Founder, John Stoller, always knew he wanted to be an inventor, the shape of which evolved over years.
As a fourth grader in Eastern North Carolina, he invented the Umbrelt, a hands-free umbrella. While convenient for his briefcase-toting dad, the 3ft pine board running up the spine was a non-starter for the commercial world.
In the fifth grade, John nearly drowned in the neighbor’s pool by testing the intersection of atmospheric pressure and airflow. A garden hose cannot, in fact, supply air to the bottom of an 8ft pool.
John’s professional career wasn’t so unlike his childhood inventorship: he liked to figure shit out. He’s ranged from a fast food manager into an office clerk into a retail executive.
John’s passion for diving gave way to an incessant curiosity about his least favorite piece of gear, his mask. John struggled to find the answer to what seemed like logical questions:
Why is a mask formed off a generic mold overseas so expensive?
I’ve got a big ass nose, what mask could possibly fit me?
My partner has a different face shape, why did she get recommended the exact same mask as me?
What if the mask that fits me best isn’t in my dive shop?
How can I possibly buy a mask online without trying it on?
If my masks breaks, do I have to start this process all over again?
Turns out, none of the giant dive conglomerates could come close to answering a single one of John’s questions. So, Lookdown Labs was formed.
At Lookdown, we’re divers. You should expect the most of your gear and get the most of your dive.