After first meeting in late 1963 at The Ski Hut in Berkeley, CA, Bob Swanson and George Marks teamed up and founded Sierra Designs in 1965 on the premise that all people deserve to have good gear for exploring the outdoors, regardless of their background or experience level. Taking their years of adventures together out on the trail and putting it directly into the products they made, Sierra Designs pioneered many of the outdoor innovations taken for granted today. In fact, we’ve held hundreds of patents (and some pending) that have made getting outdoors easier and more enjoyable.

It’s about more than just great product, though – it’s about the passionate people who think it up. The original SD team of Bob and George ballooned to twenty eight full time employees by 1968 – even George’s mom helped out in the sewing department. When we say, “family affair,” we mean it literally.

While some things have changed in the last 50 years, our mission hasn't. Today Sierra Designs continues to be a place where you can find happy dogs, new ideas, and always reliable camping gear. We find inspiration in mountains, deserts, and beaches. We find inspiration right outside our office and in the trails headed straight into the heart of the Rocky Mountains. We find inspiration in any adventure, big or small. We are people who Think Outside, because happiness is found in the adventure.

TODAY