Compass: Charting the Evolution of Outdoor Gear

Moss History

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1948

Bill Moss completes Art School

1955/56

conceives of Pop Tent design whilst working as an artist/illustrator for the Ford Motor co.

makes first 1,000 Pop Tents, which open like umbrellas

Abercombie & Fitch outfitters buy just one tent

article in July issue of Life Magazine ensures remainder of tents sell out in six months

1959/60

Bill Moss licenses the Pop Tent to the King Seeley Thermos Company to help meet demand

1975

starts Moss Tent Works, in Camden, Maine, to develop own manufacturing of tent designs

1976

receive a $200,000 USD federal small business loan

1979

designs the Stargazer tent, with mesh roof panel on inner tent

1980

introduce family camping models: Saddle, Shell, Habitent, Domus and Gazebo

introduce the soon-to-be much copied Parawing catenary cut tarp

1983

Olympic and Starlet models released

develop a curvilinear fabric framed exhibit for their stand at the Outdoor Retailer trade show

1984

Charles Duvall starts work as camping tent designer

1985

enter corporate exhibition market, developing lightweight tensioned fabric displays for Xerox, Digital, Exxon, etc

1986 

US National Endowment of the Arts awards Bill Moss $20,000 fellowship for “Distinguished Design”

1991

Deltoid model is released

Moss designer, Charles Duvall, wins the best product design award from the Industrial Designers Society

1993

sells 8,000 tents

1994

Bill Moss dies, aged 71

1997

Helix and Triton models released

2000

Edgeworks, the manufacturer of Moss, Walrus and Armadillo tents merges with MSR

Moss brand is discontinued and tents are labelled MSR

2001

MSR is acquired by Cascade Designs (maker of the Therm-A-Rest)

Moss Inc. now (exhibition structures, not recreational tents)