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.

Icebreaker

During his travels in the early ‘90s, Icebreaker founder Jeremy Moon had a revelation. Rather than focus on creating the latest and greatest technical fabric for its clothing, he discovered that such a fabric was already available and could be found on a breed of animal living in New Zealand’s Southern Alps—Merino sheep. Because of its warmth in the cold and cooling breathability in the heat, Jeremy found that these sheep were easily able to survive the area’s harsh environment. It occurred to him that Merino would also be an ideal material for performance clothing. Merino was soft to the touch, comfortable against his skin, and easy to care for. He realized that it offered the quick-drying, lightweight benefits of synthetic materials couple with the natural warmth, breathability, and odor-resistance of standard wool. Altogether this meant that Merino flew in the face of wool materials available at that time, and it continues to do the same to this day. Since 1994, Icebreaker has been crafting this versatile fabric into hard-working technical clothes as well as sophisticated, high-performance urban apparel. Starting with underwear and baselayers and expanding to mid- and outer layers, Icebreaker outfits you for optimal four-season comfort. Whether you’re dressing for snow sports, hiking and backpacking, travel, running and fitness, or simply everyday activities, Icebreaker has you covered. The bread-and-butter of the Icebreaker’s offerings is its line of baselayers, including leggings and tops for skiing or mountaineering in weights from ultra-lightweight to expedition-weight. Midweight pullovers and tops, either in merino knit or cozy merino RealFleece, offer excellent warmth without bulk. Of course, you’ll enjoy Icebreaker wool in the form of beanies, liner gloves, and socks that keep your extremities nice and warm. The good news is, you don’t have to wait until the weekend to experience the benefits of Merino, since Icebreaker offers dresses, skirts, and sweaters for women, as well as polos, collared shirts, and sweaters for men. And, as Icebreaker combines Merino with other textiles to create new performance fabrics, merino is also put to work in new ways. For example, its wool-cotton blend shorts are both durable and highly breathable, and for outings in more extreme weather, Icebreaker offers jackets and vests that feature insulating Merino backed with weather-resistant outer shells.  Icebreaker also invests a great deal of energy into supporting its commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible sourcing. To that end, it sets strict standards for environmental management and animal welfare from its growers, all of whom are contracted long-term to Icebreaker. Once harvested, wool is processed in facilities that strictly observe rigorous standards for environmental impact and human welfare. In fact, when you buy an Icebreaker product, you can use the “Baacode” tag on the inner seam to trace its production from start to finish. You can see the living conditions of the sheep, meet the growers who raised them, and follow the production process through to the finished garment. In addition to feeling good when you’re wearing an Icebreaker garment, you can feel good about where it came from.

Shop Icebreaker Clothing at Backcountry. Find 100% Merino Wool shirts, jackets, and underwear that is temperature-regulating and unparalleled in comfort.

Icebreaker - Merino Wool Outer & Underwear

Icebreaker's New Zealand Merino wool garments are unparalleled in comfort, warmth, and fashion. Soft, strong, and washable, New Zealand Merino has none of wool's typical scratchiness and resists odor buildup better than any synthetic fabric. Once you own one of their base layers, mid layers, or casual sweaters, you'll be begging for more. And Icebreaker's commitment to sustainability will give both your mind and your skin a case of the warm fuzzies: the company buys wool for a fair price from top-quality New Zealand farmers whose merino sheep luxuriate in the shaggy fibers we love to wear too. Just baaaa-sk in it.

Browse a wide selection of Icebreaker gear for sale at Competitive Cyclist. Get info and prices, and reviews on the best Icebreaker cycling jerseys & shorts. 

Icebreaker Cycling Apparel | Jerseys, Shorts, & Accessories

During his travels in the early ‘90s, Icebreaker founder Jeremy Moon had a revelation. Rather than focus on creating the latest and greatest technical fabric for its clothing, he discovered that such a fabric was already available and could be found on a breed of animal living in New Zealand’s Southern Alps—Merino sheep. Because of its warmth in the cold and cooling breathability in the heat, Jeremy found that these sheep were easily able to survive the area’s harsh environment. It occurred to him that Merino would also be an ideal material for performance clothing.
 
Merino was soft to the touch, comfortable against his skin, and easy to care for. He realized that it offered the quick-drying, lightweight benefits of synthetic materials couple with the natural warmth, breathability, and odor-resistance of standard wool. Altogether this meant that Merino flew in the face of wool materials available at that time, and it continues to do the same to this day.
 
