Company

TerraVida LLC was founded in January, 2011 by Nathan Silsbee and Chris Gragtmans. We both shared the desire to create a fashionable and environmentally responsible clothing line whose designs were largely guided by our customers. We envisioned a company that was not just about the brand, but rather about outdoors sports and the incredible experiences that they give us.

‘Live Outside’ is our philosophy. This is the driving force behind our company, and we aspire to live up to this philosophy on a day to day basis.  Whether you are a skier, snowboarder, hiker, kayaker, biker, sailor, surfer, or any other type of outdoors enthusiast, it is this passion that connects us. 

We believe it is a privilege to spend time in these incredible places, and that humans have a duty to this planet to preserve them. Through a customer-guided philanthropy program, TerraVida plans to give back 1% of sales revenue every quarter to an environmental organization or cause of our customers’ choosing. Please tune in to our blog for environmental efforts, contest updates, company news and our latest outdoor adventures.

Inspiring Designs. Sustainable Production. Customer Involvement. Social Responsibility. That is what you can expect from TerraVida. Oh, and we’re planning on having some fun along the way and not taking ourselves too seriously, so look for some random and ridiculous stuff from us once in a while…

Founders

Nathan Silsbee

Nathan loves traveling the globe, and believes his life experiences have opened his mind to the infinite number of life paths available in this world. He has worked hard towards a lifestyle that is both experiential and constructive.

Nathan grew up in North Carolina, and has lived and breathed the outdoors since he was able to walk. His favorite childhood memories stem from a mixture of soccer, camping trips, canoeing and traveling with his family. Following the purchase of his first kayak when he was 13, he couldn’t be kept off the river. 5 years later he was paddling for the Riot national team and competing in creek races across the country. Lower-back problems have slowed Nathan’s paddling, and he currently spends his time mountain biking, hiking, and hanging out with his girlfriend in Asheville, NC.

Chris Gragtmans

Chris has been a mainstay in the whitewater kayaking community since he was 15 years old, when he first competed for Canada in the World Freestyle Championships in Graz, Austria.

Now 26, Chris lives in Asheville, NC and focuses his energy on the steep creek and racing aspects of the sport. He has retained a top 5 ranking at the Green River Narrows Race for the last seven years, and continues to push the sport through his first descents, videography, and instruction. When not in the boat, Chris is an Amateur downhill mountain bike racer, and also loves sailing Hobie Cats and skiing.