The Pack Built For The Peaks
It’s one of the most common items we carry—but it was first made for the mountains, not the classroom.
Image source: Jonathan Kemper/Unsplash
The modern backpack began as a tool for explorers and climbers. In 1938, Colorado outdoor gear maker Gerry Cunningham designed the first zippered nylon backpack, built for mountaineers who needed something lighter and more durable than the bulky canvas packs of the time.
Nearly three decades later, in 1967, Greg Lowe—founder of Lowe Alpine—introduced the first internal-frame backpack, which supported heavy loads while keeping the pack stable on rugged terrain. These innovations set the standard for modern design and transformed how people traveled, climbed, and explored.
It wasn’t until the 1960s and 1970s that students began using smaller versions of these packs for school, giving the once utilitarian mountaineering tool an everyday role.
Learn more about how the backpack went from mountain gear to a daily essential.Ever found out an ordinary item started out doing something extreme? Share it in the forum—you might surprise someone!
