Vista Outdoor Acquires Hunting Gear Brand Stone Glacier

Outdoor sports and recreation company Vista Outdoor Inc. on Tuesday (Dec. 28) acquired backcountry hunting gear company Stone Glacier, giving Vista a foothold in the packs, camping equipment and technical apparel categories.

“I am excited to welcome the Stone Glacier team into the Vista Outdoor family,” said Vista Outdoor Chief Executive Officer Chris Metz in the joint announcement. “Stone Glacier is an enthusiast brand that is fast-growing, well-managed and a great cultural fit.

“Our centers of excellence, brand portfolio and distribution network will support Stone Glacier as they reach their next level of awareness, maturity and growth,” he said. “Stone Glacier enhances our ability to enter and leverage the camping category, which has exploded in popularity over recent years. The acquisition also further bolsters our reputation as the acquirer of choice in the outdoor industry.”

Stone Glacier designs and manufactures light, durable gear for backcountry adventurers. The company, which was founded in 2012 by Kurt Racicot, is based in Bozeman, Montana, with its headquarters surrounded by public lands in Big Sky country.

“The future of Stone Glacier is bright,” said Stone Glacier President Jeff Sposito in the joint announcement. “This partnership comes at a great time for our business, and we are excited for the support that Vista Outdoor will provide to accelerate our growth and continue developing industry-leading products.

“We have been fortunate to build a following of the most dedicated backcountry hunters, and it has always been our mission to bring the best products, service and innovations to market. This partnership ensures we will continue to execute on that mission at the highest level,” he said.

The deal for Stone Glacier marks the seventh acquisition in last 16 months for Vista Outdoor, joining Remington, HEVI-Shot, Venor, QuietKat, Foresight Sports and Fiber Energy Products.

Related: Great Outdoors Group and Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings Cancel Merger Plans

Earlier this month, Great Outdoors Group, LLC and Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings, Inc. announced through the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the cancellation of their proposed merger, which would have brought together two outdoor sporting goods companies.

Both companies specialize in hunting, shooting, fishing, camping and other outdoor gear.