Primitive Labs didn't start in a boardroom. It started in a garage at 2 AM, when a father realized he couldn't sleep because he wasn't sure his family would be okay.

Not okay in some distant, abstract way. Okay tomorrow. Okay next week. Okay when things we take for granted suddenly aren't there anymore.

The idea wasn't to build a business. It was to solve a problem that kept showing up—this growing gap between what we're told will keep our families safe and what actually works when it matters. Between what looks prepared and what is prepared.

We started asking better questions. Not "what do experts recommend?" but "what actually works when everything else fails?" Not "what's the standard advice?" but "what would I bet my family's safety on?"

The answers surprised us. They were simpler than we expected. Lighter. More practical. The kind of solutions that work because they're simple, not despite it.

So we built Primitive Labs around a different standard: gear that doesn't just check boxes on a list, but actually solves real problems for real families. Equipment you'd trust with the people you love most. Solutions that work when you need them, not just when conditions are ideal.

Every product we offer has been tested against one simple question: "Would I trust this to protect my own family?"

If the answer isn't "absolutely," it doesn't make it into our catalog.

We donate $1 from every order to the USO because preparedness runs deeper than products. It's about supporting the people who've dedicated their lives to keeping others safe—and making sure they and their families are taken care of when they need it most.