Granite Gear is an American outdoor company that sells

backpack A backpack—also called knapsack, schoolbag, rucksack, rucksac, pack, sackpack, booksack, bookbag or backsack—is, in its simplest frameless form, a fabric sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders ...

s, along with

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

and

portage Portage or portaging (Canada: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a ...

accessories. The company was founded in 1986 by outdoorsmen Jeff Knight and Dan Cruikshank, based in Two Harbors, MN. The company released a backpack designed for ultrahiker Justin "Trauma" Lichter, who logged more than 10,000 miles of hiking between November 2005 and 2006. Another group sponsored currently are "Greg and Deia", a pair hiking the Andes Mountain range,

History

Granite Gear began near the

Boundary Waters The Boundary Waters, also called the Quetico-Superior Country, is a region of wilderness straddling the Canada–United States border between Ontario and Minnesota, in the area just west of Lake Superior. While "Boundary Waters" is a common name ...

between Minnesota and Ontario. During a paddling trip through Quetico Provincial Park in 1986 Jeff Knight and Dan Cruikshank realized there was a need for better outdoor gear, a thought process that led to the founding of Granite Gear. Granite Gear grew into an internationally known brand that strives for a balance between functionality, weight, comfort and durability. Their products range from stuff sacks, to ultralight packs, to ultra-durable packs that meet the demands of soldiers. Many of their backpacks are made with a molded, 3-dimensional frameplate. Released in 1996, it is made of composite

carbon fiber Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon compo ...

and plastics and is designed to support the actual ruck of the backpack without other frame stays.

Environmentalism

Granite Gear works closely with

athletes An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance. Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-develo ...

in their field, garnering them notoriety in the

community. Packing it Out With the help of friends, Packing It Out Founder Seth Orme set off to inspire others by attempting ambitious clean-up efforts. In 2015 and 2016, the Packing It Out crew removed over 2,000 pounds of trash from two of America's best known scenic trails, the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail. In 2017, Seth and friend Abigail Taylor biked 5,000 miles across the country and removed 2,100 pounds of trash, held 11 trash clean ups and inspired hundreds of thousands to leave the planet better. According to Orme, their mission is " continually evolving and we have a relentless passion to leave the people we meet and places we go better."

References

External links

Official site
Camping equipment manufacturers Sporting goods retailers of the United States Companies based in Minnesota Hiking Portages {{Backpacking-stub

History

Environmentalism

See also

References

External links