:
Early in 2008 Josh dropped out of Ti Goat. He had moved some 50 odd miles away to a little bigger place where the goats
have more room to roam. Josh continues to be active in the outdoor community, is always thinking up new ideas, and
keeps the ol' goat and his grand dad advised and informed of what's going on in our ever changing world.
- Update: Josh moved back to Ogden in 2010 and put in a lot of hours at TiGoat getting the new shop put together and
building stoves, trekking poles, cf tent poles and coming up with all kinds of new ideas and products. In the late summer
of 2011 he split off from Tigoat to start his own new enterprise ... Ruta Locura .... All of the carbon fiber goods that he
was doing at TiGoat are now Ruta Loura products. He's adding new stuff all the time.
Titanium Goat started out as a small two man operation, run by a father and son team, DJ and Josh Leavitt. We are
located in Ogden, Utah, at the foot of the Wasatch front range.
A little history:
Growing up in Northern Utah has given us the opportunity to be exposed to a wide variety of outdoor related activities.
As a youngster, DJ spent most every weekend with his father exploring everywhere that was in reach of a day or two
Willy's wagon ride. When not ranging far and wide, it was just a short two block walk into the foothills and mountains at
the edge of the neighborhood, where adventure was always waiting. In his early 20s DJ bought a house in the same
neighborhood he had grown up in, and Josh enjoyed a similar upbringing of mountains and wildlife at arms reach, and
grandpa's Jeep was only two blocks away. We are a few blocks further now from those mountains we grew up so
close to, but not too far.
Over the years we have been involved in backpacking, rafting, canoing, mountaineering, and rock climbing. In all these
ventures we did as our fathers and grandfathers did, we built a lot of our own gear. Backpacks, tents, climbing
harnesses, cams "friends", chalks, clothing, etc. If we could not afford it, or we could make it better, well thats just how
we always did it. Coming from an early pioneering family, tools of self sufficiency were the norm. Torches, welders,
lathes, mills, drills, and sewing machines were common items around the house and garage... Well at least we thought
they were common.
When it came to backpacking we were always on the light side of things, not because it was in, or the thing to do, but
because we didn't like carrying heavy loads. We have never been "ultralight", but we've never been "traditional" in our
approach to packing either. We have always liked to lighten our load, but not sacrifice too much durability, Titanium Goat
is just an extension of this continuing journey that we have been on.
The shop:
During the winter of 2007 we moved the sewing machine from the living room to a small, but larger than the living room,
750 sq ft basement area, where we sew the soft goods, and assemble stoves, poles, and other hardware. We have
another 750 sq ft of space equipped with 2 lathes, a mill, welders, presses, and saws, where we manufacture the parts
and pieces for our "hard gear". As time goes by we have added 3 more sewing machines and a few people to help with
layout, assembly, and sewing. Two of the guys have each been sewing for well over 20 years.
- Update: In the late summer of 2010 we moved a short distance to a larger place on Ogden's main street. We gutted the
basement and the resulting shop is about 30% larger than the old shop. The larger space allows for better layout of tents,
as well as having more shop space over all for fabrication and assembly. We also gained sewing, shipping and office
space on the first floor. Our old shop is still in use... all of the bivys and about half of the tents are still being sewn there.
Changing Times:
Early in 2008 Josh dropped out of Ti Goat. He had moved some 50 odd miles away to a little bigger place where the goats
have more room to roam. Josh continues to be active in the outdoor community, is always thinking up new ideas, and
keeps the ol' goat and his grand dad advised and informed of what's going on in our ever changing world.
- Update: Josh moved back to Ogden in 2010 and put in a lot of hours at TiGoat getting the new shop put together and
building stoves, trekking poles, cf tent poles and coming up with all kinds of new ideas and products. In the late summer
of 2011 he split off from Tigoat to start his own new enterprise ... Ruta Locura .... All of the carbon fiber goods that he
was doing at TiGoat are now Ruta Loura products. He's adding new stuff all the time.