The Pacific Northwest is naturally beautiful, full of adventure destinations that inspire a lifelong relationship with the the scenery of the region. It is no wonder that so many outdoor enthusiasts are using Washington State as a basecamp to not only further their own exploration, but to make everyone else’s adventures even better. Morgan Misek and John Smigaj are two such intrepid souls who have fallen in love with the wilderness of the Evergreen State, launching a company, Trxstle, that celebrates an active lifestyle and encourages all of us to access the amazing trails, breaking waves and fish-filled streams of the PNW.
The journey to becoming an outdoor company started for both Morgan and John during childhood. Morgan’s childhood on the east coast had him exploring trails on foot and bike around New Hampshire, forever cementing his bond with nature. Climbing one of the tallest mountains around, Mount Monadnock, he was able to witness firsthand the allure and draw of wilderness. Made famous by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, the mountain is incredibly popular and became the backdrop for Morgan’s desire to explore further. After college in Boston, where he’d joined the school mountain bike team, the Pacific Northwest came calling by means of a job offer.
“In 2011, my wife found a job in Olympia and we loved the area and what it has to offer,” Morgan told ThurstonTalk. “I am pretty sure we are never going to move anywhere else. We are right in the middle of phenomenal adventures and love how we can raise daughter out here.”
Photo credit: Greg Raines at Lions Den Pro
John has a similar story to Morgan. With military parents, John moved all over the country, with Olympia becoming the first city he lived in for more than a year. While moving around the country, John’s family always returned to Montana where fly fishing became a major part of his life. Starting at the age of two, when he landed his first first, fishing has been something that helps John relax and explore the natural wonders of the west. After graduating high school, John attended Saint Martin’s University for both his undergraduate and graduate degrees. His wife also attended SMU, becoming an adventure partner on their days off and helping to inspire the future company.
Morgan and John become good friends while working together at a local company now out of business. While working, they realized a shared admiration for exploring the rugged wilderness of the Pacific Northwest. When their employment vanished overnight, the two decided it was time to start working for themselves, doing what they enjoyed and hoping it would turn into a serious and successful business. Their love of the outdoors and experiencing amazing, exhilarating adventures became the cornerstone of their work. Through shared outdoor experiences, they soon realized the gear they wanted for their many adventures didn’t exist. This realization led to the founding of Oak Ave Engineering, a design studio creating products for outdoor companies around the country.
However, the pair were simultaneously working on their own designs. These become the genesis for their new company, Trxstle.
Trxstle, pronounced trestle, is quickly becoming a major game changer for fishing enthusiasts around the country. Currently, the primary focus is their newest product known as The Olympian. The Olympian is described by John and Morgan as “a versatile fly rod and reel storage system that gives you the option of bringing your fully rigged fly rod along on top of your vehicle or collapses down into a standard rod and reel case. With innovative features like a weather proof housing liner and fast, stowable clamping system, The Olympian has something to offer all fly anglers.”
Currently being funded on Kickstarter, this great product is designed perfectly for the fishing enthusiast in your life. Telescoping in size, there is no assembly or disassembly for the case, mounting to your roof rack in seconds and saving you time. The case carries rigged up gear, saving you even more time and allowing you to jump out of your vehicle and start fishing right away.
“We worked really hard to make our product something for everyone,” the duo explained. “The design, which has been labored over, offers fishing poles real protection. Part of our patent helps suspend the rod inside the case, helping stabilize and protect your rod from banging into the aluminum.”
Proud of their product and eager to get more people outdoors, Morgan Misek and John Smigaj are following their passions and celebrating life in the Pacific Northwest. Designed through their mutal love of the outdoors paired with engineering know-how and pure ingenuity, Trxtle’s Olympian is a game changer for novice and serious angles alike.
Support their Kickstarter campaign, visit their webpage and follow them on social media.
Focusing on ground breaking designs to help you get out in the elements with ease, the Olympia-based company also sells apparel and accessories (including the very cool reel koozie, doubling as a reel case and beer koozie – the perfect gift for anglers in your family). Morgan and John have a vision for Trxstle and you can be a part of making that vision a reality.
These local innovators may just become the next leaders of outdoor adventure here in Washington state and beyond.
