NAME: Max Kiel
POSITION AT HMG: Customer Experience Manager
YEARS WITH HMG: Two
WHAT'S YOUR BACKGROUND PRIOR TO WORKING HERE?
I was born and raised in the southern Hudson Valley region of New York, about 60 miles north of Manhattan. This region of New York, unbeknownst to many, has amazing access to a plethora of outdoor adventures at its disposal. My parents always kept us active and interested in outdoor adventure growing up, whether that was hiking, skiing, canoeing, biking, or camping.
I went on my first multi-day backpacking trip in the Adirondack High Peaks when I was 19 years old, and I guess you could say that I got hooked from there. My drive to become more knowledgeable, experienced, and efficient allowed me to go further and faster in the backcountry. That also prepared me to do a thru hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2021 and the John Muir Trail in 2023.
After finishing the AT in 2021, I found myself right out of college without a job, back at my parent's house in New York. I picked up a job at a small specialty running shop and worked there for a few months before switching to a corporate communications job. I became increasingly interested and passionate about writing and photographing trip reports of my adventures and sent one of my blogs to Hyperlite for publication. I began to build a connection with Hyperlite and became more familiar with the brand, and an opportunity for a full-time gig was made available to me. So that's how I ended up here. I now live a few minutes down the road in Portland, Maine.
I enjoy exploring my new, expansive playground in Northern New England when I'm not working. Nowadays, most of my time and effort spent in the backcountry involves ultra/trail running, fastpacking, snowboarding, and backcountry splitboarding while constantly scheming and training for the next adventure or race.
WALK US THROUGH SOME OF THE HATS YOU WEAR IN YOUR ROLE.
Working as a Customer Experience Manager for Hyperlite Mountain Gear, I act as a direct point of contact for all customer inquiries through multiple channels, including email, live chat, and phone calls. I manage warranties and repairs, which requires a lot of collaboration across departments to communicate and relay information that I receive directly from the consumer.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING IN CUSTOMER SERVICE?
I never get tired of hearing about the adventures that you all use our gear on. Hyperlite Mountain Gear is used for a wide variety of backcountry adventures, from skiing remote big mountain lines in the Himalayas to paddling remote lakes and rivers in Canada to backpacking a 100-mile off-trail high route in the Rockies. Our gear reaches just about every corner of the globe and can be found at some really amazing places, and I witness this firsthand through all of you out there who are constantly putting our gear to work. It's inspiring for me to hear about the big accomplishments that you all achieve with our gear.
WHAT CUSTOMER PROBLEMS/SOLUTIONS ARE YOU MOST STOKED TO SOLVE? SHARE A FAVORITE.
Working directly with on-trail long-distance thru-hikers is exciting and motivating for me because I can definitely understand how important fully functional gear is in such an endeavor. I mean, your gear is basically your life out there. I would say a favorite experience for me is always AT Trail Days because I love being reconnected with the AT community. Working directly in person with the current thru-hikers who are using our gear out there and those looking to start using our gear to help them with the rest of their journeys–I find that fun for sure.
WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER ONE TIP FOR GETTING THE MOST OUT OF A PIECE OF GEAR?
Dialing in your gear that will be best suited for you and your needs is important. If something doesn't work for you, don't force it. Knowing what will be best for you takes trial and error, so don't rush it. Once you know what works best for you, continue to get comfortable using your gear in situations where it can really help you out, so you won't have to think twice or second guess yourself if you're in a tricky situation. Everything you bring with you should aid in playing a role in a safe and enjoyable experience, and knowing what you need and how to use it properly will help you a ton in the long run. Something like a backpack should, in most instances, just feel like an extension of the body, not a heavy useless burden that you feel forced to lug around.
WHERE DO YOU SEE ULTRALIGHT BACKPACKING AND MULTISPORT HEADING IN TERMS OF GEAR?
We're seeing a trend in which more people are simply looking to move faster and more efficiently within their respective pursuits in the backcountry, so we're already seeing gear now designed to be best suited for this 'fast-and-light' method of exploration. You even see this with us here at HMG with the launches of the Aero 28, Contour 35, and Waypoint 35 packs. I see gear continuing to be tailored towards this trend of people looking to break boundaries of what we're capable of and what our limits are, and the advanced technology and design ideation that comes along with that.
FAVORITE OUTDOORS RELATED QUOTE?
"Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt." - John Muir
