Last month, Colorado Governor Jared Polis and the Business Funding and Incentives (BF&I) division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced that Colter Backcountry, a flyfishing apparel and gear company, joined the Rural Jump-Start initiative, a program designed to attract businesses to rural, economically distressed counties in Colorado. For a designer and manufacturer of minimalist backcountry flyfishing gear, it was a perfect fit.
Colter Backcountry was founded by brothers Patrick and Daniel Bauman, who were inspired to create ultralight backcountry gear after thru-hiking the 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail. Colter makes minimalist versions of essential flyfishing gear using lightweight, advanced materials. The company moved its headquarters from Palo Alto, California, to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where it will manage product assembly, inventory storage, design, R&D and order fulfillment.
“Steamboat Springs and the Yampa Valley offer world-class flyfishing and close proximity to some of the more remote wilderness areas in Colorado,” said Patrick Bauman. “It's an excellent place for us to design and test gear for backcountry flyfishing.”
Colter uses a mix of in-house design and external product development consultants to develop its expanding product line. Patrick and his brother (and co-founder), Daniel, are constantly tinkering with sewing machines, in CAD, and on 3D printers—working on designs to address specific pain points they have experienced while fishing in backcountry areas. However, it can be difficult to create high-quality, ultralight gear in an increasingly cost-sensitive economy.
“It is difficult to make gear at a smaller scale, in the United States, and capture the margins appropriate for running the business while still selling the product at a reasonable price,” said Patrick. “We run a lean operation to keep costs down. We've also found that our target audience is still willing to pay a premium for unique, quality gear that they can't find anywhere else, especially if it solves a real pain point."
The company’s products and parts are manufactured domestically across different corners of the country. For example, the primary components for Colter’s collapsible Thorofare Net — a full-size landing net that can be folded to fit into a backpack without sacrificing space, weight, or performance — are molded in Salt Lake City. The nets are then assembled in Steamboat Springs. The company’s Thorofare Clip Kits — minimalist flyfishing gear organizers — are cut and sewn at a soft goods facility in Los Angeles, but final assembly is also performed in Steamboat. The company expects to continue working with domestic manufacturing partners and to expand its assembly capabilities in Steamboat for future hard goods projects.
"Luckily, we haven't run into any major supply chain issues,” added Patrick. “Most of our hiccups have come in the design phase and transition from prototype to commercial product. Working with domestic manufacturing partners makes it easier to manage lead times and expectations."
Colter makes minimalist versions of essential flyfishing gear using lightweight, advanced materials.Colter Backcountry
Why Colter Moved from California to Colorado
The funding for Colorado’s Rural Jump-Start program is designed to support regional economic and workforce development activities that seek to expand local business, create new, good-paying jobs, and strengthen and diversify local economies. Colter will receive $15,000 in grant funding to support the launch of its operations, as well as four years of tax benefits. Eligible employees will also receive a state personal income tax credit while the company is in the program.
"As a small business looking to grow, it can be difficult to find the capital and resources necessary to make that happen,” Patrick said. “The Rural Jump-Start program offers some incredible incentives in the form of cash grants and tax breaks. I was extremely excited to learn about the program, and it made Steamboat Springs an especially attractive place for our headquarters."
Sponsoring entities like Routt County Economic Development Partnership (RCEDP) help identify business candidates in their communities and work with each business to help ensure its success in the program and in the community.
"We are planning to use the program's incentives to help with product development,” Patrick added. “We've found a good product-market fit with the initial gear we've brought to market and have validated a lot of the assumptions we had about our audience and the need for our brand in the space. Continuing to develop innovative gear and apparel for backcountry fishing is our primary focus."
As of April 2026, there are 34 active new businesses participating in the Rural Jump-Start program across the state of Colorado, which are projected to create 699 new full-time jobs at or above their county’s average annual wage.
A statement provided by a Colorado OEDIT spokesperson said, “The program can benefit businesses across a wide variety of industries that sell goods or services outside their county, including manufacturers, helping these businesses save money on taxes and receive small amounts of grant funding to support their operations at a time when they are focused on and investing in launching and growing.”
New businesses approved into the Rural Jump-Start program are eligible for an operating grant and up to eight years of tax incentives. One particular tax benefit provides qualified new hires with a 100% reimbursement of their state income tax, issued as a tax credit certificate. Such an incentive could lure design and manufacturing talent to rural parts of the state.
Colorado’s outdoor recreation industry supports more than 404,000 jobs in the state, some 12% of the state’s workforce.
A Note to Fellow Entrepreneurs
While life as a young entrepreneur can be tough in any market, Bauman encourages others to “Keep at it!” as they try to turn their passions into professions.
“Building a business often feels messy and complicated,” he said. “This is especially true when your product or service is also a personal passion. It's important to find a community of mentors and peers who can help you navigate unknowns. I would also highly recommend finding a co-founder or business partner. It's way more fun to run this company with my brother, and then it would be on my own!"
Colter’s collapsible Thorofare Net is a full-size landing net that can be folded to fit into a backpack without sacrificing space, weight, or performance.
