Adventure 16

Adventure 16® began as a goal of some young Explorer Scouts whose leaders were involved in river running in the early 60s. Together, they set out to make 16mm adventure films for a lecture series. In the process, their passion turned to making backpacks. A garage in La Mesa, California became a workshop to develop a revolutionary pack design that allowed much of the pack's weight to be carried comfortably on the hips. By the late 60's the hobby had become a business. The entrepreneurial leaders were busy inventing and selling innovative, top-of-the-line products, including the first two-layer dome tent specifically engineered for backpackers needs.

In 1970, Mic Mead, an avid customer and active outdoorsman, bought and incorporated the company. Throughout the 70s, growth and innovation was steady. Mic focused on designing and improving production efficiency. Among other things, he designed the first baffled down parka and pioneered the use of aluminum alloy tent poles for an optimal strength-to-weight combination.

After opening retail outlets and distributing products nationwide, Adventure 16 led the industry in introducing the Lifetime Guarantee on all products bearing its name.

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