As Rack Hub likes to put it, “Antlers aren’t meant to pile up, get lost, or be forgotten.”
Rack Hub, the company that gives new life to your antler collection, was started and is comprised of people with the same lifelong love for bone that you and I have, but with a unique twist. With a background in design and engineering, the men and women behind this unique company have a passion for the same thing that we do: memorializing an outdoor experience by preserving and displaying antlers.
They’ve done that by devising a way to frame your antlers the way that they were meant to be. Dedicated to making products that get your antlers into a proper method of display, you can now get a versatile and customizable mounting system that fits not only your lifestyle, but your home.
Whether it’s a match set of sheds you found, or a single antler you stumbled upon, Rack Hub is working to give you a way to display it. As the good folks at Rack Hub like to say, “Every antler tells a story, and we want to help you frame them.”
The Rack Hub Story
Cousins T.J. and Jason Eads formed the company back in 2017 to find a way to display antlers in the best, most eye-pleasing way possible. They were tired of hearing about how people just left them in a box in the basement, or on a shelf hidden in a closet. By early 2018, the RH2 model antler rack was developed and patented to give sportsmen and women a way to show off their shed antler collections and and successful hunting harvests.
We talked to T.J. Eads to see what the founder had to say about his experience marketing these new antler mounting systems, and when we began to talk, you could tell right away how happy and positive he is about this endeavor. T.J. patented the design with his own money, knowing full well that it had a huge place in the hunting market, but it was an untested idea. His approach to attracting customers needed to be strategic.
T.J. says that they didn’t (and still don’t) want this to be another overly-marketed piece of hunting gear that fits a demographic of hardcore, devoted outdoorsmen and women. He understands full well that many well-rounded, outdoor loving folks don’t come from the ranks of hunters, but may still want to display a found shed like everyone else.
After taking his product to the Archery Trade Association’s annual conference and trade show in 2019, T.J. realized that he had a market for his idea, but also knew that it needed some work. “We went to ATA in 2019 and walked away with a ton of experience,” he said. “Also, we gained the confidence to pursue this business from that show.”
With the help of his design crew and his own experience in the field, they found the right combination of materials and options that would work for anyone. Now these new products are serving as a model of what you can do when you put your mind to it. As Rack Hub is coming into its own as a powerhouse in this new field, T.J. still remains humble.
“I haven’t quit my day job yet,” he said. Something tells us that may change in the near future.
The Products
Rack Hub offers multiple products for the hunting community, as well as anyone who loves to find antler sheds in their spare time. Included in these are two different dual antler display options, as well as a single antler display system, plus a tabletop stand accessory.
Most importantly, Rack Hub allows the user to rotate their mount on a ball joint, display it in the ideal way, and easily remove the antler at any time. That makes it easy to exchange it for another antler, or to remove the antler from the mount for a closer look. It’s cool to point out that their ideas come from both in-house employees as well as the minds of their fans and customers across the nation. If a need is made clear, Rack Hub plans to work towards finding their customers a fulfilling solution.
All of Rack Hub’s products are designed, engineered, and assembled in the state of Indiana and come complete with a lifetime warranty and a “Made in the USA” stamp on each one.
Add to these several different t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and stickers, and you’ve got yourself a nice product lineup. Let’s take a closer look at the mounting systems.
RH1
The RH1 for single antlers started it all. It is available along with the included RH Antler Bar, which attaches directly to the wall. The mounts are constructed of fine grade machined aluminum and use a friction fit to hold the antlers. The ball joint allows for perfect positioning, and it can be locked in place with the knurled cap. The system includes a 5/16″ Brad point drill bit for drilling a hole in the base of the antler, as well as a 3/32″ hex wrench to secure things tightly.
The RH1 will hold an antler from virtually any deer species, including mule deer, whitetail, blacktail, Coues, fallow, axis, sika, and more.
RH2
The natural progression from the RH1 is the double antler version, the Rack Hub RH2. Whether it’s meant for a matching pair of sheds or taken from a harvested animal, it’s the updated, modernized method of antler display many folks have been looking for.
Each RH2 comes with mounting instructions, two antler inserts, two mounting screws, and the same hex wrench and drill bit as the RH1. The RH2 has become Rack Hub’s best seller, and for good reason.
Just like the RH1, the RH2 uses the ball joint system to reach the perfect angled position and the top knurled caps lock it into place.
RH2 XL
For those who want to display a stag deer, bull moose or bull elk antler set, this display is more than strong enough to hang it where you want it. The heavy gauge machined aluminum frame provides the strength, and all you need is the wall space to use it.
It comes with all the same features as the RH2, just that it has larger mounting hardware and comes with a bigger drill bit. It’s 7 inches wide and almost 9 inches long, nearly two times larger than the RH2.
RH Stand Package
For those who want to choose a flat spot to display your antlers without putting them on the wall, Rack Hub offers these great looking, hand-crafted hardwood pedestals. They are available in a beautiful dark wood and will accent any home nicely.
They are applicable to both the RH2 and the RH1.
Joining the Team
Rack Hub has not only a unique product and business objective, but they’ve got a unique opportunity for folks interested in helping them spread the word. They call it “Becoming a Local.”
Essentially, the company is looking for a few good men and women to highlight their product on their digital media outlets. If you have a Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram following and can provide support to the brand through your channels, you could “earn up to 5% in cash back for every sale you help make of a RACK HUB product through your affiliate link.”
Signing up to become a Rack Hub Local is easy and hassle-free, with all the essential information that you need on their website Rack-Hub.com. They are always looking for like-minded, motivated individuals to represent the company in a more in-depth manner, and plan to expand opportunities for deserving individuals in the future.
It could be a great chance to connect with an emerging outdoor company early on in their rise to prominence.
Building the Rack Hub Legacy
Looking into the future, Rack Hub is putting all of their experience into their products, and even looking at some new innovations for their mounting systems.
When you can’t come up with good ideas for every shed you come across, or have the antler remains from some great hunts that you would like to honor properly, Rack Hub’s products can make a true trophy out of your possessions.
Looking for a little more or even hot lunch for your hunting blind? Follow my webpage, or on Facebook and YouTube.
NEXT: SHED ANTLER ART CREATIONS THAT CAUGHT OUR EYE
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