Compass: Charting the Evolution of Outdoor Gear

Outdoor Gear Industry History 1855 - 2007

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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

Osprey Packs formed

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