Brand
Year
Product
Ajungilak founded
1855
Blacks of Greenock founded
1861
Helly Hansen started
1877
Fairydown founded
1889
Ajungilak make their first sleeping bag, filled with reindeer hair & kapok
Primus brand created
1892
the first pressurised burner kerosene (paraffin) stove, developed
Eureka! in business
1895
Optimus Stoves founded
Bergans began
1908
Ole Bergan conceives bent juniper branch frame pack
Raichle founded
1909
Ole Bergan issued a patent for his metal framed rucksack
1913
Gideon Sundback invents the first functional zipper
1920
Ajungilak release their first down sleeping bag
Millet commence
1921
Trangia founded
1925
The Trangia alcohol fuel (methylated spirits) stove first sold
Norrona founded
1929
Paddy Pallin established
1930
Lafuma launched
Silva established
1933
Silva release first fluid filled orienteering compass
1937
Vibram rubber mountaineering sole launched
Recreational Equipment Inc (REI) born
1938
1941
George de Mestral conceives Velcro
1943
Ventile fabric goes into mass production
Karrimor established
1946
Gerry Mountaineering Equip. founded
Dachstein (Lackner Wolle) founded
1947
Gerry release first semi-circular mountain tent, the Andean
1948
Robert Blanchard, Eureka! employee files patent for free standing dome tent
1949
Emile Bourdonneau (EB) and Pierre Alain (PA) make first climbing slipper
Flinders Rangers started
1950
Trangia alcohol stoves first produced
Mountain Mule gets started
EB (Super Gratton) formed
first synthetic fill sleeping bags arrive on market
1951
RiRi invent the injection moulded toothed zipper
Kelty founded
1952
Gerry invents the first cordlock
Peter Storm founded
1954
1955
George de Mestral obtains a patent for Velcro
The SVEA 123 classic lightweight stove introduced by Sweden's Sievert AB
Macpac started
1956
Bill Moss conceives early lightweight dome tent, known as a Pop Tent
Chouinard Equipment began
1957
Stephenson Warmlite commence
1959
Bill Moss licences Pop Tent design to the Thermos company
Bill Moss introduces first arc-tunnel tent
Gerry designs Kiddie Carrier, first modern child papoose pack (patented 1963)
Gerry Cunningham's Lightweight Camping Equipment and How to Make It
Fjällräven founded
1960
Mountain Equipment (UK) started
1961
Helly Hansen ‘W’ Pile garments released
First Edition of MUMC ‘Equipment For Mountaineering’ manual published
Henri Lloyd started
1963
Robert Saunders founded
1964
Stephenson Warmlite tunnel tent first sold
Sierra Designs founded
1965
Sierra Designs 60/40 Mountain Parka released
Craghoppers started
Troll Equipment commence
Alan Blackshaw's 550 page how-to book Mountaineering first published
The North Face established
1966
Vango Force Ten tent becomes available
Berghaus founded
Joe Brown Climbing Helmet commercialised
Jansport founded
1967
Greg Lowe constructs first internal frame pack (parallel staves)
Snowdon Mouldings started
1968
Forrest Mountaineering formed
Mountain Safety Research (MSR) born
1969
1970
Karrimor Karrimat closed cell foam sleeping pad released
Cascade Designs started
1971
Helly Hansen LIFA polypropylene underwear launched
Sierra West gets going
Yakworks commence sales
Royal Robbins' Basic Rockcraft published
Synergy Works gestates
Early Winters founded
1972
Early Winters Omnipotent integral two skin tent released
Rohan founded
Ultimate Equipment kicks off
Karrimor Haston Alpiniste pack released in purple
Chouinard release clean climbing nuts: Hexentrics and Stoppers
Chouinard clean climbing catalog released
Lowe Alpine incorporated
1973
MSR Model 9 stove released
Patagonia incorporated
Lowe Alpine release their internal frame pack, the Expedition
Wilderness Experience starts sewing
Cascade Designs release self-inflating sleeping mat, the Therm-A-Rest
Marmot Mountain Works founded
1974
Berghaus Cyclops internal frame pack released (X frame), first in Europe
Mountain Designs founded
1975
The North Face release first geodesic tent - Oval Intention
