• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Freestone Equipment

Climbing Accessories to the adventure

  • Products
  • Blog
  • Design
  • Contact
Shop now

Love Handle

The Origin Story

The Original Love Handle in Continuous Service Since 1997. Back then I was working for Cascade Designs as a senior designer making all kinds of products for the SealLine, Playtpus, and Tracks product lines. I was also climbing a ton. Vertical World in Seattle was on its second location and I had a tight crew of friends. We were all working hard on our careers and enjoying the freedom that comes pre kids.
http://freestoneequipment.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Freeston-Love-Handle-Design.jpg
http://freestoneequipment.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Freeston-Love-Handle-Design-B.jpg
http://freestoneequipment.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Freeston-Love-Handle-Design-C.jpg

Sport climbing was the flavour of the day and we were all pushing grades and digging the tiny gear racks and short approaches.

As a product designer I was always had a pile of raw materials stacking up around my desk. One afternoon I took some fiberglass rod, and some web, some cord and a few cool fasteners from ITW Nexus and put together a couple of different versions of what is now the Love Handle. I gave them to Don and Craig and Mike and they just worked.

Somewhere along the line I lost mine, or maybe just forgot it in the bottom of a bin.

There were a lot of distractions back then, relationships, kids, homes, changing jobs and a double handful of years slipped by.

Hanging out one day with my buddy Don, he reached into his sack and pulled out one of the OG Love Handles. Turns out his had been in regular service all these years. He held it up, full of draws and said I really should do something with the idea.

That was the time I was looking for a product that I could build, sell and grow a little business organically. Lots of computer models and prototypes later the modern Love Handle came to be.

Designing a single product is a far cry from designing the method of manufacture and all the tooling and processes required.  Elegance comes when it all gets simple.

Footer

Company

  • Design
  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy

Shop

  • Products

Contact

  • Contact Us

Our Mission

Freestone Equipment is a partnership between an adventurous state of mind and beautiful solutions.

© 2023 FREESTONE EQUIPMENT
FREESTONE EQUIPMENT is a division of Pete Hill LTD. a product design studio.

website by Mintstone and Sweet Imagery