Pradco Outdoor Brands, known for its hunting and fishing brands such as Moultrie and Yum, has acquired Bote parent Kent Outdoors, the owner of numerous watersports and marine safety brands.
Established in 1959 and based in Park City, Utah, Kent Outdoors owns HO Sports, Hyperlite, Bote, O’Brien, Connelly, Liquid Force, Onyx, Full Throttle, Kent Safety Products, Aquaglide, FatSac, Barefoot International and Seipel Marine.
Kent Outdoors was previously owned by the private equity firm Seawall Capital.
Pradco Outdoor Brands, a subsidiary of privately held, family-owned Ebsco Industries, Inc. (Ebsco), operates hunting and fishing brands including Moultrie, Summit, Whitetail Institute, Heddon, Booyah, Yum and Bobby Garland. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Ebsco also operates businesses across information services, manufacturing, renewable energy and real estate.
Kent Outdoors is expected to retain its leadership team, with Pradco supporting product development and additional brand acquisitions in the watersports and marine safety categories.
Kent Outdoors CEO Randy Hales is expected to oversee the transition through 2026. Company President CJ Vlahovich, who has more than 30 years of experience at Kent Outdoors, is expected to stay on and lead the business going forward.
“Joining Pradco Outdoor Brands marks an exciting and strategically significant opportunity for Kent Outdoors,” Vlahovich said. “Our organizations share a disciplined commitment to innovation, trusted brands, and delivering exceptional products. Pradco’s long-term investment philosophy and proven approach to building consumer brands aligns perfectly with Kent’s mission to create products that provide more opportunities in, on and around the water. Together, we are positioned to accelerate growth, expand our reach across our diverse customer network, and invest even more deeply in creating the very best branded products in watersports.”
Kent Outdoors represents Pradco’s first investment in the watersports and marine safety categories.
“Pradco’s investment and brand management approach is grounded in a long-term, generational view,” said Robert Schoenvogel, president of Pradco Outdoor Brands. “Kent Outdoors is managed by a talented and dedicated team, and the brands represented in the Kent portfolio are trusted across a wide spectrum of watersport activities. We are excited to partner with the team and help write the next chapter of growth for these storied brands.”
King & Spalding acted as legal counsel to Pradco. Piper Sandler & Co. acted as financial advisor, and McGuireWoods acted as legal counsel to Kent Outdoors.
Image courtesy Bote/Kent Outdoors
