Climbing gear has to earn its place in the kit. For an industry built around exploring the outdoors, caring for those places matters too. The materials behind the gear are part of that responsibility, giving brands a chance to rethink how they make their products and what happens when their useful life ends.
When Metolius Climbing needed an alternative to vinyl-coated fabric, the replacement had to deliver on performance, price, and production. Renegade’s fabric made that switch possible in the Big Wall Bucket and Climber’s Tote.
The Challenge: Replace Vinyl Without Reinventing Production
Metolius faced growing demand from retail buyers to move away from vinyl-coated materials. But finding a practical replacement wasn’t simple.
Urethane-coated fabrics offered the performance they needed, but the cost made it difficult to hit the right retail price. Metolius needed a material that could hold a bag’s shape, handle everyday use, and work with its existing fabrication equipment.
The Solution: A Fabric That Fit the Job
Renegade’s PPI-550 polypropylene-based coated fabric gave Metolius a PVC-free alternative that ran on its existing production lines without new tooling.
The fabric offered the structure needed for freestanding bags, a broad range of colors, and a subtly textured, matte finish the team liked. It was stiff enough to hold its shape while remaining workable for fabrication.
The Result: Two Products and a Growing Partnership
The Big Wall Bucket keeps gear organized at the gym, the crag, or in the back of the car. Its freestanding design stays open for easy access, with reinforced handles and a sewn-in key loop.
The Climber’s Tote carries a rope, shoes, a harness, and everyday essentials, with shoulder and hand carry options and pockets to keep smaller items sorted.
What started as a fabric replacement has grown into an ongoing development partnership. Metolius is expanding its use of Renegade materials into new products, supported by shared lab testing and collaboration around each application.
See the Full Story
Explore the material selection, product designs, and partnership behind Metolius’ switch.
Download Full Case Study (PDF)
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