45 Awesome Brands Born in The Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a mecca for weirdos, mountain lovers, and seamen. Since that pretty much covers everyone who likes the outdoors, it’s no surprise the amount of rising outdoor brands we love that were born in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. These are just a few of the great brands who are busy changing the game of the outdoor industry from the shores of the North.
Aire likes boats. They design boats, build boats, sell boats, ship boats, and service boats. Each raft, cataraft, kayak, and SUP are manufactured to live up to the standards of whitewater enthusiasts. Everything on their boats is repairable or replaceable, making their boats perfect for years of use and endless miles of water.
Buck Knives- Post Falls, Idaho
Buck Knives is a California born, Idaho raised brand that welcomes you into the family and wants to keep you there. Honoring sentiment and tradition, they build knives to last and work hard to repair and restore knives passed down the generations.
NRS- Moscow, IdahoAt NRS, you’ll find passionate rafters, whitewater kayakers, sea kayakers, stand up paddlers, kayak anglers and fly fishermen whose lives and livelihoods are intimately connected with water. The NRS name has stood for rugged, reliable equipment built to the standards of our toughest customers: professional outfitters and guides.
Proof Eyewear- Boise, IdahoFrom sawdust to sunglasses, three Idaho brothers brought a garage-shop idea into a leading global company in sustainable eyewear. The startup provides products handcrafted from sustainable materials including sustainably-sourced wood, cotton-based acetate, recycled aluminum, and repurposed skateboard decks. Proof stands firm on three principles: heritage, sustainability, and giving back.
Smith Optics- Sun Valley, Idaho –> Portland, Oregon
Smith has been a leading name in Snowsport optics since 1965. Their product is always innovative and slope-ready because their team want the best gear for the most powder days just as much as their customers. SMITH is dedicated to making products that authentically empower thrill-seekers and modern explorers in snow, bike, fish, surf, and peak performance outdoor adventure.
Bogs Footwear- Portland, Oregon
Bogs produces high-quality rain and winter boots made for working in all conditions. Yet their practical and durable functionality does not mean that these boots are unfashionable. Bogs creates the boots you need in the colors, patterns, and styles that you want.
Burley Design- Eugene, OregonBurley Design makes trailers and strollers for kids who are made to be adventurers since birth. The outdoors promise adventure for any age, and with Burley Design, parents everywhere are starting to believe it. Take your family anywhere with Burley Design.
Chrome Industries- Portland, Oregon
Chrome Industries makes packs, bags, and apparel made for living and riding the city. Often, we limit adventure to deep in the woods, but the durability and style of Chrome’s gear, any distance you ride or travel is geared for adventure.
Co-Motion Cycles- Eugene, Oregon
Co-Motion creates a variety of premium single and tandem bikes. Their goal as a company is to make better bicycles. It seems like a simple goal, but it is built from a simple passion for the ride that provides their customers with a bike that takes them on any adventure they can dream up. Co-Motion cares about their customer’s satisfaction and work hard to keep their bikes up to date and ready for the world.
Columbia- Portland, OregonColumbia is a well-respected brand and they are big on clothing. Specifically, apparel and outerwear that leaves nothing for you to worry about but the adventure. They have patented technology guaranteed to make their products warm inside and tough outside. Their gear is made to help you enjoy the outdoors longer.
Dakine is best known for their trademark sleek and urban backpacks. Their sport-specific packs make sure that you have exactly what you need with the designs you want. Beyond packs, Dakine takes their unique style to accessories, luggage, and apparel.
Danner- Portland, OregonDanner believes that boots are made to take you somewhere, and they are passionate about helping you get there. With boots specialized for work, hiking, everyday use, and hunting, Danner brings excellence into every avenue your feet could take. Plus, they do it with a classic, rugged style that promises to last a lifetime.
Deviation Ski & Snowboard Works- Portland, Oregon
Deviation Ski & Snowboard specializes in letting you specialize your gear. Their unique skis and snowboards set-ups are created to meet your shredding needs and desires. They work excellence into every aspect of their work, and their passion for their craft promises a product like you’ve never known before. Essentially, Deviation is the micro-brew of skis and snowboards and we think they’re onto something big.
Edelrid- Bend, OregonWithin the climbing world, Edelrid focuses on mountain sports, work safety, adventure parks, and industry. In other words, if it is important to the climbing world, Edelrid is all about it. Their gear is aimed to allow for climbing in all four seasons, promoting the climbing lifestyle. They approach adventure with creativity and ingenuity, leading to unique products that meet the unique needs of climbers.
