NB: This website has moved to its new address of : www.inov8.au.com/compass  Please bookmark the

new link, as the original address ( http://homepage.mac.com/inov8/Compass/ ) expired 30 June 2012

Navigation

• A History timeline that tracks significant events, company formations and product

releases across the entire industry

• A Brand backgrounder offers: a). an introductory Profile on an individual company

brand, b) that brand's specific History timeline and c). selected Photos and Images,

mostly scanned from old catalogs that predate the internet age. Hover cursor over

thumbnails to show captions. Click any thumbnail to display a larger image and

commence a slideshow, with manual forward and reverse arrows appearing in top

third of image.

• Additional Links reference other websites that offer an alternative look at outdoor

gear's evolution.

Although the site has endeavoured to be as accurate as possible, it no doubt includes

mistakes and omissions. Please advise if you feel certain information would merit

revision. Bearing in mind this is not a publicly moderated Wiki-style site, but is a

personal hobby.

Many images were scanned from old catalogues or magazines, whilst others were

found on the internet, The project was commenced as a private hobby, before it was

thought to become a public web document, so some photo/image credits were not

dutifully recorded. Anyone recognising an image to which they retain exclusive rights

should contact me (Warren McLaren), via email,  to request credit or removal of the

image.

NB: Because Compass is a very image rich website, some larger scans may take a

wee while to load. But they will.

Introduction

'Compass' charts the innovative history of equipment

and clothing within the outdoor pursuits industry.

It is by no means a definitive account, but rather an

idiosyncratic personal recollection.

With everything going online and web-based these days, the

history of products has become so very transient -- the slate

is wiped clean with each new season or collection. Here then

are images (and info) salvaged from the days of paper

catalogs, and of websites now closed.

No doubt many people will say, "Yeh, but why don't you have

anything about product X or company Y?" Maybe I do, but I

just haven't found time in a busy life to get it uploaded as of

yet. It's been a bucket-load of work just getting things to this

point. A little patience may bring forth all sorts of wonders.

This is very much a Work In Progress.