Barebones

Barebones was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2012 by Robert Workman, a serial entrepreneur with an unusually practical approach to philanthropy. Before turning to outdoor gear, he had spent years working on humanitarian projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo, helping develop businesses, solar power and essential infrastructure for communities in need. Barebones grew directly out of that work, and its first product was an emergency shelter. It’s a good origin story because usefulness wasn’t something the brand added later. It was the reason it existed in the first place.

The range has since expanded into lanterns, cast iron, enamelware, garden and woodsman tools, and rugged canvas gear, but the same thinking runs through all of it. These guys make outdoor equipment that’s robust enough to earn its keep, but with far more design sense than most utility gear. There’s a definite heritage influence, from warm-glowing lanterns to old-school steel tools, but it never tips into costume. The materials are solid, the shapes are clean, and much of it looks just as good on a terrace or kitchen shelf as it does beside a campfire. Add in B Corp certification and a longstanding commitment to humanitarian work, and there’s more substance here than the handsome styling first suggests.