Nevisport was founded in 1970 in the shadow of Ben Nevis by climbers Ian A Sykes MBE and Ian D Sutherland, who were dissatisfied with the poor selection of climbing equipment found in existing UK stores. The duo, who were then active members of the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team, opened the first Nevisport shop in Fort William with savings from Sykes’ days in the RAF and British Antarctic Survey team.