Startup Spotlight: JP Outdoor Co.
When Rob Schumaker”™s sons were just 2 and 5 years old, he had spent almost 20 years working in finance and was looking to shift to something more entrepreneurial. Drawing on his own experience as a young father, Schumaker thought about how much he and his wife, Tiffany, had spent on baby gear since their first child was born. Not only was every item pricey, many of them only lasted a short amount of time, given how quickly young children grow.
“It always felt like we were spending hundreds of dollars every time my wife bought a new backpack carrier, then I would need one too,” he said. “Then the baby gets a little bit bigger and you”™re doing it all over again.”
As a highly active, outdoorsy father, Schumaker envisioned something ruggedly built, but with all the conveniences of a high-end diaper bag.
The Larchmont dad also wanted something made especially for men that would allow them to carry both the baby and the gear in one comfortable design.
“I think most dads would agree that nearly all baby products, especially diaper bags and carriers, are designed for women,” he said. “My goal was to give men a new outlet to spend more time with their children and be comfortable doing it.”
From his home in Larchmont, Schumaker began prototyping in 2018, naming his company JP Outdoor after his two sons. Given the rigorous safety standards for children”™s products, it took working with a number of factories to find those that could create the quality Schumaker wanted, and the industry required. After a two-year process, the final product was ready for market.
The most noteworthy characteristic of the CarrierPak, which retails for $189, is that it consists of a front infant carrier and a backpack that can be worn simultaneously or unclipped to be used individually.
On its own, the backpack features a laptop sleeve, fully built-in diaper changing station, a cooler compartment and two removable food and clothing bags. The combination, Schumaker says, is an effective solution for parents who literally and figuratively have their hands full.
“We”™ve designed for a dad who wants to go to the park with his kids and has one in a carrier and one holding his hand or riding a bike,” he says. “Functionality and versatility is key.”
The JP CarrierPak was originally intended to be sold in shops throughout Westchester, but the pandemic lockdown made it difficult to sell into stores. With the success of his online sales, Schumaker says he”™s able to work with clients from all over the country, and is already thinking about new products to introduce to the JP Outdoor brand.
“We are looking to be the premier outdoor gear company focused on parents.”