About Us

Kelly and Matt met while working for the Daniel Boone National Forest in Winchester, Kentucky. Over the course of several years we would kick around various ideas, hoping to come up with the spark that would allow us to make a difference, both with a product and our careers. That moment occurred in January 2016.

We saw an opportunity, formed an LLC, and started down the path of product design, patent applications, and trying to figure out how we could possibly sell these ideas to existing companies already producing products we’ve seen and liked.

With patents in hand, several generations of prototypes, and an established brand, we started shopping the products to various companies looking to strike a licensing deal. This licensing deal never materialized and it became apparent that if we wanted to bring our products to market we would have to do it ourselves.

The daunting process and cost associated with launching a company and bringing products to market loomed over us. This was way outside of our comfort zone. Luckily, we had a supportive group of friends and family who thought we had some good ideas and were willing to support us in this endeavor. Many of these same friends and family became our first financial backers, a base that has helped us further develop our products, as well as the entirety of Longtail Designs.

So we began networking, attending inventor seminars, and developing our concept beyond just a product. We realized out of our three patented products, the Rescue Biner was the best way to introduce ourselves. It improved upon a good idea that was always out of reach, able to be easily clipped to a seat belt, gear bag, belt loop, or set of keys.

Our focus sharpened with the Rescue Biner as we started creating a marketable brand and company. Our networking efforts began paying off as we made connections that kept moving us forward. Thanks in no small part to a lot of people providing guidance and working with us on a shoestring budget, we are proud to bring the Rescue Biner to Kickstarter to help us launch this product and our company.