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THE TRAIL THAT'S LED TO HERE
As Mountainsmith nears its 40-year anniversary in 2019, we celebrate not only the gear that has led us here, but the stories, adventures, and experiences that have defined the rugged, Colorado-grown, no B.S. lifestyle we continue to share.
Founded in Golden, Colorado in 1979, Mountainsmith was born and bred in the Rockies. Our story began with Colorado outdoorsmen in need of seriously durable gear that could withstand the rigors of their backcountry pursuits. As their expeditions became longer and more remote, they realized that commercial gear couldn’t keep up with their adventures—so they built their own. With weeks at a time in the woods, they'd come up with new ideas and prototypes out of any materials on-hand, not just building gear, but building a lifestyle and brand that is still rooted in its connection to the Rockies.
INNOVATION & INVENTIONS
The first Mountainsmith product was a backcountry sled that many still use today. Not long after the sled, Mountainsmith secured the first patent for a lumbar pack while looking for a new way to effectively carry gear while backcountry skiing. The pack marked the beginning of the Delta Load Compression system, an innovative design used in Mountainsmith’s initial backpacking packs and still used in many of our packs today. The Delta Load Compression system’s unique ability to shift weight away from the shoulders allows for larger, heavier loads with less strain on the body.
THE FIRSTS CONTINUE
The firsts continued for Mountainsmith in the Tyrol, one of the industry’s first sidecountry ski packs, and the K9 Pack. The Alouette Dog Pack of the early 1980s was built from heavy Cordura and reinforced with rugged vinyl-covered nylon brush guards. It combined certifiably tough construction with the ingenious “Y” yoke, a safer, healthier solution to the traditional “saddlebag” style of other makeshift packs. Now co-designed with a Golden, Colorado veterinarian, the 2019 K9 pack only builds on its innovative heritage.
CRAFTED IN COLORADO
Throughout the 80s and 90s, Mountainsmith’s designs came to life with the help of home sewers across Colorado. The various components of the packs were built in-house and then transported in giant “batch bags” (now the Travel Trunk Series) from one sewer to the next and back to Mountainsmith’s headquarters in Golden. From the Front Range to the top of Vail Pass and out to the Western Slope, these packs were crafted by Colorado’s best. Today, we're still headquartered only miles from where it all began.
THE PAST DRIVES US FORWARD
In 2006, Mountainsmith partnered on the industry’s first recycled PET pack cloth, originally labeled “Redura” and later “ReForge.” The brand’s environmental innovation continued into 2008 with the Phoenix internal frame backpack. The high percentage of recycled PET combined with eco-friendly foam and corn resin hardware earned the pack an Editor's Choice Green Award from Backpacker Magazine, the first time the magazine gave an Editor's Choice Award to a green product.
RECOGNITION & PARTNERSHIPS
With awards from Backpacker Magazine, Outside Magazine, ISPO and more, Mountainsmith’s reputation for innovation continues to come to life through creative collaborations. In 2013, Mountainsmith teamed up with Andy Mann (National Geographic photographer) to co-design camera bags built and tested for the elements. 2014 brought a collaboration with fellow Colorado-Native Icelantic Skis, leading to a USA-made ski pack line. Two years later, we sought out Chris Burkard, legendary adventure photographer, to create what he calls, “the most universal camera system on the market.”
PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE USA TYROL
While looking forward in design, the Mountainsmith team continues to carry on the heritage on which the brand is built. In 2016, we reintroduced the USA-made Tyrol as a limited edition. Made from 100% up-cycled material, the Tyrol packs were hand-built in Boulder, Colorado under the oversight of Ron Simonds, one of the original Mountainsmith designers. Ron recreated the original silhouette with his team at Boulder Mountain Repair. Each pack is numbered 1-20 based on where it falls in the line and is dated/marked with the initials of the person who made it.
THE BACKCOUNTRY LOUNGER IS RE-BORN
In 2017, we introduced the new, heritage-inspired Slingback Chair when an old friend came across a vintage Mountainsmith logo buried in a local yard sale. An unrecognizable fabric, he dropped it off at the Mountainsmith Headquarters for more clues. Digging through 35 years of records, we finally came to the Slingback Chair in a catalog dating back to the early 80s. We packed the chair on our own adventures and after a year of playing and testing, we decided to have some more fun with it. Today, at less than 5 oz., it's a light, packable backcountry lounger for added comfort around the fire.
40 YEARS IN THE FRONT RANGE
Though production has since been transformed, Mountainsmith is approaching 40 years in Golden, Colorado, still designing, testing, and living out the brand only miles from where it all began. Nestled in the Front Range of the Rockies, we are right in the thick of the changing outdoor world. Our heritage—our passion for smart, durable gear and wild adventures—continues to drive the Mountainsmith culture.