A cottage industry backpacking gear company is one that designs and manufactures its own products. They’ll often customize them for a fee, as well. Cottage gear companies often make backpacking gear that can’t be obtained from mainstream manufacturers because it’s very specialized and relatively few people need it. They’re often at the forefront of many fabric or material innovations in their respective industries because they can make one piece of gear at a time and don’t need to inventory large amounts of raw materials. Most can’t anyway because they don’t have the cash reserves or credit lines of larger businesses.

Cottage Backpacking Gear Directory

• Aardwolf Gear Company: UL backpacking accessories
• Aarn Packs: Balanced backpacks that distribute pack weight across the front and back of your torso.
• Adotec: Canadian UL gear manufacturer
• Adventure Medical Kits: Commercial medical kits for outdoor recreation.
• allmansright – Ultralight backpacking gear, made in the Bronx, NY
• Alpacka Rafts: Leading packraft manufacturer.
• Alpen Fuel: High-calorie breakfast meals made with wholesome goodness.
• Alpha Pak: Dog backpacks and trail gear.
• Alpenglow Gear: UL gadget manufacturer.
• Alpine Fit – Alaskan-based baselayers and garments for wilderness expeditions.
• Alpine Gremlins: UL backpacking accessories.
• Alpine Luddites: Custom backpack maker specializing in classic alpine and climbing backpack reproductions.
• Alpine Start Foods: Outdoor instant coffee.
• Altra Running: Popular zero-drop hiking shoes and trail runners.
• Alt Route Meals: Plant-based dehydrated backpacking meals.
• Amok Equipment: Manufacturer of a unique horizontal hammock.
• Anda Ultralight: Ultralight bivies and tarps.
• Anti-Gravity Gear: Small retailer, mainly focused on the Appalachian Trail, that makes their own products and sells maps, guides, ultralight gear, and other essentials.
• Apex Giant: Titanium camping gear.
• Appy Trails: Inexpensive-shaped tarps.
• Arms of Andes: Alpacka woolwear
• Arrowhead Equipment: Hammock gear and quilt manufacturer and one of the few to offer synthetic insulated quilts.
• As Tucas: European ultralight quilt and clothing manufacturer.
• Atom Packs: UK ultralight backpack manufacturer.
• Atwood Rope: Rope and cordage manufacturer.
• Bear Vault: Bear canisters.
• Beaver Tail Outdoors: Outdoor accessories.
• Been Campin: UL accessories
• Black Diamond: Apparel, trekking poles, tarps, and fastpacks.
• Blind Banana Bags – Danish UL backpack maker. Looks pretty good.
• Blizzard Survival: Emergency blankets and bivy sacks.
• Big Sky International: Ultralight tents and accessories.
• Blue Bolt Gear: Ultralight quits and shelters
• Bonfus – Ultralight backpacks and shelters, made in Italy, but shipped worldwide.
• Borah Gear: Ultralight tarps and bivies.
• Brautigam Expedition Works: Titanium accessories.
• Brunton: Compasses and navigation gear
• Brynje: Famous fishnet long underwear (wool or synthetic) that keeps you warm.
• Burgeon Outdoors: Outdoor apparel.
• Cascade Wild: Lightweight camping furniture.
• Cascadia Coffee Roasters: Instant coffee.
• Cave Creek Hammock: Hammocks, tarps, and quilts.
• Chairbuddies: Footpads for camping chairs that prevent sinking in soft ground.
• Chicken Tramper Ultralight Gear: Ultralight backpacks.
• Clickstand: Backpacking stoves and windscreens.
• Cloud Gear: Ultralight dry bags.
• Cloudline Apparel: Outdoor clothing.
• Cnoc Outdoors: Water reservoirs and trekking poles
• Cold Cold World Backpacks: Climbing and mountaineering backpacks.
• Cooke Custom Sewing: Tarps, backpacks, and canoeing supplies.
• Coros: GPS-enabled smartwatches.
• Counter Assault: bear spray.
• CragDog – Custom dog equipment.
• Culoclean: Portable bidet.
• Cumulus: Sleeping bags.
• Darn Tough Socks: The BEST, most durable hiking socks.
• Deliberate Life Designs: Custom minimalist sport sandals.
• Dirty Girl Gaiters: Gaiters for running and hiking.
• D.I.Y. Gear Supply: DIY Fabric and component supplier.
• DIY Packrafts: Packraft kits
• Dragontail Tenkara: Ultralight fly fishing gear for backpackers.
