The Supernatural, A Product Development Story

When Kyle and I joined High Above in April, we had a vision for our next product: a vest-style pack. After months of development, we’re thrilled to announce the Supernatural Pack, launching on 1/31. Before we unveil it, here’s the story of how it came to be—and why we think it’s something special.

I’ll skip the cliché “we couldn’t find what we wanted, so we made it” spiel, but dear reader, we really did see an opportunity. As a recovering trail runner, I’ve seen how vests represent a significant upgrade over hip packs and backpacks in anti-jostle technology, especially when carrying water. We saw an opportunity to adapt this to mountain biking with durability and thoughtful design in mind. I don’t want to throw shade at the other stuff we saw on the market, but we had a few features we felt were missing: 

• Built to last a lifetime of abuse—not just a season.

• Sized for epic rides, yet stable when nearly empty.

• Dedicated storage for knee pads, pumps, and a flawless full-face helmet carry.

In a predictable fit of hubris, we decided that we could design and build a better one over the summer.  

We did not fully realize what we’d gotten into. Designing a vest pack that fits a variety of body types is harder than doing it for a hip pack. The aggressive stance of modern riding requires some counterintuitive fitment to ensure the pack is comfortable on long rides leaned over the handlebars. We also wanted a unique design that charted the right aesthetic direction for High Above, was waterproof, and could be manufactured in the US. It was a lot of iterations. 

After a few prototypes in early summer, we really got in a groove in August: Our designer Toni and I would start every morning and talk about the changes we wanted to make on the commute, update the design, sew a new pack, and then give it to Kyle (or another trusted rider) for testing. 

All in, we made over 50 iterations on the pack before we finally had one we felt was perfect. It’s been a refreshing and rewarding journey and an embodiment of why Kyle and I wanted to be involved with High Above in the first place. Having the time and ability to do that many iterations is rare in a product cycle. Being able to produce a new version every day allows you to learn so much about what’s really essential to the product. We couldn’t be more proud of where it ended up. Towards the end of the journey, it got slightly unnerving because we weren’t getting critical feedback from our testers. We’d ask for what we should change and people would say “nothing.” Eventually we started believing people. The result: a pack that’s not quite like anything on the market. It’s incredibly user friendly. It’s easy to get in and out of. It’s tough enough for the depths of PNW winter. It has thoughtful and minimal storage solutions designed with mountain bikers in mind.   

We’re unbelievably stoked to share it with you on 1/31. Even better, we’re throwing a launch party to celebrate! Expect free booze, discounts on all High Above gear, and first access to special-edition packs made with Ultra fabrics. Details coming soon—keep an eye on your inbox and our socials.  

Cheers and Happy New Year, 

Spencer & the HA Crew