Big Agnes

Big Agnes is a brand founded on innovative solutions that help us go further into the backcountry. The brand’s co-founder Bill Gamber created the company after discovering a radically new way to design sleeping bags. His design significantly reduced the weight of a sleeping bag without decreasing its warmth. Suddenly, Gamber was able to reduce his pack weight without sacrificing sleeping comfort. He could get into the outdoors and carry less. And getting out into the outdoors is what Big Agnes is all about; in fact, the company is based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, surrounded by thousands of square miles of wilderness. The company itself was named after a rocky peak in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area, and all of its products share a name with a nearby peak, creek, river, trail, or even an infamous moment in local history.  That first big idea back in 2000 is now known as the Big Agnes System; it’s a method of eliminating the insulation in the bottom of a sleeping bag to reduce weight and bulk. Because this insulation usually compresses after it’s slept on, the Big Agnes System uses a sleeping pad to provide warmth on the bottom of the bag. This design, along with the innovative Insotect baffling system, has garnered Big Agnes a lot of attention from the outdoor industry and gram-counting backpackers alike. Today, the company offers a full line of bags, filled with high-fill DownTek waterproof down or high-quality synthetic insulation, in both its proprietary design or a traditional sleeping bag style. And since a pad is an integral part of its bags, Big Agnes naturally carries sleeping pads in a range of sizes, weights, and styles. Big Agnes tents like the ultralight Fishhook, Fly Creek, and Copper Spur have also rack up awards. These tents uses designs that bring the weight of a backcountry shelter down to nearly unheard-of levels. On the other end of the weight spectrum, the Big Agnes Big House car camping tent provides ample room for a crowd of campers, and its Mine Mountain line of mountaineering tents offer protection from extreme weather. Recently, Big Agnes took its nearly fifteen years of experience in perfecting sleeping bag insulation and applied it to high-performance apparel. Utilizing its waterproof DownTek high-fill-power down, the company has created a line of jackets with a remarkable warmth-to-weight ratio. The designers also found a way to incorporate the Insotec Flow vertical baffling that further enhances the jackets’ warmth. The Hole in the Wall and Shovelhead jackets for men and women were instant successes when they hit the market.  Between the mountainous location of its headquarters, the names of its products, and its understanding of what people need from their outdoor gear, it’s evident that Big Agnes has a strong connection to its surroundings. The company backs up this commitment with the use of recycled and environmentally friendlier materials and processes, as well as supporting the work of non-profits dedicated to better stewardship of our environment. This is a brand that believe that the outdoors aren’t just where we get away, but where our stories are made.

Browse a wide selection of Big Agnes camping and hiking gear at Backcountry.com. Find the latest sleeping bags, tents, pads, and more.

Big Agnes - Tents, Pads, & Sleeping Bags

Big Agnes is a brand founded on innovative solutions that help us go further into the backcountry. The brand’s co-founder Bill Gamber created the company after discovering a radically new way to design sleeping bags. His design significantly reduced the weight of a sleeping bag without decreasing its warmth. Suddenly, Gamber was able to reduce his pack weight without sacrificing sleeping comfort. He could get into the outdoors and carry less. And getting out into the outdoors is what Big Agnes is all about; in fact, the company is based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, surrounded by thousands of square miles of wilderness. The company itself was named after a rocky peak in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area, and all of its products share a name with a nearby peak, creek, river, trail, or even an infamous moment in local history.
 
That first big idea back in 2000 is now known as the Big Agnes System; it’s a method of eliminating the insulation in the bottom of a sleeping bag to reduce weight and bulk. Because this insulation usually compresses after it’s slept on, the Big Agnes System uses a sleeping pad to provide warmth on the bottom of the bag. This design, along with the innovative Insotect baffling system, has garnered Big Agnes a lot of attention from the outdoor industry and gram-counting backpackers alike. Today, the company offers a full line of bags, filled with high-fill DownTek waterproof down or high-quality synthetic insulation, in both its proprietary design or a traditional sleeping bag style. And since a pad is an integral part of its bags, Big Agnes naturally carries sleeping pads in a range of sizes, weights, and styles.
 
Big Agnes tents like the ultralight Fishhook, Fly Creek, and Copper Spur have also rack up awards. These tents uses designs that bring the weight of a backcountry shelter down to nearly unheard-of levels. On the other end of the weight spectrum, the Big Agnes Big House car camping tent provides ample room for a crowd of campers, and its Mine Mountain line of mountaineering tents offer protection from extreme weather.
 
