Duluth Pack Tales...

The time was mid-summer 1969. The setting was a canoe trip by four experienced 21 yr. old campers. Four friends growing up in Duluth began a
300+ mile trip through the Boundary Waters Park into the Quetico
300+ Provincial Park for a trip that was to prove a watershed remembrance. We packed into our well-warn Original Duluth Pack enough gear to last 14 days. One pack per paddler, two canoes and a goal to never "double portage". I still have that original Duluth pack - size large, purchased almost 50 years ago as a young teenager.

Each of us were experienced guides who had visited the canoe country many seasons. This was to be a single pack, one-portage trip. We never stayed on the same site more than one night - some days making 50 miles and many portages over 500 rods. We ate and lived off the land with only the basics of food staples, fish, partridge/spruce grouse and cooked basic and what I remember, hearty, filling meals.

We saw some fantastic country - unforgettable, even today. We traveled through wilderness areas, never seeing another human being during those 14 days - but what I remember most was this interlude; as my story to you ...

We packed into a lake following a very long, difficult portage that was more like an animal trail, launched our canoes onto the lake and in the quiet evening twilight, pulled out our only packed luxury item - a small transistor radio with which to listen to the Apollo 11 landing on the moon.
There was a 3/4 moon that night and spectacular clear skies. We each leaned back with our packs as backrests - escaped the mosquito's and rested for several hours ... gazing at the moon, watching the northern aurora lights, listening to space mission reports and reveling in most important event earth-beings could undertake; while experiencing it all in the most pristine place one could imagine.

We each felt a special connection to those three Apollo 11 astronauts by our mutual isolation - 4 adventurers in the wilderness canoe country far way from home and the three space travelers visiting that tiny moon. We always appreciated being only visitors to the wilderness. We imagined feeling the same things - each small group of 'visitors' wishing to do well and return safely.

My story theme for your company - lying back on my well-traveled Duluth pack, resting and drifting mid-lake, dreaming, visualizing and listening to the space spectacle of the Apollo moon landing. I still own that Duluth Pack
- and each time I come upon it in my storage - it makes me think of that event.

I never have had that depth of adventure again. I dream of going on a similar canoe visit - but I think my time has past. Seeing that pack in my storage gear or hearing about the Apollo space program - each, reminds me of that spectacular night in 1969.
Submitted by: Richard L. Clymer, Burnsville, MN 55337

I am a flyfishing guide in Durango, Colorado and I have used your shell bags and packs for guiding and my own fishing trips for years. Your shell bag makes a super fishing gear bag and having it on the side means you can look down as you wade. Thanks for such great products. Submitted by: Sam Stites

I have been a customer of Duluth Pack for at least 10 years and love the products.
I just wanted to let you know that this morning I had a doctor's appointment and, of course, was running late. I had my PDA case in my hand when I went out the door to put my 2 kids in my SUV. I dropped my son off at school and proceeded to get on the 4-lane interstate. I heard a noise and looked in my rear-view mirror and saw something go sailing across 2 lanes of traffic, 1 break-down lane, and then hit the concrete retaining wall between north and south bound. I wondered what my truck had kicked up, but didn't think a lot about it until I got to the doctor's office. It was then that I realized that the thing I saw flying across the interstate at 65 mph was my PDA holder, with my Palm Zire in it!!! Needless to say I was a little distraught. After my appointment, I took my daughter and retraced my route. After about 10 minutes, I found what I was looking for....my Palm in my Duluth Pack PDA case.&n! bsp; The leather was a little scuffed, but the canvas was perfect. I opened and checked my Palm...It was still working perfectly!!!!! If it hadn't been for your wonderful product, I would have bought some inferior PDA case. My Palm and the case probably would have been destroyed when it hit the wall. Thank you so much for making such wonderful things!!!!! I will continue to be a loyal customer as long as you keep making stuff. I love you guys!!!
Submitted by: Vickie Rabideaux, Kansas City, MO

