Our Story

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Co-founders Ava and Brennan have been serious outdoor recreators for as long as they can remember. Ava grew up in the small town of Salmon, Idaho, working for a family owned whitewater rafting company. Brennan was raised in Rapid City, South Dakota where he found a passion for rock climbing and high-lining. Both found themselves heading to Montana to pursue a higher education. The pair eventually met in Bozeman, where they created a home and outdoor lifestyle together. 

 

The inspiration for GRADA began with a broken flip flop during a road trip to Alaska. The toe post of Ava’s flip flop pulled out during a short hike, prompting a frustrated discussion about how this always seems to happen! Realizing they must not be alone in having this issue with the feeble footwear, they set off to find a solution during the long drive ahead.

 

Weeks later they put together the first prototype at their kitchen table with a cardboard “sole”, spare webbing, and Brennan’s hand-me-down sewing machine. Without giving up the ease and comfortability of the classic flip flop design, they developed a method to eliminate the problem of flip flop straps pulling out of the sole. Through this process Brennan and Ava hope to change the way people see and use flip flops entirely. Until now, flip flops have been created for light leisure and there is yet to be a flip flop on the market that can compete with the secureness and durability of sandals, until GRADA.