Since 1994, Icebreaker has been crafting this versatile fabric into hard-working technical clothes as well as sophisticated, high-performance urban apparel. Starting with underwear and baselayers and expanding to mid- and outer layers, Icebreaker outfits you for optimal four-season comfort. Whether you’re dressing for snow sports, hiking and backpacking, travel, running and fitness, or simply everyday activities, Icebreaker has you covered.
 
The bread-and-butter of the Icebreaker’s offerings is its line of baselayers, including leggings and tops for skiing or mountaineering in weights from ultra-lightweight to expedition-weight. Midweight pullovers and tops, either in merino knit or cozy merino RealFleece, offer excellent warmth without bulk. Of course, you’ll enjoy Icebreaker wool in the form of beanies, liner gloves, and socks that keep your extremities nice and warm. The good news is, you don’t have to wait until the weekend to experience the benefits of Merino, since Icebreaker offers dresses, skirts, and sweaters for women, as well as polos, collared shirts, and sweaters for men.
 
And, as Icebreaker combines Merino with other textiles to create new performance fabrics, merino is also put to work in new ways. For example, its wool-cotton blend shorts are both durable and highly breathable, and for outings in more extreme weather, Icebreaker offers jackets and vests that feature insulating Merino backed with weather-resistant outer shells.
 
Icebreaker also invests a great deal of energy into supporting its commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible sourcing. To that end, it sets strict standards for environmental management and animal welfare from its growers, all of whom are contracted long-term to Icebreaker. Once harvested, wool is processed in facilities that strictly observe rigorous standards for environmental impact and human welfare. In fact, when you buy an Icebreaker product, you can use the “Baacode” tag on the inner seam to trace its production from start to finish. You can see the living conditions of the sheep, meet the growers who raised them, and follow the production process through to the finished garment. In addition to feeling good when you’re wearing an Icebreaker garment, you can feel good about where it came from.

Icebreaker's New Zealand wool garments are unparalleled in comfort, warmth & fashion. Backcountry.com has a great selection of Icebreaker brand name wool clothing.

Smartwool

Why wool? Merino wool, specifically, is naturally hydrophobic, highly breathable, and antimicrobial. In other words, it truly is the "smart" wool. Merino's characteristics lend themselves perfectly to products like t-shirts, socks, and underwear, because merino fibers wick and breathe better than most engineered synthetic fibers, while also neutralizing odors and providing a softer hand against the skin. But SmartWool's products are about more than just the raw material. Great care is taken in the production of the wool it uses to ensure products of not only the highest quality, but ones that are ethically and sustainably created.  The lush, jagged mountains of New Zealand play host to the majority of the world's Merino sheep. SmartWool works closely with small, experienced growers in this region to ensure the best yarn. A Merino sheep is only shorn once per year; to put that in perspective, one sheep's wool equates to only 40 pairs of SmartWool socks or seven mid-weight base layers. For this reason, every sheep is considered precious, meaning that SmartWool lives by the ethos that good wool requires a happy sheep. That's why SmartWool pioneered the humane treatment of sheep in New Zealand and refuses to source from any growers who don't abide by its standards. It was also the first to extend long-term contracts to growers, providing a sense of security that enables them to continue extending quality care and supervision. Continuing this philosophy, you'll find that 90% of SmartWool's products are knit in America. Your favorite slippers, beanie, pants, or mittens are all ethically produced in encouraging work environments. This means that you get a product that's made with love—from start to finish.  Sure, getting to the finished product isn't easy, but SmartWool wouldn't have it any other way. The end result is, after all, a remarkable thing to behold–a natural product, with an ethical footprint, that outperforms nearly every synthetic on the market. It doesn't get much better than that.

Find a huge selection of Smartwool socks plus Smartwool tights and slippers at Backcountry.com. Nothing but top-notch comfort for a top notch athlete.

