Years later, new developments in the US and Europe had already made the Internal Frame Pack popular there. This potential was also realized by the group here especially since there were no specialized welding processes required to make it and most of the other materials were already available here. The group therefore decided to revive their short-lived manufacturing venture.

With only PHP 4,500 of pooled capital, Efren “Junks” Muana, Randy Su and Dindo Sugatan, struggling young architects and avid mountaineers, formed HABAGAT OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT and set up shop in a borrowed garage. The first models that they personally designed, patterned and sewed on a grandmother’s old sewing machine gained favorable response from peers and fellow mountaineers. From here, it was only a matter of time when their products were accepted by the members of the Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines, Inc. (MFPI), a national mountaineering association, which held it’s Annual Congress and Climb at Mt. Kitanglad, Bukidnon, Mindanao in April of 1987. Thereafter, it wasn’t long before more orders poured in and a nationwide network of dealers (themselves mostly outdoor enthusiasts) was established. Additional machines were purchased and more workers employed and larger quarters were secured.

The next stage of the company’s development came when the original partners enjoined mountaineers Paul Abao, a dentist, and Karen Reina, a successful businesswoman, to form Summit Outdoor Equipment & Services, in October 1991 in order to efficiently handle the marketing, distribution and retailing aspects. Through time, Summit had been able to establish a network of authorized dealer outlets situated throughout the country and setting up it’s own shops in SM Megamall in Mandaluyong and SM Cebu. After having achieved so many years of growth and development, the owners decided to liquidate Summit in 2007 and to consolidate and focus on the mother company, Habagat Outdoor Equipment.

As far as it has developed, a typical Habagat Outdoor Shop has on display, not only the full range of Habagat Equipment, but also boasts a wide array of name brand choices of outdoor recreational equipment ranging from camping and caving gear, to mountain biking accessories and high quality climbing shoes, sandals, ropes, carabiners, climbing harnesses, etc. The place is also a venue to several mountaineering clubs and bikers association meetings and activities serving as a center for these groups to converge, plan out activities or simply to hang out.

The company has been active in various sports related activities, especially related to eco-tourism and adventure sports, and they also have been exponents of indoor rock-wall climbing with their own wall known as the Vertigo and housed at the Metro Sports Center in Salinas Drive Lahug.

Another initiative that HOE has instituted over the years is the Carrera Habagat event held yearly on some of the most challenging environments that abound in our beautiful, island-studded country. This is basically a multi-event sports challenge that pits the individual with a chosen terrain in various events like kayaking, mountain-biking, climbing and other events with only basic navigation tools and skills given a tight schedule to follow from one spot to the other.