• Dream Hammock: Custom hammocks and tarps
• Durston Gear: Makers of the famed X-Mid and X-Mid Pro UL tents.
• Dutchware Gear: Offer a wide range of hammock gear.
• eclipse: Sun-protective clothing
• El Coyote Quilts: Ultralight custom quilts
• Emberlit: Wood stoves, flints, and survival gear.
• Enlightened Equipment: Backpacking quilts and apparel.
• Epiphany Outdoor Gear: Fire-starting tools
• Etowah Outfitters: UL backpacking gear
• Evolved Supply Company: Packs and apparel
• Exped: UL sleeping pads, packs, and accessories.
• Farm to Summit: Sustainable dehydrated meals.
• FarPointe Outdoor Gear: Small-batch outdoor clothing
• Feathered Friends: Down sleeping bags and quilts.
• Featherstone Outdoor: Low-cost lightweight quilts and tents.
• Ferweh Food Company: Dehydrated backpacking meals.
• Flat Cat Gear: Ultralight stoves and accessories.
• FlexTail: UL gadgets and electronics
• FlipFuel:  Camping gas management
• Foot Kinetics: Blister prevention creams.
• Forty Below: Neoprene insulation for mountaineering.
• Fox River: Socks and sock monkeys!
• Fozzils: Folding UL bowls and cups.
• Fractel: Hiking and running hats
• Frau Fowler: Oral tooth care for the trail.
• Frogg Toggs: Ultralight rain gear and apparel
• Frye-Bake: Backpacking cooking pots.
• Garmin: GPS satellite messengers and navigation gear.
• Gear Aid: Gear repair and maintenance supplies
• Gear Bags and More: Dyneema stuff sacks and pockets
• Glacial Gear: Wool clothing and accessories.
• Glad Rags: Eco-friendly pads and menstrual cups
• Good To-Go: Gourmet dehydrated camping meals.
• Goose Feet: Down apparel.
• Gossamer Gear: Ultralight backpacks and shelters.
• Grayl: Innovative water purifiers perfect for day hiking and international travel
• Greenbelly: High-calorie meal bars for thru-hiking.
• Green Goo: Hand sanitizer and skin lotions.
• Gryphon Gear: Down quilts and sleeping bags.
• Hammock Bliss: Hammocks.
• Hammock Gear: Hammocks and quilts
• Hanchor: Lightweight backpacks.
• Hang Tight Shop: Low cost down quilts with silver heat reflective liner. Amazing!
• Hartford Gear Company: Ultralight accessory stuff sacks and bags
• Hawbuck Wallets: Minimal ultralight wallets.
• Hawk Vittles: Backpacking food.
• Heather’s Choice: Lightweight, packable meals for camping and backpacking.
• Hennessy Hammock: All-in-one hammock tents.
• Helinox: Ultralight chairs and camp furniture.
• High Tail Designs: Funky ultralight stuff sacks, dry bags, clothing and accessories.
• Hilleberg: Fantastic, bombproof tents.
• Hill People Gear: Backpacks and hunting accessories.
• Himali: Mountaineering layers and clothing.
• Hillsound: Winter traction devices, crampons, and gaiters
• Hilltop Packs: Cool Ultralight backpacks, food bags, and stuff sacks
• Hoffman Outdoor Gear Supply: DIY Materials and accessories.
• Holey Hiker: Backpacker bidet
• Houda Trail: Polartec Alpha Hoodies
• HydroBlu – Water filter that’s better than a Sawyer.
• HYKLYF: Hydration accessories
• Hyperlite Mountain Gear: Ultralight backpacks and shelters.
• Igneous Gear: UL backpacking accessories
• Imlay Canyon Gear: Canyoneering Packs and equipment.
• Injini: Toes socks for blister prevention.
• Insect Shield: Insect shield (Permethrin) your clothes. 
• Jacks ‘R’ Better: Hammocks, quilts, and tarps.
• Jereko Gear: UL accessories
• Jolly Gear: Hiking Shirts.
• JustinsUL: Wildly popular water bottle sleeves.
• Kahtoola: Traction aids and crampons
• KAM Outdoors: Ultralight sternum pouches and wallets
• Kammok: Hammocks, quilts, tarps.
• Katabatic Gear: Fantastic Backpacking quilts.
• Katadyn: Water filtration
• Kates Real Food: Yummy food bars.
• Kifaru International: Hunting backpacks and shelters.
• Klymit: Sleeping pads mainly.