Recently, Big Agnes took its nearly fifteen years of experience in perfecting sleeping bag insulation and applied it to high-performance apparel. Utilizing its waterproof DownTek high-fill-power down, the company has created a line of jackets with a remarkable warmth-to-weight ratio. The designers also found a way to incorporate the Insotec Flow vertical baffling that further enhances the jackets’ warmth. The Hole in the Wall and Shovelhead jackets for men and women were instant successes when they hit the market.
 
Between the mountainous location of its headquarters, the names of its products, and its understanding of what people need from their outdoor gear, it’s evident that Big Agnes has a strong connection to its surroundings. The company backs up this commitment with the use of recycled and environmentally friendlier materials and processes, as well as supporting the work of non-profits dedicated to better stewardship of our environment. This is a brand that believe that the outdoors aren’t just where we get away, but where our stories are made.

Stanley

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

Since its founding, POC’s mission was clear: to develop protective gear that can save lives and reduce the severity of injuries. And with its objective determined, POC set out to revolutionize the world of protection, starting with gravity sports like alpine skiing and mountain biking. First, POC had to reimagine the steps of the traditional design process. Cross-functional teams of doctors, engineers, materials experts, and specialists are consulted well before a product comes to the prototype phase. These teams examine the shortcomings of the market's contemporary products and address which areas of the body are the most ´susceptible to injury during a crash. And given that POC's native Stockholm is at the epicenter of health, medicine, and advanced product development, the brand finds itself at a natural advantage in the design process, with the results being superior helmets, goggles, and body armor. A helmet like the Trabec embodies the fruits of this design principle. This helmet puts safety first by protecting the occipital and temple regions of the skull, which are common, serious points of trauma in a mountain bike crash. And after working with industrial engineers, POC created its own in-molding process that combines the strengths of the two most commonplace helmet technologies — hard shell and in-mold. POC helmets, like the Trabec, feature a PC shell that's mated with Aramid fibers and an EPS foam. Accordingly, the helmet is able to provide more protective coverage without sacrificing a low overall weight or ventilation. These helmets have come to represent the utmost in safety, comfort, and performance. After achieving a swift dominance of the mountain market, it was only a matter of time until POC found itself entrenched in the world of road biking helmets. At first, it entered the market with a focus on aerodynamics, something that POC perfected with alpine ski helmets. It released the uncanny Tempor helmet to rave reviews and wind tunnel data that was almost unbelievable. And more recently, it's made waves in the pro peloton with the Octal and Octal Aero helmets, as well as with the retro-forward DO Blade sunglasses. With its road line, POC placed an extraordinary amount of importance on perfecting the trifecta of weight, aerodynamics, and comfort. So, it came as no surprise when Andrew Talansky won the 2014 Criterium du Dauphine wearing POC. Today, POC is proving itself to never be one to rest on its laurels. Its design philosophy has expanded to include mountain bike and road bike clothing, producing triumphant innovations in fabric technology and design. It leaves us feeling resolute that, despite not knowing what the future holds, we’re certain that POC will be there pushing the envelope in order to keep us all safe.

POC utilizes Visco-Elastic Polymer Dough, a revolutionary compound that stiffens upon impact. Shop POC helmets, clothing, & body armor at Backcountry.com.

POC - Ski & Snowboard Apparel, Sunglasses, & More

When POC opened up shop in 2005, the goal was simple—save lives and reduce the consequences of falling. The Swedish brand was originally focused on the skiing market, where it found nearly immediate acceptance through its sponsorship of top-level racers and freeskiiers. And with the inherent similarities between skiing and cycling, not to mention the overlap in participants, it wasn't much of a leap to dive headlong into building protection for those on two wheels. The launch of the Trabec helmet series was met with immediate praise, and the combination of its distinctive appearance and impressive protection won it legions of fans. The same can be said of POC's padding, which employs a proprietary material known as VPD. This lightweight, pliable material conforms naturally to the body, but stiffens under impact, which makes it a perfect choice for building lightweight, protective body armor. The combination of VPD and low profile cuts have made POC's body armor among the most sought after in the cycling world. POC's venture into cycling became even more exciting when it launched the road line. The most noticeable piece was undoubtedly the Octal helmet, which provided ample coverage and plenty of protection, with a shape that was at once simple and modern, and unmistakably POC. But while the Octal got fans and racers talking, it might have been easy to overlook the excellent AVIP clothing lineup, and that would be a serious mistake. This high-visibility clothing was once again designed with rider safety as the primary concern, but wearing the well-cut and beautifully made pieces makes it immediately clear that safety doesn't come at the expense of comfort or quality. And with the addition of the Raceday line, which pairs race ready fits with a refreshingly clean aesthetic, it's clear that POC is dedicated to making the clothing that performs at the sport's highest levels as well. It's a story we expect to repeat itself—clothing and equipment that's driven in equal parts by a need for safety and a demand for products which riders simply love.