Mont Bell founded
Moss Tent Works established
Mountain Designs founded
1976
Early Winter make first Gore-Tex outdoor product: Light Dimension tent
Marmot introduce first Gore-tex covered sleeping bags
MSR first to incorporate underarm zips in outerwear
Synergy Works make early Gore-Tex parkas
Mont Bell releases hypalon waterproofs
Wild Country founded
1977
Greg Lowe introduces packs with first length adjustable back
Gregory Mountain Products founded
Bibler release first dome tent in Gore-tex
1978
The North Face release VE24 geodesic tent
Early Winters release Earth Station; first geodesic Gore-Tex dome tent
Production of climbing camming device, Friends, begins
Gore-tex ‘second generation’ released to overcome oil contamination problem
Steve Barnett's Cross Country Downhill published, telemark skiing booms
Mountainsmith started
1979
Sierra Designs Airflex tents use straight and bent pole sections
J&H founded (later One Planet)
Paddy Pallin & Mountain Designs launch Gore-tex in Australia
ITW Nexus granted patent for first side release plastic buckle
Buffalo Systems make Double P garments - Pile/Pertex
Berghaus release the full coverage Yeti gaiter, with rubber rand
Rohan's Tundra: first 'softshell.' Wind & showerproof, closefitting, stretchy
Rab founded
1980
Karrimor Sports Boots (KSBs) synthetic boots launched
Rohan Bags travel pants released
Patagonia get into polypropylene underwear, albeit expedition weight
Gore-tex tape seam sealing arrives on the scene
Macpac introduce Gore-tex to NZ with Light Year tent (Light Dimension copy)
Boreal release the Fire, first real sticky rubber climbing shoe
Wintergear commence business
1981
Nike released first ‘approach shoe,' the Lava Dome
Mont Equipment started
Greg Lowe introduces first plastic buckles for packs
Sequel founded
1982
Sierra Design Swift Clips invented
Outgear conceived
First Patagonia catalog appears
Latok Mountain Gear started
1983
Wintergear release Sapphire, first geodesic tunnel tent, later becomes Quasar
Patagonia launch Synchilla fleece
Chouinard release floorless, single skin Pyramid tent
Walrus founded
1984
Rohan release Olfio windproof, insulated sweater
Klättermusen commences
Mont-Bell makes 3 Layer Sealcoat waterproof garments for Patagonia
Latok release Diamond Pullover, very early softshell?
Five Ten started
1985
Five Tennie approach shoe released with grippy Stealth rubber sole
Dana Design started
Patagonia releases Capilene polyester wicking underwear
Chouinard release 3 person Megamid
Chouinard release seam sealed Sealcoat stuffsacks
Rab is first to make down sleeping bags from Pertex fabric
A5 Adventures founded
1986
Mont Bell sell lightest 3 Layer Gore-tex in Ballistics 30 denier
Chouinard release first cut-on-curve glove & one-handed closure
1987
Chouinard release Comet tent, with Sealcoat coating on exterior
Chouinard release Camalots, first dual axle spring loaded camming devices
Black Diamond Equipment founded
1989
Paddy Pallin launch patented Watergate twin zip closure jackets
Arc’teryx (nee Rock Solid) founded
Garuda Mountaineering founded
1990
Deja Shoe commenced
1991
Vortex packs starts up
1992
Scarpa/Black Diamond release Terminator, first plastic telemark boot
Terra Nova founded
1993
Patagonia launched Recycled Synchilla, made of 89% recycled PET EcoSpun
Mountain Hardwear founded
Mont Bell launch Down Hugger sleeping bags with stretch stitching
1995
The North Face Mountain 25 tent released
1996
Patagonia moves entire cotton line to organic cotton
The North Face release Tekware synthetic sportswear
Cloudveil commence
1997
Arc’teryx unveils welded Gore-Tex apparel with Weathertight zips
Berghaus release Simplex clothing
NEMO equipment incorporated
2002
Nau (nee UTW) started
2003
2004
NEMO air supported tents released
2006
DAC Featherlite tent poles introduced
2007
Nau launch first complete line of eco-friendly outdoor apparel