Compass: Charting the Evolution of Outdoor Gear

Black Ice History

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Black Ice History (and that of Bill Simon)

1972

Bill Simon and Barry Solloway start manufacturing business in Taiwan called Snowline

Eddie Bauer threatens legal action over the name so it is changed to Snowlion

1973

Shipped first down bags into the USA

1976

Snowlion provides sleeping bags ands apparel for Ned Gillette’s Ellemere Island expedition

Gillette was planning to use North Tents, so Snowlion engaged freelance designer Bob Howe, who creates their Meridian dome

1977

Snowlion makes the first Gore-Tex jackets produced outside of the USA and UK

New York company Gateway offers to buy business, but deal goes sour

1978

Snowlion declared bankrupt by Solloway whilst Simon on business in Far East

(many of the designs were sold off including the Meridian dome tent to Wilderness Experience, where it was called the 'Equinox'

Bill Simon resigns and starts trading company, Odyssey

Odyssey manages Far East manufacturing for the likes of Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) and Salewa

Also launches Black Ice brand with sleeping bags (down and Polarguard) and tents

The Meridian name re-emerges for a Black Ice dome tent, reminiscent of Jansport Mountain Dome, but with external poles & attached inner

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Odyssey opens up China as a manufacturing source for the global outdoor industry

grows to nine production control offices with factories across Asia, in Utah and Arizona, and in Mexico

1988

Bill Simon’s Odyssey Holdings acquires The North Face & Sierra Designs

1989

As head of The North Face Bill Simon teams with REI, Patagonia, and Kelty to form the outdoor industry's Conservation Alliance.

1990

Marmot was added to Odyssey Holdings portfolio

Alpine Designs also bought by the group

1993

Odyssey Holdings is bankrupt and sells off its assets

1994

Bill Simon partners with Marsden Cason (as Infinity Associates) to buy The North Face

They help quadruple TNF sales in three years, with the company attaining sales of $300 million

1996

They shepherd The North Face to becoming a publicly traded company.

Simon and Cason leave soon after. (Later buy and reinvigorate the Converse sneaker brand, before selling it to Nike.)