Channel: Brand Stories

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Deuter: The Passion Behind the Packs

Based in Augsburg, an ancient European city with Roman roots and a rich heritage in textiles, Deuter has been manufacturing tarps and backpacks since before the start of the 20th century! They were early suppliers of…

LEKI: Enjoy the Craft

When LEKI extended an invite for us to visit their factory in the Czech Republic and their offices in Kircheim unter Teck in Germany, we jumped at the opportunity. Gear Specialist Steven “Leon” Lutz was even given the chance to actually “build” a pair of Corklite DSS trekking poles.

Sherpa Adventure Gear: A Modern Brand, An Ancient Wisdom

Sherpa Adventure Gear was founded by Tashi Sherpa in Nepal in 2003. The inspiration for the brand comes from the colorful culture of the Himalayas and the spirit of high-altitude mountaineering. In their designs you’ll find modern materials and performance technologies, but the bright colors and detailed patterning speaks to the ancient heritage of Nepal and the spirit of the Sherpa tradition.

Mystery Ranch: A Mission of Innovation

Mystery Ranch has been on a tireless mission building seemingly indestructible packs since 2000, but the brand has a much deeper heritage…

Arc’teryx: Adaptation and Evolution

Based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Arc’teryx has enviable access to the Canadian Coast Mountain wilderness literally out the back door of the brand’s head office. Prototypes are constructed in-house by designers and product experts who are then able to field test locally in exceptional conditions, or put their creations on outdoor athletes right at home and make performance-enhancing refinements with little turn-around time. As a result, Arc’teryx builds gear based on a “design with intent” ethos that promises all their products can withstand the extreme demands of the mountains.

Mountainsmith WSD Gear Collection

As a backpacker or hiker, it’s important to find the gear that fits you well to keep you happy and moving on the the trails. With the Mountainsmith WSD (Women’s Specific Designs) Gear Collection, you’ll find ultra durable packs with excellent organization, female-friendly contoured shoulder straps and shorter torso lengths, as well as trekking poles with less bulky grips designed specifically for women to maximize comfort and usability.

Meet the Team

These fun loving, adventurous folks are the ones on the other end of the phone answering your toughest gear questions with years of experience in the great outdoors!

Get to Know Swix

In the 1940s, the Swedish founders of Swix were hard at work inventing and testing waxes to improve the performance of Nordic skis. From those humble origins, the brand expanded its scope and also began producing ski poles. That expertise in building poles translates well to supporting the needs of hikers, backpackers, and trail runners in all seasons and varying conditions. As you’d expect from a brand with such a wealth of backcountry experience, Swix poles feature ergonomic, high-performance grips and are available in a wide variety of fixed length, telescoping, and collapsible styles.

Get to Know Oboz

A small company focused solely on designing trail-worthy footwear, Oboz is located in beautiful Bozeman, Montana. That explains the “Boz,” and the “O” in their name stands for “outside.” This is not surprising since the very people who build, test and wear these “True to the Trail” shoes are outdoor enthusiasts and longtime industry vets; they hike, they mountain bike, they spend their time out in nature and need shoes that let them enjoy the time they spend outside. After spending many, many years helping other brands build shoes, they decided back in 2007 that it was time to build their own.