Osprey Packs

You could say Osprey Backpacks was born when Mike Pfotenhauer, the company’s founder, sewed his first backpack at age 16. The backpacking pack he was using at the time had an awful fit, and he had a vision of how to improve upon the design. He asked his mother to teach him to sew, and soon he was making his own custom-fitted packs under the name Santa Cruz Recreational Packs. Before long Mike opened a retail shop where backpackers and travelers, having heard his reputation, would come and be fitted. Each pack took a couple days for Mike to sew, but his customers considered it well worth the wait. Mike officially founded Osprey in 1974. By 1976 Osprey was introducing exciting innovations in pack design, such as the breathable mesh back panel, and soon Osprey began to make a splash in the fledgling outdoor industry. Over the course of the next two decades, Osprey enjoyed industry success and accolades, as well as two relocations—one to Dolores, Colorado in 1990 and another to its current location in Cortez, Colorado in 1994 as the company grew. At first, Osprey fought the trend of outsourced manufacturing by employing local tradespeople to sew packs, but the need to stay competitive was crucial, and eventually Osprey moved its production to Korea and Vietnam. Mike, however, didn’t want to lose touch with his workers or with Osprey’s production, so in 2003 he moved his family to Vietnam, where they stayed for four years, visiting the factories daily to ensure the designs were produced accurately and faithfully. Since the early 2000s, Osprey products have received many notable accolades, including several prestigious Gear of the Year Awards from Outside Magazine. Many of these award-winning designs span the range from backpacking packs like the women’s Aura and the men’s Aether to running and cycling packs like the Rev or Raptor series and travel options like the convertible Ozone, the wheeled Contrail, or the smaller Portal laptop shoulder bag. One of the reasons for Osprey’s long string of achievements is its dedication to innovation in a single product group. As CEO tom Barney says “We’re a pack company, and every season we have to get it right on packs. We can’t have a good footwear year but a bad apparel year. We have to have a good pack year every year.” This dedication shows in every item that leaves the Osprey factory, its All Mighty Guarantee and lifetime warranty, and it shows in every decades-old Osprey pack that you see on the back of a rider or runner churning out the miles on the trail.

Osprey takes technical packs to a new level with their backpacks. Find great deals and a large selection of Osprey packs at Backcountry.com. 

Osprey Packs - Bags & Backpacks

Osprey takes technical packs to a new level with their backpacks. Their intuitive design and clean lines may make them appear simple, but beneath the surface lies the fruits of exhaustive research and innovation. From the Versatile Switch series to the shockingly light and comfortable Aether and Ariel, Osprey makes a pack for every occasion and every backpacker.

You could say Osprey Backpacks was born when Mike Pfotenhauer, the company’s founder, sewed his first backpack at age 16. The backpacking pack he was using at the time had an awful fit, and he had a vision of how to improve upon the design. He asked his mother to teach him to sew, and soon he was making his own custom-fitted packs under the name Santa Cruz Recreational Packs. Before long Mike opened a retail shop where backpackers and travelers, having heard his reputation, would come and be fitted. Each pack took a couple days for Mike to sew, but his customers considered it well worth the wait.
 
Mike officially founded Osprey in 1974. By 1976 Osprey was introducing exciting innovations in pack design, such as the breathable mesh back panel, and soon Osprey began to make a splash in the fledgling outdoor industry. Over the course of the next two decades, Osprey enjoyed industry success and accolades, as well as two relocations—one to Dolores, Colorado in 1990 and another to its current location in Cortez, Colorado in 1994 as the company grew. At first, Osprey fought the trend of outsourced manufacturing by employing local tradespeople to sew packs, but the need to stay competitive was crucial, and eventually Osprey moved its production to Korea and Vietnam. Mike, however, didn’t want to lose touch with his workers or with Osprey’s production, so in 2003 he moved his family to Vietnam, where they stayed for four years, visiting the factories daily to ensure the designs were produced accurately and faithfully.
 