Since its founding, POC’s mission was clear: to develop protective gear that can save lives and reduce the severity of injuries. And with its objective determined, POC set out to revolutionize the world of protection, starting with gravity sports like alpine skiing and mountain biking.
 
First, POC had to reimagine the steps of the traditional design process. Cross-functional teams of doctors, engineers, materials experts, and specialists are consulted well before a product comes to the prototype phase. These teams examine the shortcomings of the market's contemporary products and address which areas of the body are the most ´susceptible to injury during a crash. And given that POC's native Stockholm is at the epicenter of health, medicine, and advanced product development, the brand finds itself at a natural advantage in the design process, with the results being superior helmets, goggles, and body armor.
 
A helmet like the Trabec embodies the fruits of this design principle. This helmet puts safety first by protecting the occipital and temple regions of the skull, which are common, serious points of trauma in a mountain bike crash. And after working with industrial engineers, POC created its own in-molding process that combines the strengths of the two most commonplace helmet technologies — hard shell and in-mold. POC helmets, like the Trabec, feature a PC shell that's mated with Aramid fibers and an EPS foam. Accordingly, the helmet is able to provide more protective coverage without sacrificing a low overall weight or ventilation. These helmets have come to represent the utmost in safety, comfort, and performance.
 
After achieving a swift dominance of the mountain market, it was only a matter of time until POC found itself entrenched in the world of road biking helmets. At first, it entered the market with a focus on aerodynamics, something that POC perfected with alpine ski helmets. It released the uncanny Tempor helmet to rave reviews and wind tunnel data that was almost unbelievable. And more recently, it's made waves in the pro peloton with the Octal and Octal Aero helmets, as well as with the retro-forward DO Blade sunglasses. With its road line, POC placed an extraordinary amount of importance on perfecting the trifecta of weight, aerodynamics, and comfort. So, it came as no surprise when Andrew Talansky won the 2014 Criterium du Dauphine wearing POC.
 
Today, POC is proving itself to never be one to rest on its laurels. Its design philosophy has expanded to include mountain bike and road bike clothing, producing triumphant innovations in fabric technology and design. It leaves us feeling resolute that, despite not knowing what the future holds, we’re certain that POC will be there pushing the envelope in order to keep us all safe.

RAEN optics

Like the jaded, once-aspiring talents of the silver screen, optical endeavors in the sun-drenched state of California can often seem just as prevalent, and nearly as tired. But independently-owned RAEN Optics based out of Encinitas, has sought to change that, and bring the timeless warmth and romanticism of 'life on the 101' back to sunglasses. More than just another new twist on an old face, RAEN is a fresh affirmation of life and style, paying its respects to the classical optical aficionado. Built upon the industry-leading optical precision found only in Carl Zeiss Vision CR-39 lenses, RAEN collection frames are then handcrafted from the peerless acetates of Mazzucchelli 1849 - a name synonymous with the luxurious hues that laid the canvas for entire generations of style icons. The beauty of this unique acetate, is that the richness of color is embedded in each frame, ensuring it will never peel, never fade, and like the footprints of yesteryear's legends of the cinema, never age.

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.

