HENTY: Designed in Australia

Henty are known for their innovative commuter products, and a unique solution to hydration with their popular Enduro 2.0 Hydration pack.

Australian Mountain Bike 26.09.2023

Words: Georgina von Marburg and Henty

After our series of interviews with Australian born and made companies in our Made in Australia feature, we decided to branch out into the world of Australian designed products. While these brands don’t necessarily make their products here in Australia, they are based here and are deeply inspired by the landscape and climate of the land, and the needs of Aussie lifestyles. 

We’re kicking things off with a small Tasmanian brand called Henty. These guys are known for their innovative commuter products, and a unique solution to hydration with their popular Enduro 2.0 Hydration pack. We caught up with one of their founders, Jeremy Grey, to talk about the history, products, and direction of Henty. 

Georgina:

So Henty is based in Hobart?

Jeremy Grey:

Yeah, that's right. A friend [Jon Gourlay] and I launched that in 2012. Henty is the region on the west coast of Tasmania. Just near Queenstown there's some cool sand dunes and a region which is called the Henty region. And so that's what we chose as the brand name.

Georgina:

You obviously had a particular sort of attraction to that area?

Jeremy Grey:

Well it’s quite hard to come up with a brand name. My co-founderr and I are Tasmanian, and we did want something that was Tasmanian, and we looked at a whole range of possibilities. In the end we settled on a geographical region, and it was Henty. 

Georgina:

Now Henty intrigues me as a brand because your flagship product is something where you can roll up a business suit into a backpack and take it on the road with you. How did you come from building that product and then delving more into the sports and specifically the mountain bike product scene?

Jeremy Grey:

So I guess we're targeting active corporates, and these are problems I had when I was working in Sydney as well. How do you transport your suit and ride to work? How do you keep fit when you’re an office worker? Commuting from work in Sydney is such a basket case, by train, or bus. You just don't know when you're going to arrive, and then sometimes you can’t get off. So riding to work was the solution. So I designed a suit bag for myself just so I could keep active, and we went to mass market with that. And that is, I guess, what most people know the brand for: our unique suit bag.

But then I was moved back home and I got more into mountain biking, and I don't like wearing traditional backpacks. I mean, my first option is don't wear a backpack if I don't have to. But if you're out all day riding around, then it’s sort of unavoidable. And especially if you're riding with kids as well. We generally take food and spares. 

And so it was about designing a product for myself and friends. That’s when we came up with the Enduro. It keeps the weight down off the shoulders, avoiding a sweaty back. But the real positive came very early on. We designed the Enduro off the shape of a kidney belt. So protection is also another good aspect of it, too.

Georgina:

I noticed the Enduro 2.0 Hyrdration pack featured heavily in a few US mountain bike media outlets. Is there a particular reason the US really loves that product?

Jeremy Grey:

It’s generally more popular in the hotter states, think Utah, Arizona, California. The issue they have is hydration when they're riding; you just can't get enough water in a bottle. And so when I was riding in Arizona, I'd go through three litres in a couple of hours. Whereas when I just rode the Dragon Trail, I was doing, like, 500mL in two hours. So I think a lot of those guys in the US had taken to that product because it's the most comfortable way of carrying three litres of water. 

Georgina:

While at Maydena earlier this year, I noticed Henty branded seat covers on the shuttle buses. Is that a continued product, or just something you did as a once off?

Jeremy Grey:

So we went down to Maydena pretty early on when they just open and they had garbage bags on the seats. So we just said, “Oh, hey guys, can we just make you some seat covers?” And we just put our brand on it, and you get every eyeball. But it was just a once-off for them. We haven't replaced the Maydena covers. They're still there, still kicking. And it's the same fabric we use on our bags. So it’s good quality – the materials and craftsmanship.

Georgina:

So how does being based in Tasmania influence and inspire your products? Especially regarding waterproofing and protection?

Jeremy Grey:

Yeah, absolutely. Some of our customers have quite expensive suits, and they need to be cared for. They need to withstand the elements when they're riding home. And some of our customers tell us they ride an hour and a half each way. So we've designed stuff to withstand the elements and to protect people’s gear. 

Georgina:

So your products are designed here, but made overseas?

Jeremy Grey:

Yeah, correct. So we design them here and then we have a factory in Vietnam that we use. It’s where all the best stuff is made, and they're relatively easy and motivated to do it. When we were doing our market research, all the big brands like the North Face, Salomon, and others were using Vietnam. And it's relatively easy for us to access too. We did get a tip from someone that was manufacturing offshore: make sure you actually enjoy the location of the country that you choose to manufacture in because you'll be spending a lot of time there! 

Georgina:

Yeah, definitely. I guess people often think that if it's made in Asia, it mustn't be as high in quality as if it was made in a western country, which is completely not true. But what are the some of the barriers that you encountered when you were looking to make products in Australia?

Jeremy Grey:

I guess it's just the sheer cost of doing business in Australia compared to overseas. If you're trying to produce a product at a cost-effective rate that is globally competitive, then you really need to look at your cost base. We wanted to produce in Australia, but that was back in 2010 when we were looking, and we just weren't being taken seriously; Australian manufacturers wouldn't sign contracts. It was just word of mouth and cash up front. It was just very unprofessional. Then when you go to Vietnam, you've got the opposite problem. Everyone wants to make it for you! Yes, there are different risks, like how do we ensure quality? How do we actually ensure that we’re giving the money to the right person? How do we ensure that kids aren't making the stuff when we leave?

Georgina:

What do you think the future holds for Henty? Do you foresee yourself expanding the product range and growing the business, or do you want to keep it compact, like the size it is now?

Jeremy Grey:

It would be good to get a little bit of growth, but we're not trying to double in size overnight. We are just trying to run a wholesome, honest, Australian brand, that people can rely on. And if we get enough funding to continue to do research and development and find other cool products that really do improve people's lives, then that's what we're striving for. We don't need to be the next North Face or anything like that. We just need to keep ourselves grounded, and keep producing clever products when we find them.