The Story Behind HMK

Similar to most kids growing up in Prescott, Wisconsin, HMK owner and founder Kirk L. Zack's first mode of transportation was his Suzuki Snowmobile.

He spent numerous weekend's out riding with friends as a kid, and it was while running the Brat stand during the local snowmobile drags at UW Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin, that he decided his love for snow sports would eventually send him full throttle into the sporting goods industry.

Kirk started to snowboard in '86, and the only boots available to most snowboarders at the time was a pair of snowmobile boots. Obviously the only choice for the time!

It only took a few years for the snowboard industry to explode with popularity, thus the arrival of high performance boots for riders that needed stability and warmth while out on the hill.


Kirk followed his interest for snowboarding out to the west coast in '90, where he began working with Kemper Snowboards. He then moved to Oregon in '94 to work with Nitro Snowboards as the Sales and Marketing Manager. It was here in Oregon that a core group of friends would gather every weekend, fire up their sleds with snowboards loaded, and search out untracked powder in the Pacific Northwest backcountry.

While at the X Games in Mt Snow, Vermont, Kirk noticed most of the Snocross riders were wearing snowboard boots. After talking with a few of the top guys about what their dream boot would consist of, he went home and created the first HMK Highmark prototype. This innovative boot had the look of a snowboard boot, but was technically superior to the current snowmobile footwear out on the market. A lightweight boot with great heel hold-down, aggressive tread pattern, and an extra toasty Thermo-Form liner, the HMK Highmark was born. Top competitive riders, as well as weekend enthusiasts quickly discovered that the Highmark Boot really added to their overall riding performance, and it didn't take long for the boot to get noticed amongst the snowmobile industry.

So where does Kirk and HMK go from here?
Easy...
Kirk's vision for HMK, and the Highmark Boot is to provide a high quality product for all snowmobile riders, and to create technically advanced snowmobile footwear for the future of the sport.

(And when it comes to R&D, Kirk will of course be the first one out on his sled testing the latest product developments!)