Our Story

The people behind the rope.

Made in Burley, Idaho by trained hands of American workers, not outsourced machines. We put pride into our products, and that's the standard we build to.

Meet the crew Read our story

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100% USA

Made in Idaho

284+ mi

Of rope sold

Off-Road

Field tested

Up to 30%

Stretch

Why we exist

Nobody gets left stuck.

“We have been stuck on the trail of life, lost, without hope. We are all there at some point, and some of us are better prepared for it than others. We started this company to throw a line to anyone who is stuck on their trail.”

Jade Schenk & Alan Clawson Founders | Yankum Ropes

Jade (left) & Alan (right)

WHERE YANKUM BEGAN

Two Idaho guys, one good rope.

Yankum started with a problem Alan Clawson knew firsthand. He and his wife Andrea (who fondly came up with the name Yankum Ropes) spent plenty of time exploring the backcountry in their Land Cruiser, and plenty of time getting stuck. Alan saw an opportunity for better recovery gear and started chasing it, but he is quick to say Yankum did not become what it is today because of him alone.

When Alan met Jade Schenk, he found a partner who saw the same potential from a different angle. Alan brought the early vision, product conviction, and supplier relationships. Jade brought years of experience solving business problems and building structure around growing companies. Their strengths were different, but they worked. From that point forward, Yankum was something they were building together.

As demand grew, outside suppliers struggled to keep up with the quality and turnaround their customers needed. Alan and Jade eventually made the difficult decision to bring manufacturing home to southern Idaho. It meant more cost, more complexity, and a lot to learn, but it gave them control over the things that mattered most. Today, Yankum builds recovery gear with the same responsibility that pushed them to make it themselves in the first place. Make it well, stand behind it, and make sure it is ready when someone needs it most.

"Thank you for believing in two Idaho boys that probably have no business being in manufacturing."

Built in Idaho

From raw nylon to finished rope.

Most recovery brands import and rebrand. We don't. Every braid, splice and stitch happens in our Burley shop. Not overseas. Not contracted out. When you're moving heavy equipment, you take it seriously. So do we.

01 / SPIN

American Nylon

We start with premium American nylon and spin it into the yarn that becomes every Yankum rope, giving us control over quality from the very first strand.

02 / BRAID

Braided In-House

Double-braided kinetic rope that's braided and spliced by hand in Burley. Overbuilt where it counts, because in a recovery, safety and durability you can count on are critical.

03 / TEST

Proven, trusted, reliable

Our products are all tested to failure, trusted by the pros, and proven to be reliable in the dirt, sand, and snow.

“We want customers to know it’s made here in the USA, and be proud of that.”

Jade Schenk & Alan Clawson, Founders

Meet the Team

from our hands to yours.

We're a small Idaho crew. We make the gear, we ship the gear, and when you call, we pick up.

The Founders

Founder

Jade Schenk

Chief Executive Officer

Jade grew up an Idaho farm kid, a long way from running a factory. He co-founded Yankum to fix an industry that left people waiting on gear they couldn't trust, and he runs the day to day driven by one thing: knowing Yankum's gear shows up when it matters most.

Founder

Alan Clawson

Chief Marketing Officer

Alan grew up in Rupert, Idaho and co-founded Yankum after years in sales, entrepreneurship, and plenty of time getting stuck in the backcountry. Outside of work, he is usually exploring southern Idaho and Utah with his family, dogs, and whatever rig is ready to get dirty.

The Leadership Team

Shane Benson

Chief Operations Officer

Shane runs operations at Yankum with a direct, no-nonsense style. He's the logistics director, life coach, and reluctant therapist all rolled into one. When he's not holding things together, he's at the gym chasing the "buffest employee" title against Jose.

Jose Carillo

VP of Sales & Expansion

Jose is Yankum's VP of Sales, the self-titled Director of Yank and Bank, and usually closes deals mid-rep on a 400-pound bench. Outside work he's grilling, coiling extension cords with unsettling precision, or backing a trailer in the dark with kids screaming.

Matt Clawson

VP of Marketing

As Yankum's tallest employee, Matt approaches marketing from a higher perspective than most (literally). He oversees everything from paid media, website, email, social, and keeps them running reliably, just like the gear. Off the clock he's busy being a girl-dad, off-roading in the mountains, or making pizza good enough to make going out pointless.

Heyden Thacker

Warehouse Manager

Heyden manages the warehouse running on gut instinct and, by his account, a little divine guidance that hasn't failed him yet. He grew up fixing anything with a motor and now fixes pretty much everything, and he understands more Spanish than people realize.

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Meet the Whole Crew!

(see the entire team at yankum)

made in america

Every purchase supports american manufacturing

When you buy Yankum, you're not just buying recovery gear. You're standing with skilled, proud American tradesmen, the families they support, and the communities they keep alive.

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From our hands to your rig