Since the early 2000s, Osprey products have received many notable accolades, including several prestigious Gear of the Year Awards from Outside Magazine. Many of these award-winning designs span the range from backpacking packs like the women’s Aura and the men’s Aether to running and cycling packs like the Rev or Raptor series and travel options like the convertible Ozone, the wheeled Contrail, or the smaller Portal laptop shoulder bag.
 
One of the reasons for Osprey’s long string of achievements is its dedication to innovation in a single product group. As CEO tom Barney says “We’re a pack company, and every season we have to get it right on packs. We can’t have a good footwear year but a bad apparel year. We have to have a good pack year every year.” This dedication shows in every item that leaves the Osprey factory, its All Mighty Guarantee and lifetime warranty, and it shows in every decades-old Osprey pack that you see on the back of a rider or runner churning out the miles on the trail.

Mountain Hardwear

Mountain Hardwear's name undeniably tells a tale. "Mountain" is, well, for the mountains, while "Hardwear" is truly the most telling word of the pairing–every piece is, literally, built for hard wear. Combined, these two words map the plot of Mountain Hardwear's story; a story running parallel to our collective ambition outdoors. You see, you can't just show up to climb an ice face or ski a remote line on the mountain; you actually have to put the work into it. Likewise, since 1993, Mountain Hardwear has realized the necessity that innovation plays in living up to its own name. More importantly, though, its advancements supply the tools you need to conquer the seemingly unconquerable. As technologies have changed, Mountain Hardwear has never been one to simply adopt and adapt. Instead, it actually initiates the shift in trends through strategic partnerships that lead to the development of innovative new materials. Much of this is traceable back to 2001, when Mountain Hardwear partnered with W.L. Gore and Associates on the development of the venerable Windstopper fabric. Today, it's a household name, but back then, it required a truly pioneering spirit to roll the dice. The same was true when Mountain Hardwear went solo on the development of its highly breathable DryQ Elite jackets and pants or its Ghost Whisperer down insulation pieces, creating new standards in lightweight, protective outerwear. Since its early days in California, Mountain Hardwear's unyielding passion for perfection has extended itself to nearly every category of adventure and freedom. In the camping and expedition domains, Mountain Hardwear invented standards like Crossflow construction, the Tension Shelf, and the Tension Arch for its tents. For backpacking, it produced the first waterproof sleeping bags in 2003, followed up by Coolwave Suspension for its backpacks. For skiing and ice climbing, it was the first to produce both men's and women's jackets with welded seam technology–a feat that also helped to revolutionize the industry for ski jackets and ski pants. And in 2005, it adapted this technology to produce the first welded softshell and down jackets. Not surprisingly, Mountain Hardwear's innovative spirit translates into a host of patents. Sure, that's something to take pride in, but all of this was done simply because Mountain Hardwear believes that nothing should be impossible, and that anything worth having is worth some hard work. As Mountain Hardwear even says, "We think that the magnificence of the outdoors is magnified when it's shared."

Find Mountain Hardwear gear for sale at Backcountry.com. Shop a huge selection of Mountain Hardware tents, jackets, gloves & more.

Mountain Hardwear - Jackets, Pants, & Tents

Its name captures the brand's essence with clever simplicity-Mountain Hardwear. From Exum Ridge to Everest, hardcore mountaineers have relied on Mountain Hardwear to get them through the toughest conditions. Check out Gore-Tex shells, weatherproof soft shells, technical fleece jackets, pants, and more.

Mountain Hardwear's name undeniably tells a tale. ""Mountain"" is, well, for the mountains, while ""Hardwear"" is truly the most telling word of the pairing–every piece is, literally, built for hard wear. Combined, these two words map the plot of Mountain Hardwear's story; a story running parallel to our collective ambition outdoors. You see, you can't just show up to climb an ice face or ski a remote line on the mountain; you actually have to put the work into it. Likewise, since 1993, Mountain Hardwear has realized the necessity that innovation plays in living up to its own name. More importantly, though, its advancements supply the tools you need to conquer the seemingly unconquerable.
 
