Compass: Charting the Evolution of Outdoor Gear

Firsts

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A list of “Firsts” for the global Outdoor Industry.

No doubt many will contest some of these. Happy to revise the list, if evidence can be provided to show alternative products/dates.

The First ...

Date

Designer and/or Manufacturer

Modern bicycle

1885

Starley & Sutton Co Rover Safety bicycle

Down suit for mountaineering

1922

Australian George Finch's custom design for British Everest expedition

Cross Country Ski Binding

1927

Bror With’s Rottefella ("Rat Trap")

12 point crampon

1932

Grivel

Quilted goose down jacket (America)

1936

Eddie Bauer (patent application 1939)

Rubber sole for mountain boots

1937

Vitale Bramani patents his Vibram sole

Fibreglass canoe

1942

Tom Johnson

Aluminium Karabiner commercialised

1947

Pierre Allain (prototyped in 1939)

Stretch ski pants

1952

Bogner Helanca

Kernmantle rope

1953

Edelrid

Commercial neoprene wetsuit

1952

O’Neil (1953 Body Glove)

75mm 3 Pin ski binding

1963

Rottefella

Dynamic climbing rope

1964

Edelrid

Climbing harness (chest)

1965

Edelrid

Rigid crampon

1968

Chouinard

Curved pick ice-axe

1969 

Chouinard Piolet

Integrated tent flysheet/inner

1964

Stephenson Warmlite (non-breathable inner)

Belay device

1970

Salewa Sticht plate

Sit harness

1970

Troll Whillans harness

Waxless Cross Country Skis

1970

Trak Non Wax (fishscales)

Aluminium pole dome tent

1971

Adventure 16 Half Dome

Wicking, quick drying underwear

1971

Helly Hansen polypropylene LIFA

Integrated tent flysheet/inner

1972

Early Winters Omnipotent (breathable inner)

Self Inflating Mattress

1972

Cascade Designs Therm-a-rest

Factory stitched ‘quickdraw’

1973

Edelrid

Baffled down jacket

1973

Adventure 16 Wide Temperature Range Jacket

Underarm zips (on outdoor garment)

1973

Adventure 16 Wide Temperature Range Jacket

Modular ice tools

1974 

Lowe Alpine Humming Bird

Internal frame packs

1973

Lowe Alpine Expedition (USA) Berghaus Cyclops (Europe) 1974, Kelty Tour 1974

Plastic kayak

1974

Hollowform’s River Chaser, by Tom Johnson

Telecopic ski pole

1974

Leki Makalu

Consumer use of Lithium batteries

1975

MSR head torches

Multifuel stove

1975

MSR MF stove

Diagonal chest pockets (hipbelt free)

1975

Rohan Starkhorn

Softshell mountaineering legwear

1975

Rohan Salopettes & Striders

Fat tube Aluminium mountain bike

1975

Klein bicycles

Silicon coated tent flysheets

1976

Hilleberg Keb

Gore-Tex waterproof/breathable fabric

1976

Early Winters (Light Dimension tent) 

Step-in crampons

1976

Lowe Alpine Footfangs

Snowboards

1977

Burton Backhill

Gore-Tex Jacket, Anorak & Pants

1977

Early Winters

Gore-Tex freestanding dome tent

1977

Bibler I Tent

Underarm zips (on Gore-Tex garments)

1977

MSR

Geodesic dome tents

1978

The North Face Oval Intention 

Gore-Tex Geodesic tent

1978

Early Winters Earth Station

Spring Loaded Camming Device (SLCD)

1978

Wild Country Friends (via Ray Jardine)

Lightweight travel pants

1978

Rohan Trotters

Nylon Pile garments

1979

Helly Hansen W pile

Plastic side-release buckles

1979

ITW Nexus

Softshell jacket

1979

Rohan Tundra

Softshell pants

1979

Rohan Trotters Winter

Lightweight fabric/leather footwear 

1980

Karrimor Sports Boots (KSBs)

Real sticky climbing shoes

1980

Boreal Fire

Approach shoes

1981

Nike′s Magma, Approach & Lava Dome

Sports sandal

1982

Teva

Tent pole clips

1982

Sierra Designs Swift Clips

Ratcheting ice screws

1983

Lowe Alpine RATS

Pocket pliers

1983

Leatherman Pocket Survival Tool

Commercial Mountain Bike

1985

Specialized Stumpjumper mountain bike

Tubular belay device

1988

Lowe Alpine Tuber

Plastic Telemark boot

1992 

Scarpa (& Black Diamond) Terminator

Elasticated down sleeping bags

1993

Mont-Bell Down Hugger

Wire-gate climbing carabiner

1995

Black Diamond Hotwire

LED head torch

2000

Petzl Tikka