Oakley

To call Oakley an industry leader is an understatement; Oakley has been reinventing the outdoor products we use for nearly 40 years. Oakley blends science and art to make eyewear, clothing, and accessories that routinely exceed the current standards for performance. It all started in 1975, when Jim Jannard had an idea to develop a motorcycle handgrip using an ergonomic design and a new, hydrophilic material that made the grips stickier with sweat. Immediately, pro riders noticed. Jim’s next design was the O-Frame MX goggle. Pros like Mark Barnett, Marty Smith, Johnny O‘Mara, and Jeff Ward championed its clarity and wide peripheral view. O-Frames put Oakley on the map, and it wasn’t long before Oakey’s sunglasses designed specifically for sport and goggles for ski, snowboard, mountain bike and BMX pursuits were showing up on the faces of professional athletes and fans alike. Oakley has revolutionized these industries with ground-breaking innovations in polarization, optical clarity, molding, materials, impact resistance, and fit. Radically new designs like the Blade, Razor Blade, and M Frame altered our expectations of how sport sunglasses should look and perform. In addition to advanced optics and industrial-strength protection, the cutting-edge design of Oakey eyewear is now enhanced with crystal-clear sound. Sunglasses and goggles with built-in MP3 and Bluetooth capabilities enable users to rock out and stay connected no matter where they are. Oakley has made innovative leaps in other categories as well. Its outerwear incorporates technology like Reversible Heat Storage, which was developed for the space program. Oakley’s Pro Rider series of jackets, pants, and baselayers was designed to meet the specifications of leading professional skiers and riders. Unlike traditional flat cutouts, Oakley sport clothing is designed with CAD/CAM digital sculpturing for perfect fit and comfort. This technology is also used in the design of its footwear to integrate all of the components of the shoe for a better fit. Oakely watches combine Old World craftsmanship with New World technology to deliver unexpected results. Even Oakley backpacks are famous for their design—at once sleek, stylish, and extremely functional. Since it was founded, Oakley’s approach has been both innovative and artistic; decades later, Oakley has been awarded nearly 600 patents, and its products are sold in over 100 countries worldwide. These innovations have earned Oakley a reputation for reinventing the products that we use every day; this reputation makes the iconic “O” logo as in-demand as any in the world.

Shop the best selection and greatest prices on Oakley goggles, sunglasses, snowboard jackets, & outerwear on Backcountry.com.

Oakley - Sunglasses, Apparel, & Accessories 

Oakley understands what it means go get out there and ride like it's your last day on Earth. that's why riders like Brian Lopes wear Oakley whenever they hit the trail. This isn't gear for roadies who happen to ride mountain bikes, this is gear for die-hard freeriders and downhillers who let it hang out on every ride and need gear that can keep up. 

To call Oakley an industry leader is an understatement; Oakley has been reinventing the outdoor products we use for nearly 40 years. Oakley blends science and art to make eyewear, clothing, and accessories that routinely exceed the current standards for performance.
 
It all started in 1975, when Jim Jannard had an idea to develop a motorcycle handgrip using an ergonomic design and a new, hydrophilic material that made the grips stickier with sweat. Immediately, pro riders noticed. Jim’s next design was the O-Frame MX goggle. Pros like Mark Barnett, Marty Smith, Johnny O‘Mara, and Jeff Ward championed its clarity and wide peripheral view.
 
O-Frames put Oakley on the map, and it wasn’t long before Oakey’s sunglasses designed specifically for sport and goggles for ski, snowboard, mountain bike and BMX pursuits were showing up on the faces of professional athletes and fans alike. Oakley has revolutionized these industries with ground-breaking innovations in polarization, optical clarity, molding, materials, impact resistance, and fit. Radically new designs like the Blade, Razor Blade, and M Frame altered our expectations of how sport sunglasses should look and perform.
 
In addition to advanced optics and industrial-strength protection, the cutting-edge design of Oakey eyewear is now enhanced with crystal-clear sound. Sunglasses and goggles with built-in MP3 and Bluetooth capabilities enable users to rock out and stay connected no matter where they are.
 
Oakley has made innovative leaps in other categories as well. Its outerwear incorporates technology like Reversible Heat Storage, which was developed for the space program. Oakley’s Pro Rider series of jackets, pants, and baselayers was designed to meet the specifications of leading professional skiers and riders. Unlike traditional flat cutouts, Oakley sport clothing is designed with CAD/CAM digital sculpturing for perfect fit and comfort. This technology is also used in the design of its footwear to integrate all of the components of the shoe for a better fit. Oakely watches combine Old World craftsmanship with New World technology to deliver unexpected results. Even Oakley backpacks are famous for their design—at once sleek, stylish, and extremely functional.
 
Since it was founded, Oakley’s approach has been both innovative and artistic; decades later, Oakley has been awarded nearly 600 patents, and its products are sold in over 100 countries worldwide. These innovations have earned Oakley a reputation for reinventing the products that we use every day; this reputation makes the iconic “O” logo as in-demand as any in the world.

