As a city with a young and entrepreneurial spirit, Grand Junction has played host to some of the most innovative and creative ideas to hit the market. Finding holistic ways to combine the natural resources and opportunities of the area with simplicity and functionality to produce expertly crafted products is something Grand Junction is known for. From functional outdoor equipment to locally grown goods, check out all the many innovations that were born in Grand Junction!
QuikrStuff
As a young company that started in Grand Junction, Colorado, QuickrStuff has rapidly become a powerhouse in the bike rack industry. This is the quickest, modular no-tools bike rack on the market and it is 100 percent made in the U.S.A! With their new and improved Quik Rack Mach2 design, it takes less than ten seconds to mount it to your car so you can spend more time riding and less time loading. Check out some of the other QuikrStuff items - all of which are designed to make your outdoor life easier.
Belli Fiori Lavender Farm
Belli Fiori is home to over 1,100 lavender plants with 11 different varieties, all of which are used to make small-batch aromatherapy, culinary and body care products. This shop offers an immersive experience with the lavender fields surrounding it. Stroll along the rows of lavender, pick up a bushel from the farmhouse or stop into Highlands Distillery (located behind Belli Fiori) to enjoy a lavender-infused cocktail. This unique destination has a yurt onsite that provides air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter, as well as a food truck with quality Italian street food including sandwiches, homemade chips, and charcuterie boards.
Loki
This Grand Junction-based company, founded by the mountain climbing Anderson brothers, has set out to create all-in-one gear designed to keep outdoor enthusiasts warm, safe and comfortable. Their patented jackets have built-in face shields/neck shields, built-in gloves and the ability for all of it to fold into itself to create a wearable backpack. No matter what the weather looks like, grab a Loki jacket so you will never be unprepared for nature’s elements.
Suncrest Orchard Alpacas and Fiber Works
If you’re tired of taking your dog on a walk or just looking for another furry friend for a day, swap it for an alpaca! Suncrest Orchard Alpacas and Fiber Works offers 30-45 minute trekking tours that guide you and your leashed alpaca through a tunnel of peach trees. Don’t worry, alpacas are extremely docile animals, and love being walked. This working alpaca farm sheers the alpaca fleece and spins it into high-quality products that you can purchase at the Suncrest Orchard farm store. What a great way to meet the maker of your next fleece beanie, socks, or mittens! One of the benefits of this yarn is that it is as warm as wool but does not itch.
Wiggy’s
Made and manufactured in Grand Junction, Wiggy’s sleeping bags are durable and are not designed like their competitors. While others try to minimize radiant heat loss, Wiggy’s technology focuses more on conductive heat loss since the body only loses about 5% of radiant heat. They use a continuous filament fiber and a material known as lamilite, a product developed by Wiggy’s owner, to reduce conductive heat loss. They are so confident in the quality of their products that all Wiggy’s sleeping bags come with a lifetime warranty, so you never have to buy another sleeping bag again. Wiggy fans literally hand down their sleeping bags to their grandchildren.
Hill People Gear
Made and produced by backcountry enthusiasts in Grand Junction, Hill People Gear strives to weave practicality and functionality into every product they release. Finding a more efficient way to travel the backcountry has been at the forefront of the company since it began in 2010. Hill People Gear packs are designed and engineered to not only carry your gear and everything you need for a backcountry adventure, but they also reduce and redistribute the strain on your body. Check out the Ute Backpack V2 for your next multi-day outdoor excursion or snag a Tarahumara Pack for an easy way to store all your hiking essentials. Their website is chock full of information that includes outdoor survival, firearm safety and hunting skills.
Roastiva
Stemming from a young boy's interest in roasting coffee beans with his father, Roastiva now ships roasted beans all over the United States. Its mission is to make high-quality roasted coffee beans while also reducing its carbon footprint. Roastiva’s packaging is made from 100% compostable material and the beans are packaged within 4 hours of being roasted to ensure freshness. Helpful hint: If you’re a local, Roastiva offers a “milkman program” where they swap your empty glass coffee jar, which you set outside your door on a weekly basis, for a fresh jar of beans that were roasted the same morning. Just visiting? Roastiva accommodates one-time drop-offs, in biodegradable bags, to your hotel – you just need to call them directly at 970-424-7358.
Zesty Moose
Located in Downtown Grand Junction, Zesty Moose creates healthy alternatives to processed foods. With flavor and transparency in mind, their products are additive-free, preservative-free, and flavor enhancer-free. What started with nine original seasoning blends in 2007, has now become over 150 specialty blends and products, including a wine bar onsite. Try out their herbs and spices or pick up one of their gift boxes to try a few different custom-blended flavors! Zesty Moose also provides over a dozen aged vinegars and 17 artisan olive oils that you can sample prior to purchasing.
For more ways to experience Grand Junction, check out pages 16 –23 of the Official Grand Junction Visitor Guide!
Photos By:
@rootedgypsyfarms, @quikrstuff, @texanclimbingcolorado, @hillpeoplegear, @thezestymoose