Gerber Gear- Portland, OregonGerber believes that the easy way doesn’t put food on the table. And they are pretty invested in putting food on the table with their knives, cutting tools, multi-tools, and equipment. They also don’t believe in a one-knife-fits-all world, so they use their passion to create knives specifically made to cater to needs. Most of all, their well-crafted products more than prepare you for any outdoor encounter.
Hydro Flask- Bend OregonHydro Flask is an up and coming drinkware brand. Their famous double-wall vacuum insulation locks the temperature of the beverage and is made of stainless steel to keep the design durable and ergonomic. While becoming originally popular for their water bottles, they have a wide array of beverage cups, bottles, and tumblers as well as accessories, food bags, backpacks, and apparel.
Keen Footwear- Portland, Oregon
With a dedication to leaving the world better than they found it, Keen Footwear has developed what they dub, “The Keen Effect”. By focusing on advocacy, conservation, and creativity, they made boots, sandals, and accessories that are pure goodness for you and pure goodness for the woods, which your new Keen boots will help you explore. It’s a win-win way to do footwear.
Zero Tolerance Knives- Tualatin, Oregon
Zero Tolerance knives are professional grade knives for our everyday needs. Originally, ZT set out to design combat knives, but have since branched out to bring their high-performance and quality to general use knives, allowing people in all fields to have excellence within reach. Their knives vary in size, weight, and material to create the ideal knife for your needs.
Korkers- Portland, OregonKorkers creates high-quality cleats, footwear, and soles for working, outdoors, and fishing. They provide adaptable, quick-drying traction footwear without compromising comfort or quality perfect for any conditions the wilderness might throw at you.
Leatherman-Portland, OregonLeatherman sells innovative and customizable multi-tools, wearables, knives, and accessories. Leatherman equips people to tackle the expected and unexpected in their everyday lives. Yet their practicality is paired with a love for creativity and individual expression, making their knives durable and reliable works of art.
Metolius Climbing- Bend, Oregon
At Metolius, their passion is rock climbing. Because of that, they focus on designing and building the safest and best climbing gear for Big Wall, Trad, Sport, Bouldering, Mountaineering, Indoor Climbing Gyms, and Training. They sell pretty much anything you could want for your next climbing adventure, uniquely made with the best materials and rockin’ designs.
Pendleton-Portland, OregonPendleton specializes in all things wool. While they are often known for their blankets, sweaters, and socks, their 100% wool way of life can be bought in anything from dresses to footwear. Pendleton reliably creates chic and vibrant products ready for fun adventures anywhere.
Ruffwear- Bend, OregonRuffwear makes every product you could need for your special pooch. They understand that your dog needs support too, especially for outdoor adventures like camping and hiking. Ruffwear sells products for humans too, but mainly, they believe that for all the gearing up you do, your dog should gear up too.
Shwood Eyewear-Portland, Oregon
Shwood produces eyewear with classic styles specifically crafted for the outdoor. Whether you are searching for prescription glasses, sunnies, activewear, or a combination of them all, Shwood eyewear has a pair of wooden glasses for you handcrafted with the hippest styles.
Sorel- Portland, OregonSorel aims to create powerful footwear for unstoppable individuals. Their boots, while maintaining durability, traction, and warmth, are some of the most styling boots known to the outdoor industry. Never again will fashion be seen as foolish in the outdoors because Sorel gives us the best of both worlds.
The Clymb- Portland, OregonThe Clymb provides heckin’ good pricing on the planet’s most sought-after outdoor brands. They value the stories that come from a lifestyle of adventuring and want to share the opportunity to adventure with the world by providing gear at awesome prices. Check out their website to learn about human-powered adventure and why it’s worth getting excited about.
Underwater Audio- Corvallis, Oregon
Underwater Audio has figured out how to rainproof your favorite audio technology. Their MP3 players and headphones are completely waterproof so that you can enjoy your music underwater, in the rain, or while scuba diving.
Yakima- Beaverton, OregonYakima is the world’s leading brand of car racks, including roof racks, bike racks, hitch racks, and many more for all of life’s adventures. They understand that sometimes we have to be weekend warriors, and so they are doing their part to get you to the adventure as fast as possible. Their trailers, racks, and shelters are known for their quality and durability, making adventure more a part of our everyday.
Beyond Clothing- Seattle, Washington
Beyond Clothing goes above and beyond to create the perfect clothing items for anything Mother Nature may throw at you. Beyond Clothes categorizes their clothes into cold dry, cold wet, and temperate wet. You know what you need for your sport, and Beyond Clothes gives you exactly that. At Beyond, they believe there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
CAPITA SnowboardsCapita snowboards offer a unique blend of shred-ready boards with great environmental responsibility. Their boards are handcrafted with 100% clean energy in Austria and their designs are to say the very least: incredibly, outstandingly original. Capita knows what they’re about, and they do it with enthusiasm, resulting in some of the coolest boards around.