As technologies have changed, Mountain Hardwear has never been one to simply adopt and adapt. Instead, it actually initiates the shift in trends through strategic partnerships that lead to the development of innovative new materials. Much of this is traceable back to 2001, when Mountain Hardwear partnered with W.L. Gore and Associates on the development of the venerable Windstopper fabric. Today, it's a household name, but back then, it required a truly pioneering spirit to roll the dice. The same was true when Mountain Hardwear went solo on the development of its highly breathable DryQ Elite jackets and pants or its Ghost Whisperer down insulation pieces, creating new standards in lightweight, protective outerwear.
 
Since its early days in California, Mountain Hardwear's unyielding passion for perfection has extended itself to nearly every category of adventure and freedom. In the camping and expedition domains, Mountain Hardwear invented standards like Crossflow construction, the Tension Shelf, and the Tension Arch for its tents. For backpacking, it produced the first waterproof sleeping bags in 2003, followed up by Coolwave Suspension for its backpacks. For skiing and ice climbing, it was the first to produce both men's and women's jackets with welded seam technology–a feat that also helped to revolutionize the industry for ski jackets and ski pants. And in 2005, it adapted this technology to produce the first welded softshell and down jackets.
 
Not surprisingly, Mountain Hardwear's innovative spirit translates into a host of patents. Sure, that's something to take pride in, but all of this was done simply because Mountain Hardwear believes that nothing should be impossible, and that anything worth having is worth some hard work. As Mountain Hardwear even says, ""We think that the magnificence of the outdoors is magnified when it's shared.""

Coleman

W.C. Coleman started his company in Brockton, Ala., with gas-powered lamps to light up the homes and farms of rural America. In an effort to show the public what gas-powered lights were capable of, he strung a series of lamps from poles so as to light the first night football game west of the Mississippi. It has been a long time since the Wheatshockers shut out Cooper College, and Coleman has lit up our country and our campsites for more than a century now. Since the company's start with lanterns in the early 1900s, Coleman has expanded to include stoves, tents, camping furniture, and coolers; and the name has become synonymous with car camping and recreating in the United States.   

NEMO Equipment Inc.

Shop NEMO Equipment Inc. on Backcountry. Expertly curated outdoor gear and clothing for the adventurer in you, from big brands to the small and undiscovered. 

Yeti Cycles

Funded by the sale of a 1928 Indian motorcycle and using a company name swiped from a sleeping bag brand, Yeti Cycles barely made a splash when began selling mountain bikes in 1985. But its founder John Parker always dreamed big, and Yeti's influence quickly outgrew its humble beginnings. The brand gained a diehard following thanks to a combination of a legendary race team and forward-thinking design. Fast-forward roughly three decades—while much has changed, Yeti's crew is still obsessively focused on building bikes they want to ride.  Building amazing bikes takes equal parts creative thinking, flawless execution, and rigorous development. Racing has been a key part of the development formula from the early days, when Juli Furtado, Missy Giove, and John Tomac were besting the competition on turquoise ARCs, to the present, with Jared Graves and Richie Rude are landing the SB6 on Enduro World Series podiums. But there's more to product development than winning races. Without a pioneering spirit, Yeti wouldn't have been chosen as Easton's partner in developing high-end aluminum bicycle tubing in the ‘80s. The same could be said for the C-26, which brought carbon fiber bicycles to professional-level racing in 1990.  This progressive spirit finds its way into every Yeti, regardless of its intended use. At the top of the technological food chain is a new suspension platform dubbed “Switch Infinity.” This technology is the lovechild of the World Cup DH proven 303 rail technology and the critically acclaimed Switch Link. Taking the best of both technologies, it’s not surprising that it has become the platform for Yeti's aptly named Super Bikes, the SB5 trail bike, and SB6 enduro bike. On the simpler end of the spectrum, the race-bred ARC cross country hardtail now boasts a lighter weight carbon construction, paired with legendary handling. If you need a bit of squish in your XC-racer, the ASR adds 100mm of race-tuned suspension travel to the ARC formula. And if you prefer simplicity and reliability, there’s the 575—an aluminum trail bike that's as no-nonsense as they come.  Whichever Yeti best fits your need, you can ride with confidence knowing that your new bike or frame is a perfectly built product of passion, and a descendant of one of mountain biking's most influential brands. But don’t take our word for it--ask a member of the ‘Yeti Tribe,’ members of which you can find at many a trailhead. Yeti's fans are notoriously fanatical, to put it mildly. Some love the iconic turquoise paint, while others respect the list of legendary racers who have flown the Yeti flag. But really, it's the bikes that keep the Tribe loyal to the brand. Next time you see a Yeti at the trailhead, ask the owner about it. Chances are, it's not their first Yeti, and there's more to that brand loyalty than simple nostalgia.