"August 28th on the SE corner of Nina-Moose Lake.  At roughly 3 AM I could hear the rumbling of thunder in the distant west and thought to myself we may have to pack up, paddle and portage out wet as I dozed back to sleep.  Around 4 AM, the rain began and came hard and the light and thunder show began.  Later, I lowered the food pack from between the two trees and contemplated making breakfast when another round of rain sent me back into the tent.  Two things I noticed were the amount of rain, 2.5”-3” and the higher than usual electrical activity of the storm.  The strike came about 9:30.  The tree hit was 15 feet from our tent.  The Camp Kitchen was at the base of the tree that was hit.  I thought it had hit the tent we were in as the blue purple white illuminating glow filled our tent.  I felt the electrical current move from my head down.  The half of the tree trunk which fell landed 10 feet from our tent with one of the branches being only 5 feet away.  Splinters 2-10 feet in length were everywhere.  The Camp Kitchen took the full force of the jolt of lighting and was moved 6 ft. with the utensil roll being thrown loose another 10 feet.  All the sealed food packages had exploded inside the pack.  Lightning has killed people up to 100 feet away from the point of impact.  Maybe our Camp Kitchen took the hit for us, but I know that God has the final say in who and when.  Duluth packs are the best, they do what they are intended to and then some."  Submitted by: Andy Ericksen, Hibbing, MN

"Bought my first Duluth packsac about 1942. Wore it out and a bear ate part of it. So I salvaged the straps and buckles, made a canvas bag and built my own thinking the company had gone out of business. Later discovered you were still alive so ordered a new pac. I use them both in my cruising (timber) business. Toted them quite a few miles through the woods including last week on snowshoes in the Bitterroot mtns. When I travel anywhere my gear goes in my Duluth Cruiser Pac. World Travelers eye me with envy and respect and baggage handlers love the sturdy, handy old thing." - Bob Hayes, the last Timber Cruiser in Montana wearing wool underwear and toting a Duluth Pack, Evaro, MT

"Christa Olson grew up in Duluth. She was a counselor and guide at Wilderness on the Gunflint for several years. She just moved to NY city with a friend. Finally settled in a small apartment in the big city, they were much in need of an air conditioner. Reliant on subways, she rode 40 min to the air conditioner store. Once there se bought it and they asked her to pull her car up. She replied that she did not have a car but would take it home in her pack, taking it with her on the subway. Unaccustomed to the abilities and capacity both of Minnesota women canoe guides and the ubiquitous Duluth Pack, and perhaps having difficulty understanding the accent and sanity of what appeared to be a jackpine savage, they questioned her at length about how she was planning to make this impossible voyage. It would not fit in the pack, but she needed the box anyway for warranty, etc. The air conditioner weighed 50 pounds, a ton by the standards of the NY woman but a pretty light portage load for a canoe guide used to carrying a standard weight aluminum canoe and a pack without stopping over the Jax portage, and worse. She finally convinced the skyscraper savages that if they would simply fold up the box, she could get both the box and the air conditioner in the Duluth pack. She fit both in nicely and easily took it home on the subway without further incident. It really was a short and light portage by her standards." - Submitted by Mark Knutson

"About seven years ago, I bought my oldest daughter a Rambler for our canoe camping trips and as an every day school pack. On its maiden canoe camping trip, I backed our car over her brand-new pack by the shores Maine's Lake Umbagog just before we put in. By "backed over" I mean this: I left the pack out of the car on the ground under the rear bumper exactly where a rear wheel, at slow speed, rolled right over it as I backed up. At first I thought I was backing over a boulder or an inattentive raccoon. The pack was damaged some but its contents hardly at all. Right then that Duluth pack saved our trip for it preserved 99% of the gear she needed to enjoy it. When we returned, I sent it off to Duluth Tent & Awning for repairs. Some months later I called Duluth Tent & Awning to order a pack for my other daughter. When I gave my name to the person who answered the phone, she said, "Oh. You're the guy who backed over his daughter¹s pack, right?" The blue Rambler went into semi-retirement two years ago after having served as my daughter's everyday school pack for five years. (I replaced it with another Rambler, of course.) By my calculations, it has hauled 35,000 pounds (about 35 pounds of books, etc., a day for a thousand days) for over 3,000 miles." - Submitted by Lawrence A. Meyer, Milton, MA