Smartwool - Socks, Gloves, Tights & Slippers

Why wool? Merino wool, specifically, is naturally hydrophobic, highly breathable, and antimicrobial. In other words, it truly is the ""smart"" wool. Merino's characteristics lend themselves perfectly to products like t-shirts, socks, and underwear, because merino fibers wick and breathe better than most engineered synthetic fibers, while also neutralizing odors and providing a softer hand against the skin.
 But SmartWool's products are about more than just the raw material. Great care is taken in the production of the wool it uses to ensure products of not only the highest quality, but ones that are ethically and sustainably created.
 The lush, jagged mountains of New Zealand play host to the majority of the world's Merino sheep. SmartWool works closely with small, experienced growers in this region to ensure the best yarn. A Merino sheep is only shorn once per year; to put that in perspective, one sheep's wool equates to only 40 pairs of SmartWool socks or seven mid-weight base layers. For this reason, every sheep is considered precious, meaning that SmartWool lives by the ethos that good wool requires a happy sheep. That's why SmartWool pioneered the humane treatment of sheep in New Zealand and refuses to source from any growers who don't abide by its standards. It was also the first to extend long-term contracts to growers, providing a sense of security that enables them to continue extending quality care and supervision. Continuing this philosophy, you'll find that 90% of SmartWool's products are knit in America. Your favorite slippers, beanie, pants, or mittens are all ethically produced in encouraging work environments. This means that you get a product that's made with love—from start to finish.
 Sure, getting to the finished product isn't easy, but SmartWool wouldn't have it any other way. The end result is, after all, a remarkable thing to behold–a natural product, with an ethical footprint, that outperforms nearly every synthetic on the market. It doesn't get much better than that.

Outdoor Research

Outdoor Research is dedicated to inspiring the journey ahead with award-winning technical apparel and accessories. Based in Seattle since 1981, it is committed to improving its customers’ experiences through innovative materials, purpose-driven features, and versatile products that are backed by its Infinite Guarantee. Outdoor Research relies on the real-world testing of its athlete ambassadors, mountain guides, and local adventurers involved in its core sports: alpinism, rock and ice climbing, hiking, backpacking, paddling, trail running, and backcountry skiing and snowboarding. Outdoor Research is here for the fun, adventure, excitement, and For the Journey Ahead&trade;.

Find a wide range of Outdoor Research clothing, including jackets, pants, shirts, tents and more at Backcountry.com

Outdoor Research - Jackets, Gloves, Pants

In 1980, Ron Gregg and his climbing partner set out to ski 100 miles to the base of Alaska’s Mount Denali with all their climbing equipment, summit Denali, and ski back. About halfway up the mountain, Ron’s partner’s gaiters filled with snow, forcing snow down into his boots. He was eventually airlifted from the mountain with severe frostbite. Ron, however, refused the ride back, opting instead to descend the mountain and ski back under his own power. Somewhere along that lonely trek, Ron decided to dedicate himself to improving outdoor equipment and devote the rest of his life to his passion for the outdoors. Outdoor Research was born.
 
Ron’s first mission was to design a gaiter that could stand up to the punishment that he dished out on Denali. His X-Gaiter was snug, insulated, tough, and popular enough to launch an outdoor gear company. Outdoor Research was, and still is, based on the idea that a new piece of gear should solve a problem, and create a better outdoor experience through innovation. Early examples of this direction are the Water Bottle Parka, the first soft-side medical kits designed for outdoor adventure, and Modular Mitts—two-piece mittens with a liner and a removable Gore-Tex shell that made it easier to dry the mitten overnight. These and other innovative products, such as a Gore-Tex rain hat and the famed Brooks Ranger Overboots, earned OR a reputation for innovation and, by the end of the ‘80s, had solidified the Outdoor Research name as one of the most trusted in the outdoor industry.
 
Outdoor Research enjoyed a long period of growth through the end of the ‘90s. It stuck to its original goal of only designing products that offered something new, such as a line of bivvy shelters that revolutionized the category. Everything was going well until 2003, when Ron was killed in an avalanche. OR, and the entire outdoor industry, were rocked by the tragedy. After several months of assessment, it was decided to sell the company. Fortunately, the buyer was Dan Nordstrom, a passionate outdoor enthusiast who has managed to ably move OR forward in the same direction that Ron Gregg had established in the ‘80s—creating functional solutions for human-powered adventure.
 
Since then, every aspect and category of OR has been scrutinized and improved, with careful upgrades for the classic favorites and the introduction of new equipment and clothing. Today, in addition to gear like gaiters, bivvies, hats, gloves, storage systems and backpacks, it offers a full line of clothing. This encompasses not only technical outerwear and layers for just about every outdoor pursuit, but jackets, pants, and other clothing as well for when it’s time to kick back and relax.
 
The future looks bright for Outdoor Research. Under the direction of its new ownership and with the feedback of hundreds of dedicated ‘Lab Rat’ outdoor enthusiasts, its products continue to evolve and its goal remains the same: to improve the outdoor experience through innovative design and real-life testing.

