About Us
At HiGear Design, Inc., we love to create products that solve the age-old problem of traveling in greater comfort; because we know first-hand how incredibly challenging it can be to get comfortable while moving about the globe. Our commitment to our customers has always come first, which is why we stand behind all of our products with a 1-year warranty.
How We Got Started
About John Mittelstadt – Co-founder and inventor:
The idea for our very first product, the Inflatable Travelrest® pillow, was created by our founder, John Mittelstadt, while he was traveling back and forth to Asia. During those long and uncomfortable flights, John could never find a comfortable way to sleep, and on the rare occasion when he did, it was simply a matter of time before his pillow would shift and his rest would be over. Airline pillows were bulky and non-supportive, and most other travel pillows pushed the head forward in ways that were not comfortable for more than a few minutes. On one of his flights to Asia, John took the laces out of his running shoes and tied the airline pillow to his headrest of his seat in hopes that it would not move from a comfortable position. John’s “a-ha” moment was realized, and the idea for his invention, the first ever “tethered” pillow began to take shape. Noodling an idea to create a travel pillow that allowed him to sleep while sitting upright, John set about to create something the travel industry had never seen. John knew the world needed a better option for sleeping while traveling. Once perfected, John filed for a patent, then began production. The inflatable Travelrest® pillow was an instant hit with customers looking for a better way to arrive at their destination fully rested.
What Makes Us Different
At the core of this great invention was the burning desire to differentiate our products from those readily available on the market today. That core purpose continues to guide all that we do: we all strive to bring better products that benefit those who aspire to travel in the comfort they deserve. The pursuit of better, more comfortable, and practical products for travel has led John to create inflatable travel pillows, travel blankets, memory foam travel pillows, sleep masks, and luxurious pillow covers – quality innovative solutions that meet a traveler’s needs. With our focus on our customers we will continue to bring new and creative products to market for many years to come.
As a small family business, we are grateful to our customers for making our company what it is today, and we remain humble, knowing that we are only as good as those who believe in our products.