Petzl

The Petzl story began in the early 1930s, when Fernand Petzl discovered the sport of caving. Petzl was 17 and trained as a mechanic by trade; he was used to solving complex problems with simple solutions. Together, with his friend Pierre Chevalier, the two began exploring deep caves with gear designed for only for hiking and light climbing. It wasn’t long before the two began to envision new techniques for going deeper into previously inaccessible caves, and with these new techniques, they created new gear for the task. Rather than rely on fixed ladders as was the norm, Petzl began to use nylon ropes, and he invented the climbing pole, the Ascender, and Descender. With tools in hand, Petzl and Chevalier explored the first 17 kilometers of the Dent de Crolles and established a new world record for caving below 600 meters. By 1968, Petzl was manufacturing ascenders and descenders under the name Produits Fernand Petzl (Fernand Petzl Products). In 1970 Petzl brought his sons Pierre and Paul into the business, and the Petzl brand expanded its production to include mountaineering equipment. The first Petzl mountaineering headlamp followed in 1973 and, in 1975, Petzl established its headquarters in Crolles, France. This was truly the beginning of something larger. With the name established and its manufacturing plant in place, things took off. The Petzl name was already synonymous with high-quality climbing equipment and headlamps, so the addition of climbing harnesses was a natural addittion to the product line in 1977. Eleven years later Petzl would put in place its own research and development department, complete with a Test Tower for climbing gear, and an athlete team, Team Petzl, soon followed. Now known as the the world’s first self-braking belay device, the invention of the Grigi made climbing much safer. It was 1991 and the world of climbing suddenly became more accessible to recreational and casual climbers. Just a year earlier Petzl had begun making safety equipment for firefighters, roofers, tree care professionals, rescue workers, and other professionals whose jobs involve roping in above the ground. To this day, many of Petzl’s product such as descenders, work-spec harnesses, and helmets are used for both work and play.  Countless other products and innovations have followed over the past 20 years. The Tikka, Petzl’s firs LED headlamp, The Quark Ergo ice axe, the ASAP mobile fall arrester, the Rope Trip, and many others. Over the years, Petzl has always designed products to address a specific issue—never just to add to its catalog. Innovation in lighting and verticality are at the heart of the brand’s expertise and innovation is what drives their products into the hands of future customers, again and again.

Browse a wide selection of Petzl Bike, Hike, and Climbing gear at Backcountry.com. Choose from the latest headlamps, tents, sleeping bags, and more.

Petzl - Hike, Camp, & Climb Headlamps, Helmets, & More

The Petzl story began in the early 1930s, when Fernand Petzl discovered the sport of caving. Petzl was 17 and trained as a mechanic by trade; he was used to solving complex problems with simple solutions. Together, with his friend Pierre Chevalier, the two began exploring deep caves with gear designed for only for hiking and light climbing. It wasn’t long before the two began to envision new techniques for going deeper into previously inaccessible caves, and with these new techniques, they created new gear for the task. Rather than rely on fixed ladders as was the norm, Petzl began to use nylon ropes, and he invented the climbing pole, the Ascender, and Descender. With tools in hand, Petzl and Chevalier explored the first 17 kilometers of the Dent de Crolles and established a new world record for caving below 600 meters.
 
By 1968, Petzl was manufacturing ascenders and descenders under the name Produits Fernand Petzl (Fernand Petzl Products). In 1970 Petzl brought his sons Pierre and Paul into the business, and the Petzl brand expanded its production to include mountaineering equipment. The first Petzl mountaineering headlamp followed in 1973 and, in 1975, Petzl established its headquarters in Crolles, France. This was truly the beginning of something larger.
 
With the name established and its manufacturing plant in place, things took off. The Petzl name was already synonymous with high-quality climbing equipment and headlamps, so the addition of climbing harnesses was a natural addittion to the product line in 1977. Eleven years later Petzl would put in place its own research and development department, complete with a Test Tower for climbing gear, and an athlete team, Team Petzl, soon followed.
 
Now known as the the world’s first self-braking belay device, the invention of the Grigi made climbing much safer. It was 1991 and the world of climbing suddenly became more accessible to recreational and casual climbers. Just a year earlier Petzl had begun making safety equipment for firefighters, roofers, tree care professionals, rescue workers, and other professionals whose jobs involve roping in above the ground. To this day, many of Petzl’s product such as descenders, work-spec harnesses, and helmets are used for both work and play.
 
Countless other products and innovations have followed over the past 20 years. The Tikka, Petzl’s firs LED headlamp, The Quark Ergo ice axe, the ASAP mobile fall arrester, the Rope Trip, and many others. Over the years, Petzl has always designed products to address a specific issue—never just to add to its catalog. Innovation in lighting and verticality are at the heart of the brand’s expertise and innovation is what drives their products into the hands of future customers, again and again.

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