COAL HeadwearCoal Headwear is exactly what it sounds like: an entire brand dedicated to keeping our heads warm and safe. Their hats and apparel are crafted for adventure seekers and they are made with the COAL promise of style, comfort, and good old-fashioned fun.
Filson- Seattle, WashingtonFilson makes unfailing goods for outdoor enthusiasts with the grit and grind mentality of the ole’ west blended with the passion of the Pacific Northwest. They have been the “gold standard” for tough, comfortable outdoor clothing prized by hunters, anglers, engineers, explorers, miners and anyone with a passion for the outdoors since 1897.
Full TIlt Ski Boots- Seattle, Washington
Full Tilt Ski Boots is the maker of the original 3-Piece Ski Boot. They’re committed to creating light, warm and comfortable performance driven boots, all driven by their whole-hearted love for the slopes.
GEAR AID- Bellingham, Washington
Gear Aid helps keep your well-loved gear in like-new conditions to keep you outside as long as possible. As adventurers, they know quality products, and they guarantee that their products will be there when you need them. Any outdoor gear products you may need, they have it; from adhesive and water repellant to knives and LED lights.
GSI Outdoors- Spokane, Washington
From the tailgate to the trailhead, GSI wants to help you have fun outdoors with the people you love most. Their passion for food in the outdoors and for quality products inspired them to create unique cookware gear solutions and innovations for the outdoors to keep you cookin’.
Hilleberg the Tentmaker- Redmond, Washington
Hilleberg has been making tents for 45 years, and over the years have taken all they have learned from the wilderness to create lightweight- all-season tents of the highest of quality. The outdoors aren’t as simple as they used to be, and in response, Hilleberg has designed six different types of tents that meet your tent needs time and time again.
Industrial RevolutionIndustrial Revolution builds quality outdoor, lighting, camping and survival products that promote fun, safety, and comfort in the outdoors. Their products aren’t just helpful, they seek to make the alright better, the tolerable enjoyable, and the outdoors endlessly enjoyable.
K2 SkisWhile they are undoubtedly built to last, K2 Skis believes that more importantly, they are built to blast. K2 is the original Ski and Snowboard brand, and have been pioneering snowboard technology since 1962. Their boards, skis, and gear reflect a lifetime of love for the ski culture and a commitment to keep it going with as much stoke as possible.
Kavu- Seattle, WashingtonKavu is one of the most outrageously fun-loving brands in the outdoor industry. Their packs, apparel, and headwear are famous for their wild patterns and crazy combinations, yet backed by the durability and quality that the wilderness demands. At the heart of their brand, Kavu has a simple mission: to build fun into everything you do. And they’re doing one heck of a good job at that.
MiiR- Seattle, WashingtonMiiR’s timeless cups, bottles, and growlers are clean-cut, sustainable, and functional. With each product sold, part of the proceeds benefit projects aimed at helping communities in need. Their clean look and aesthetic make their drinkware attractive and the heart behind their company seals the deal. From product to project, MiiR actively loves the outdoors and the world around them.
Nuun Hydration- Seattle, Washington
In the outdoors, it’s hydrate or die-drate. Nuun sells hydration tablets that not only aid in hydration but help to promote healthy lifestyles with tablets for immunity, vitamins, rest, and exercise. Their products are gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free, and plant-based. Nuun turns your boring water into an effervescent beverage that makes hydration on or off the trail a lot more fun.
Outdoor Research- Seattle, Washington
Outdoor Research believes that life gets better the minute you step out the door on a new adventure, no matter how big or small. Their gear is aimed to help make adventure possible through ongoing technology improvement and field-proven layers, outer shells, and equipment.
REI- Kent, WashingtonREI sells the current top outdoor brands and gear and are known for the knowledge and helpful of their staff and their merciful return policy. Finding the right gear for your adventures is no easy feat, and REI is committed to helping you find gear that lasts much longer than a season. Not to mention that they have expert advice, classes, and events to help you learn more about the adventures you love.
Rite in the Rain- Tacoma, Washington
Rite in the Rain designs notebooks, pens, and pencils that can be used anytime, anywhere, no matter the weather. Soggy papers and runny ink are things of the past as this brand boldly defies mother nature. Rite in the Rain understands that some of our best ideas come to us in the wilderness, and they bring intellect pursuits much farther than the computer or legal pad can ever dream of going.
Contributions made by Jaslyn Dalrymple
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