About us

Montbell in Japan

In 1975, Isamu Tatsuno started Montbell with two of his mountaineering partners, Fumiaki Masaki and Sachiko Masuo. Since then, Montbell has been developing outdoor products that follow the Japanese tradition of kinobi; function is beauty.

Montbell now operates over 120 stores in Japan and employs more than 1250 staff members. Montbell also operates in the USA and Switzerland and supplies many other accounts globally. 

About Isamu Tastuno

By the early 1970s, Isamu Tatsuno had achieved his first dream by becoming a renowned climber. In 1969 at the age of 21, he became the second Japanese to climb the North Face of the Eiger in the Swiss Alps. He also climbed the North Face of the Matterhorn. In 1970, he opened the first rock climbing school in Japan.

In 1975, when he was 28 years old, Tatsuno achieved his second dream when he founded his own company, MontBell Co., Ltd., to manufacture mountaineering clothing and equipment. He also became enthusiastic about canoeing and kayaking and won the third annual competition of the Kansai Wildwater kayaking competition.

In the nearly three decades since, Tatsuno has kayaked numerous rivers including the Trishuli river, the Marsyangdi river, and the Seti river in the Himalayas of Nepal; Kurobe Canyon from the Japan Alps to the Sea of Japan; the Colorado River through Arizona's Grand Canyon; and the river through the jungles of Costa Rica in Central America.

But Tatsuno's many accomplishments are not limited to just adventuring and running a business. He is also deeply involved in social causes. In 1991, he founded Paramount Challenge Canoe (a Japanese association promoting canoeing for the disabled) and is very active in education as well. He is a professor at the Biwako Seikei Sports University, a member of the Sport Committee of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and serving on the committee for the Outdoor Education Foundation for Youth.

Recently, his focus has turned to working with local governments to promote eco tourism to areas often overlooked as travel destinations. This work has even extended to preparing these areas to accept travelers from abroad to experience and enjoy Japan's rich natural landscapes and rural areas.

In his free time, Tatsuno can often be found practicing the art of traditional Japanese tea ceremony or playing the Japanese flute.

Montbell in Australia & New Zealand

Montbell is distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Larry Adler Ski and Outdoor. From humble beginnings, this family business has grown to become one of the most respected and trusted brands in ski & outdoor retail and rental. And one that we very proud of. After teaching people to ski in both Canada and Australia for many years, Larry Adler decided to open the first Larry Adler store in 1976.

There are now 6 Larry Adler stores in operation, including the enormous rent-a-ski hub in Jindabyne. We have built the business on a number of core values including trust, credibility and professionalism. Larry Adler has long been recognised as Australia's leading authority on ski equipment and boot fitting, a fact substantiated by his past appointment as the Australian National Ski Team's official boot fitter and Ski and Snowboard Retailer of the Year.

We want you to have a great time on the mountain or travelling the world with the best available equipment and clothing. Which is why we go out of our way to make the shopping experience, personal, convenient, hassle-free and above all enjoyable.

Most importantly, the Larry Adler team are passionate about skiing, trekking, camping and hiking. We hope this passion translates into the best possible experience for you every time you buy or rent gear from us.