Therm-a-Rest

Seattle aerospace giant Boeing laid off 50,000 people in 1971, leaving engineers Jim Lea and Neil Anderson with time on their hands. Another engineer friend, John Burroughs, challenged them with creating a better camping mattress; at that time, air mattresses were cold and leaky, while closed-cell foam pads were bulky and uncomfortable. One day while Jim was gardening, inspiration struck. As he shifted his weight on his foam ground cushion, he heard the air escaping a closed chamber. Combining a few deductions from this experience with a lot of tinkering, he and Neil came up with a prototype of a mattress that featured open-cell memory foam surrounded by air and sealed inside and airtight chamber, with a valve to control air pressure. The world’s first self-inflating sleeping pad was born. After year of field testing, they had reached a design that offered far superior comfort and performance than anything that had existed before. John dubbed it the “Therm-a-Rest,” because the new pad offered both insulation and the comfort that outdoor enthusiasts needed to get a good night’s sleep under the stars. A patent application was filed and, by 1972, the Therm-a-Rest mattress was on its way to becoming an integral piece of camping and excursion gear for millions. It was so ground-breaking, in fact, that in 2012 Outside Magazine placed it on its list of “The Most Influential Gear of All-Time.” Today, the Therm-a-Rest line of sleeping pads offers models designed for fast-and-light backpackers to luxury-loving car campers, and everyone in between. It features a number of variations on the original design, as well as the next-generation, multiple-award-winning NeoAir line. The company also revisited and vastly improved the closed-cell pads that used to be so uncomfortable; the Z-Lite and RidgeRest mattresses are the result. It now also offers the LuxuryLite cot for the ultimate in outdoor sleeping comfort.  In fact, Therm-a-Rest offers all the components of a complete sleep system, not just the pad. Therm-a-Rest sleeping bags are designed to work in tandem with its pads to balance light weight with comfort. Pillows and bedding sized to fit its pads help enable a good night’s sleep. And for waking hours, kits are available that turn your pad into a comfortable chair, or you can opt for seating mini-pads that protect your behind from the cold, hard ground. Heading into its fourth decade, Therm-a-Rest remains the worldwide leader in outdoor comfort, offering the broadest and most innovative assortment of outdoor comfort products available. The company continues to innovate, always driven by the conviction that the better your rest, the more you’ll enjoy your time precious time outdoors.

The Therm-a-Rest line of sleeping pads offers models designed for fast-and-light backpackers to luxury-loving car campers, and everyone in between.

Therm-a-Rest Sleeping Pads & More

Seattle aerospace giant Boeing laid off 50,000 people in 1971, leaving engineers Jim Lea and Neil Anderson with time on their hands. Another engineer friend, John Burroughs, challenged them with creating a better camping mattress; at that time, air mattresses were cold and leaky, while closed-cell foam pads were bulky and uncomfortable. One day while Jim was gardening, inspiration struck. As he shifted his weight on his foam ground cushion, he heard the air escaping a closed chamber. Combining a few deductions from this experience with a lot of tinkering, he and Neil came up with a prototype of a mattress that featured open-cell memory foam surrounded by air and sealed inside and airtight chamber, with a valve to control air pressure. The world’s first self-inflating sleeping pad was born. 

After year of field testing, they had reached a design that offered far superior comfort and performance than anything that had existed before. John dubbed it the “Therm-a-Rest,” because the new pad offered both insulation and the comfort that outdoor enthusiasts needed to get a good night’s sleep under the stars. A patent application was filed and, by 1972, the Therm-a-Rest mattress was on its way to becoming an integral piece of camping and excursion gear for millions. It was so ground-breaking, in fact, that in 2012 Outside Magazine placed it on its list of “The Most Influential Gear of All-Time.” 

Today, the Therm-a-Rest line of sleeping pads offers models designed for fast-and-light backpackers to luxury-loving car campers, and everyone in between. It features a number of variations on the original design, as well as the next-generation, multiple-award-winning NeoAir line. The company also revisited and vastly improved the closed-cell pads that used to be so uncomfortable; the Z-Lite and RidgeRest mattresses are the result. It now also offers the LuxuryLite cot for the ultimate in outdoor sleeping comfort. 
 
In fact, Therm-a-Rest offers all the components of a complete sleep system, not just the pad. Therm-a-Rest sleeping bags are designed to work in tandem with its pads to balance light weight with comfort. Pillows and bedding sized to fit its pads help enable a good night’s sleep. And for waking hours, kits are available that turn your pad into a comfortable chair, or you can opt for seating mini-pads that protect your behind from the cold, hard ground. 