it's strange how a single color can evoke vivid memories, but when we see turquoise we'll always think of Juli, Missy, and Tomac and the looping stays of the Yeti ARC. They raced in the early days of NORBA under the wing of John Parker, the former owner and founder of Yeti Cycles. Birthed from capital acquired through the sale of a 1928 Indian motorcycle, and using a company name swiped from a sleeping bag brand, Yeti started small and dreamed big. They moved from California to the mountain biking mecca of Durango and injected a healthy dose of inspiration into their high altitude welds. They forged a long-term relationship with Easton that resulted in the advancement of their aluminum tubing technology. They were also carbon fiber pioneers -- their short lived, but storied C-26 experiment and the Kaiser thermoplastic downhill bike are just history now, but the foundation was laid for a re-emergence of carbon fiber when the time was right.  As fate would have it, Yeti fell into tough times, and nearly went the way of the dinosaurs. A few of the employees bought the company at the last minute because they cared about the products and family they'd created. They put their houses on the line to make it work, and then produced the bike we all needed -- the 575. A natural convergence of Yeti's XC and DH racing lineage, it's no surprise it's their best selling bike to date. Their modern carbon fiber creations are fine examples of a material whose time has arrived. Stiff, light and sexy as can be, still Yeti knows to build them tough enough to weather the rigors of real mountain biking. In light of their love affair with carbon fiber, some bikes are still better made of metal -- the DJ, AS-R 7, and 303R DH are still tig-welded from aluminum so you know they'll take a beating. In fact, Yeti bikes are real-world tested three times -- at the factory, a 3rd party lab, and once again at Yeti headquarters to make sure they're durable enough to carry you through your next race, ride, or adventure. There's something very telling about the fact that the employees were so enamored with the bike brand, that they couldn't stand to see it fail. Nicknames like Bubba, Griz, Sugar, and Stretch remind us that the Yeti Crew is simply a family of like-minded guys and gals who love bikes, building each with attention paid to even the smallest of details. Each derailleur hanger is imprinted with the Yetiman, our favorite furry bike icon. Their cable routing is so artfully done, with custom alloy cable clamps so tiny and well-placed, that you'll forget the bike is adorned with a mess of hoses and housing. And when you buy a Yeti, rest assured you'll be riding a bike with a (head) badge of honor, and its distinctive turquoise accents will earn respect from those in the know.

Yeti Cycles is a high-end mountain bike manufacturer. Find a wide selection of the latest Yeti Mountain Bikes, Frames, and Accessories at Competitive Cyclist. 

Funded by the sale of a 1928 Indian motorcycle and using a company name swiped from a sleeping bag brand, Yeti Cycles barely made a splash when began selling mountain bikes in 1985. But its founder John Parker always dreamed big, and Yeti's influence quickly outgrew its humble beginnings. The brand gained a diehard following thanks to a combination of a legendary race team and forward-thinking design. Fast-forward roughly three decades—while much has changed, Yeti's crew is still obsessively focused on building bikes they want to ride.
 
