Common Climber Marketplace highlights small climbing-related businesses to help spread the word about their work and to help our community thrive
Skyline 17 Pack, Tower 47 in central Oregon. Photo Credit: Ben Herndon IG @donofhern
For the Common Climber Marketplace we interview Ryan Holm who is the Director of Marketing for the U.S./Montana-based backpack company Mystery Ranch. Mystery Ranch specializes in making backpacks for all kinds of sports and the military, but they also have a line specifically made for climbing.
Tell us about the birth of the climbing backpack product line. Why climbing?
Dana Gleason, the co-owner of Mystery Ranch, is a climber who gave birth to his original line called Kletterwerks, which included climbing and ski packs. Fast forward to Mystery Ranch. We have several employees who climb in all the different climbing disciplines. It's common for us to design and produce product lines based on our internal passions.
There are five climbing-related packs – a crag pack (the Tower 47), two ice packs (the Scepter 35 and 50), and two summit packs (Skyline 17 and 23). How did you all decide which packs to create for climbing and what features to include?
As previously mentioned we have several employees who climb in all the different climbing disciplines. We enjoy climbing at the crag, shooting up multi-pitch routes, and climbing in our backyard iconic ice climbing area called Hyalite. Our product team does a magnificent job of surveying our users for feature sets but, more importantly, we work with our ambassador team to think outside the box to innovate new ways to carry the gear.
As previously mentioned we have several employees who climb in all the different climbing disciplines. We enjoy climbing at the crag, shooting up multi-pitch routes, and climbing in our backyard iconic ice climbing area called Hyalite. Our product team does a magnificent job of surveying our users for feature sets but, more importantly, we work with our ambassador team to think outside the box to innovate new ways to carry the gear.
The Scepter ice climbing pack worn by Mystery Ranch ambassador Becky Switzer up a multi-pitch route in Hyalite, MT. Photo Credit: Ben Herndon IG @donofhern
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Many companies make climbing backpacks and crag packs. What should climbers know about Mystery Ranch to help them consider these packs instead of others?
When we wake up in the morning, we design backpacks. Our competitors may create tents, sleeping bags, clothing, climbing gear, etc. At Mystery Ranch we are backpacks, all day, all the time.
The process at Mystery Ranch includes working closely with our users — always have, always will. If you aren't listening to your customers, then you are in a silo. We design packs differently: we innovate with new perspectives and take the packs into the field to find all the failure points, only to walk right back into the design room and fix it ourselves. We don't outsource our design or testing development.
Mystery Ranch has grown to be an international company. Is it still based out of Bozeman, Montana?
Correct, our HQ location is in beautiful, sunny Bozeman, MT.
Correct, our HQ location is in beautiful, sunny Bozeman, MT.
Skyline 23 Pack on Mystery Ranch ambassador Becky Switzer, at The Fins in Idaho. Photo Credit: Ben Herndon @donofhern
Skyline 17 and 23 Features
Although established in 2000, Mystery Ranch has a long history between the owner's Dana Gleason and Renee Sippel-Baker. Renee began by sewing packs, and back in the 80's Dana was one of the first to design internal pack frames for effective load transfer. How is this history reflected in Mystery Ranch today?
All the DNA threads through Mystery Ranch. Dana will pound the DNA into you. And Renee will historically correct anyone with details. Ha!
What are Mystery Ranch's business approach and philosophy?
We design for the most demanding users — individuals like climbing guides who use their gear daily. Durable, sustainable backpacks are our #1 priority. As a guide, your equipment cannot fail when guiding clients, so if you don't have to think about your pack breaking under stress, we've done our job.
We design for the most demanding users — individuals like climbing guides who use their gear daily. Durable, sustainable backpacks are our #1 priority. As a guide, your equipment cannot fail when guiding clients, so if you don't have to think about your pack breaking under stress, we've done our job.
What is something that people don't know about backpacks that they should?
Please, please adjust your pack correctly and then fine-tune it in the field. Also, the compression straps are there to stabilize the load to your body. It's incredible how a well-fit, cinched-down pack will carry more efficiently and contribute to the overall health of your back over time.
How to Fit a Pack
What is a cool fact about Mystery Ranch that our Common Climber readers would enjoy?
We absolutely love dogs and may or may not have just as many dogs working at The Ranch HQ as humans!
The Tower 47 Crag Pack
PhotographyBen Herndon: https://www.instagram.com/donofhern/