Heading into its fourth decade, Therm-a-Rest remains the worldwide leader in outdoor comfort, offering the broadest and most innovative assortment of outdoor comfort products available. The company continues to innovate, always driven by the conviction that the better your rest, the more you’ll enjoy your time precious time outdoors.

Seattle aerospace giant Boeing laid off 50,000 people in 1971, leaving engineers Jim Lea and Neil Anderson with time on their hands. Another engineer friend, John Burroughs, challenged them with creating a better camping mattress; at that time, air mattresses were cold and leaky, while closed-cell foam pads were bulky and uncomfortable. One day while Jim was gardening, inspiration struck. As he shifted his weight on his foam ground cushion, he heard the air escaping a closed chamber. Combining a few deductions from this experience with a lot of tinkering, he and Neil came up with a prototype of a mattress that featured open-cell memory foam surrounded by air and sealed inside and airtight chamber, with a valve to control air pressure. The world’s first self-inflating sleeping pad was born. 

After year of field testing, they had reached a design that offered far superior comfort and performance than anything that had existed before. John dubbed it the “Therm-a-Rest,” because the new pad offered both insulation and the comfort that outdoor enthusiasts needed to get a good night’s sleep under the stars. A patent application was filed and, by 1972, the Therm-a-Rest mattress was on its way to becoming an integral piece of camping and excursion gear for millions. It was so ground-breaking, in fact, that in 2012 Outside Magazine placed it on its list of “The Most Influential Gear of All-Time.” 

Today, the Therm-a-Rest line of sleeping pads offers models designed for fast-and-light backpackers to luxury-loving car campers, and everyone in between. It features a number of variations on the original design, as well as the next-generation, multiple-award-winning NeoAir line. The company also revisited and vastly improved the closed-cell pads that used to be so uncomfortable; the Z-Lite and RidgeRest mattresses are the result. It now also offers the LuxuryLite cot for the ultimate in outdoor sleeping comfort. 

In fact, Therm-a-Rest offers all the components of a complete sleep system, not just the pad. Therm-a-Rest sleeping bags are designed to work in tandem with its pads to balance light weight with comfort. Pillows and bedding sized to fit its pads help enable a good night’s sleep. And for waking hours, kits are available that turn your pad into a comfortable chair, or you can opt for seating mini-pads that protect your behind from the cold, hard ground. 

Heading into its fourth decade, Therm-a-Rest remains the worldwide leader in outdoor comfort, offering the broadest and most innovative assortment of outdoor comfort products available. The company continues to innovate, always driven by the conviction that the better your rest, the more you’ll enjoy your time precious time outdoors.

Kelty

Kelty makes a wide range of strollers, child carriers, tents and backpacks.  Kelty's gear is some of the toughest and best-designed equipment money can buy, and every piece is backed up by the ultimate lifetime warranty, often imitated but never duplicated.

Smith

Smith Optics was founded in the early 1960s by Bob Smith, a hard-charging skier with a problem—his goggles kept fogging up. An orthodontist by trade, he put his skills to work and created the first goggle with sealed double lens and breathable, ventilating foam lining. Since this beginning, Smith has continued to lead the industry with not only innovative technology, but with cutting-edge style; its mission, in its own words, is to “make great days better.” Smith’s factory in Clearfield, Utah, focuses on three product lines: sunglasses, goggles, and helmets. Smith sunglasses combine leading technology with the latest fashion to create the ultimate eyewear. Lens materials range from Techlite polarized glass, the lightest-weight glass on the market, to Carbonic TLT, the most impact-resistant, optically correct polycarbonate. All Smith lenses feature a multi-layer lens construction, and many also include built-in polarization that filters out 99% of glare off reflective surfaces. Polarchromic sunglasses combine this polarization with UV sensitivity that enables them to automatically adjust its tint in response to changing light conditions. Smith’s ChromaPop technology offers the ultimate color definition—after you Pop, you’ll never go back. Smith’s innovations extend to its frames, too, in both materials and design. Smith’s groundbreaking Pivlock and Interlock interchangeable technology allow for easy lens swaps for different settings and conditions. Its Evolve frames are 53% bio-based, made in part from easily renewable castor plants. Other frame materials include light and flexible Grilamid nylon, rich handcrafted acetate, and lightweight, durable metals. Smith’s goggles for snow and moto sports offer different levels of performance to meet all needs and budgets. Leading the way is Smith’s growing I/O line of goggles with interchangeable lenses that offer the ultimate in flexibility. Polarchromic technology accommodates changing conditions over the course of a day or a week, from stormy mornings to sunny bluebird afternoons. As in its sunglasses, Smith’s goggles offer exceptional distortion-free optics and reliable impact resistance. True to its roots, Smith’s goggles continue to emphasize fog-free vision. Whether utilizing impeccably designed ventilation or battery-powered Turbo fans to clear moisture, Smith goggles enable you to see clearly no matter how hard you’re working. The ventilation systems are enhanced by innovative tech like the Fog-x lens treatment that's etched into the lens, so it won't wear off like other anti-fog coatings. First and foremost, Smith ski and snowboard helmets are designed with safely in mind. But as might be expected, the helmet-goggle interface is also a significant focus. Helmets are designed to match curve of a goggle frame, which allows precise alignment with ventilation channels in goggle and helmet. And for those who like to rock out when they’re making turns, Smith offers the latest in audio options from Skullcandy. These days you’ll see Smith helmets on bikers, too. Its cutting-edge, award-winning Forefront mountain bike helmet uses Aerocore construction and Koroyd to create one of the lightest, most protective helmets on the market.