• Kokopelli Packrafts:Packrafts.
• KS Ultralight Gear: Custom ultralight backpacks.
• KUIU – Backpack hunting packs, tents, and clothing.
• Kula Cloth – Pee cloths for women
• Lawson Outdoor Equipment: Cordage and accessories.
• Lawson Hammock: Popular bridge-style hammock
• Leki USA: Trekking poles
• Lifestraw: Water filters.
• Light Heart Gear: Ultralight tents and apparel.
• LiteAF: Ultralight backpacks.
• Lite Outdoors: Titanium stoves and tarps.
• Liteway Equipment: UL Packs, Mids, and Apparel
• little bug: Backpacking stoves
• Locus Gear: Ultralight tarps and tents.
• Loco Libre Gear: Hammock quilts.
• Loksack: Odor proof plastic bags
• LoopAlien: No knot hardware
• Luno: Air mattresses for camping in your car at trailheads and on the road.
• LuminAid: Solar powered lanterns and lightning
• McHale Alpine Packs: Custom backpacks.
• Maccabi – Hiking Skirts/Pants for men and women.
• Matador: Backpacking and travel accessories
• Maven Optics – Super high-quality binoculars and scopes made in the USA.
• Melanzana: Clothing
• Minus 33: New Hampshire-based merino wool clothing for men and women
• Montem: Low-cost carbon fiber trekking poles.
• Morsel: Sporks
• Mountain Laurel Designs: Ultralight backpacking gear.
• MPowered: Luci solar-powered inflatable lanterns and accessories.
• Mountainsmith: Old school backpacking company that’s quietly reinvented itself
• MSR: Stoves, tents, hydration
• Mystery Ranch: Backpack manufacturer that focuses on wilderness backpacking
• Nanga: Down Sleepings Bag, Quilts, and Clothing
• Napacks: Storage accessories.
• Nashville Packs: Ultralight Backpacks
• Near Zero: Lightweight tents, packs, and gear
• NEMO Equipment: Tents, packs, sleeping bags, quits, chairs, and pads.
• Nitecore: Lightweight headlamps and flashlights favored by hikers and hunters.
• Nomad Nutrition: Plant-based dehydrated backpacking meals
• North45: Fog-free balaclavas for skiing and winter sports
• Northern Lites: Ultralight snowshoes.
• Northern Sled Works: Sleds and pulks.
• Northern Ultralight: Canadian Ultralight backpack manufacturer.
• Norrona: Norwegian outdoor clothing and gear manufacturer.
• NWAlpine: Hiking and climbing apparel.
• Nunatak: Ultralight quilts.
• Ombraz Sunglasses: Armless sunglasses.
• Opinel USA: Knives.
• The Original Bugshirt Company: Insect-proof clothing.
• Ounce Designs: Tarps (you have to check out this website.)
• Outdoor Element: Multi-tools and survival gear.
• Outdoor Herbivore: Vegetarian backpacking food.
• Outdoor Vitals: UL gear and apparel
• Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics: DIY Fabric and component supplier.
• Oware: Tarps and shelters.
• Packback Designs: Ultralight backpacks, accessory pockets, and stuff sacks.
• PacerPole: The people who make Philip’s incredible trekking poles.
• Pa’lante Packs: Ultralight backpacks.
• Peak First Aid: First aid kits.
• Peter Limmer and Sons: Custom leather hiking boots.
• PHD: Down clothing, quilts, and sleeping bags.
• Pillow Strap: Pillow case.
• Pinnacle Foods: Delicious freeze-dried backpacking meals.
• Platypus: Water filters, soft bottles, and hydration systems.
• Ponds Edge: Ultralight stuff sacks and ditty bags.
• Princeton Tech: High quality headlamp manufacturer.
• Pstyle: Personal urinary device
• Purcell Trench: Camping grills.
• Purple Rain Adventure Skirts: Hiking apparel.
• QiWiz: Ultralight titanium trowels and stoves
• Ragged Mountain Equipment: Hiking and climbing apparel.
• Ray Way Products: DIY Tarp Kits.
• RBH Designs: Vapor barrier clothing.
• Red Paw Packs: Ultralight backpacks, fanny packs, and sewing patterns
• Rex Creations: Gadgets
• Rindge Merino: Merino apparel.
• Ripstop by the Roll: DIY fabric supplier for small lot manufacturers and individuals.
• Rivendell Mountain Works: Backpacks.