"When I purchased a Sparky bag for use in my canoe, I had a specific use in mind: to carry my personal gear. I had no idea how versatile this bag would turn out to be. It has proven to be right at home in every activity that I do. I recently participated in a Continental Divide Trail project as a volunteer in New Mexico. The workday included a hike in, construction of the trail and of cairns. I packed my frozen water bottles in the side pockets, some snacks, suntan lotion, a first aid kit and a windbreak/rain shirt in case of stormy weather. The ease with which I could put it on and take it off was amusing compared to the "would you help me with my pack" experience of everyone else's high tech pack systems. I had no worries about where I set my pack down, cactus spines were no match. On the second day we hiked 1 and 1/2 miles to view an Indian Petroglyph site. The inbound hike went well and my pack included all the above as well as my trail lunch and a digital camera. We had to hit the trail when a unexpected storm moved in, beating us with cherry sized hail stones and pouring rain. My packed gear remained dry, even though my pack was made of "just canvas" and everyone was soaked. My pack was perfect for this event. My camera stayed dry, but sorry I didn't take that picture. My pack was even better suited for the cave experience. We descended into darkness surrounded by sharp jagged volcanic rocks. Needless to say the high tech high profile packs kept getting caught on the low overhanging rocks. I kept thinking that one of them was gonna emerge from the cave with a rip. Not so my low profile Sparky Bag. I have also found that as an airline "carry on" this bag holds everything I need. The Sparky fits under the seat and in the overhead compartment with my hat in the bungie! I can put it on and take it off quickly to get me through the xray and metal detector and it opens easily when I do get inspected. It is with the greatest pleasure that I use it as designed, engaged in my favorite pastime... paddling in my canoe." - Submitted by Patrick Harrington

"My dad and I were on a trip in the Quetico and toward the end of it we landed at the portage that leads into the north end of Other Man Lake. When we got our gear out ready to start the 39 rod trek, I took off with my Duluth Northwoods Pack ahead of my dad as I normally do. The trail ahead of me was wet, but I had my Redwing boots so I thought I would just walk right through it. Big mistake. I took one step into the mud with my right foot and went down into it up to my hip. My left leg was still above the mud which was quite uncomfortable. I could feel the muskege pulling my right leg down, and the only reason the muck didn't pull me any further was because the over-stuffed Northwoods Pack on my back made me bouyant enough so I stayed above. I yelled for my dad who laughingly helped me out. I was covered in black muck from my waist down and on the bottom of my pack too, so I unhappily hiked the rest of the way. When I arrived at Other Man Lake Lake, I didn't stop. I just walked right down into the water with my pack. Surprisingly, just a rinse cleaned my pack and I up pretty nicely. Although this story was an unpleasant happening, I look back upon with foremost humor. So if you're ever hiking that portage after a rain, WATCH OUT! The logs are lying in the path for a reason." - Submitted by Jimmy Johnson - Columbus, Ohio

(In response to a letter from Duluth Pack president)
"What a great letter! I shared it with my shipmates and they loved it, for two reasons. Obviously because of the tone of the reply and the great service, but I think more because the bag has become their friend also. They have certainly seen a lot of it as it has accompanied us in each and every liberty port we've been to in the Mediterranean for the last five and a half years. Thanks again for the support and rest assured that Duluth Pack is spoken of very highly on USS La Salle. As a matter of fact I think someone ordered one the other day. Carry on Citizen! - Submitted by Blake Myers ­ USS La Salle

"Recently I wed a wonderful woman. We were married in January of 2002. After much discussion about where to go on our honeymoon, we decided on the Boundary Waters. Actually that was my choice, but not my wives. We went to Costa Rica. The trip was absolutely wonderful. We saw all kinds of wildlife, an active volcano, went snorkeling and just plain relaxed. One of my highpoints of the trip however, being an avid canoe camper, proud owner of a #3 Duluth Pack and local Duluth resident - was the surprise spotting of a local Costa Rican walking along carrying what appeared to be a small Cruiser Duluth Pack. We approached him with a smile and acknowledgement of his pack. Unfortunately, the man spoke no English and I spoke very broken Spanish. One thing I could understand though, was his gesture of holding the pack up and out stating "grande". Far and Wide people can appreciate quality craftsmanship." - Submitted by Mike Elling ­ Duluth, MN

"I just received my #4 Timber Cruiser. It's going to eat all the other backpacks alive! Now that I have the #4 Timber, I can't imagine ever needing anything bigger. I'm going solo backpacking in England very soon. I'm also going to take it to the Caribbean next summer for the marine science/diving/sailing expedition This is way better than a suitcase or a duffel bag, and a great value. I plan to use it for all future trips. I was fascinated by the heavy canvas, copper rivets and the big, tough leather. Craftsmanship really is top-notch, plus it's very unique. It reeks of tradition and character... wait, that's just the leather I smell. I searched Google for "traditional canvas backpack" and I found your site, I have never seen anything like it before. Originally I was looking for something vintage and European, like an old Swiss army canvas rucksack. This is my first time buying from Duluth Pack, and you can bet I'll come back for more in the future." Submitted by Jin Packard, Baltimore, MD