Find good deals on a great selection of Smith optics eyewear and helmets at Backcountry.com. Including Smith goggles and sunglasses for ski and snowboarding.

Smith Optics - Sunglasses & Goggles

Smith produces high-end eyewear for demanding and stylish athletes. Smith is as well known for its diverse line of fashion and performance sunglasses as it is for its goggles. Their innovative Slider Series was the first interchangeable lens to show up en masse at bike race start lines and Spring skiing lift lines. Smith snow goggles are technically advanced to meet the needs of different lighting conditions.  Smith's continuous innovation and style has made their eyewear the choice of action-sport athletes worldwide.

Smith Optics was founded in the early 1960s by Bob Smith, a hard-charging skier with a problem—his goggles kept fogging up. An orthodontist by trade, he put his skills to work and created the first goggle with sealed double lens and breathable, ventilating foam lining. Since this beginning, Smith has continued to lead the industry with not only innovative technology, but with cutting-edge style; its mission, in its own words, is to “make great days better.”
 
Smith’s factory in Clearfield, Utah, focuses on three product lines: sunglasses, goggles, and helmets. Smith sunglasses combine leading technology with the latest fashion to create the ultimate eyewear. Lens materials range from Techlite polarized glass, the lightest-weight glass on the market, to Carbonic TLT, the most impact-resistant, optically correct polycarbonate.
 
All Smith lenses feature a multi-layer lens construction, and many also include built-in polarization that filters out 99% of glare off reflective surfaces. Polarchromic sunglasses combine this polarization with UV sensitivity that enables them to automatically adjust its tint in response to changing light conditions. Smith’s ChromaPop technology offers the ultimate color definition—after you Pop, you’ll never go back.
 
Smith’s innovations extend to its frames, too, in both materials and design. Smith’s groundbreaking Pivlock and Interlock interchangeable technology allow for easy lens swaps for different settings and conditions. Its Evolve frames are 53% bio-based, made in part from easily renewable castor plants. Other frame materials include light and flexible Grilamid nylon, rich handcrafted acetate, and lightweight, durable metals.
 
Smith’s goggles for snow and moto sports offer different levels of performance to meet all needs and budgets. Leading the way is Smith’s growing I/O line of goggles with interchangeable lenses that offer the ultimate in flexibility. Polarchromic technology accommodates changing conditions over the course of a day or a week, from stormy mornings to sunny bluebird afternoons. As in its sunglasses, Smith’s goggles offer exceptional distortion-free optics and reliable impact resistance.
 
True to its roots, Smith’s goggles continue to emphasize fog-free vision. Whether utilizing impeccably designed ventilation or battery-powered Turbo fans to clear moisture, Smith goggles enable you to see clearly no matter how hard you’re working. The ventilation systems are enhanced by innovative tech like the Fog-x lens treatment that's etched into the lens, so it won't wear off like other anti-fog coatings.
 
First and foremost, Smith ski and snowboard helmets are designed with safely in mind. But as might be expected, the helmet-goggle interface is also a significant focus. Helmets are designed to match curve of a goggle frame, which allows precise alignment with ventilation channels in goggle and helmet. And for those who like to rock out when they’re making turns, Smith offers the latest in audio options from Skullcandy. These days you’ll see Smith helmets on bikers, too. Its cutting-edge, award-winning Forefront mountain bike helmet uses Aerocore construction and Koroyd to create one of the lightest, most protective helmets on the market.

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