Founder Friday Series: Alta Reina and Fat Koi
This week’s Founder Friday spotlights two emerging brands and the founders behind them who are bringing fresh thinking to the outdoor industry. Suzi Zook of Alta Reina is addressing an often-overlooked fit gap in outdoor apparel, while David and Nate White of Fat Koi are developing thoughtful innovation for the hydration and backpacking space. Together, they’re founders to watch as they build products shaped by real needs and a clear point of view.
Suzi Zook, Alta Reina
Suzi Zook is 5’11” and always had a hard time finding clothing that fit her build. Things were particularly bad when it came to winter gear and swimsuits. “Most established brands often make extended sizes, or sometimes tall sizes, but they often stop that line after a few years, and only produce them in ‘easy’ or ‘neutral’ colors or they are lower quality products,” Zook says. Eventually, she’d had enough and decided the best solution for finding quality clothing was to start her own brand. She officially launched Alta Reina in 2024 and today offers a full baselayer set made for anyone over 5’9.”
Sewn in New York City, the baselayers are made from high-quality Polartec PowerStretch Pro fabric and Zook sources a mix of new and deadstock fabric to keep her environmental impact as low as possible. Right now it’s just cold-winter gear, but the plan is to eventually release a year-round line and maybe even go into swimwear. Zook has two daughters who are also tall so she hopes to ease pain points for them and other women who want everyday or activewear clothing that truly fits. “Every consumer deserves to have a brand that speaks their language,” she says.
David and Nate White, Fat Koi
Fat Koi hasn’t announced its first product…yet. But founders David and Nate White say what they plan to launch in Fall 2026 will go a long way toward solving a “really common backpacking issue that we had both just accepted.” They also told us this mysterious first launch will sit somewhere in the hydration space. Curious for more details, we asked them to talk about how they landed on the first product and about their approach to design. They responded by saying that in addition to solving problems, their approach aims to “enhance the user experience in such a way that allows the user to be more present, to experience the full benefit of being outside.”
Their plan is to start in the backpacking space, but then expand out to surfing, mountain biking, trail running, and possibly travel. Once they’ve proven they can provide innovative consumer solutions, the final step for the brand is to create products that solve larger and more pressing problems for communities across the globe. “If we’re asking people to be more deliberate in how they engage the outdoors, we should be just as deliberate in how we engage the world around us,” they said.
Why These Founders Matter
Founders like these demonstrate what happens when founders listen to the needs of the outdoor community and respond with thoughtful, human-centered design. For retailers, these brands represent the kind of innovation your customers crave: practical solutions that enhance functionality, ease of use, and quality of life outdoors.
Ready to stock products that make a difference? Discover more innovative brands like these at Outdoor Retailer, where the next generation of outdoor solutions comes to life.