The Legend Behind Every Stitch:
OSPREY
’s Half-
Century of Innovation and Heritage
OUR ROOTS
Since Osprey was founded in 1974, every single product design has passed through the hands of owner and founder Mike Pfotenhauer, who created his first backpack at age 16.
In Santa Cruz, California, the young entrepreneur opened a retail shop in the front of his rental house where backpackers and travelers came for custom-fit, made-to-order packs constructed over several days by Mike himself. As the demand for the great-fitting packs increased, Osprey found itself relocating to its current home in Southwest Colorado.
Today, Osprey is a melting pot of diverse personalities, backgrounds and abilities. All share the common belief that adventure is open to everyone and found anywhere.
ALL MIGHTY GUARANTEE
Osprey will repair any damage or defect for any reason free of charge-whether it was purchased in 1974 or yesterday.
OUR VALUES
Developed by Osprey employees, these guiding principles are our moral compass and an honest representation of our entire company.
INNOVATION
.
INTEGRITY
.
QUALITY
.
RESPECT
.
STEWARDSHIP
.
BEHIND THE SEAMS
Since its foundation in 1974, Osprey has had the same relentless spirit towards innovation and quality—values established by founder Mike Pfotenhauer back when he began placing his first stitches at age 16. Little did he know, he would eventually stitch together the legacy of meticulous craftmanship for which Osprey is widely renowned. Mike has been the unbreakable thread that has made Osprey a company like no other.
AS A YOUNG BOY GROWING UP IN OREGON
Mike found himself unsatisfied with the poor fit of his backpacking equipment. Taking matters into his own hands, he learned to sew from his mother and created his first backpack. It wouldn’t be his last.
As a young entrepreneur, Mike opened up Santa Cruz Recreational Packs in California where, drawn by word of mouth, backpackers and travelers sought him out for his custom-fitted, made-to-order packs. His reputation would eventually transform the business into the Osprey we are today, but first he’d need some help.
With his business partner/wife Diane Wren, Mike moved to Dolores, Colorado, and began working with a small team of sewers who took over production while Mike’s attention turned more heavily to pack design. These Navajo women, skilled in traditional sand painting and blanket weaving, became experienced in the art and science of constructing Osprey packs. They built upon and scaled Osprey’s vision, contributing to the prosperity and growth that, in 1994, led Osprey to expand operations to Cortez, CO, where it remains headquartered to this day.
The Osprey of today looks a little different than these humble beginnings, with packs that are sold and used the world over. We have offices in Poole, England, as well as design and manufacturing facilities in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where Mike and Diane lived for four years to build relationships and transparency with our employees and suppliers abroad. Besides our headquarters, we have a distribution center in Ogden, UT, and also continue to employ local Navajo sewers at our original warehouse in Cortez, CO, where we proudly deliver on our All Mighty Guarantee.
This growth and development of the company hasn’t hindered our longstanding commitments to innovation and quality, allowing us to tap into global talent and resources that have strengthened the legacy Mike started back when he first sat before his mother’s sewing machine.
Mike continues to work meticulously as Head Designer to push the limits of pack design and what it means to be a sustainable, responsible and integral participant in the global outdoor industry alongside a growing team of over 270 employees aligned around a common mission.
Classic Series
Series Name
Positioning and Features
Kestrel / Kyte
Best-selling series. A versatile hiking backpack, and the origin of its nickname “Little Eagle” among Chinese enthusiasts.
Aether / Ariel
Designed for heavy-duty long-distance hiking. Features a thermoplastic waist belt and offers exceptional load-bearing capacity.
Talon / Tempest
Lightweight / Day-trip. Flexible and form-fitting, ideal for hiking, cycling, and trail running.
Atmos / Aura
A leading brand in AG load-bearing technology. It offers exceptional comfort and has won numerous awards.
Farpoint / Fairview
Travel Series. Combines the opening design of a suitcase with the carrying system of a backpack.
Outdoor Backpacks
Stratos 44 Hiking Backpack
CN¥2,999.00
Osprey Sportlite™ 30 Hiking Backpack
CN¥1,699.00
Sirrus™ 44 Hiking Backpack
CN¥2,999.00
Hikelite™ LT 22 Hiking Backpack
CN¥1,299.00
SUSTAINABILITY
Since day one, sustainability has been part of our core values — from building the most durable products possible to launching our All Mighty Guarantee to introducing high-quality recycled materials and better chemistry.
It's what we've always stood for because it's the right thing to do.
We have a responsibility to examine what, how and why we make the things we do. We're continually evolving our process and finding ways to keep our high-quality solutions in use for as long as possible.
For us, that means taking a truly holistic approach to ensure we leave as little trace possible. We're using the best materials, implementing the safest chemical process, caring for the people in our supply chain and treating our customers with the same level of respect.
We are committed to building innovative, high-performing products — designed to be with you for your lifetime.
OUR THREE PILLARS OF SUSTAINABILITY
MATERIALS
We use the highest-quality materials with the lowest environmental impact in our products, including bluesign®-approved and recycled materials, and we submit these materials to third-party labs for auditing. We've also reduced our packaging.
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CHEMISTRY
From water repellents to dyes, we've adopted the bluesign® Restricted Substances List, which promotes using the safest chemistry for our environment and our customers.
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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
We've implemented a world-class factory code of conduct and use third-party auditing to confirm compliance. Our All Mighty Guarantee repairs and replaces packs free of charge and we've implemented programs to extend our products' end of use.
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OUR MISSION:
WE RELENTLESSLY INNOVATE TO EASE YOUR JOURNEY AND INSPIRE ADVENTURE