About Pintler

Pintler Products started with a river trip.

In 2022, I floated the Grand Canyon. Seventeen days on the water gives you a lot of time to think about gear — what worked, what didn’t, and what a custom aluminum raft frame would look like if it were actually designed around how real people fish and float. By the time we hit the take-out at Diamond Creek, I had the rough outline of Pintler Products in my head.

I’m Brian Iltis. I build custom raft frames and accessories out of my garage in Missoula, Montana — using a combination of TIG and laser welding to fabricate lightweight aluminum frames that are built around each client’s specific boat, river, and use case. No two frames are the same because no two rivers, no two rafts, and no two anglers are the same.

Missoula sits at the confluence of three major rivers — the Clark Fork, the Blackfoot, and the Bitterroot. Being based here isn’t just a location detail. It means the frames I build get tested on real Western rivers by people who actually live on them. When a fishing guide tells me his anchor system needs to work differently, or a family float tripper wants a dry box mount in a spot that isn’t standard, I’ve already thought about why that matters.

Every Pintler frame starts with a free consultation. We talk through your raft model, how you use it, and what you need. Then I build it. If you’re comparing Pintler to an off-the-shelf NRS or DRE frame, the difference is simple: those frames are built for an average buyer. Pintler frames are built for you.

Call or text Brian directly at (406) 546-1842, or use the contact form to start your custom frame project.