Our Story
We started DRIFT as a couple who shared a love for movement, craft, and the outdoors. Before founding our own brand, we spent years designing and developing products for companies like Salomon, Billabong, Scott Sports, and SRAM—learning the technical side of performance and the importance of building gear that lasts.
Eventually, we wanted to do something different. Something more personal. Something the big brands weren’t willing to risk. So we started our own.
Our first experiment was a small project called Carhide in 2009—making products from reclaimed leather and salvaged materials. Not long after, that spirit evolved into DZR, which officially launched at Interbike in 2010 alongside our longtime collaborators at Mission Workshop. From the beginning, the goal was simple: build footwear that riders actually wanted to live in.
Early Years
Our early models reflected the communities we rode with. The Tosca became our signature urban cycling shoe. The Terra marked our return to our mountain bike roots. The Marco connected us to the bike polo world. And the S24O embraced the growing culture of bikepacking and overnight adventure.
Each one was shaped by real riding, real weather, and real people.
Then the world changed.
Travel slowed, communities shifted, and like many small brands, we paused and reconsidered what mattered most. During that time, we stayed close to the outdoors—skiing more, biking more, climbing more, and spending long stretches in places like Squamish, Victoria, and Whistler. Those environments reminded us why we started building gear in the first place: not for trends, but for life outside.
In 2024, we partnered with a once-in-a-lifetime shoe craftsman and production expert and began redesigning everything from the ground up. We returned to our roots—both in philosophy and in name.
DRIFT.
A nod to where we started, and to the landscapes that shaped us in the Pacific Northwest. Today, we build small-batch footwear using premium full-grain leather, waterproof construction, and time-tested craftsmanship. Every pair is designed to perform on the bike, feel natural off it, and hold up to years of use in unpredictable weather.
We built these shoes for the way we live—wet trails, long rides, changing plans, and unexpected weather.
Never mind the rain.