Rajshree Upadhyaya | Business Remedies | Entrepreneur Rohan Khanduja established his identity by launching affordable outdoor gear for Indian trekkers through his company Tripole Gears. His journey began with a simple yet powerful idea: adventure enthusiasts in India should have access to high-quality trekking equipment without depending on expensive international brands.
In 2017, Khanduja founded the company as a bootstrapped venture inspired by his passion for trekking and his deep understanding of the challenges faced by outdoor explorers in India. Based in Ghaziabad, Tripole Gears gradually became a recognised name among backpackers, trekkers and travellers seeking reliable equipment designed specifically for Indian conditions. Before entering entrepreneurship, Khanduja followed a traditional corporate career path. He completed his engineering degree from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani and later worked as an investment banker at JPMorgan Chase. Although the job provided financial security, his interest gradually shifted towards the outdoors.
Frequent trekking in the Himalayas helped him understand the practical challenges faced by Indian trekkers. High-quality equipment from global brands was often too expensive for many adventure enthusiasts, while cheaper alternatives available in the market frequently lacked durability and ergonomic design. This gap in the market eventually laid the foundation for Tripole Gears.
Khanduja started the company with an initial investment of around Rs. 15 lakh from his personal savings. In the early days, operations were run from a small room, with the primary focus on designing practical trekking equipment. The brand initially concentrated on rucksacks designed for long-distance trekking, which soon became its flagship category. These bags were built with strong frames, improved load distribution and large storage capacity, making them suitable for multi-day treks in mountainous regions.
Built Credibility Within the Growing Adventure Community
As demand increased, Tripole Gears gradually expanded beyond its core product. The brand introduced a wide range of products including backpacks, sleeping bags, duffel bags, travel bags, outdoor clothing and camping accessories for travellers and adventure enthusiasts. What made the company stand out was its focus on producing durable yet affordable gear capable of competing with international brands while remaining accessible to Indian consumers.
Another key aspect of the company’s growth was its commitment to domestic manufacturing. Instead of relying entirely on imports, Tripole Gears invested in building in-house production capabilities in the Delhi NCR area. This allowed the company to maintain tighter quality control and experiment with designs suited to Indian trekking conditions.
Over time, the brand gained credibility among the country’s growing adventure community, particularly for its high-capacity trekking rucksacks ranging from 65 to 95 litres. These products became popular among long-distance hikers and expedition travellers. The brand’s growth accelerated further when Khanduja presented Tripole Gears on the business reality television show Shark Tank India. During his pitch, he highlighted the growing outdoor culture in India and the opportunity to build a strong domestic gear brand.
After discussions with investors, he secured a deal with Ritesh Agarwal, who invested Rs. 75 lakh for equity along with a Rs. 40 lakh debt component, valuing the company at more than Rs. 65 crore. The appearance significantly boosted brand visibility and introduced Tripole Gears to a much wider audience across the country.
Encouraging People to Explore New Journeys
Financially, the company has shown steady growth in recent years. Tripole Gears reported revenue of around Rs. 11 crore in FY23 and approximately Rs. 14 crore in FY24, reflecting the growing popularity of outdoor travel and adventure activities in India.
A major portion of the company’s sales comes from its rucksacks and trekking backpacks, followed by travel bags and outdoor accessories. Today, Tripole Gears operates as an active and growing player in India’s outdoor gear industry. From a small bootstrapped idea born out of a trekking enthusiast’s frustration to a developing adventure equipment brand, the company’s journey reflects the rise of locally designed products for Indian explorers.
By combining practical design, local manufacturing and affordable pricing, Rohan Khanduja has gradually built Tripole Gears into a brand that encourages more people to step outdoors and explore mountains, trails and new journeys using gear made in India.