Building amazing bikes takes equal parts creative thinking, flawless execution, and rigorous development. Racing has been a key part of the development formula from the early days, when Juli Furtado, Missy Giove, and John Tomac were besting the competition on turquoise ARCs, to the present, with Jared Graves and Richie Rude are landing the SB6 on Enduro World Series podiums. But there's more to product development than winning races. Without a pioneering spirit, Yeti wouldn't have been chosen as Easton's partner in developing high-end aluminum bicycle tubing in the ‘80s. The same could be said for the C-26, which brought carbon fiber bicycles to professional-level racing in 1990.
 
This progressive spirit finds its way into every Yeti, regardless of its intended use. At the top of the technological food chain is a new suspension platform dubbed “Switch Infinity.” This technology is the lovechild of the World Cup DH proven 303 rail technology and the critically acclaimed Switch Link. Taking the best of both technologies, it’s not surprising that it has become the platform for Yeti's aptly named Super Bikes, the SB5 trail bike, and SB6 enduro bike. On the simpler end of the spectrum, the race-bred ARC cross country hardtail now boasts a lighter weight carbon construction, paired with legendary handling. If you need a bit of squish in your XC-racer, the ASR adds 100mm of race-tuned suspension travel to the ARC formula. And if you prefer simplicity and reliability, there’s the 575—an aluminum trail bike that's as no-nonsense as they come.
 
Whichever Yeti best fits your need, you can ride with confidence knowing that your new bike or frame is a perfectly built product of passion, and a descendant of one of mountain biking's most influential brands. But don’t take our word for it--ask a member of the ‘Yeti Tribe,’ members of which you can find at many a trailhead. Yeti's fans are notoriously fanatical, to put it mildly. Some love the iconic turquoise paint, while others respect the list of legendary racers who have flown the Yeti flag. But really, it's the bikes that keep the Tribe loyal to the brand. Next time you see a Yeti at the trailhead, ask the owner about it. Chances are, it's not their first Yeti, and there's more to that brand loyalty than simple nostalgia.

Black Diamond

Although the Black Diamond name was officially adopted in 1989, the company's roots can be traced back to 1957. That's when climber and mountaineer Yvon Chouinard started hammering out chromoly pitons on an anvil in his backyard and selling them from the trunk of his car in Yosemite. Yvon's equipment quickly became an industry standard. In 1989 Chouinard Equipment LTD was purchased by a group of former employees and renamed 'Black Diamond.' Today, Black Diamond has offices on three continents. Its focus is, and always has been, innovative ski and climbing gear and an equally innovative approach to sustainable business practices. Black Diamond's approaches to innovation and sustainability have been inseparably intertwined since the very beginning. When climbers noticed that popular routes had been damaged by the pitons traditionally used for protection, Chouinard and his business partner Tom Frost developed aluminum chocks that had significantly less impact on the rock, and then phased out of the piton business entirely. It was a risk, but one that defined a lasting environmentally aware direction for Chouinard and Black Diamond. Today, Black Diamond's expertise extends well beyond climbing, with notable innovations in skis, headlamps, backpacks, harnesses, trekking poles, tents, helmets, and many other outdoor products. Black Diamond has earned an outstanding reputation in backcountry skiing for its ground-breaking designs in both AT and telemark gear, including award-winning skis, boots, bindings, gloves, climbing skins, and vital accessories like beacons, probes, and Avalung packs. Moving beyond gear, Black Diamond continues to expand its line of high-quality apparel, offering both the technical jackets and pants one would expect from Black Diamond, as well as appealing, comfortable casual wear. Even with Black Diamond's broad range of products and worldwide distribution, it never lost sight of its roots or its high standards of environmentally responsible manufacturing processes and safe working conditions. In 2010 it initiated an official Corporate Responsibility program to monitor and ensure environmental and social compliance and stewardship within the brand, and it put into place a Vendor Code of Conduct to hold its outside vendors to a similarly high standard. Black Diamond is also extremely active in environmental programs, providing continuing support for over a dozen groups whose focus is environmental preservation. The company came a long way from a backyard anvil and a climber's vision in Yosemite. Fortunately, it hasn't lost sight of its values along the way. Black Diamond produces some of the finest climbing and skiing equipment and clothing in the world, but its commitment to the environment and fair labor practices are equally impressive. As it grows, Black Diamond's influence will also grow—helping to advance the outdoor industry not only through technical innovation, but through social and environmental programs as well.

