Before leaving on his Pacific Crest Trail hike, Tom a.k.a. "Gadget" wanted a lazier (or better?) way to inflate his sleeping pad. He decided to create his own inflator design by modifying a fan from DigiKey with a 3D-printed housing. He then set off on the trail... where he promptly got shin splints that took him off the trail. Moping about, Tom alternated between Ibuprofen doses and making new versions of the inflator until healed. Tom did finish the Pacific Crest Trail (with the Alpenblow inflator he created). He came home, quit his day job, and worked full time to bring Alpenblow to the larger ultralight gear market.
Read Alpenglow's full story here!
