About Us

About HMK

All HMK branded products are designed and developed in northern Oregon at the foot of Mt. Hood for the rider by the rider. We know what conditions life can throw at you, we live them every day here in the northwest. Cold and wet is what we expect when we wake up in the morning, and when the blue bird breaks through it only keeps us charging harder. HMK products are designed to suit whatever the elements throw at us with the durability and comfort we would want from the gear we wear ourselves, because, we do wear it ourselves.

HMK products are developed using feedback from our customers and athletes alike. We’ve continued to develop our product year after year to continue the quality of your experience in the outdoors.

History of HMK

Similar to most kids growing up in Prescott, Wisconsin, HMK owner and founder Kirk L. Zack's first mode of transportation was his Suzuki Snowmobile.

He spent numerous weekend's out riding with friends as a kid, and it was while running the bratwurst stand during the local snowmobile drags at UW Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin, that he decided his love for snow sports would eventually send him full throttle into the sporting goods industry.

Kirk started to snowboard in '86, and the only boots available to most snowboarders at the time was a pair of snowmobile boots. It only took a few years for the snowboard industry to explode, thus the arrival of high performance boots for riders that needed stability and warmth while out on the hill.

Kirk followed his interest for snowboarding out to the west coast in '90, where he began working with Kemper Snowboards. He then moved to Oregon in '94 to work with Nitro Snowboards as the Sales and Marketing Manager. It was here in Oregon that a core group of friends would gather every weekend, fire up their sleds with snowboards loaded, and search for untracked powder in the Pacific Northwest backcountry. 

While at the X Games in Mt. Snow, Vermont, Kirk noticed most of the Snocross riders were wearing snowboard boots. After talking with a few of the top riders about what their dream boot would consist of, he went home to create the first HMK prototype; a lightweight boot with great heel hold-down, aggressive tread pattern, and an extra toasty Thermo-Form liner. This innovative technology combined the slim profile of a snowboard boot without compromising durability demanded by professional riders and weekend enthusiasts alike, making the HMK Highmark the first snowmobile boot of its kind to hit the market.

So where did Kirk and HMK go from there?

Easy...
Kirk's vision for HMK is to continue to provide high quality and technologically advanced products, allowing you to focus on what matters most when you’re in the mountains.

And when it comes to Research & Development;

Kirk will of course be the first one out on his sled testing the latest products!

Video: Brandon Cox