Owner and Designers
Jay and Michaela
The story of Badger Built Gear is a story of the American dream. A farrier with an idea and a mother with the desire to stay home with her son, found a way to make a shared vision into a reality – and even more, to use that vision to support American families like their own.
Jay (CJF, RJF, CLS), a farrier of 30 years, has practiced both therapeutic shoeing and on performance horses. During that time, he found himself thinking about not only the industry, but the health of farriers’ themselves. The apron is an essential tool of the farrier, and its quality and design are essential to ensuring a farrier’s own soundness.
With his wife Michaela’s ingenuity and their shared willingness to push through the difficulties of building a product – from the designing, testing, redesigning and all over multiple years – they created the patented and ergonomic apron we sell today. As their company has grown, so has their products, all of which are proudly made in the USA.
Lead Production - Parts Manufacturer
Geri
A Colorado native, Geri was the first to join Jay and Michaela on their journey to make Badger Built something more. Geri is a proud mother of two children, and a grandmother of five. At the age of 18 she started her career in manufacturing, with her first job at a candy factory, and later worked for Coors in Golden, CO. She spends much of her free time volunteering in the community, most often with its youngest members in the local schools. When not coordinating events, crafting beautiful and clever decorations, she can be found chasing her other hobbies: fishing, hiking, and camping. Affectionately nicknamed “Wagon Master Geri” for her role in the local historical society, she’s a key part of Badger Built Gear. Not only is she capable of sewing the smallest and most intricate parts of our aprons, but she’s a constant inspiration for our social media content, and her infectious laughter keeps our spirits high.
Lead Production - Apron Seamstress
Molly
Raised in a tiny home in the quiet Black Forest, Colorado, Molly joined Badger Built in 2022. Before sewing aprons for us, she was immersed in the car scene. A 2006 graduate from Wyotech, she spent 14 years working for Timberline Auto Trim. While there, she married her husband Justin, and had her two children Bristol and Barrett “Bear”. In 2019 she and her family began a grand adventure, selling their home in the city and moving to the small town of Lake George. Through her uncle’s employment at a farrier supply shop, she was connected with Michaela, sparking a revered friendship. Her spare time is occasionally filled with paddleboarding and reading, but the satisfaction of working on and completing projects outweighs her hobbies. Being with her family and looking after her small farm (four highland cows, a coop full of chickens, two cats, one dog, and a bunny) bring her the most joy. Molly sews the majority of our bulk orders, and with her eye for detail and her skilled hands she ensures the quality and uniqueness of our handmade aprons.
Lasering, Hats, and Production
Brook
Our resident laser expert, Brook was born and raised in the beauty of Teller County, Colorado. Now, with her husband, she’s rearing her three adventurous children in the same mountains that raised her. She is an avid explorer of her home state, an exceptional local photographer with a passion for capturing the most beautiful memories on camera, and a hobby homesteader – with a ranch full of chickens, ducks, cows, and a vibrant little herd of horses. With such a full life (and a love for spontaneous adventures), she still manages to find time for Badger Built, and makes a difference. She manages the fine art of lasering – from our back belts, to the logos for our hats, and the custom designs on the leather pads of our aprons. During her time with us she’s learned to sew mostly straight lines, is a connoisseur of the snacks her coworkers bring in, and brings excitement into what would otherwise be boring days.