Black Diamond continues to introduce cutting-edge climbing & skiing gear year after year. Shop skis, gloves, headlamps, climbing harnesses, & more on Backcountry.com.

Black Diamond Gear & Apparel

Although the Black Diamond name was officially adopted in 1989, the company's roots can be traced back to 1957. That's when climber and mountaineer Yvon Chouinard started hammering out chromoly pitons on an anvil in his backyard and selling them from the trunk of his car in Yosemite. Yvon's equipment quickly became an industry standard. In 1989 Chouinard Equipment LTD was purchased by a group of former employees and renamed 'Black Diamond.' Today, Black Diamond has offices on three continents. Its focus is, and always has been, innovative ski and climbing gear and an equally innovative approach to sustainable business practices.
 
Black Diamond's approaches to innovation and sustainability have been inseparably intertwined since the very beginning. When climbers noticed that popular routes had been damaged by the pitons traditionally used for protection, Chouinard and his business partner Tom Frost developed aluminum chocks that had significantly less impact on the rock, and then phased out of the piton business entirely. It was a risk, but one that defined a lasting environmentally aware direction for Chouinard and Black Diamond.
 
Today, Black Diamond's expertise extends well beyond climbing, with notable innovations in skis, headlamps, backpacks, harnesses, trekking poles, tents, helmets, and many other outdoor products. Black Diamond has earned an outstanding reputation in backcountry skiing for its ground-breaking designs in both AT and telemark gear, including award-winning skis, boots, bindings, gloves, climbing skins, and vital accessories like beacons, probes, and Avalung packs. Moving beyond gear, Black Diamond continues to expand its line of high-quality apparel, offering both the technical jackets and pants one would expect from Black Diamond, as well as appealing, comfortable casual wear.
 
Even with Black Diamond's broad range of products and worldwide distribution, it never lost sight of its roots or its high standards of environmentally responsible manufacturing processes and safe working conditions. In 2010 it initiated an official Corporate Responsibility program to monitor and ensure environmental and social compliance and stewardship within the brand, and it put into place a Vendor Code of Conduct to hold its outside vendors to a similarly high standard. Black Diamond is also extremely active in environmental programs, providing continuing support for over a dozen groups whose focus is environmental preservation.
 
The company came a long way from a backyard anvil and a climber's vision in Yosemite. Fortunately, it hasn't lost sight of its values along the way. Black Diamond produces some of the finest climbing and skiing equipment and clothing in the world, but its commitment to the environment and fair labor practices are equally impressive. As it grows, Black Diamond's influence will also grow—helping to advance the outdoor industry not only through technical innovation, but through social and environmental programs as well.

