MEET OUR FOUNDER

Dr. Larry Andrew


Family, the outdoors, and a desire to build gear that could keep up with both.

Our Story

A Life Outside

Long before SKÖ became a brand, the outdoors was already a major part of Larry Andrew's life.

As a husband, father, physician, and lifelong outdoor enthusiast, Larry has spent countless weekends exploring Utah with his family, hiking, camping, hunting, canyoneering, and finding reasons to get outside whenever life allowed.

For Larry, those trips were never just about reaching a destination. They were time with family, a way to reset, and an opportunity to experience places that demanded preparation and dependable gear.

And over time, those experiences exposed a problem.

Gear That Could Keep Up

Larry became frustrated with outdoor gear that worked well under ideal conditions but did not always hold up when an adventure involved water, rough terrain, narrow canyons, or unpredictable conditions.

He wanted gear designed around the way his family actually used it.

Not another bag that was simply water resistant.

Something built for the places where getting wet was part of the adventure.

That frustration eventually became an idea. The idea became prototypes. And in 2020, Larry and his family founded what would eventually become SKÖ Gear.

The Outdoors Became the Testing Ground

Building waterproof gear in Utah gives you plenty of opportunities to find out what works and what doesn't.

Rock, water, sand, narrow slot canyons, heat, changing weather, and demanding terrain quickly expose weaknesses in outdoor equipment.

Those environments have shaped the way SKÖ approaches product development, with an emphasis on practical functionality, durability, waterproof protection, and thoughtful design. SKÖ continues to draw ideas from Utah's community of canyoneers, skiers, photographers, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.

The Philosophy Behind SKÖ

  • Solve a Real Problem

    Products should exist because they make something easier, safer, or more practical, not simply because another product can be made.

  • Build for Real Use


    Outdoor gear should be designed around what happens on the trail, in the canyon, on the water, and while traveling, not just how it looks on a shelf.

  • Keep Improving


    Good products are rarely perfect on the first attempt. Feedback, testing, and real-world use should continue shaping what comes next.

A Career Built Around Helping Families

Outside of SKÖ, Larry has spent more than two decades practicing reproductive medicine in Utah.

That career and his life as a father have shaped the way he approaches responsibility, preparation, and the trust people place in the products and services they rely on.

SKÖ may be a very different kind of work, but the underlying philosophy is familiar: take the responsibility seriously, pay attention to the details, and build something people can depend on.


SKÖ remains independently owned and operated in Mapleton, Utah.

Learn more about Dr. Andrew's work

Still Just Getting Started

What started as a problem encountered on family adventures has grown into a line of waterproof gear designed for people who would rather focus on the experience than worry about what's inside their bag.

SKÖ continues to grow, test, refine, and develop new products around the same idea that started it all:

Build gear for the adventure you're actually going to have.

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