• Rumpl: Puffy cozy blankets. It all started in the back of a van on a cold morning when it wouldn’t start
• Ruta Locura: Ultralight backpacking accessories.
• Sagebrush Dry Gear: Really waterproof backpacks and sacks
• Samaya Equipment: Ultralight mountaineering tents and backpacks.
• Sambob: Hoodies. Lots of hoodies.
• Sawyer: Water filters
• Sea-to-summit: Sleeping gear – from pads to pillows.
• Seek Outside: Backpack manufacturer that specializes in lightweight external frame backpacks for backpacking and hunting.
• Senchi Designs:  Small batch Polartec clothing
• Shamma Sandals: minimalist footwear
• Sheltowee Hammock Company Insulated hammocks.
• Sierra Madre Research: Hammocks, quilts, and camping accessories.
• SilverAnt: Titanium Cookware.
• simBLISSity: Gaiters.
• Simple Outdoor Solutions Ultralight backpacking accessories.
• Simply Light Designs: Hammocks and tarps.
• Six Moon Designs: Ultralight backpack and tent manufacturer.
• Skygoat: Hoodies and casual clothing
• SlingFin: Innovative lightweight tent manufacturer.
• Smelly Proof: Odor proof plastic bags.
• Soto Outdoors: Premium ultralight stoves.
• Space Bear Bags: UL punches and bags. The company is named after a cat.
• Snowtrekker Canvas Tents: Canvas tents.
• Strapworks: Largest supplier of buckles and plastic hardware. Great for gear repair!
• Sulgear: Wallets and tarp stuff
• Suluk 46: Ultralight backpacking accessories.
• Supai Adventure Gear: Ultralight packrafts.
• Superior Hammock: Insulated hammocks.
• Superior Wilderness Designs: Ultralight backpacks.
• Symbiosis Gear: Ultralight backpacking gear for women
• Superfeet: Shoe insoles
• Tarptent: Extremely well-designed ultralight tents.
• Tentpole Technologies: Replacement tentpoles.
• Tentsmiths: Historic tents for re-enactors.
• Terra Rosa Gear: Ultralight tarps and sleeping bag covers.
• The Tentlab: Makers of tents and trowels
• Thermarest: UL sleeping pads, sleeping bags, and quilts
• Thrupack: fanny packs and stuff sacks
• Ticket to the Moon: Hammocks and tarps.
• Tier Gear: Tasmanian Ultralight backpacking gear.
• Timmermade: Insulated clothing and quilts.
• Tinny’s Trash: The alcohol stove wizard’s latest creations.
• Town Stuff: Hoodies and hiker apparel
• ToughCutie: Socks for women
• Toaks: Titanium cookware.
• Trail Designs: Manufacture stove windscreens that optimize fuel efficiency.
• Trailheads: Hats.
• Trailstuff: Ultralight toothbrush
• Trailtopa Adventure Foods: Inspiring backpacking meals
• Tread Labs – Innovative replaceable insoles going head-to-head against Superfeet.
• Trekker Joes: Fanny packs and accessory pockets
• UGQ Outdoors: Hammock quilts and tarps.
• ULA Equipment: Ultralight backpacks.
• Ultimate Direction: Trail running and fastpacking gear.
• UltraliteSacks: Ultralight stuff sacks
• Ultra Gam: Cool hiking gaiters and headbands.
• Ursack: Lightweight bear-resistant bear bags.
• Vado Appparel: Polartec alpha hoodies and apparel
• Vargo Outdoors: Titanium backpacking gear
• Vaucluse: Backpack frames
• Voormi: Outdoor adventure clothing
• Wander Woman Gear: Reusable pee rags and cloths
• Warbonnet Outdoors: Hammocks, tarps, and quilts.
• Westbound (WEBO) Gear: UL pockets
• Whyld River: Ultralight insulation for dogs
• Wiggy’s: Climashield sleeping bags and cold weather gear.
• Wild Ideas: Ultralight bear canisters.
• Wintergreen Northern Wear: Apparel.
• Wool-it: Blister prevention
• XOSkin: Baselayers
• YAMA Mountain Gear: Ultralight tents and tarps.
• Yankee Maker: Maker of the One Bottle Hydration System.
• YAR.gear: Ultralight backpacks
• Yonah Packs: Tenkara fishing packs and bags.
• Zenbivy: Ultralight draft-free quilts
• Zimmerbuilt Custom Backpacks: Ultralight backpacks.
• Zpacks: Ultralight backpack, tent, quilt, and sleeping bags.

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