About

About San Util

San Util is a small team of makers, riders, and outdoor people based in Winter Park Colorado. We design and build durable, functional gear for bikepacking, mountain biking, and backcountry travel — gear that comes from real use, real problem-solving, and a deep love for time outside.

What started as a solo project has grown into a team of four. We’re still small, still scrappy, and still building each product by hand in our Winter Park workshop and in Portland through our friends Jeremy and Cody. But now there’s more hands, more ideas, and more momentum behind every stitch.

Where It All Started

San Util officially kicked off in 2021 as a one-person passion project in a small mountain town. At the time, it was just me — Adam — designing and sewing bags to solve the gear problems I ran into while bikepacking and riding in the backcountry. I didn’t set out to start a company; I just wanted to make things that worked better, lasted longer, and felt more personal than what I could find on the market.

What’s in a Name?

People always ask: what does San Util mean?

It’s a strange name, I know. The short version? It’s pronounced like “Sand Utility,” but without the “D” — and just stop at Util.

The long version? “San” is loosely borrowed from the French “sans,” meaning “without.” And “Util” is a term from economics — a unit for measuring satisfaction. So San Util = “Without Satisfaction.”

Weird, sure. But that idea means something to me. In a world obsessed with optimization and productivity, San Util is a reminder that it’s okay to not squeeze value out of everything. That joy doesn’t need to be earned. That life happens in peaks and valleys — and that’s alright. Some things are worth doing simply because they bring you joy.

San Util is my way of sewing life into the things that matter. A creative outlet, a community builder, and a business (yes, technically) that cares a lot more about meaning than mass production.

The Crew

We’ve grown since the early days — and I’m no longer the only one in the shop.

  • Katie is our production supervisor — she keeps the shop running smoothly and the sewing machines humming. Her attention to detail and deep experience with soft goods make sure every bag that leaves our shop is dialed.

  • September is our production team — cutting, sewing, and handling the countless little details that go into crafting each product. She is the hands (and brains) of San Util.

  • I’m Adam — the founder, designer, prototyper, bike nerd, and occasional overthinker. I spend about 50% of my time on a sewing machine and build all of your frame bags. I also do all the fun computer things and work on the creative direction for us. Really all the little details of the whole business. I could not do this without my coworkers and am so so grateful for them. 

Together, we make up a small but mighty crew that’s committed to doing good work and making gear that makes your time outside better.

What We Believe

We believe that people are more important than money. Spending time on trails and snow is a great way to live and spend time with friends and family. 

We believe in making gear we actually use. That means everything we build gets tested on the trail, in the dirt, in the snow and in real conditions. If it doesn’t work for us, it doesn’t go out the door.

We believe in function over flash. In clean lines, smart details, and products that get better with age. Simplicity is key here. We want less zippers, fewer pockets and simpler design. 

We believe in local production and intentional design. We don’t outsource overseas. We don’t overbuild. We make what we think is necessary — and try to do it really well. We make 95% of our gear here in Winter Park the remaining 5% is made in the USA with production partners throughout the west. 

We believe that play matters. Whether you’re grinding up forest roads or sipping trailhead coffee, we hope our gear helps you chase what lights you up.

Mr. SUDS

If you’ve poked around the brand, you may have met Mr. SUDS. He’s our unofficial mascot and a reminder that life can be simple — and that doing something just because it’s fun is a good enough reason. We all have a little Mr. SUDS in us. The question is: are you gonna lean into it?

Let’s Build Something

Whether you’re looking for a custom frame bag, a dialed setup for your next trip, or just want to swing by the shop for a coffee and some bike talk — we’d love to meet you. We’re builders at heart, and nothing gets us more excited than helping people get into good gear for playing outside.

Thanks for being here. Let’s ride.

  • Adam + the San Util crew