Camping is supposed to be simple: throw your gear in the car, head for the mountains, and wake up with the sunrise. But for most people, that’s just not how it goes. Setting up a tent is a major hassle (especially with your spouse when you’re both hangry), sleeping on the ground is miserable, and you wake up stiff, cold, and cranky.
That’s where RISE started.
“I wanted to fix two things,” says RISE Founder Todd Lawson. “First, the time and frustration it takes to set up camp — and second, the terrible sleep most people get outdoors.”
So he created the AirNEST — a rugged inflatable shelter with an integrated queen-sized mattress that sets up at the push of a button. Think of it as your bedroom in a backpack, ready in two minutes flat. No poles, no pegs, no messing around. Their mission is simple: help more people experience the power of nature — and love it enough to come back again. RISE Outdoor isn’t just a gear company, it’s a movement.
“Every AirNEST we ship helps fund the RISE & SEAN Foundation,” says Lawson from their headquarters in Whistler, BC, “We send kids from developing nations on outdoor adventures that change their lives.”
RISE Outdoor first launched on Kickstarter in October 2024, blew through their funding goal in under seven hours, and proved the market was ready. Since then they’ve shifted to a Shopify-fulled DTC model, which meant dialing in logistics from day one.
“When you sell premium gear that weighs 30lbs., ships globally, and costs $1,500 CAD, fulfillment needs to be part of the experience,” says Lawson. “We needed more than just a warehouse. We needed a partner who gets that every box leaving the dock is someone’s next weekend, road trip, or memory waiting to happen. For us, fulfillment isn’t just logistics; it’s a promise. When someone clicks ‘buy,’ they’re trusting us to deliver a product that makes their time outside better. With Evolution Fulfillment 3PL, I know that promise is in good hands — from warehouse shelf to trailhead.”
For RISE, the road ahead is wide with many lanes, but narrow in focus: more innovative products, opening up new international markets, and an ambitious goal to make RISE the most trusted name in inflatable camping gear worldwide.
“With the right partners, including Evolution Fulfillment, we’ll get there,” says Lawson. “Because when it’s this easy to get outside, more people will do it — and that’s what RISE is all about.”
Todd Lawson
Founder, RISE Outdoor Innovation Inc.
riseoutdoor.ca
tl@riseoutdoor.ca