MSR's founder Larry Penberthy didn't set out to create a highly successful outdoor equipment company, one that would revolutionize the way we experience the outdoors. An engineer, professional inventor, and lifelong mountaineer, he just wanted to make the backcountry safer. To that end he created in 1969 a newsletter committed to improving mountaineering safety by reporting on testing he did on mountaineering equipment. He called it Mountain Safety Research, or MSR. Penberthy's goal was to make the best information and gear available to climbers, and if no one was making an item that was up to his standards, he'd come up with one himself. Many of the products were developed by Penberthy himself, usually as a response to real-world challenges he experienced as a climber. For example, his Thunderbird Ice Axe was the first to feature an aluminum shaft, because Larry needed an ice axe that didn't break the way wooden-shafted models did. Dehydration was a big problem for high-altitude mountaineers, so he engineered the Model 9 Stove, the world's first remote-burner stove. It was designed to efficiently melt snow at high altitude, allowing climbers to quickly make drinking water. As time went on, the MSR newsletter relied more and more on the sale of new, innovative mountaineering equipment, and it eventually evolved into the company we know today. Some notable early products were the MSR Climbing Helmet (which was adapted by MSR in 1974 to make one of the very first cycling helmets), the first jackets and parkas to incorporate "pit zips," the first headlamps to run on lithium batteries, and the Coyote Snow Picket, a radically more effective snow anchor. The Denali snowshoe, introduced in 1995, was the first to feature injection-molded plastic decks, steel traction blades, and modular flotation tails. 2004's Hubba tents utilized an innovative design offering the ideal combination of light weight and livability, making them the best-selling ultralight tents in the world. Today, MSR offers a range of products for the serious backpacker and mountaineer, from tents and bivies to lightweight, dependable stoves, camp cookware, and water treatment and storage devices. MSR's snowshoes offer the confidence of all-terrain traction for all types of adventurers, while MSR snow anchors enhance mountaineers' safety. And while Penberthy is no longer with us, MSR's intrepid team is still carrying on his crusade. Staffed by engineers, tinkerers and passionate outdoor users, this team remains obsessed with delivering the most reliable, high-performance outdoor equipment possible—providing adventurers with greater safety in the backcountry.

Find MSR Hiking, Climbing, and Camping Gear at Backcountry.com. Browse great deals on Tents, Sleeping Bags, and More.

MSR - Hike & Camp Tents, Snowshoes, & More

Larry Penberthy didn’t set out to create a highly successful outdoor equipment company, one that would revolutionize the way we experience the outdoors. An engineer, professional inventor, and lifelong mountaineer, he just wanted to make the backcountry safer. To that end he created in 1969 a newsletter committed to improving mountaineering safety by reporting on testing he did on mountaineering equipment. He called it Mountain Safety Research, or MSR. 

Penberthy's goal was to make the best information and gear available to climbers, and if no one was making an item that was up to his standards, he'd come up with it himself. Many of the products were developed by Penberthy himself, usually as a response to real-world challenges he experienced as a climber. For example, his first product, the Thunderbird Ice Axe, was the first ice axe with an aluminum shaft, because Larry needed an ice axe that didn’t break the way wooden-shafted models did. Dehydration was a big problem for high-altitude mountaineers, so he created the Model 9 Stove, the world’s first remote-burner stove. It was designed to deal with dehydration by efficiently melting snow at high altitude. 

As time went on, the MSR newsletter relied more and more on the sale of new, innovative mountaineering equipment, and it eventually evolved into the company we know today. Some notable early products were the MSR Climbing Helmet (which was adapted by MSR in 1974 to make one of the very first cycling helmets), the first jackets and parkas to incorporate “pit zips,” the first headlamps to run on lithium batteries, and the Coyote Snow Picket, a radically more effective snow anchor. The Denali snowshoe, introduced in 1995, was the first to feature injection-molded plastic decks, steel traction blades, and modular tails. 2004’s Hubba tents utilized an innovative design offering the ideal combination of light weight and liveability, making them the best-selling ultralight tents in the world. 

Today, MSR offers a range of products for the serious backpacker and mountaineer, from tents and bivies to lightweight, portable stoves, camp cookwear, and water filtration and storage devices. MSR snowshoes are available for every kind of terrain and snow conditions, while its snow anchors enhance mountaineers’ safety. And while the company has changed hands, it is still carrying on Larry Penberthy’s crusade. It’s staffed by engineers, tinkers and passionate outdoor users who are driven by his dedication to designing high-quality products that offer greater performance, reliability and, therefore, safety in the backcountry.

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