Mark Epperson, a world-wise man who loves the mountains, founded Epperson Mountaineering in 1973 in Montana. Gradually, as word spread about Epperson’s backpacks, consumer demand grew so much that Mark eventually opened his own retail shop in Libby, Montana where he would make all the packs by hand one by one. Today, all Epperson Mountaineering products continue to be made in the USA by artisan pack makers with the best components such as 1000 denier Cordura, YKK zippers, mil-spec tubular webbing, or exclusive Indian/Oval pattern webbing and reinforced seam-sealed inner compartments to guarantee life-long strength and durability.