
A B O U T
Outdoor GEARWORKS comes from a family tradition of professional cobblers and repairmen, dating back to 1905 when Uncle Henry first established the business. My Great-Uncle Carl, the nephew to Uncle Henry, first began his shoe repair business, Walter’s Boot and Shoe Repair, after serving in WWII. During those early days, Carl's younger brother, Clarence (my grandfather), began working with him, learning the skills of the trade and the art of repair. Clarence, upon returning from the Korean Conflict, established his own business in California. Aaron (my father), raised in the trade as a young apprentice, acquired the skills and honed the art of repair to continue on the family cobbler and repair business.
My place in this family tradition takes a slightly different path. While growing up around the shop as a child, my father also taught me the joys of fly fishing, ski/ snowboarding and exploring the outdoors with every possible chance. When I was ready to move out on my own, I began exploring the western part of the United States, ranging from Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming as a professional rafting guide and then to Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado working as a cowboy, hunting guide and horse packer.
While on all my trips and adventures, I realized the importance of great and reliable gear. Stretching that gear and equipment for every hard working dollar that we saved. Some of us would go on to use the same piece of gear for years and years; each piece holding years of stories. Others buy great gear and put it to the test; police, fire, military and extreme outdoors men/ outdoors women. But now that great gear is stuffed into the back closet or under a table in the garage, all because one piece of equipment was broken.
I have taken the same skills passed down through generations of my family and applied them to gear repair, establishing Outdoor GEARWORKS and Walter's Saddle and Tack Repair. My business began as customizing leather holsters, repairing saddles and repairing gear for family and friends, when I discovered there are very few outdoor gear repair business that provide high quality repairs, especially in the SOUTH. Whether it be Western or English saddles and equestrian equipment, broken buckles, webbing worn through or a busted zipper. I am here to get you and your gear back out there doing the things we all love!