OUR Founders
Johnny Davis
Johnny, a climber for years, worked at his climbing gym at NC State and Triangle Rock Club. He graduated from NC State with a degree in Industrial Engineering and works at Adams Handmade Soap in Dunn, NC to make processes safer for workers. In addition to work and Acorn, Johnny loves exploring the outdoors. With the future close to his heart, Johnny is passionate about living a sustainable lifestyle and is always looking for ways to improve the world around him.
Tate Sandman
Always up for a challenge, Tate enjoys pursuits that require mental focus and stamina as well as extreme physical effort. Tate currently plays tennis at the University of Kentucky. If not battling it out on a tennis court or scaling a rock face, Tate can most likely be found halfway through a burrito bowl and chips, memorizing speed-cubing algorithms or spending quality time with his grey tuxedo cat, Lola.
I was climbing at Triangle Rock Club in Raleigh, North Carolina after a long day of classes at NC State. In between climbs, I decided to wander over to the store side of the gym and, immediately after looking at the hangboards, a spark went off! I called up Tate, and we decided (in a matter of two minutes) that we would go into the climbing supply business and manufacture hangboards.
Our first discussions were with other climbers to gain insight on what type of board we should make. We wanted to create a new type of hangboard that would improve climbers' abilities while still catering to every skill level. In our minds, we thought that we should incorporate a new feature that made the Acorn hangboard unique from any other; thus, the pair of attachable hangers was added to practice anchor setting. Finally, we wanted to create an environmentally responsible product through sustainable business practices. Everything a climber receives in the mail or in store (including all packaging) will be either recyclable or biodegradable. With pinches, slopes, jugs, bolts, weight reduction hardware and varying pockets, our hangboard gives all climbers the fundamentals to grow in the sport of climbing.