About Us

Gentoo Outdoors, named after the Gentoo penguin - the fastest swimming penguin in the world, which happens to make it great at fishing, was formed by Tom and Ryan Konnad, an outdoors-loving father-son team in late 2022 after an evening out ice fishing in Minnesota.

That evening, the fishing was good and spirits were high until Ryan's nearly-new phone slipped from his chest pocket, slid across the ice, and straight into a fishing hole - all in the blink of an eye. After some time coming to grips with what had just happened, conversation quickly turned to how an accident like this could be prevented.

After researching what was currently available, it was determined that, while some cover style solutions exist, they are better suited for dead sticking than they are for active fishing. It was at that time that the idea for GearGuard™ was born. GearGuard is Gentoo Outdoors' first, and flagship product. It is a simple ice fishing hole insert that provides protection from items being kicked or sliding into a hole while leaving the top open for unobstructed fishing. Work quickly began on prototyping and perfecting a design in December of 2022, with final designs going into production in the first quarter of 2023.

With more products in the pipeline, our mission is simple: to provide high-quality, functional outdoor and sporting equipment that enhances the sportsman’s experience. We are committed to doing this to the best of our ability, without cutting corners, and with pride in our USA-only manufacturing.